Chapter 50 The Escape Plan
Jerome's P.O.V
I woke up with intention. The kind that had me on high alert.
It's been days since I have been trying to get more information on whoever the person that caused an explosion in my house was and although I had some information, I didn't have enough and that meant a lot of things
Waking up like this meant no haze, no lingering pull of sleep, no moment of staring at the ceiling calculating the day. My eyes opened and my mind was already moving. Sharp, ruthless, ten steps ahead.
Something was wrong.
Not in the loud way. Not in the way explosions announced themselves or blood stained floors.
This was quieter.
More dangerous.
I dressed quickly, pulling on dark clothes out of habit, then stopped myself and changed into something neutral.
The first thing my body also did out of habit was to step out onto the balcony overlooking the inner courtyard just as the guards assembled for the morning parade.
Twelve.
Always a row of twelve.
That was how it had been since the house was rebuilt after the last internal breach. Twelve men per rotation. No more, no less.
Balanced. Controlled. Predictable.
Except today…
The twelve looked out of place. Not in the exact orderly manner they always were.
My body immediately tensed, my jaw tightening as my mind caught on fast.
At first glance, nothing was wrong. They stood in formation, boots aligned, shoulders squared. When the command to move was given, they moved together. When the pause came, they paused.
Perfect.
Too perfect.
I leaned my forearms against the railing, eyes scanning faces, posture, micro-movements. Whoever this was, they were good. Better than most of the men I employed. No nervous energy. No overcorrection. No eagerness.
That was what gave him away.
In this house, no guard was employed without me.
Not one.
I knew every face. Every scar. Every limp earned in my service, and this man, the sore thumb that thought he fit in, was a ghost inserted cleanly into my system like he had always belonged.
And yet the formation was off by a hair.
One extra body meant the spacing wasn’t mathematically correct. A fraction of an inch wider between two men. Almost imperceptible.
Almost.
“Interesting.” I murmured, as a smile made it a way to my mouth. One that wasn't out of amusement but curiosity
The enemy I was dealing with wasn’t reckless. They weren’t emotional. They weren’t Cortez.
Cortez was loud. Arrogant. He wanted his enemies to know when he moved and the world to quake in his presence
This? This was surgical.
It was me, if I did say so myself and as much as I would've liked to pretend like it meant nothing much, I couldn't.
Me was dangerous
Whoever had set their sights on my house had resources, patience, reach, and enough audacity to infiltrate my home without hesitation.
Enough confidence to believe they wouldn’t be caught, but unfortunately for whoever it was, they were wrong.
I turned away from the balcony and walked back inside, already issuing orders through my phone. Quiet ones. Coded ones. The kind that didn’t ripple outward.
By the time Aiyana woke up, everything would already be in motion.
Noah first.
I checked on him personally, watching the rise and fall of his chest as he slept curled up with a stuffed animal Aiyana had given him. He looked peaceful. Too peaceful for a world like mine.
A world that if I could, I would vanish with just to keep them safe.
“I won’t fail you.” I said quietly, running a hand softly through his hair. He was just like her. Too much like her.
I had already arranged transport. Two vehicles, a jet, separate routes, false leads planted before dawn, and a safe house so far off the grid that even my most trusted men didn’t know it existed.
I packed for them myself.
From clothes, to documents, to emergency funds, Noah’s favorite snacks, the hoodie Aiyana liked. The book she pretended not to reread every night, thinking I might laugh at her for reading something so childish
I laid everything out neatly, and efficiently. I definitely wasn't letting a hair on their beards be hurt and I knew very well that anyone who wished to get to me would do that easily with them.
I knew that to go into this war head first and ballistic, they couldn't be here.
By the time Aiyana woke up, I was already sitting at the edge of the bed, boots on, watching her like I needed to memorize the sight of her breathing.
She stirred slowly, squealing adorably as she stretched, with lashes fluttering open. I wanted her waking up to take more time so I could bask in her presence and beauty but even that was probably too much to ask.
She noticed the bags immediately.
“What’s going on?” She asked, sitting up. Her voice thick with sleep.
“Travel.” I said simply. I knew that phrase alone made no sense but I hesitated.
She sat up immediately, alarm replacing drowsiness. “Travel where?”
“Somewhere safe.” I said again as her eyes on me unraveled all the strength I had liked up for this conversation.
Her eyes sharpened immediately . Confusion swirling in them as she sat up straight
“Why?” She asked, looking at me with sad eyes that I couldn't stand sink stared at my feet instead.
Because someone had brought war to my doorstep.
Because I could handle that, but you shouldn’t have to.
Because I refused to bury another person I loved.
“You and Noah are leaving,” I said. “In an hour.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?”
I stood. “Everything’s arranged.”
She swung her legs off the bed, anger blooming fast. “You didn’t ask me.”
“No.”
“You didn’t even tell me!” She yelled standing up as soon as I did, with defiance dancing around her eyes.
“I’m telling you now.” unsaid with finality in my voice that would usually get people silent but she just stared me down.
She stared at me like I’d just insulted her entire existence. “You’re trying to get us to safety while you bask in danger and for some reason you think I’d quietly leave?”
“Yes,” I said, tone final.
I expected fear.
I expected tears.
What I did not
expect was the fire that lit her eyes.
“Well…” She said, standing fully and closing the inches that separated us
“You thought wrong.”