Chapter 11
Mia
The country roads flew by in a blur of green and brown as I pushed the SUV to its limits. The GPS kept recalculating with every turn that I took and yet the sedan kept pace, slowly closing the gap between us. My mind raced, weighing our options. We were still too far from the estate to make a run for it, but staying on these winding roads was only delaying the inevitable.
“There’s a private road about two miles ahead,”
Connor said suddenly, leaning forward in his seat. “My family’s owned it for generations. It’s not on any maps.”
“How do I find it?”
I asked, glancing nervously in the rearview mirror. The sedan was gaining ground.
“It’s hidden behind a cluster of oak trees—you’ll see a weathered fence post with a red marking. Slow down when you spot three mailboxes in a row, then look for the gap between the trees on your right. It’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.”
His voice was steady despite the chaos. “It’ll take us directly to the back side of the estate, away from the main entrance. They won’t expect that.”
I nodded, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. “Got it.”
The sedan had disappeared from view for a moment, but I knew it wouldn’t last. I followed Connor’s directions, watching for the landmarks he’d described. When I spotted the three rusted mailboxes, I eased off the gas slightly, scanning the treeline.
“There!”
Connor pointed.
“Just pull over and I’ll drive,”
he said, staring out the back window.
“No! I got this. Hold on,”
I warned him, gritting my teeth.
At the last possible second, I yanked the wheel hard to the right. The SUV lurched, tires skidding on the gravel as we careened onto the narrow private road. The trees whipped past us, branches scraping against the sides of the vehicle.
“They must have missed it!”
Connor exclaimed, a hint of relief in his voice as he twisted in his seat to look back. “But they’ll figure it out soon enough.”
I pressed harder on the accelerator, navigating the rutted dirt path. The SUV bounced violently as we sped through patches of mud and over exposed roots. The dense canopy above created a tunnel of green, dappled sunlight flickering across the windshield.
“How much farther?”
I asked, struggling to maintain control on the uneven terrain.
“About a mile. There’s a fork coming up—take the left path.”
My relief was short-lived. In the rearview mirror, I saw the sedan appear around the bend, closing in fast.
“They’re back,”
I said, my voice tight.
Connor pulled out his phone. “I’m calling ahead. They’ll have security ready.”
As we approached the gates, I saw them start to swing open. But they were moving agonizingly slow. The sedan was getting closer by the second.
“Come on, come on,”
I muttered, willing them to open faster.
Just as we reached them, they opened wide enough for us to slip through. I gunned the engine, and we shot past, the gates clanging shut behind us.
The sedan screeched to a halt just outside, trapped. I saw two men leap out, their faces contorted with rage. But they didn’t try to scale the fence. Instead, they retreated to their car and peeled away.
I let out a shaky breath as we pulled up to the main house. Connor’s hand found mine, squeezing gently.
“You did great,”
he said softly. “We’re safe now.”
But as I looked at him, I saw the worry in his eyes.
And I knew, sooner rather than later I needed to tell him what was going on.
Connor
“Rory, you should have seen how she drove! It was like she was a fucking rally race car driver.”
I shoveled another forkful of eggs in my mouth, adrenaline buzzing anew as I recounted yesterday’s events to Rory. “I’m telling you, it was unreal. One second, we’re on the highway, the next we’re flying down these twisty back roads. Mia handled that SUV like it was an extension of her body.”
Rory leaned back in his chair, nursing his coffee with an amused smirk. “Sounds like quite the adventure. And here I thought librarians were supposed to be boring.”
I snorted, reaching for my own mug. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled my nostrils, a welcome comfort after yesterday’s chaos. “Trust me, there’s nothing boring about Mia. The way she took that last turn onto our private road. I thought for sure we were going to flip, but she had it under control the whole time.”
My mind flashed back to that moment - the flying gravel as the tires tried to gain purchase, the world tilting as we swerved, Mia’s face a mask of intense concentration. I’d seen trained security personnel with less skill behind the wheel.
“And you’re sure these were the same guys from before?”
Rory asked, his expression growing serious.
I nodded, my excitement fading as I remembered the gravity of our situation. “Pretty sure. Same type of car. They knew exactly who they were chasing.”
Rory’s brow furrowed. “And you still haven’t looked at what’s on that USB drive?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “No. By the time we got back, I was dead on my feet. Crashed for almost 14 hours straight. When I woke up it was past midnight, Mia was in bed. So, I watched a movie on Netflix and fell asleep till an hour ago.”
“Well, don’t you think it’s about time you did?”
Rory raised an eyebrow. “Might give us some clues about who these guys are and what they want.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,”
I muttered, pushing my empty plate away. “Mia and I were going to look at it together. Speaking of which, have you seen her this morning?”
Rory shook his head. “Not since early. Said something about going for a run to clear her head.”
I frowned, glancing at my watch. It was almost 10 AM. “That was hours ago. You don’t think...”
Before I could finish the thought, the kitchen door swung open. Mia walked in, her face flushed from exertion, hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. She was wearing tight workout leggings and a tank top that clung to her curves in a way that made my mouth go dry.
“Morning boys,”
she said cheerfully, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure. “Not at all. We were just talking about yesterday’s excitement.”
Mia’s smile faltered for a moment, her eyes darting between Rory and me. “Right. That.”
She took a long swig from her water bottle, buying herself a moment. “I suppose we should probably take a look at that USB drive, huh?”
I nodded, pushing back from the table. “That’s what I was thinking. You up for it now?”
She hesitated, then squared her shoulders. “No time like the present, I guess. Let me grab a quick shower first?”
“Of course,”
I said, trying to keep my tone light. “Meet you in the study in thirty?”
Mia nodded and slipped out of the kitchen. As soon as she was gone, Rory leaned in close.
“Connor, be careful,”
he murmured. “Whatever’s on that drive... it’s big enough that people are willing to kill for it. Are you sure you want to get mixed up in this?”
I met his gaze steadily. “A bit late for that, don’t you think? I still have to marry her.”
Rory sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Just... watch your back, alright? And hers.”
Thirty minutes later, I was pacing the study, when Mia finally appeared in the doorway, her hair still damp from the shower. I felt a knot of tension in my chest loosen slightly, she smelled so good that I was tempted to sit her on my lap, but instead I pulled up another chair and motioned for her to take it.
“Got the USB?” I asked.
Mia sat down, took a deep breath, then nodded. “Right here.”
I plugged the drive into my laptop, and we both leaned in close as the contents began to load. A single folder appeared on the screen, labeled simply “EVIDENCE.”
My finger hovered over the trackpad. “Here goes nothing,”
I muttered, and double-clicked.
The folder opened to reveal dozens of files.
“Oh my God,”
Mia whispered, her face pale. “Connor, do you know what this is?”
“It’s… it’s movies?! Who the hell would be after you for bootlegged copies of movies?”
Mia let out a nervous laugh, the sound high and brittle in the quiet study. “I can’t believe it. All this time, all this danger... over some pirated movies?”
She shook her head, a hysterical edge creeping into her voice. “Cookie, you idiot.”
I frowned, scrolling through the files. Action movies, rom-coms, even a few animated features - it was an eclectic mix, but nothing that warranted the kind of pursuit we’d experienced. “Mia, this doesn’t make any sense. Your brother thought these were worth killing for?”
She rubbed her temples, her shoulders shaking with barely suppressed laughter. “You didn’t know Cookie. He... he wasn’t all there, you know? He probably thought the FBI was going to bust down his door any second over these.”
I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing. This changed everything - and yet, it changed nothing. “Mia, listen to me. Those men who chased us yesterday? They’re not after some bootleg copies of ‘The Fast and the Furious.’ Whatever’s really going on here, it’s bigger than this.”
Her laughter died away, replaced by a look of dawning horror. “But... if it’s not the movies, then what? What could they possibly want?”
I stood up, pacing the length of the study. The weight of my responsibility as clan captain, the looming deadline of our marriage, the mystery surrounding Mia - it all pressed down on me, demanding action. And suddenly, I knew what we had to do.
I turned to her, my decision made. “Mia, I think we need to get married. Today.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “What? Connor, that’s crazy. We can’t just-”
“Listen,”
I said, kneeling in front of her chair and taking her hands in mine. “Whatever’s going on here, it’s dangerous. You need protection - real protection. As my wife, you’ll have the full force of the clan behind you. No one would dare touch you.”
Mia’s fingers trembled in my grasp. “But... but we barely know each other.”
I shook my head. “I’d rather secure your safety now; we will get to know each other later. Besides,”
I added, a wry smile tugging at my lips, “we’ve already survived a car chase together. If that’s not a solid foundation for marriage, I don’t know what is.”
She laughed again, but this time it was softer, more genuine. “You’re insane, you know that?”
“Probably,”
I agreed. “But, I’m also right. What do you say, Mia? Will you marry me today?”
For a long moment, she just stared at me, her green eyes searching mine. “I will… but first I need to tell you something that likely will change your mind.”
“You can’t possibly tell me anything that would change my mind,”
I chuckled.
She exhaled slowly. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
“Then before you tell me, I suggest we get hitched.”
She laughed. A little nervous twitter. “And where do you suggest we do that… today?”
“Niagara Falls.”