Chapter 253

Chapter 253
Louis's POV

I scanned our surroundings, the dust of the Mexican border town glittered in the sunlight, my eyes narrowed against the glare, checking for any signs we were being followed. The small motel room we'd holed up in was barely better than a shack - peeling paint, a bed that sagged in the middle, and a bathroom I tried to avoid using.

Eva sat by the window, her fingers nervously tapping against the sill as she stared outside. Her face was drawn with tension, dark circles under her eyes from two days of minimal sleep.

"We can't stay here much longer," I said, checking my watch. "Heinrich's men will find this place soon."

My mind drifted back to the decision I'd made 48 hours ago. Eva had received an anonymous warning that her father had hired killers to hunt us down. I could have gone home then - should have, probably. But going back would have brought danger to my family, to Jasmine and Grace. I needed a plan and time to draw the hunters away.

"You could have left me here alone," Eva said quietly, her voice barely audible over the rattling air conditioner. "Why risk yourself to help me?"

I remained silent for a moment, considering my answer carefully. The woman sitting across from me had stolen four years of my life. Yet here I was, helping her escape her own father's hit squad.

"Because whatever you did, you ended up saving my life in the end," I finally replied. "And if your father really did send killers, I couldn't let you face them alone."

A bitter smile crossed Eva's face. "Ironic, isn't it? I kept you prisoner for four years, and now you're the one saving me."

I didn't respond to that. Instead, I focused on the movement outside our window. A truck had pulled into the parking lot, nothing unusual about it, but my instincts were on high alert. We'd already moved three times since the warning came. According to my plan, tomorrow we would head to our final destination - a small fishing village on the coast where one of Marcus's Mexican contacts would help Eva get new identification papers before she fled to South America.

The hours crawled by. As night fell, we prepared for another restless night of sleep. I took the chair by the door while Eva curled up on the bed. Just as I was settling in, I noticed suspicious vehicles entering the motel parking lot - black SUVs with tinted windows, moving with purpose.

"We need to leave. Now." I grabbed our backpacks, already packed for a quick escape. "They've found us."

Eva's eyes widened with fear, but she moved quickly, following my lead without question. We slipped out through the bathroom window at the back of the room. The night air was cool against my skin as we dropped to the ground below.

Gunshots rang out behind us, followed by shouts in German. I grabbed Eva's wrist and pulled her along.

"Follow me!" I hissed, leading her through narrow alleyways between buildings. We ducked behind dumpsters and squeezed through gaps between fences, putting as much distance as possible between us and our pursuers.

Finally, we found refuge in the back yard of a closed bar, crouching behind stacked beer kegs as footsteps thundered past on the street. We stayed frozen until the sounds faded into the distance.

"They're not ordinary killers," I said between heavy breaths. "They're well-trained, highly organized."

"My father never skimps when hiring the best talent," Eva said bitterly, pushing sweat-soaked hair from her face. "Especially when it comes to killing people."

I considered our next move carefully. Our original plan was now impossible - our location had been compromised. I needed a new strategy. But more urgently, I worried about Jasmine. What if she had already headed to the fishing village based on the coordinates I'd sent her? What if that place was now a trap?

"I need to contact Jasmine," I said firmly. "But not through regular channels. They're definitely monitoring all communications."

Eva looked up, her face pale in the moonlight. "There's an internet café in the town square. If we're careful, maybe we could send an encrypted message."

I nodded, though unease churned in my stomach. Every minute that passed brought danger closer. And Jasmine - my greatest fear was that she would act impulsively and come looking for me herself.

At the same time, I wasn't entirely sure I trusted Eva. She seemed genuinely remorseful, but were these "killers" real, or was this another carefully constructed trap? The gunshots had sounded real enough, but in my experience, nothing was ever as it seemed with Eva.

We spent the night hiding in an abandoned shed behind the bar, taking turns keeping watch. Eva fell into a restless sleep around 3 AM, while I sat with my back against the wall, eyes fixed on the door.

By morning, I'd made my decision. I needed to split up from Eva, draw the trackers away, and make sure Jasmine was safe. While Eva slept, I carefully wrote a note explaining my plan and left it where she would find it when she woke.

Eva - I'm going to draw them away. The contact will still meet you at the fishing village. Don't try to find me.

I slipped out before dawn, making my way through the sleeping town to the outskirts. Standing on the dark highway with the first hints of sunrise coloring the sky, I raised my hand to flag down an approaching truck. The headlights illuminated my face as the vehicle slowed.

My eyes gleamed with determination. I was going home - back to Jasmine and Grace, no matter what dangers I would face. They were my family, and I would protect them at any cost.