The Escape

The Escape
Ivy’s POV

I moved like a ghost through the hospital barefoot, one of my trembling hands pressed to the bandage on my side. Every step sent a fresh wave of pain through my ribs, but I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t.

If I stayed back here Adrain would rot in jail and I couldn’t let that happen. I peeked out of the room to see that the nurse’s station was empty, a cup of coffee sat half-finished beside a stack of charts. 

My pulse thundered as I slipped into the nearest supply closet and yanked on a spare nurse’s coat hanging on the rack. The scent of antiseptic instantly filled my lungs. 

I found an old ID badge clipped to the pocket — M. Brooks — the photo in it was already faded but at least good enough “Okay,” I whispered to myself. “Just walk.” The corridor stretched endlessly as I kept my head down, praying no one would notice me and alert Cassian or Damian, how I winced with every movement because my wound aches with each movement.

I could feel blood leaking again and by the time I reached the exit doors rain was hammering the glass— like it wanted to warn me. Nevertheless I pushed through the doors as the cold air hit my skin. 

For a second, I just stood outside letting the rain soak through the hospital gown under the coat. My body shivered, but my mind was locked on one thing — Adrian. His face was the last thing I saw before I fell unconscious, I stumbled toward the street and stopped the first cab I saw. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror as I slid inside, but said nothing. “Downtown,” I managed to say, “Near the old police station.”

He nodded and drove away. The city blurred past me through the heavy rain pounding across the wet windows, painting my reflection in streaks of red and blue. My fingers shook as I pressed them against my wound trying to stop the bleeding.

I looked behind us in fear that either Cassian or Damian would be following me behind. But nothing, just shadows and water. I checked a second time and that’s when I saw it—

A black car with tinted windows, no headlights at first— just there, moving when we moved. “Can you take a different route?” I leaned forward and told the cab driver. The driver glanced at me. “Any problem maam?”

“Just— please.”

He shrugged and turned down a side street as his tires hissed against the wet pavement. I looked back to see that the car was still following us, a chill ran through me. It wasn’t paranoia. 

Someone was following me and I had to act fast before I would be caught. I fumbled for my phone, dialing the family lawyer’s number Mr. Langford. “Hi, it’s Ivy Damian,” I said, forcing my voice to sound calm, “I need to know which station they took Adrian to. I… I want to visit him.”

“Miss Damian—”

Then the call went dead before he could finish speaking. I froze, staring at the phone screen as it dawned on me that either my phone had been tapped or my line had been blocked entirely.

“Oh, God,” I whispered, my heart pounding recklessly as I shoved the phone away. “Drive faster,” I told the driver. He hesitated. “Miss, the road’s flooded—”

“Please!”

He began speeding faster than he did before, I looked behind us again — the black car was closer now, its headlights cutting through the storm. It wasn’t just following us…it was coming for me.

My wound burned as I clutched my side but I didn’t care. At least I couldn’t stop now because Adrain was out there blamed for something he didn’t do and I was the only one who could save him.

“Faster!” I shouted.

The driver opened his mouth to argue — 

BANG!

Something slammed into us from behind before he could speak. I screamed as the world spun,headlights blurring into streaks of white and gold.
“Hold on!” the driver yelled.

The car skidded and hit the guardrail, then turned again as I slammed against the seat, pain exploding through my ribs. The driver groaned beside me, dazed but alive as I pushed the door open. It groaned in protest but I forced myself out, barefoot, soaked, clutching my side that was already dripping with blood.

The black car rolled to a stop a few yards behind but its headlights stayed on. The driver’s door opened and a figure stepped out— tall, commanding.

Cassian.

He walked toward me through the rain wearing a dark coat that filled his body, an umbrella opening above him like this was all routine. His face was calm — too calm, the kind of calmness that made your skin crawl.
My chest tightened. “You—”

He stopped a few feet away, rain bouncing off his umbrella as his eyes raked over me—then he smiled. “You shouldn’t have run, Ivy,” he said softly. “You just made things harder than they had to be.”

“Stay away from me,” I warned, stepping back. But he took one slow step forward. “I’m not here to hurt you my love.”

“Bullshit,” I hissed.

His expression didn’t change. “You’re confused, Ivy. You just need to rest as I told you before—everything will make sense once you stop fighting me.”

“I’m not going back,” I said. “Not to you. Not to my father.”

Cassian tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “You don’t get to leave me.”

“Yes I do. And you can’t fucking command me or tell me what to go or what not to do.” I shot back. He smiled faintly. “And yet you’re still here…..”

“Go to hell,” I spat.

Before I could realize his hand shot out and gripped me, “Come now, Ivy. Let’s not make this ugly.” I staggered back but he lunged again, grabbing my wrist before I fell. 

I tried to pull away, but he only held tighter.

“Cassian, please—”

“Cassian!”