Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen
The Real Rescue 

I woke up groggy, my head pounding. My arms were sore, and when I moved, I felt the cold bite of metal against my wrists. Handcuffs. Again.

Damn it.

I blinked a few times, trying to clear my vision. The room was different this time less damp, more structured. A basement, maybe? The walls weren’t cracked, and the air didn’t smell as musty as before. But it didn’t matter.

They had taken me again.

Claire had tried, but she hadn’t been enough.

A wave of frustration surged through me. I hated feeling weak. I hated feeling helpless. Every time I thought I was free, Sebastian pulled me back in like I was some damn possession he refused to lose.

I clenched my fists, but the metal cuffs dug into my skin, reminding me that I wasn’t going anywhere. Not unless someone came for me.

Then, I heard it.

Shouting.

Gunfire.

My body tensed. The noise was coming from outside the door. Something heavy crashed to the ground, followed by a muffled curse. Then, footsteps. Fast, determined.

I held my breath.

The door burst open.

Roman.

He stood in the doorway, his face hard, eyes burning with fury. His shirt was torn, blood smeared on his arm, but he looked very much alive and in control. He wasn’t just here to check on me.

He was here to take me back.

Behind him, Claire stood with a gun, her clothes covered in dirt and sweat. Her eyes darted around the room before landing on me.

“Let’s go,” she said, voice tight.

Roman was already moving toward me, yanking a key from his pocket. In a few quick motions, he unlocked the cuffs. My wrists throbbed as I rubbed them, but I didn’t have time to focus on the pain.

“Can you stand?” he asked, his voice calmer now that he was close.

I pushed myself up, legs shaky but functional. “Yeah.”

He nodded. “Then move.”

I didn’t need to be told twice.

We rushed out into the hall. The air smelled of gunpowder and sweat. Bodies littered the floor—Sebastian’s men, taken down before they even had a chance. Blood pooled under some of them, staining the gray concrete.

Claire led the way, checking corners, keeping her gun steady. Roman stayed close to my side, his hand occasionally brushing against my arm, making sure I didn’t fall behind.

My pulse pounded. This was real. I was actually getting out.

No Sebastian. No traps.

Just open air ahead.

The exit came into view, light spilling in through the broken door.

Freedom.

We sprinted toward it. My lungs burned, but I pushed forward, not daring to slow down.

Then, Claire stopped abruptly, holding up a hand.

I nearly crashed into her. “What—”

“Car,” she said. “We need to get to the car.”

Roman cursed under his breath. “Where?”

“Two blocks down. Parked in an alley. We need to move fast.”

I nodded. “Then let’s go.”

We ran. The night air hit me like a slap, sharp and cold. The streets were mostly empty, but I knew that wouldn’t last.

Sebastian wouldn’t let me go so easily.

Roman kept a hand on my back, urging me forward. “Almost there.”

Claire led us into the alley, yanking open the car door. “Get in.”

I didn’t hesitate.

The second the door shut behind me, Roman jumped into the driver’s seat, starting the engine. Claire climbed in after him, her gun still in her hand.

The tires screeched as we sped off.

I leaned back, trying to catch my breath. My wrists ached, my body sore from all the fighting and running. But I was alive.

And I was free.

Roman’s grip on the wheel was tight, his jaw clenched. He didn’t say anything for a while, just kept driving, his eyes scanning the road.

Claire was the first to speak. “Are you okay?”

I let out a breath. “Yeah. Thanks to you.”

She smirked. “Took us long enough.”

Roman finally glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “You’re not safe yet. We need to get far away before Sebastian regroups.”

I nodded, still catching up to the reality of everything. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere he won’t find you,” he said. “For now, just rest.”

Easier said than done.

I stared out the window as the city lights blurred past us. My body was exhausted, but my mind was still racing.

Sebastian wouldn’t let this slide.

This wasn’t over.

But it wasn’t just fear that kept me awake. It was anger.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Sebastian thought he could own me. Thought he could keep dragging me back into his twisted world.

He was wrong.

Roman glanced at me again. “What’s on your mind?”

I hesitated before answering. “I don’t want to run anymore.”

Claire turned in her seat, frowning. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m tired of running. He’s going to keep coming after me, isn’t he?”

Roman’s jaw tightened. “Yeah.”

“Then let’s stop playing defense.” I looked at them both. “Let’s end this.”

Claire raised an eyebrow. “You saying what I think you’re saying?”

I met her gaze. “I want to take him down.”

Silence filled the car for a moment.

Then, Roman sighed. “You sure about that?”

“More than I’ve ever been.”

Claire let out a low whistle. “Damn. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

I exhaled slowly. “I didn’t either. But he won’t stop. Not until he gets what he wants.”

Roman nodded slowly, considering. “Then we do this right. No rushing in. No reckless moves. We plan. We strike when he least expects it.”

A slow smile spread across Claire’s face. “Now that’s a plan I can get behind.”

A strange sense of calm settled over me.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t just surviving.

I must  fighting back!