Chapter 91

Chapter 91
The man’s smile stayed fixed, as if he enjoyed watching fear settle into people’s bones. Lila did not let him see the way her pulse kicked, she kept her shoulders straight and her chin steady, even though her legs felt weak. Mia shifted closer, ready to move if things went sideways.

People on the sidewalk walked past without a second glance, unaware that danger was standing right at the bank doors. That was how men like him operated, hiding in plain sight while the rest of the world pretended not to notice.

Lila forced her voice to stay level. “We have errands to run. If Daniel wants something, he can contact me himself.”

The man chuckled under his breath. “He tried. You ran.”

Mia muttered, just loud enough for him to hear, “Maybe he should take the hint.”

That wiped the smile off his face. He stepped down from the bank’s entrance and blocked their path. He was tall with a smooth, careful posture that suggested training. Lila’s stomach tightened.

He lowered his voice. “You both will come with me. Quietly. I am not interested in making a mess unless you force me to.”

Lila scanned the street, gauging distance, escape routes, anything she could use. Nate and Ethan were two blocks away on the west side of town. They did not know she was standing in front of a man who looked like he counted broken bones as a hobby.

Mia shifted her hand slightly, enough for Lila to see she was curling her fingers around a small object in her jacket pocket. Pepper spray. Old, but still functional.

Lila took a slow breath. She could sense the man preparing to grab her arm, and she knew the moment he touched her, everything would spin out of control. She needed a distraction, something sharp and sudden.

Before she could speak, a bus thundered up the street, rattling the air. The man’s gaze flicked toward the road for half a second. It was all they needed.

Mia hissed, “Now.”

Lila moved first. She stepped sideways, letting the man’s hand miss her shoulder. Mia swung her arm up and sprayed directly toward his face. The man jerked back, shocked, but he recovered faster than either of them expected. He dodged most of it, though a streak caught his cheek and eye. He cursed and grabbed blindly for Lila, but she was already backing toward the sidewalk.

“Run,” Mia whispered sharply.

They bolted down the street, weaving between pedestrians. The man shouted behind them, but he was struggling to blink through the burn. Lila did not look back. The bank was out of reach now, but staying would have been suicide.

They cut through a narrow walkway behind a bakery, their breaths rough and fast. Lila felt her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Mia leaned against the wall. “He was not alone. You know that, right?”

Lila nodded, breathless. “Yes. He bought time for the others.”

Mia peeked around the corner. “We need Nate. Now.”

Lila pulled the burner phone from her pocket. She typed quickly with shaking fingers.
Trouble. East side. Not safe. Moving north.

The reply came almost immediately.
On my way. Keep moving.

Lila slipped the phone back into her coat. “We need to get to a crowded place. Somewhere open. They are less likely to make a scene.”

Mia gave a nervous laugh. “Great. Let’s go blend in with the brunch crowd.”

They hurried out onto the next street, but as soon as they stepped onto the sidewalk, Lila saw a man standing by a parked car. He wore the same expressionless calm as the one at the bank. He spotted them instantly.

“Lila,” Mia whispered, “do not slow down.”

They kept walking, but the man pushed off the car and started toward them.

Lila felt fear surge again, sharp and cold. She kept her pace steady, but she could feel Mia tightening beside her.

Then, from across the street, Nate moved into view. He walked fast, cutting through the foot traffic without hesitation. His eyes locked onto Lila first, then flicked to the approaching man. She saw his posture change, becoming controlled and dangerous in a heartbeat.

Ethan followed behind him, looking like he wanted to crawl out of his own skin.

The man approaching them slowed when he saw Nate. A long second passed where no one dared to speak or breathe.

Nate stepped in front of Lila, not aggressively, but decisively. “Turn around. Last warning.”

The man gave a short, unpleasant smile. “She comes with us.”

Nate did not blink. “She does not.”

The tension stretched thin, like a wire ready to snap. People walked around them, unaware of the quiet war happening in the middle of the sidewalk.

The man reached into his coat. Lila’s stomach dropped.

Nate moved faster than thought. He stepped forward, grabbed the man’s wrist, and pinned it down. The motion was clean and fast, too fast for the crowd to notice anything more than a stumble. Nate leaned in close and said something Lila could not hear. The man stiffened, his jaw clenched, then he slowly withdrew his hand, empty.

He stepped back and muttered, “This is not finished.”

He turned and walked away.

Lila felt her knees weaken as adrenaline drained from her system. Nate turned to her, his voice low, steady, and warm in a way that hit harder than the danger. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “Just scared.”

Mia exhaled loudly. “Same. Multiply by ten.”

Ethan rubbed his face. “We need a new plan. Yesterday.”

Lila met Nate’s eyes. They were intense and soft at the same time, like he was holding every unspoken fear she carried.

“We go underground,” he said quietly. “If Daniel wants a war, we are not fighting it on his turf anymore.”

And for the first time since this started, Lila felt a small spark of hope. Even with danger surrounding them, she was not running alone anymore.