49

The car sputtered as I pulled it to a stop by the curb of a dimly lit street. The fuel gauge had flatlined miles back, and we couldn’t risk being spotted at a gas station. Dominic threw the door open before the engine had even fully died, stepping out into the cold air. I followed, slamming the door behind me, shuddering in the thin shirt I had on. 

The street was eerily silent, the kind of silence that made your heart race. No one else was out, no passing cars, no barking dogs—just the faint, distant wail of police sirens cutting through the air. It wasn’t close, but it wasn’t far enough.

Dominic scanned the area, his eyes flickering between the houses with curtains pull over trying to see if anyone could have spotted us parking. He motioned with his head. “Let’s move.”

I nodded and fell in step beside him, trying to keep up with the pace of his walking, despite how exhausted I was. My throat was dried, begging for water and my belly grumbled with hunger. The sound of our boots against the pavement was the only thing grounding me, the rhythm steady even as my heart wasn’t.

Dominic was a few steps ahead of me, his long strides making it hard to keep up. His phone was in his hand, and he’d been calling Dane’s number repeatedly since we heard the news on the radio. Each time, it went straight to voicemail.

He tried again, his thumb pressing the screen with more force than necessary. The call dropped, and Dane’s cheerful, almost childish voice played on the recording. “Uh…you reached me. Leave a message after the beep.”

Hearing his voice made my stomach twist. I stumbled a bit, my head pounding, and took two shaky steps forward before dizziness overtook me. Reaching out, I grabbed Dominic’s arm to steady myself.

“Still nothing?” I asked, my voice uneven.

Dominic glanced down at me, his jaw tight. “No,” he muttered, frustration heavy in his tone. His thumb hovered over the screen, but then he shook his head and stuffed the phone back in his pocket. “Keeps going to voicemail.”

We kept moving, though I was slower now, the cold biting through my clothes. I shivered involuntarily, trying to wrap my arms around myself. “Where… where are we even going?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dominic stopped mid-step and turned to me, his sharp gaze flicking over my face. Without a word, he stepped closer, and before I could process what was happening, his hands framed my face, and his lips crashed into mine.

It wasn’t soft or hesitant—it was hard, full of urgency, and completely unexpected. I froze, my breath catching, but instinctively my hands grabbed his shirt for balance. He kissed me like it was the last thing he’d ever get to do, and when he pulled back, his forehead pressed against mine for a fleeting moment.

“What the hell?” I managed to stammer, still trying to catch my breath. My fingers stayed curled in the fabric of his shirt, my legs feeling like they might give out. “Why—why would you kiss me now? I mean… we’re kind of in the middle of surviving here,” I joked weakly, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

Dominic’s lips quirked into a half-smile, but his voice was serious. “In case I don’t get another chance.”

His words hit me hard, and for a second, fear gripped my chest, making it hard to breathe. He must have noticed because his hands slipped from my face to my shoulders, his touch gentler now.

“Hey,” he said softly, tilting his head to meet my eyes. The edge in his voice softened as he added, “Don’t look at me like that. You’re freezing. I thought I’d warm you up with my winning charm.”

I blinked at him, stunned for a moment, before a shaky laugh escaped me. “Your charm, huh?”

“Absolutely,” he said with a crooked grin, though there was still a flicker of tension behind his eyes. “Painfully irresistible, I’ve been told.”

I rolled my eyes, even as my heart thudded in my chest. “Dominic, you’re insane.”

“Yeah, but you’re still here,” he teased, stepping back and letting his hands drop to his sides. “Which, honestly, says more about you than me.”

“Well, I’m here because you kidnapped me.”

“You didn’t protest.”

“I didn’t have the chance to.”

“Not like you had a choice.”

I shook my head, a reluctant smile tugging at my lips despite myself. As we resumed walking, the silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt oddly familiar, like slipping into a memory we’d forgotten existed. Like when we were younger, teemagers and we’d sneak out the house to take walks down the estate without guards and security watching our every move. Back then, freedom from our parents' constant watch was gold, but today, not so much. I missed my mother so much I felt like I was going to cry anytime soon. And Dad and my late brothers… and Dane. After a moment, Dominic reached out, his fingers brushing mine before taking my hand.

“Like old times,” he said softly, glancing down at me with a faint smile.

I couldn’t help but smile back, my fingers curling around his as warmth spread through me. Just as the tension in my chest began to ease, the shrill sound of sirens broke through the still night air, much closer than before. My smile faltered, replaced by a growing panic.

Dominic noticed immediately. His grip on my hand tightened as he tugged me along, quickening our pace. “Come on,” he muttered, his tone sharp and focused. We stepped off the curb, darting past empty houses and darkened windows.

The sirens grew louder, cutting through the quiet neighborhood like a knife. Dominic veered abruptly, pulling me into a narrow alleyway between two houses. The space was tight, barely enough for the two of us, and the faint smell of damp stone clung to the air. He peeked out toward the road, his jaw clenched as the flashing red and blue lights illuminated the darkness.

“They’re close,” he said under his breath, more to himself than to me. I stayed behind him, clutching his arm, my heart pounding so hard I was sure it would give us away. He tilted his head back slightly, muttering a curse. “I left the guns in the car,” he hissed.

“What?” My voice was a whisper, shaky and laced with disbelief.

“If they stop by the car, it’s over. They’ll know we’re armed. We’ll just be confirming their suspicion.” His hand balled into a fist, the tension in his shoulders evident as he kept his eyes trained on the road.

The sirens blared louder until they were right there, flashing against Dominic’s face in stark bursts of red and blue. I pressed myself against his back, holding my breath, peeking from behind his arm. His lips moved soundlessly, whispering prayers or curses—I couldn’t tell which.

“Keep moving,” Dominic whispered under his breath, his voice desperate. “Just keep driving. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

Seconds stretched into what felt like hours. One second passed. Then two. Then three. The first police car slowed, its headlights sweeping across the street before pulling to a stop behind the Isuzu parked just a short distance away.

Another car followed. Then another. And a fourth in the distance.

Dominic’s shoulders stiffened. “Hell nah,” he muttered under his breath, spinning around to face me. Before I could react, his hands cupped my face, and he kissed me. Once, then twice, then a third time, each more desperate than the last.

“Dom—” I started, my voice trembling, but he pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes.

“Breathe,” he said firmly, his forehead pressing against mine. “You’re shaking like a leaf. I need you steady.”

“But the car—”

“I know,” he said, his voice low but intense. “But right now, I need you to trust me. We’ll get through this. Together.”

I nodded, though my legs felt weak beneath me. Dominic’s eyes flicked to the end of the alley, his jaw tightening as the sound of voices and car doors opening echoed through the night reaching us. I hugged him as tight as I could for the last time, knowing if we stayed on a place for too long, we will definitely get caught. I could tell he was making up a plan and even I could ask what it was, he was telling me in a quiet whisper. “We can’t let the cops find us. If they do, Vaughn has. Trust me, he has more connections than we know. And whatever you do, don’t get caught–” 

Dominic’s phone rang, echoing through the space, interrupting him. I froze, heart pounding, as he scoooped it out of his pants and fumbled to silence it. His fingers were clumsy, panicked.

Too late.

“They can’t be far!” someone shouted in the distance, they must have heard. Dominic’s eyes snapped to mine, wide. He didn’t have to say it. His lips moved anyway, silently forming one word: Run.

I didn’t think. My body reacted, legs moving before my brain could catch up. I bolted down the narrow alleyway, my breaths ragged, chest already aching. The space was tight, the walls closing in, scraping my arms and shoulders as I pushed through.

Dominic was right behind me, his footsteps heavy, fast. The faint glow of streetlights faded as we spilled out onto the open road. For a second, I hesitated.

A dog barked from a nearby yard, throwing itself against a fence, the clanging sound doing nothing to help my panic. And just across the street was the woods, dark, seemingly endless. 

“Move!” Dominic hissed, giving me a shove toward the trees.

My legs obeyed before my mind could catch up, carrying me across the pavement and into the forest. The moment I stepped inside, branches slapped at my face, stinging like tiny whips. The ground was uneven, roots and rocks jutting out to trip me at every step. I stumbled, catching myself on a tree trunk, but Dominic was right there, pulling me forward.

“Keep going,” he whisper-yelled. “Don’t stop!”

Behind us, voices rose, barking orders. Flashlights bobbed through the trees, the beams cutting through the darkness like knives. I heard barking from the distance of dogs. Didn’t sound like just one or just two. Sounded like they had a lot. 

“They’ve got dogs,” I managed to gasp, my chest heaving. 

“I know,” Dominic said. His voice was calm, but his pace quickened.

The barks were closer now, snarling and feral. My stomach clenched, fear twisting into a sharp ache. My breath was raggedy, my throat constricting with lumps and panic, my chest heaving, my fingers trembling. My entire body ached intensely, my heart thudding against my ribacage so much it nearly hurt. 

“Dominic—”

“Run!” he snapped, his tone sharp enough to jolt me.

I forced myself to move faster, lungs burning, legs shaking. The darkness was suffocating, the trees pressing in on all sides. I could hear the crack of twigs behind us, the heavy thud of boots. They were gaining on us.

A gunshot rang out, deafening. I flinched, nearly losing my footing, almost stumbling over a twig on the floor. My lower lip was quivering now as I struggled to avoid swaying off my feet.

“Don’t stop!” Dominic barked, his hand brushing my arm, urging me forward.

The ground sloped suddenly, steep and slick. I slipped, my feet sliding out from under me, and hit the dirt hard. Pain exploded in my knee, sharp and hot.

“Get up!” Dominic’s voice was closer now, frantic. He hauled me to my feet, his arm wrapping around my waist as he yanked me up. It was so fast. Too quick. But I felt the ground beneath my feet again.

“I can’t—”

“You can.” His tone left no room for argument.

We pushed forward, the forest thickening around us. Every step felt heavier, the air colder. My breathing was loud, ragged, mixing with the sound of Dominic’s footsteps and the relentless barking behind us.

Then, we hit water.

A shallow stream cut through the forest, its surface glinting faintly in the moonlight. Dominic veered toward it without hesitation, splashing into the icy current.

“What are you doing?” I gasped, my voice shaking as I followed him. 

“Dogs can’t track in water,” he said, glancing back. “Come on!”

The cold hit me like a slap, numbing my legs and stealing my breath. The water wasn’t deep, but it was fast, tugging at my ankles. I stumbled, nearly falling, but Dominic grabbed my arm, steadying me.

We waded across, the icy current biting into my skin. On the other side, the bank was steep and muddy. My fingers dug into the dirt, slipping as I tried to climb.

Dominic pulled me up, his grip firm, his breathing just as labored as mine.

For a moment, the barking faltered, replaced by muffled voices. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

“They’re losing us,” I whispered, barely able to believe it.

“Not yet,” Dominic said grimly. “We need to keep moving.”

The forest on this side was thicker, the trees packed tighter. Every step was a fight, the branches clawing at my clothes, the ground uneven. My legs screamed in protest, my lungs felt like they might collapse, but I couldn’t stop.

Through the trees, a faint light flickered—small, distant, but real.

“There,” Dominic said, his voice hoarse but determined. “Head for that.”

“What is it?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “Just go.”