By the ti I reached the outer security lights, my hands were trembling so badly I had to tuck them into my sleeves.
I didn’t even think about the caras neither did I think about how I must look. So when the floodlights snapped on without warning, I flinched hard enough that my vision went white for a second.
"Stop right there!"
The shout ca close.
I froze.
Two figures stepped out from the guard post near the gate, with thier rifles raised at em.
They didn’t recognize ..... of course they didn’t. I looked like I’d crawled out of a riverbank ..... because well I had.
"It’s !" I shouted, my voice cracking. "It’s Elaine!"
"Hands up!
The click of a safety being adjusted made my stomach drop straight to the ground.
I lifted my hands slowly even though my arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds.
One of them moved closer, keeping distance but adjusting his aim. The other stepped toward the light panel, squinting at .
"Say your na again," he demanded.
"Elaine," I said, my teeth chattering now from cold and adrenaline. "Open the damn gate."
There was a long second where I genuinely thought they might shoot . Then recognition hit his face.
"Jesus Christ," he muttered, lowering the rifle instantly. "Mrs..."
"Open it," I repeated, my voice shaking.
The gates began to slide apart with a low chanical hum.
One of them was already reaching for his radio. "Get a car down here for the miss. Now!."
I hadn’t realized how far I’d walked until I saw the driveway stretching ahead under dim lights. The house looked impossibly far away and my legs were starting to give out.
"Are you hurt ma’am ?" the guard asked, stepping closer but not touching .
"I’m fine."
It ca out automatic. He didn’t believe it, I could see it in his face.
Headlights appeared halfway down the drive..... one of the estate cars coming fast.
The mont it stopped, one of the n opened the back door, ushering in.
"Let’s get you inside ma’am ."
I tried to walk toward it on my own but my knee buckled.
Before I could argue, one of them caught under the arm and helped into car. The door shut and the car took off imdiately.
As we drove up the long stretch, I stared out the window at the familiar trees lining the driveway. They’d never looked so distant before.
My heart was pounding again, what if he’s not here
What if....
The car stopped hard in front of the steps, the front door was already open. And Aaron was standing there.
For a second, I thought I was hallucinating. He had a cut above his eyebrow, dried blood streaked down the side of his face. His shirt was torn at the shoulder, with one sleeve was missing a button.
But he was standing upright and breathing and looking directly at .
The car door hadn’t even fully opened before I stumbled out, I don’t rember crossing the space between us, I just rember colliding into him.
My arms wrapped around him before I could stop myself. I pressed my face against his chest and for a second I didn’t care about anything except the solid warmth of him being alive.
He stiffened in surprise.... just for a second ....then his hands ca up and gripped my shoulders.
"You’re okay," he said roughly.
"You’re okay," I shot back, my voice breaking completely now.
I pulled back enough to look at him.
"What happened?" I demanded. "I thought they... I didn’t..."
"I’m fine," he said quickly.
"That’s not what I asked."
He glanced past briefly, checking the driveway, the periter. Always working, this guy.
"They tried to pull you back up when you ran," he said. "One went after you, the other stayed with ."
"And?"
"And he underestimated ."
His mouth twitched faintly like that was supposed to settle it.
It didn’t.
"How did you get away?"
He hesitated just a fraction.
"I pushed him into the guardrail when he got close," he said. "He wasn’t expecting resistance, i took his gun. The other one had already gone down the embanknt after you. When he didn’t find you, they regrouped. By then I was out of sight."
"That’s it?" I asked quietly.
"That’s it."
But it wasn’t, it didn’t seem like it, there were gaps in what he said, Small ones. There had to be, the timing didn’t quite line up in my head. The way he’d described it felt too clean.
I knew what two ard n could do in close quarters. I knew Aaron was trained.
But still sothing in my chest tightened.
"You’re bleeding," I said instead.
"It looks worse than it is."
"You don’t know that."
He gave a look that almost resembled a smile.
"I’ve had worse."
The words didn’t comfort , they unsettled rather.
I stepped back slightly, studying him. There was dirt on his hands. A darker stain on his cuff that wasn’t fully dried.
Before I could press further .....
Headlights swept across the driveway, both of us turned.
Zane’s car rolled in slow ly t
My stomach dropped all over again when the car ca to a smooth stop.
For a mont, no one moved, then the driver’s door opened and Zane stepped ou
He just stood there for a second, taking in the scene, soaked and shaking on the steps, Aaron bloodied but upright, the guards positioned slightly closer than usual.
His gaze landed on first.
It didn’t soften, It didn’t flare, he just assessed then thn it shifted to Aaron
And sothing cold passed between them. Not words, just re Understanding.
I felt suddenly very aware of how badly I’d detonated the day wit Aaron straightened slightly beside . Oh shit! we are both in deep shit with Zane.
Zane walked toward us without breaking eye contact, and I realized the bridge wasn’t the part I’d been dreading most.
It was this.
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