Cobra and Hawk exchanged worried glances. At that moment, they should’ve been speeding across flat ground, not trying to climb this steep dune. But they both knew better than to argue with Echo about driving; she understood this situation far better than they did. Whatever route she chose, it had to have a purpose. They gripped the door tightly as the Jeep tilted at a precarious angle.
The massive dune loomed ahead, and Echo’s speed had dropped significantly. It was nowhere near the wild pace they’d just had, but she stubbornly pushed upward toward the peak.
Quicksand flowed rapidly behind them, the sound of it sending chills down their spines.
She had to reach the summit. The peak was within sight, yet it felt unreachable. Echo’s expression grew serious, her determination palpable. She slammed the gas pedal to the floor, a fierce look in her eyes.
Up and down, forward and back-there was no choice but to press on. Echo gritted her teeth and suddenly heard a loud crack as she snapped the gear lever in frustration. Ignoring the break, she floored it, and with a deafening roar from the Jeep’s engine, she barreled over the peak.
As soon as she crested the summit, Echo let out a long breath of relief. She maintained the Jeep’s speed as it rushed down the other side, and to her surprise, the vehicles behind her were right on her tail, speeding down after her.
“We’re safe,” Echo said, wiping the sweat from her brow and pushing the Jeep to its limits before it could give out completely.
Ryan observed that the quicksand had stopped flowing, lying still on the desert surface. The pressure from the sinking ground had eased here, leaving only calmness and quiet.
The towering dune behind them shielded them from the relentless force trying to consume them. Everyone couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Echo really did have her own vision and skills; sometimes, speed wasn’t everything-brains were crucial.
Ryan nodded slightly and reached over to gently ruffle Echo’s hair as she leaned back against her seat.
With a loud creak, the Jeeps following them lost control on the way down, flipping and rolling as the members of the Dark family jumped out just in time. Echo’s Jeep shot ahead, while the others tumbled behind her, creating quite a chaotic scene.
With a crash, Echo’s vehicle finally came to a stop in the distance, officially out of commission. She exhaled deeply, leaning back in her seat. “The rest is up to you guys.”
Hawk didn’t need any further instructions; he quickly pulled out his high-tech gear and began making contact.
Feeling Ryan’s hand in her hair, Echo turned to glance at Clement, who was unconscious. If Cobra hadn’t held on to him, he would’ve rolled away during the descent, and he looked nearly lifeless now.
Echo knew they could wait, but Clement didn’t have that luxury-he needed treatment fast. She didn’t panic; with Hawk around, everything would be fine.
Glancing up at the starry sky, she noticed how dark it was. The desert night was as cold as water. At first, she didn’t feel it, but after sweating, the sudden chill hit her hard, and she quickly scooted over to Ryan’s side. He wrapped his arms around her, and she appreciated the warmth; it really was freezing at night.
Silence enveloped them, but Echo understood that it was the calm before the storm. With everything that had happened today, it seemed like the Dark family and the Street family were on the brink of war.
******
A few days later, Echo strolled into the most secluded villa of the Dark family, relieved to see Clement was up and stretching in the garden. Sunlight hit him just right, and Echo raised an eyebrow-cleaned up, he actually looked decent. He was dressed casually, looking like a sunny guy in his forties.
“Hey, little Echo, good morning!” Clement said, flashing a smile as he noticed her.
Echo rolled her eyes. She’d told him countless times to drop the “little” in front of her name; it just felt weird. But his friendly grin made it hard to stay annoyed.
“You’re still alive, huh?” she shot back.
Clement chuckled, waving her in. “What can I do? The grim reaper hasn’t come for me yet.” He paused, then smiled at her softly. “Come on, call me ‘uncle.'”
Echo immediately stopped in her tracks, wondering if coming to see him had been a mistake.
It seemed Clement had anticipated her reaction; he affectionately patted her shoulder and pulled her inside, treating her like a younger relative.
“Didn’t expect you to come see your uncle. I’m really glad!” he said, limping slightly as he led her to a seat.
Seeing how naturally Clement threw around the “uncle” title made Echo frown. “That was just a temporary thing, you know? No ‘uncle’ talk; don’t take advantage of me.”
Clement blinked, looking confused. “What do you mean?”
Echo sighed, “I didn’t mean I wanted to call you ‘uncle.’ I was just saying that because of the situation. I have zero interest in having a relative pop up out of nowhere.”
After all these years as an orphan, she’d gotten used to not having family and didn’t crave it.
Echo raised an eyebrow, looking at Clement. He laughed and pointed to a chair. “Come on, sit down. I’m really bored.”
Seeing the boredom on Clement’s face, she realized he was right-being in the Dark family home was indeed dull. That was saying something considering her usual personality, but right now, she just didn’t have the time to dwell on it. Glancing at his clumsy movements, she frowned slightly but then turned back and sat down.
“Is your arm feeling better?” she asked, meeting his friendly gaze.
Clement nodded, a small smile on his face. “It’s getting there, but it’s been a while, so this arm might not be as agile as it used to be.”
The bullet had lodged in his arm for too long, and in three days, the wound had started to show serious signs of necrosis. If it hadn’t been for someone like Bill and the Dark family’s advanced medical equipment, Clement might’ve lost the use of that arm entirely.
As for his leg, it was just dislocated, not broken, so he could move around, even if his steps were a bit awkward.
Echo nodded. “Just keep exercising. You’ll be fine, just like Bill said.”
Clement chuckled. “No need to comfort me. It’s just a small injury; I don’t rely on my hands for a living. By the way, where’s Little Ryan? He’s not here, is he?”
Though he didn’t finish the question, Echo understood what he meant.
Looking at Clement’s slightly hopeful expression, Echo rubbed her nose and said, “After he got back, he went to Italy. He’s probably discussing something with Adolph about issues with the Street family, so he’s not at the Dark family home right now.”
Clement’s expression dimmed a bit but quickly returned to a smile as he looked at her. “Why didn’t you go with him? Aren’t you one of Little Ryan’s underlings?”
Echo raised an eyebrow. “You’re hurt, and so am I. My stomach still hurts when I walk. Why would I go along? I need to rest.”
The pull from that day had left her abdomen sore and bleeding, and Ryan had been rare in deciding to let her stay behind to recuperate.
Clement looked worried. “Where did you get hurt? How are you feeling now? You need to take good care of yourself, especially as a young lady.”
Since waking from his coma, he’d only been around Bill and a servant, and he’d picked up bits and pieces of what had happened afterward. He couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed by Echo.
Echo shook her head slightly. “I’m fine.”
It was rare for someone to care so much without any hidden motives, which made her smile.
Seeing that she looked okay, Clement nodded. “That’s good to hear, but you need to be careful with Little Ryan. His status makes him a target, so you should learn to protect yourself.”
When Echo heard Clement’s words, it really struck home. Being with Ryan was dangerous-her life was hanging by a thread.
With Ryan suddenly back and heading to Italy, it was obvious he was meeting with the mob boss, Adolph.
Why the rush? Probably because he didn’t want to be in the same place as Clement, but that didn’t seem likely. Ryan wasn’t the type to be petty. Most likely, he was figuring out how to deal with the Street family. It felt like a storm was brewing again, and her life was once more at stake.
Clement noticed Echo nodding along, looking all empathetic. He raised an eyebrow, resting his chin on his hand, and said, “Echo, I’m really curious. Little Ryan has always despised women. How did you become the exception? Tell me, I’m really interested.”
Echo shot Clement a glare. “I’d like to know how I became the exception too. And I’m also curious why Boss hates women.”
She wasn’t particularly interested in other things. She didn’t care how Ryan, as a bastard child, rose to the top of the Dark family. She figured there must be a legendary and terrifying story behind it-every gangster has one. But his peculiar personality intrigued her, especially when it impacted her life.
Clement noticed her curiosity and his usual smile faded a bit, replaced by a hint of sadness.
Echo raised an eyebrow and said, “If it’s not convenient, just pretend I didn’t ask.” She was curious, but she definitely wouldn’t dig into someone’s wounds.
Clement shook his head. “It’s not inconvenient. Since you want to know, I’ll tell you.”