27. Riley
Riley
The two agents guide me out of the motel room and into the waiting black SUV, their hands firm on my arms like I’m something fragile that might break if they let go too soon.
The cold night air hits my face, sharp and biting, carrying the faint scent of rain-soaked asphalt and distant city lights.
I can still feel the warmth of Mason’s arms around me, the steady beat of his heart against my cheek, but that warmth is already fading, replaced by a hollow ache that settles deep in my chest. I knew this moment was coming.
I knew they would take me away. But knowing doesn’t make it hurt any less.
I climb into the backseat, the leather cold and smooth under my palms. The door closes with a heavy, final thud that makes me flinch.
One of the agents slides in beside me, the other takes the wheel.
The engine rumbles to life, a low vibration that travels through the seat and into my bones.
I press my forehead against the cool window, staring out at the blurred lights of the motel as we pull away.
My heart feels like it’s shattering into a thousand tiny pieces.
I’ll never see my father again. Never hug him or bake him his favorite cinnamon rolls on Sunday mornings.
Never laugh with my friends over coffee or walk through the park near my old apartment. And Mason… I’ll never see Mason again.
Tears slip down my cheeks, hot and silent.
I wish I’d never walked into that alley behind the bakery that night.
I wish I had closed early or taken a different route home.
I wish I’d never seen that man’s face, never heard the sharp crack of the gunshot, never watched the life drain from another person’s eyes.
If I hadn’t seen it, none of this would be happening.
I’d still be in my little shop, flour on my apron, dreaming about silly romantic stories instead of living in one that’s turned into a nightmare.
However, Mason’s worth it all. Right? He is.
I love him. I didn’t realize I loved him until the moment we had to say goodbye.
A single tear slips down my cheek and I brush it away.
The SUV heads into Seattle, the city lights growing brighter and more chaotic as we get closer.
Neon signs blur past the windows in streaks of pink and blue and green, reflecting off the wet streets.
Horns honk in the distance, tires hiss on damp pavement, and the low hum of the engine fills the silence inside the car.
I’m not really paying attention to any of it.
My mind is stuck on the cabin. On Mason’s rough hands washing my hair in the shower.
On the way he held me like I was the most precious thing in the world.
On the way he kissed me like he never wanted to stop.
I memorize every detail, every touch, every word he ever said to me, because I know this is the end.
Once they put me in WITSEC, I’ll disappear.
A new name. A new life. A new everything. And Mason will be gone forever.
The SUV slows and stops in front of a dimly lit bar on a quiet side street.
The neon sign above the door flickers weakly, casting a sickly red glow across the wet sidewalk.
I blink, confused, my heart still aching too much to make sense of why we would stop here.
The agent beside me opens the door and steps out.
Cold air rushes in, carrying the smell of stale beer, cigarette smoke, and something sharper, something that makes my stomach twist with sudden dread.
The door on the other side of the SUV opens. A man steps out from the shadows of the bar entrance. My blood turns to ice in my veins.
It’s him.
The man from the alley. The one who pulled the trigger.
The one whose cold eyes locked with mine right before he killed that poor man.
He’s standing there, tall and calm, his face half hidden in shadow but unmistakable.
The same sharp jaw. The same dead expression. The same monster who ruined my life.
I start hyperventilating, my chest tightening so fast I can’t draw a full breath.
The air feels too thin, too heavy, like the world is closing in around me.
My hands shake uncontrollably as I press them against the seat, trying to push myself away, but there’s nowhere to go.
The agent beside me grabs my arm, his grip bruising as he drags me out of the car.
“No,” I gasp, my voice breaking into a sob. “No, please, it’s him! He’s the one who?—”
The killer steps forward, his lips curling into a cold, satisfied smile.
His hand closes around my other arm, fingers digging in hard enough to leave marks.
The scent of his cologne hits me, sharp and chemical, mixing with the stench of the bar and my own terror.
I struggle, kicking and twisting, but it’s useless.
He’s too strong. The world spins around me, the neon lights blurring into streaks of red and black.
My heart pounds so hard it feels like it might explode.
All I can think about is Mason. His arms. His voice.
The way he promised he would keep me safe.
But he’s not here.
And this time, no one’s coming to save me.