MasukI nodded.I walked toward my bag.My hands were still shaking as I pulled out some clothes.I changed quickly.Alex moved around the room, gathering everything we had brought.There wasn't much.A few clothes.His weapon.His phone.Some cash.The hotel key.Everything that represented the little bit of safety we'd found was suddenly being packed away.I looked at him.“What about your right-hand man?”“He knows.”“Where is he?”“Getting ready.”“Is he coming with us?”“Yes.”I nodded.For some reason, knowing we wouldn't be alone made me feel slightly better.I slipped my shoes on.Alex looked at me.“Ready?”I nodded.“I'm ready.”He approached me.His eyes moved toward my stomach.“Any pain?”“No.”“Dizziness?”“No.”“Are you sure?”“Yes.”He nodded.Then he reached for my hand.“Stay beside me.”“I will.”We opened the door.Alex looked down the hallway first.Empty.He stepped outside.I followed.The hallway seemed unusually quiet.Too quiet.We walked toward the service elevato
The room seemed to tilt.“What?”“The hotel.”I stared at him.“You said Zane wouldn't find us tonight.”“I was wrong.”He crossed the room quickly.“We're leaving through the service exit.”My hands instinctively went to my stomach.“Is he here?”“I don't know.”“Zane?”Alex shook his head.“Not sure.”“Then who?”He looked at me.“That's what I'm trying to find out.”A loud sound suddenly echoed from somewhere below.Not a gunshot.A door slamming.Then another.Alex's entire body went still.He looked toward the door.Someone was moving down the hallway.Slowly.Deliberately.I held my breath.Alex raised one finger to his lips.Silence.Footsteps approached.One.Two.Three.They stopped directly outside our room.I stared at Alex.He moved silently toward the door.His hand went inside his jacket.The footsteps remained still.Then, three soft knocks.Alex didn't move.Another knock.This time harder.I felt my heartbeat in my throat.Then a voice came through the door.A voice I
We followed him toward the elevator.I noticed Alex's movements were slightly slower now.He was hiding the pain.I knew it.I also knew he would never admit it.The elevator doors opened.We stepped inside.His right-hand man pressed the button for our floor.The doors closed.For the first time since the attack, we were completely surrounded by silence.I leaned against the wall.My body suddenly felt heavier.Much heavier.The adrenaline that had kept me moving was disappearing.My knees weakened.Alex immediately noticed.He caught me around the waist.“Easy.”“I’m okay.”“You're exhausted.”“So are you.”He looked at me.“I can handle it.”I almost laughed.“You really don't know how to stop saying that.”“Neither do you.”The elevator reached our floor.The doors opened.We stepped out.Our rooms were beside each other.His right-hand man unlocked the doors.He looked at Alex.“I'll be next door.”Alex nodded.“Keep your phone on.”“I will.”His right-hand man looked at me.“If
Alex looked at me.For several seconds, he said nothing.Then he stepped closer.His hands settled gently on my shoulders.“Are you hurt?”I shook my head.“No.”“Are you sure?”“Yes.”His gaze moved over me carefully.Then dropped toward my stomach.“And the baby?”My throat tightened.“I think we're okay.”He closed his eyes briefly.Relief crossed his face.“Thank God.”I stared at him.He looked exhausted.There was blood on his shirt.Dirt across his face.His hair was disheveled.Yet somehow, seeing him standing there alive made something inside me loosen.I reached toward him without thinking.My fingers brushed his arm.“You're hurt.”“It's nothing.”“You're bleeding.”“Not badly.”His right-hand man interrupted.“We need to keep moving.”Alex nodded.“We need transportation.”We looked toward the road.There were barely any cars passing at that hour.Then, finally, headlights appeared.A taxi.Alex stepped forward and raised his hand.The cab slowed.The driver rolled down his
I followed Alex.His right-hand man moved behind us, closing the door quietly after we stepped into the hallway.For a few seconds, none of us spoke.We didn't need to.The chaos happening throughout the house said enough.Gunshots echoed from somewhere downstairs.Men shouted orders.Heavy footsteps thundered across the floors.Something crashed violently in another room, followed by a string of curses.I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach.My baby.That was all that mattered.Alex glanced back at me.His eyes immediately dropped to my hand.“Stay close to me,” he whispered.I nodded.“I will.”His right-hand man stepped forward.“This way.”We followed him.Every step felt like it could be our last.The hallway ahead appeared empty, but none of us trusted the silence.Alex raised one hand.We stopped.He leaned slightly around the corner.I watched his face carefully.His expression was focused.Controlled.But I could see the tension in his jaw.He slowly looked back at us
I reached another room and threw myself inside.I slammed the door shut and crouched behind it.My hands shook violently.I could barely breathe.I pressed my palm against my stomach.“It's okay,” I whispered.Tears streamed down my cheeks.“Mommy's going to protect you.”My breathing was ragged.“I promise.”Outside, the shooting continued.I could hear footsteps racing past.Someone screamed.Then another gunshot.Then silence.For a moment.Only a moment.I stayed perfectly still.My mind was racing.I couldn't stay here forever.Eventually someone would find me.Hopefully, Alex.Or any of his loyal men.The last thing I wanted, was for Zane to find me.Then another scary thought crossed my mind.There was a possibility that neither of them would survive this night.I slowly looked toward the window.It was high, but large enough to see the grounds beyond it.Darkness covered everything.Vehicles were scattered across the property.Men moved between them.The estate lights flickere







