52 | We're being followed
The drive back to the estate was quiet.
Aurelia sat beside me, her gaze flickering to me every now and then.
She hasn't said much since we left the port, her face lost in thought, but I can feel the tension in the air like a storm waiting to break.
I'm not sure what I expected after today. After the yacht, the surprise that barely seemed to land in her mind. It wasn't exactly how I wanted things to go, but I can tell something shifted in her, even if she won't admit it.
I look away from her as I make a sharp turn, and her eyes flicker to me for just a moment before darting back to the window.
"Are you okay?" I ask, the words out of my mouth before I can stop them.
She nods, offering me a faint smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine."
I don't believe her. But I don't push. I'm too busy trying to keep my focus on the road.
Something doesn't feel right, though.
The hairs on the back of my neck prickle, the kind of instinct I've learned to trust over the years.
I don't know what it is exactly, but I feel it: we're being followed.
I grip the steering wheel tighter, trying to push the thought away. The roads are clear, the night too quiet. But then I see it in my rearview mirror, the flash of headlights.
A car. A black sedan.
It's keeping pace with us, and I can tell that it's no coincidence. It's following us, staying just close enough to be a threat.
"Get down," I order Aurelia, not taking my eyes off the road.
She glances at me, her face etched with confusion, but I don't have time to explain. My hands fly to the glove compartment, grabbing my gun.
Aurelia hesitates for a moment, her eyes searching my face, but then she ducks low in her seat, pressing herself into the car as much as she can. I can hear her breath quicken, but I don't have time to reassure her.
I take a sharp turn down a narrow alleyway, hoping to lose them, but the black sedan follows, relentless. The sound of its engine rumbles behind us, like a predator on the hunt.
I press my foot harder on the gas, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I weave through the streets, the tires screeching beneath me.
The streets blur as I push the car faster, but I can feel them gaining on us.
Until I hear the unmistakable sound of gunshots.
I slam the brakes, barely avoiding the oncoming traffic. The first shot hits the rear window, shattering the glass. The second shot hits the side mirror, sending it flying.
I curse under my breath. They're getting too close.
"Luciano!" Aurelia's voice cracks, full of fear.
"I need you to stay down!" I shout, my voice hard. "Do not move, Aurelia. Stay down."
I glance in the rearview mirror again, and that's when I see that the black sedan pulls up beside us. A man leans out with a gun, and my heart pounds.
I jerk the car left just as he fires the gun, missing us. But the swerve flips the car, and it crashes into a light post with a loud screech. Everything spins, and the impact shakes me hard.
Aurelia screams, but it sounds far away, like I'm underwater.
The sedan stops nearby, tires squealing, and I know the men are coming.
My door's stuck, but I shove it open, ignoring the sharp pain in my side where blood's already seeping through my shirt.
Aurelia is still inside, gripping the door handle, her eyes wide with fear.
"Aurelia!" I rasp.
I push through the pain, ignoring the fire in my body. I won't let them get to her. I'd rather die first.
I drag myself out, pain burning through me. I won't let them hurt her.
The men approach, guns ready. I'm outnumbered, but I've faced worse.
I pull my gun and shoot, dropping one guy instantly. The others freeze for a second, and I use my car for cover, firing again. Another goes down.
But the last one shoots me in the shoulder. It hurts like hell, but I grit my teeth and shoot back, hitting his leg and he collapses.
Sirens blare in the distance, cops are coming, but I'm not sticking around.
Aurelia's still in the car, shaking, pale, staring at me like she's seen a nightmare.
"Get out," I rasp, forcing the door open.
She stumbles out and grabs me, her voice trembling. "Luciano, you're hurt..."
"I'm fine," I lie, even though blood's soaking my shirt.
She sees the blood. She knows I'm not.
Still, I pull her close, guiding her away from the wreck.Her hand grips me tight, and despite the pain, I feel something... something real, something new.
But right now, nothing else matters except getting her out of here.
"I'll get you out of here," I say, my voice low and gritty.
She looks at me, her eyes soft for a split second, but there's no time to dwell on it.
We have to keep going.