The car sped through the empty streets, the city a blur of shadows and faint lights outside the windows. Vaughn shifted beside her, his small hands clutching the hem of her jacket, his eyes wide and alert. Amara reached over and gently stroked his hair, her touch comforting in the dark, confined space.
Rowan’s gaze flickered to the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Amara and Vaughn in the back seat. His eyes softened momentarily before returning to the road. There was something in that brief look, something unspoken and almost painful. Amara saw it, too, and her chest tightened.
“Rowan,” she said quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper, “thank you… for everything.”
Rowan didn’t respond immediately, his focus remaining on the road. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost hesitant. “Just doing what needs to be done,” he said. But there was an undercurrent of something else in his words… an acknowledgment of the bond that had formed between them, despite the dangers and the darkness that surrounded them….
The car fell into silence again.
Harvey occasionally glanced back at them, his expression hard but thoughtful, as if weighing the situation.
Kyle kept his eyes on the road, his grip on the steering wheel firm and steady.
After what felt like an eternity, the airport came into view, a beacon of safety amidst the shadows.
Kyle maneuvered the car through the near-empty roads leading up to the terminal, his movements precise and deliberate.
As they pulled up to the curb, Rowan turned to face Amara. “Stay inside until you’re sure it’s safe,” he instructed, his tone firm. “And don’t let Vaughn out of your sight.”
Amara nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. “I won’t,” she promised, her eyes meeting his.
Rowan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small phone, handing it to her. “Use this if you need anything,” he said. “It’s secure.”
She took the phone, her fingers brushing against his for a brief moment. “Thank you,” she said again, her voice sincere.
Rowan gave her a small nod, his expression softening for just a second. “Take care of yourself, Crimson,” he said quietly.
Amara smiled faintly, a ghost of a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You too, Rowan.”
With that, she opened the door and stepped out, carefully guiding Vaughn out behind her. She could feel the weight of Rowan’s gaze on her as she walked toward the entrance, her heart heavy with a mix of relief and an inexplicable sense of loss.
She paused for a moment, turning back to look at him one last time. Rowan was still watching her, his expression unreadable.
And then, with a slight nod, Rowan turned away, the car pulling back into the shadows as he and his men drove off.
Amara took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come.
She had a flight to catch, and a life to protect. But as she stood there, holding Vaughn’s hand, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of emptiness… a feeling that perhaps, in some other life, things could have been different…
But this was their reality, their dark, dangerous world. And they had to keep moving forward.
The car sped through the desolate streets, the headlights cutting through the thick darkness of the early morning. Silence reigned inside, tense and heavy, like the calm before a storm.
Kyle drove with focused precision, his eyes locked on the road ahead. The engine’s hum was the only sound breaking the silence, a low, steady drone that seemed to pulse in time with the racing of their hearts. Rowan sat in the back seat, his gaze shifting between the rearview mirror and the road ahead, ever watchful, ever vigilant.
They had driven a good distance, the cityscape around them becoming more unfamiliar with every passing minute, when Rowan suddenly spoke. “Turn the car around,” he said, his voice sharp, cutting through the quiet like a blade.
Kyle’s eyes flicked up to the mirror, confusion etched on his face. “What?” he asked, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.
“Back to the airport,” Rowan ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Harvey, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to look at his brother. “Why, Big Brother?” he questioned, his brows furrowed in concern.
Rowan’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. “I can’t leave her alone there.”
Kyle nodded without another word, trusting Rowan’s instincts implicitly. He hit the brakes, the tires screeching in protest against the asphalt as he turned the wheel sharply, taking the nearest cut to head back toward the airport.
The car sped back the way they had come, urgency pushing them forward. Rowan’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but one stood out above all: he couldn’t leave Amara and Vaughn unprotected, not now, not ever.
Within fifteen minutes, they arrived at the airport. The parking lot was mostly empty, with only a few cars scattered around.
Rowan walked inside, his eyes scanned the waiting area quickly, looking for any signs of trouble, any indication that they were too late. But then he saw her.
Amara was sitting with Vaughn on one of the metal chairs near the entrance, her arms wrapped protectively around Vaughn.
. She looked tired but alert, her eyes scanning her surroundings with the same caution Rowan felt in his bones. When she saw him approaching, her eyes widened in surprise.
Rowan felt a wave of relief wash over him, his tense shoulders relaxing just a fraction. She was safe. They were safe. For now.
He approached slowly, his footsteps echoing softly in the stillness of the early morning. Amara’s gaze met his, confusion and curiosity mingling in her expression. “Rowan… what are you doing here?” she asked.
Rowan didn’t answer immediately. He took a moment to take in the sight of her and Vaughn, sitting there amidst the chaos.
Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but with an edge of urgency. “When is Lucas coming?”
Amara glanced at her watch, her brow furrowing slightly. “In half an hour,” she replied.
Rowan nodded, his gaze shifting around the area, always assessing, always on guard. He moved to sit next to Vaughn, the tension in his body easing just slightly.
Amara looked at him, startled by his proximity, by the sudden change in his demeanor. Rowan rarely allowed himself to be this close to anyone, to let down his guard even a little.
But here he was, sitting beside Vaughn, his eyes scanning the horizon, yet somehow present in a way she hadn’t seen before. She didn’t say anything, though. There was a comfort in his presence she couldn’t deny, a sense of security that, for the moment, made her feel like everything might just be okay.
Rowan’s gaze flicked briefly to Vaughn, his small face etched with a mixture of exhaustion and curiosity. He wondered, not for the first time, how this little fella could stir such deep feelings within him… protectiveness, care, a fierce desire to shield him from the darkness of their world. It was a new sensation, one he wasn’t sure he knew how to handle, but he didn’t back away from it either.