Chapter 23
Luke
“I’ve never been in a stolen car before,” I say, a smile on my face. “What if the police stop us?”
“I wouldn’t worry about the cops right now,” Connor replies, a knowing look on his face. “And don’t worry, we’ll leave the car where someone will find it soon enough.”
I smile. Connor’s got a good heart. He might do some bad things in his work, but there’s always a reason for it—he’s one of the good ones, I know that for sure.
But as we ride in our stolen car, I need to try and compose myself and think about what’s going on—and how I’m going to keep the investigation alive.
The sedan hums along the dark backroad as we speed away from the motel, the cartel’s silenced bullet still ringing in my ears.
My backpack’s in my lap, Swift’s with me, both a small comfort against the fear twisting my gut.
The memory of mine and Connor’s passion in the motel—his hands, his lips, his cock… the way we came together—still lingers, warming my skin despite the danger.
We’re so close to ending this, but the cartel’s closer, and I’m not sure how much longer we can outrun them. We’ve already had too many close escapes. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before we have one showdown too many.
Come on, keep it together.
I’ve got this.
No… we’ve got this.
I glance at Connor, his profile sharp against the dashboard’s glow, and a suspicion that’s been simmering since the motel bubbles up…
He’s been cagey about my boss, Robert, ever since he mentioned that old Night Ops Guard team leader, the one who quit to “make a difference on a bigger scale.”
The way Connor talked about him, the respect in his voice, the details that lined up too neatly with Robert’s crusading vibe at Justice Heart News—it’s too much of a coincidence.
I’m a journalist… I know when someone’s holding back.
“Connor,” I say, my voice soft but pointed, my fingers fidgeting casually. “You know more about Robert than you’re letting on, don’t you?”
Connor glances at me, his eyes narrowing, but there’s a flicker of amusement there, like he’s impressed I caught it.
“What makes you say that, Little Scoop?” Connor asks, his tone light but guarded, keeping his eyes on the road.
I lean forward, my journalist side taking over, sharp and relentless.
“Don’t play dumb, Daddy,” I say, my voice teasing but firm. “That story you told me, about your old team leader? The guy with honor, guts. The one who left the Guard to change the world? It sounds a hell of a lot like Robert. He’s a former Night Ops Guard, isn’t he?”
Connor’s lips twitch, a hint of a smile, but he keeps his voice neutral.
“I can neither confirm nor deny that,” Connor says, his tone all official Guard bullshit, but then he glances at me again, and there’s a knowing wink, quick and subtle, that says everything.
I grin, my heart lifting despite the danger.
“Knew it,” I say, leaning back in the seat, Swift in my arms. “That wink’s all the confirmation I need, Mr. Bossy. Robert’s a badass, just like you. I always knew there was no way he came up through journalism school!”
Connor chuckles, a low rumble that makes my chest warm, and shakes his head.
“You’re too damn smart for your own good, Luke,” Connor says, his voice gruff but fond. “Just don’t go spreading that around. Robert’s got his reasons for keeping it quiet.”
I nod, my fingers tracing Swift’s beak, and feel a surge of connection—not just to Connor, but to this bigger fight.
Robert being a former Guard makes sense, and it explains why he’s always pushed me to chase the truth, no matter the cost. It’s why he hired me, why he trusted me with this story.
And now, with Connor by my side, I feel like we’re part of something unstoppable, a team that can take down Haynes and his cartel buddies.
But there’s something else, something heavier, sitting in my chest.
That kiss, that moment in the motel—it’s brought back everything from three years ago, and the guilt of ghosting him is gnawing at me…
“Connor,” I say, my voice softer now, my Little side creeping in as I hug Swift tighter. “I need to tell you something. About… back then, when I… kinda ghosted you. I’m really sorry. I was—”
A deafening roar cuts me off, a low, thumping sound that shakes the car, vibrating through my bones.
I snap my head to the window, my heart lurching as I spot a helicopter, its blades slicing the air, flying low over the trees, its spotlight sweeping the road.
“Connor!” I scream, my voice cracking with panic, my mind flashing to the cartel, to that silenced bullet at the motel. “They found us!”
Connor glances out the window, his jaw tight, but then a grin breaks across his face, and he laughs—a real, deep laugh that catches me off guard.
“Relax, my darling boy,” Connor says, his voice calm, almost amused. “That’s not the cartel. It’s my guys—Cole and Henry. Night Ops Guard backup. They’re here to get us out.”
My heart’s still pounding, but relief floods through me, mixing with the adrenaline.
“Your guys?” I say, my voice shaky but hopeful, my eyes glued to the helicopter as it banks toward a clearing up ahead. “You mean we’re… we’re safe?”
“Not safe yet,” Connor says, his tone sobering as he takes the next exit, the car bouncing onto a dirt road toward the clearing. “But this is our ticket out. We get to that chopper, and we’re in the air, away from the cartel’s ground teams. Then we plan how to end Haynes for good.”
I nod, clutching Swift, my Little side squealing with glee at the sight of the helicopter, its blades kicking up dust as it touches down in the clearing.
It’s like something out of a movie, and I can’t help but smile, my fear easing just a fraction.
“We’re gonna fly?” I ask, my voice high, almost giddy. “Like, in a real helicopter?”
Connor chuckles again, pulling the car to a stop at the edge of the clearing, his eyes scanning the trees for threats.
“Yeah, young man,” Connor says, his Daddy tone warm and teasing. “But don’t get too excited. This isn’t over. Once we’re in the air, we need a plan to get that flash drive to Robert, to make sure Haynes’s network goes down before they take us out.”
I nod, my smile fading as the reality hits.
The flash drive is in my backpack, its secrets all safely stored. But the cartel’s still out there, still hunting me, and that helicopter’s our lifeline, but not the endgame.
I glance at Connor, his hand on his Glock, his eyes sharp, and feel that bond between us, stronger than ever. He’s my shield, my Daddy, my partner, and I’m not letting him down.
We climb out of the car, the helicopter’s roar deafening, its blades whipping the air.
Two figures jump out—Cole and Henry, I assume—both in tactical gear, moving fast toward us.
Connor grabs my hand, pulling me toward the chopper, his body shielding mine as we run.
“Stay low!” Connor shouts over the noise, his voice steady, commanding. “We’re getting out, but we’re not safe yet!”
The clearing’s a whirlwind of dust and noise, but I feel a surge of hope, my journalist fire burning bright. We’re so close—so close to escaping, to ending this.
Connor’s hand in mine, his wink about Robert, his promise to guard me with his life—it’s all fueling me, making me believe we can do this. I think back to what I was about to say, about ghosting him, and the guilt’s still there, but so’s the trust, the connection.
I’ll tell him, I will, but not now—not with a helicopter waiting and a cartel on our heels.
We reach the chopper, Cole and Henry now guiding me in, their faces focused.
Connor lifts me into the cabin, his hands strong on my waist, and climbs in after me, pulling the door shut.
The helicopter lurches, lifting off, the ground falling away as we climb into the night sky. I clutch Swift, my heart racing, my Little side thrilled by the flight, my journalist side already planning the next move.
Connor’s beside me, his hand on my knee, his eyes scanning the horizon, and I know he’s thinking the same thing—escape’s only the start.
“This isn’t over, Little Scoop,” Connor says, his voice low, cutting through the chopper’s roar. “We’ve got the flash drive, the proof. Now we get it to Robert, make sure Haynes’s done. You ready for that?”
I nod, my eyes meeting his, that fire burning brighter than ever.
“I’m ready,” I say, my voice steady despite the fear. “We’re taking him down, Connor. Together.”
Connor smiles, a rare, real smile, and squeezes my knee, his Daddy warmth grounding me.
“Good boy,” he says, and my heart skips, my Little side basking in his praise. “And now it’s time for me to introduce you to two of the best damn men a guard could hope to know…”
After a brief introduction to Cole and Henry, the helicopter powers up and we’re truly in the air.
“First time?” Henry asks, a smile on his face. “Don’t worry, my boy was the same when I took him up in a helicopter for the first time.”
“Ha! And so was mine, remember?” Cole adds, his deep laugh audible despite the noise around us. “In fact, I think our boys would love to get to know you, Luke.”
“Maybe soon,” Connor says. “But this boy’s got a news story to break first. Haven’t you?”
I smile. Now isn’t the time for words, it’s time for action.
The helicopter banks, carrying us away from any cartel member who might be in pursuit, toward whatever comes next in our quest to bring a little more justice to the world…