Liam's footsteps were heavy and unsteady, each step a struggle as Elena dragged him toward the edge of the docks. Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the sounds of the chaos behind her. Dominic's fight with Harrington's men raged on, but she couldn't look back—not now.
"Liam, keep up!" she hissed, her grip tightening on his wrist.
He stumbled again, barely managing to stay on his feet. "Elena... I—I didn't mean for this to happen," he mumbled, his voice weak and ragged. "I didn't know it would get this bad."
"We don't have time for this," she snapped, pulling him harder. "Just keep moving."
The cold wind whipped through the air, carrying the distant sounds of the city, but the docks felt like an entirely different world—a world where darkness and danger reigned, and where getting caught meant no escape. The container yard loomed ahead, rows of stacked metal crates offering a maze of possible cover.
If they could just reach it, they might be able to hide long enough to regroup. Behind her, the sounds of the scuffle grew fainter, and her gut twisted with worry. Dominic was holding his own, but how long before more of Harrington's men arrived? How long before the situation spiraled completely out of control?
Suddenly, Liam yanked his hand out of hers, stumbling back a few steps as he clutched his chest. "I can't... I can't do this anymore, Elena," he gasped, his face pale under the harsh dock lights. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Elena's chest tightened with frustration and fear. "Liam, we don't have time for this!" She grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him lightly. "Snap out of it! We need to keep moving or we're both going to end up dead. Do you understand that?"
Liam's eyes were wide, filled with regret and fear, but something in his posture told her he was on the verge of breaking down completely. He wasn't thinking straight, his mind consumed by guilt and panic.
"I—" He swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. "I didn't think it would get this far. I thought... I thought I could fix it. But I was wrong. I was so wrong."
Elena wanted to scream. This was her brother—the same brother she'd spent her life protecting, the same brother who'd always been the optimist, the one who thought he could charm his way out of any mess. But now, seeing him like this, broken and terrified, she realized just how deep he'd fallen into this nightmare.
"Listen to me," she said, her voice softer now, but firm. "We're going to get out of this. We're going to fix this, but I need you to stay with me. Can you do that?"
Liam's eyes flickered with something—a faint spark of hope, maybe. He gave a small, shaky nod, but before Elena could breathe a sigh of relief, the sound of footsteps echoed through the night.
"Elena!" Dominic's voice rang out, sharp and urgent.
She spun around just in time to see him sprinting toward them, his face a mask of fury and focus. Behind him, the shadows of Harrington's men were closing in, their heavy boots thudding against the concrete as they advanced.
"Move!" Dominic barked, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.
Without another word, Elena grabbed Liam's arm and bolted toward the container yard, Dominic close on their heels. The maze of metal crates loomed ahead, offering some semblance of cover, but the footsteps behind them were getting louder, closer. Too close.
They rounded the corner of a shipping container just as a shot rang out, the sound splitting the night. Elena's heart lurched as she ducked behind the container, pulling Liam down with her.
"Shit," Dominic growled, pressing himself against the metal wall beside them. His eyes flicked toward the open space ahead, assessing their options. "They're going to try and box us in."
Elena's breath came in shallow gasps, her pulse racing. "What do we do?" Dominic's gaze snapped back to her, fierce and determined. "I'll lead them away. You take Liam and get the hell out of here."
"What? No!" Elena's voice came out sharper than she intended. "I'm not leaving you behind. We're in this together."
Dominic's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and something else—something Elena couldn't quite place. "This isn't up for debate, Elena. You need to get your brother out of here, now."
"I can't just—"
He cut her off, his voice low and urgent. "I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse than these guys. But you need to trust me. Get him out of here before they catch up."
Elena's heart pounded in her chest, torn between the urge to stay and the desperate need to save her brother. She knew Dominic could handle himself—he always could—but the thought of leaving him behind, facing Harrington's men alone, sent a surge of fear through her.
But she didn't have time to argue. Another shot rang out, this one closer, the echo bouncing off the metal walls around them. Liam flinched beside her, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Elena, please..." Liam whispered, his voice hoarse with fear.
She swallowed hard, her decision made. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "But you'd better come back in one piece."
Dominic's lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile, his eyes softening for a moment. "You know I will."
And then, before she could say anything else, he was gone—disappearing into the shadows like a ghost, moving with a deadly grace that left Elena breathless.
She turned to Liam, her heart still racing. "Come on. We need to move."
Together, they slipped through the maze of containers, the sounds of gunfire and footsteps fading behind them as they made their way deeper into the yard. Elena's mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic whirlwind of fear, anger, and determination. She had to get Liam to safety. She had to trust that Dominic could handle whatever was coming.
But as they reached the edge of the yard and the distant lights of the city came into view, a chilling thought crossed her mind: What if Dominic couldn't come back this time? What if this was the last time she'd see him?
She shoved the thought aside, focusing on the only thing that mattered now—getting her brother out alive.
But in the pit of her stomach, the fear lingered, gnawing at her with every step.