19. Luella
Chapter 19
Luella
T he harsh light of dawn filters through the cabin windows, jolting me awake. Colton’s urgent voice cuts through my groggy haze.
“Mary, wake up. We need to go. Now.”
I blink, struggling to focus on his face. His eyes are wild, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths.
Fear. Anger. Determination .
“What’s happening?” I mumble, my mind still clouded with sleep.
“They found the body,” he replies, his voice low and tense. “We’re not safe here anymore.”
My heart skips a beat, adrenaline flooding my system. The events of yesterday come rushing back: the attack in the woods, Colton’s brutal efficiency in dealing with his father’s henchman. I swallow hard, pushing down the wave of nausea that threatens to overwhelm me.
“Where are we going?” I ask, scrambling off the floor and hastily pulling on my clothes.
Colton doesn’t answer, his jaw clenched tight as he moves around the cabin, gathering the blankets together. The silence is deafening, filled with unspoken tension and the weight of our shared secret.
The forest around us is alive with the sounds of wildlife, birds chirping their morning songs and small creatures rustling in the underbrush. My heart races with a mixture of fear and excitement, the adrenaline of our sudden departure coursing through my veins.
As we hurry towards a soon-to-be stolen car, I can’t help but feel a twinge of regret. My carefully laid plans to eliminate Xavier are crumbling before my eyes. The mission I’ve dedicated so much time and energy to is slipping away, replaced by this unexpected turn of events. But there’s also a thrill in the unknown, a dangerous allure to the path we’re on now.
Colton’s urgency is infectious, his grip on my arm both protective and possessive as he guides me through the dim light. I steal glances at his face, trying to read his expression, to gauge what he’s thinking. His jaw is set, eyes focused ahead with a determination that both frightens and fascinates me.
As we climb into the car, the reality of our situation hits me. We’re fugitives now, running from a danger I don’t fully understand. The mission I came here for seems distant, almost trivial in the face of this new threat. Yet even as fear gnaws at my insides, there’s an undeniable excitement bubbling beneath the surface. This is uncharted territory, and despite the risks, a part of me craves the adventure.
“Do you think they can track us?” I inquire, craning my neck to look around us.
Colton’s eyes flick to me briefly as he starts the engine. “Not if we’re smart,” he responds, his voice low and tense. “We need to get as far away from here as possible.”
The car roars to life, and we peel out of the driveway, gravel crunching under the tires. I grip the armrest, my knuckles turning white as Colton navigates the winding forest roads at breakneck speed.
The scenery blurs past the windows, unfamiliar and increasingly isolated. We’re leaving Archer Bay behind, heading into territory I don’t recognize. My stomach churns with a mixture of fear and anticipation.
“Where are we going?” I ask again, trying to keep my voice steady.
Colton’s jaw clenches. “Somewhere safe,” is all he says, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
The words should comfort me, but instead, they send a chill down my spine. I’m trapped in a car with a man who’s just committed murder, driving to God knows where. The irony of the situation isn’t lost on me; I came here to destroy Xavier Blackwood, and now I’m fleeing with his son.
Hours pass in tense silence. The lush forests give way to rugged coastline, the road hugging cliffs that plunge down to crashing waves. It’s beautiful, but the knot in my stomach tightens with each passing mile.
We stop at a small convenience store on the outskirts of a town I don’t recognize. Colton goes inside to buy supplies, leaving me alone in the car. For a moment, I consider making a run for it. But where would I go? I’m in unfamiliar territory, with no resources, no plan.
When Colton returns, his arms laden with bags of food and other necessities, I force a smile. “Ready for our grand adventure?” I question, injecting a note of false cheer into my voice.
Colton opens the trunk, dropping the bags in with a thud. “It’ll be okay,” he assures me as he climbs in beside me. He reaches out to squeeze my hand.
The touch of his hand sends a jolt through me, a confusing mix of desire and fear. I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
Finally, Colton pulls off onto a barely visible dirt track. The car bounces and jolts as we make our way down a steep incline. And then I see it—a concrete structure nestled into the side of the cliff, almost invisible against the rocky backdrop.
“A bunker?” I breathe, a mixture of relief and unease washing over me.
“Home sweet home,” Colton remarks, his voice tinged with bitter humor.
As I step out of the car, the salty tang of sea air fills my lungs. In the distance, I can hear the crash of waves against rocks. For a moment, a sense of relief washes over me. We’ve escaped. We’re safe.
But as I follow Colton into the dark mouth of the bunker, that relief turns into unease. The heavy metal door clangs shut behind us, the sound echoing ominously in the confined space.
I’m safe from Xavier Blackwood, yes. But as I watch Colton move around the bunker, his movements tense, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve jumped from the frying pan into the fire.
And as the reality of my situation sinks in, I realize that my carefully laid plans are unraveling faster than I can adapt. I’m trapped in a bunker with a dangerous, unstable man, cut off from the world.
The game has changed, and I’m no longer sure of the rules.
Colton watches me. “My father doesn’t know about this place,” he says, his voice tight. “We’ll be safe here.”
I struggle to swallow, my fear strangling me.
“Okay.”