Being recognized by civilians was a wake up call for Ari. She realized now her days will be much harder than what she had been through the past nine days. She will be running as a fugitive, not only from Armand and his men, but from everyone who potentially will notice her and wanting to get the rewards for her return.
They had to abandon their getaway car, walked for miles to get to a nearby town and stole a car. Something she would never be able to do on her own. It was disheartening to realize how helpless she will be without Diego by her side. They couldn’t go far with a stolen car either, they had to abandon it and walked to the nearest train station. A chance for her to try the public transportation she thought was easier to do.
They have to be more careful to be seen in public, they had to assume everyone watched the news all day and had her face embedded in their minds. He told her to wear her hoodie at all times and not to act suspicious, not that she knew what that meant.
She held his hand tightly when they walked across the station bumping on people’s shoulders. He felt her nervousness oozing out of her sweaty hand. She was jumpy when another person walked too close.
They were waiting by the platform for the train to arrive. She kept her head down, tension was written all over her posture.
“Hey …” he interrupted her thoughts.
She looked at him, her face ridden with worry.
“You’re okay … it’s gonna be fine …” he understood how she must be feeling.
“I don’t know if I can do this alone,” she finally admitted.
He paused for a moment and squeezed her hand, “Don’t worry about it … you’re doing great.”
He was in denial. All the while he couldn’t stop thinking what will happen to her the moment she goes out on her own. And that moment is coming closer by the hour. Goldstone will be their last stop before heading off to the airport. He couldn’t let himself worry about that, that was not the job.
He had forgotten how it feels like to care for someone, anyone for that matter. He didn’t have anyone in his life, he’d been going solo for ten years and the feeling that was slowly creeping up inside him was familiar. It was warm, mellow, weakening and dangerous. He can’t let her get in too close.
She turned and wrapped her arms around him, she buried her face in his chest. She was craving for someone to hold her, it would be nice to have someone to comfort her from how frightened she was. “I’m scared,” saying it out loud helps.
He held his breath for a fraction of a second, he wasn’t expecting her to do that. In the middle of a crowded train station, their embrace seemed to separate them from the rest of the world. No one knew what they were going through, they looked like another young couple cuddling in the wait. He hesitantly hugged her back and let her find the comfort she needed in his arms.
“Oh boy,” he muttered to himself as he felt a surge of emotions through his body, there was no denying it, he felt something for this girl.
She fell asleep on his lap in the train. All that running away, walking for miles and miles, stealing a car only to dump it at the next turn. It was the kind of life she will have to get used to. If she will ever get used to it.
He watched her tired face as she slept, like an angel. He stroked her hair, rubbed her cheek and realized only afterwards what he was doing. If he hadn’t stopped himself from daydreaming, he would’ve tried to kiss her. She’s not the only one in need of comfort, he had been craving it for years too. He leaned his head to the window and closed his eyes, it was a very bad time to fall in love.
When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by her sweet smile. “How long have I dozed off?” he surprised himself.
She pursed her lips, “I don’t know … you were asleep when I woke up twenty minutes ago … I think we’re almost there, they just announced it.”
“Okay …” he reached into his bag, “Shit, they’ll want to check for ID … we’re gonna have to use what we have for now.”
He kept the ID that he confiscated from the trafficker, it was risky but they didn’t have any choice.
“Are they going to put it in their log or something? Wouldn’t that be traceable? What if they recognize my picture?” she worries.
He lifted his shoulder, “It’s the risk we have to take … you have to be ready to make a run for it.”
She looked at him in horror, running away from an officer in a crowded train station? She looked to the front, an officer was coming towards them and checking everyone’s ID. She bit her lip. With what just happened at the gas station, she couldn’t take the chance of anyone recognizing her again.
“Can I see your ID?” the officer finally arrived at their seats.
She snatched the ID from Diego’s hand and slipped it in her back pocket. She held Diego’s hand and sat on his lap. “Hi there Officer … Armstrong?” she peeked at his name tag.
The Officer looked at her with a flat expression.
Diego handed him his fake ID and was bewildered by what Ari was trying to do.
“It’s kind of embarrassing … we’ve been looking for my ID since we got into the train and we couldn’t find it,” she grinned.
Officer Armstrong was not amused, “What is your name?”
“Caroline Buchanan.”
The Officer was studying Diego’s ID and compared it to his face.
“What is your relationship with Mr. Davies?”
“We’re husband and wife … newlyweds … and hah … we were doing something we’re not supposed to at the restroom back at the station and my ID must’ve fallen out of my pants because we were … you know …”
Diego stayed silent, he was playing along without knowing where she was going with it.
The Officer blushed and looked away, he cleared his throat, “I see … but uhm …”
“Can you please cut us some slack just this time? Because … I think I even left my panties there … I’m ovulating today, that’s why it was an emergency …” she was half whispering.
“Oh …” he chuckled nervously, “I know the feeling … my wife used to do that too when we were trying … I guess some things just couldn’t wait,” he glanced at Diego.
Diego raised his eyebrow with a smile and waved a dismissive hand.
“Yeah, I told him, it had to be done quickly … he was yanking my pants down, we kinda had to do it standing up and then the ID must’ve …”
Officer Armstrong cleared his throat again, “I understand … I wish you good luck, it’s not easy when you’re trying … Are you staying for long or …”
“Honeymoon … Goldstone, you know … party all day and sex all night kind of honeymoon.”
Diego could see Officer Armstrong’s face was embarrassed for the both of them, he smiled and went on his way to the next passenger.
She turned to Diego and kissed him passionately just to make sure when Officer Armstrong glanced at them, he could see they were kissing like teenagers.
She was on his lap, both her hands cupped his face, her tongue was halfway inside his throat, not that he minded it. He grabbed her head and pressed her face against his, he engulfed her in his mouth, he saw from the corner of his eye that Officer Armstrong had walked quite further away, but he lingered in the kiss.
She broke away, they looked into each other’s eyes, something inside them didn’t want that kiss to be over.
“Is he gone?” she asked.
He looked, “Yeah,” he was still taken aback from the kiss.
She leaned over and kissed him again. She was relieved this time. She couldn’t believe it worked, a trick she learned in high school, men would always form an image in their minds when they hear something sexual, they would be embarrassed and looked away. Or maybe they were just lucky.
“Let’s not attract attention to ourselves,” he said when she broke away the second time.
She had a wicked smile on her face, she could feel he enjoyed the kiss as much as she did, “They’re looking for a fugitive, a kidnapped girl … they wouldn’t be looking at us if they think we’re just sex craze newlyweds.”
He tilted his head slightly, “Let’s not get used to it.”
“Why not?”
They looked at each other.
He pressed his lips together and held back his thoughts, “We have to go.”