Chapter 31 31. I Want Out
Lucien's jaw tightened as he checked the mirror. "The hell-?" He switched lanes sharply, eyes narrowing. "Drunk driver."
The phone buzzed from the center console. Rafael's name flashed on screen.
Lucien answered without looking away from the road. "Talk to me."
Whatever Rafael said on the other end made Lucien jerk forward in his seat.
"What?"
The car behind slammed into us before he got the answer. My seatbelt bit into my chest. The world jerked sideways.
"Shit-it's an attack!" Lucien barked into the phone. "Brace yourself, Camila!"
The line went dead. The engine roared as he floored the gas. We shot forward, weaving between lanes.
Headlights blurred. A black SUV that had been cruising ahead of us suddenly swerved sideways, blocking both lanes. The passenger door flew open.
A man leaned out with a rifle.
"Get down!" Lucien yelled.
Gunfire exploded. Bullets pinged against the windshield until it cracked into a spiderweb. Each impact sounded like thunder trapped inside the car. I ducked low, the sound eating up every breath in my lungs.
Lucien threw the car into reverse, tires shrieking, but another vehicle closed in behind us. Boxed in.
He slammed the brakes. Silence dropped, just the growl of idling engines and my heartbeat thudding somewhere near my throat.
"They want me to get out," he muttered.
"Who are they?" My voice trembled. "Are you getting out?"
"Hell no."
He yanked the lever beside my seat, forcing it flat. "Stay down. Don't move."
The engine revved. Not in reverse this time, building speed.
Then we shot forward.
Gunfire erupted again. I covered my head with both arms, every breath burning.
A crash like the sky splitting open. Metal crunched, glass shattered, something scraped along the side with a horrible screech.
But we were still moving.
Lucien must have crashed through the SUV. Or maybe another car. I couldn't tell.
The gunfire faded behind us. Only the unbroken roar of the engine remained. I stayed flat, staring at the ceiling, waiting for another hit that didn't come.
After what felt like forever, the speed eased. Still fast, but not suicidal.
"Are you okay?" His voice cut through the ringing in my ears.
I couldn't answer. My body shook too hard to form sound.
Lucien grabbed his phone, steering with one hand.
"Tell me what happened." He listened, and his jaw tightened. "Fuck. We're going to the safe house."
He hung up.
"You can sit up now."
He reached over and adjusted my seat. It moved upright slowly. The second I sat up, nausea slammed into me. I turned my head just in time-threw up across my lap and the floor.
"I'm sorry," I gasped.
"Don't be." His hand moved in slow circles between my shoulder blades. "You're in shock."
City lights faded to trees and darkness. The road narrowed until only the headlights carved space ahead.
A tall gate automatically opened as we approached. Lucien drove in, parked, and was out before I could breathe.
He opened my door and held out his hand. "Let's get you inside."
I took his hand and stepped out, but once on my feet, the world tilted sideways. My legs gave out and Lucien caught me before I hit the ground.
He scooped me into his arms and I closed my eyes against his chest.
I didn't want to see anything, didn't want to think. I felt him moving, counted about three doors opening, until he lowered me onto a cold surface.
Opening my eyes, I was surrounded by white tiles. Towels were stacked on a shelf. A glass shower door was to my left.
"Take a warm shower," Lucien said quietly. "I'll bring you some clothes."
He turned.
My hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve without thinking.
He stopped, looking back at me. I didn't know why I'd grabbed him. Didn't know what I wanted to say. My mouth opened but nothing came out.
There was no urgency in his gaze, it was simply waiting.
But I let go.
The door clicked shut behind him.
I sat there on the bathroom floor, knees pulled to my chest. My brain hummed with leftover noise from gunfire, screeching tires, my own scream still echoing in my ears.
Lucien's kiss. His comeback. Ronan's hand. Maya's smirk. The bullets.
It all looped in pieces that didn't fit together.
I wanted out.
I don't want to scheme, to destroy people, to live in fear of Ronan showing up at my door. Don't want guns and bullets and car chases.
Just give me books, and flowers, and maybe enough money to feel safe. I tasted salt on my lips. Tears had fallen again.
There was a knock on the door. I didn't answer.
It opened. Footsteps approached and I still didn't look up.
Then an arm wrapped around me, pulling me into a chest that felt solid and warm. He didn't say anything. Just held me while I sobbed into his shirt, his heartbeat steady against my cheek.
My hands clutched at his chest. Everything poured out. Fear, anger, exhaustion, guilt... and he held me through all of it.
He stayed until my breathing slowed and the tremors ebbed.
\---
Soft bed, soft sheets, covers pulled to my chin. It took me a second to remember where I was.
Then the memories came back one by one, like slow punches to the ribs.
I turned my head. Lucien was there, lying beside me on top of the covers, still dressed from last night. One arm folded behind his head, the other resting on his chest.
His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. The hard lines around his mouth had smoothed out. His dark lashes rested against his cheeks.
'Unfairly beautiful.'
I folded my hands under my head and watched him, the slope of his nose, those lips that looked utterly incapable of ever saying an ugly word.
The morning sunlight streaming in seemed to diminish when it hit his face, as if the light itself knew it couldn't improve upon the original.
His eyes opened.
I flinched, a tiny hiccup slipping out.
He smiled, the barest curve of lips that shouldn't have looked so dangerous.
Before I could move, his hand caught my wrist and he pulled, flipping me onto my back with one quick motion.
Now he hovered above me, braced on his elbows, eyes lazy but alert.
"Good morning." His voice was rough from sleep. "If my calculations are
right, you should probably close your ears about now."
My heart jumped. "What? Why-"
The door slammed open, and a loud ringing filled the air...