The car tore through the streets, the sound of tires slapping against the wet pavement ringing in Ava's ears. She kept her gaze fixed on the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see headlights chasing them down, but for now, there was only the empty road behind them.
Noah's hands were steady on the wheel, but Ava could see the tension in his posture, the way his eyes flickered with every turn, every change in the road. It wasn't just the physical fight that weighed on him,it was the game they were playing now. It was more than survival. It was about staying ahead of something far more dangerous than either of them had anticipated.
Ava couldn't help but ask, her voice small against the hum of the engine, "How long do we have before they catch up?"
Noah's jaw clenched. "We don't know yet."
The weight of those words hung heavy in the car. Ava swallowed, her fingers tapping nervously against the seat. They couldn't outrun this,not forever. She had known it from the moment they'd left that alley. There was no escaping the men who had come for them.
"You didn't tell me everything," Ava said quietly, her gaze still fixed on the darkness outside. "About who they are… or why they're after us."
Noah's grip on the wheel tightened, his eyes narrowing for a brief moment before he spoke, his voice like gravel. "You don't need to know everything."
Ava felt a pang of frustration, but she held it back. She had never been the type to let things go, but Noah's silence only deepened the mystery surrounding them. They were running, but from what exactly? And who were these men,these shadows that seemed to have every path they took covered?
Ava shifted in her seat, trying to ease the tension in her muscles. "You don't get to keep me in the dark forever."
Noah's eyes flickered to her for a moment, but then he looked back at the road. "It's not just about us anymore, Ava. There's a bigger picture here,one that's bigger than both of us. If I tell you too much, I might be putting you in more danger than you already are."
Ava stared at him. She could see the pain in his eyes, the exhaustion, the weight of the secret he carried. But it didn't make her feel any better.
"Noah, please." Her voice softened, a plea he couldn't ignore. "I need to understand."
He exhaled sharply, his lips pressed together in frustration. "Fine," he muttered under his breath. "They're part of a network,a very powerful one. It's not just one organization. It's connected to something much darker, more dangerous. I was born into it. My father is a part of it. And I've been running from it my whole life."
Ava's mind raced. She had heard of powerful organizations before, but never anything like this. "Your father?" She barely whispered the words, shocked. "So it's your family?"
Noah nodded, his grip on the wheel steady despite the chaos swirling inside. "It's not just about power,it's about control. They don't let you go. Not ever. They're always watching, always waiting for you to slip up. And the moment you do, they come for you."
She sat back, her mind spinning. So Noah wasn't just running from some crime syndicate or shady business deal. This was something deeply ingrained in who he was, something impossible to outrun. She could feel the weight of that now, and she felt her chest tighten.
"But why me?" Ava asked. "Why are they after me?"
Noah hesitated, and for a moment, she could see his inner conflict reflected in his eyes. "You're tied to this. I didn't want you involved, but they know about you. They know everything."
Ava felt the blood drain from her face. "What does that mean? How could they know about me?"
"They've been watching. You're not just a bystander in this story. You're a part of it whether you like it or not."
Ava's mind reeled. This wasn't just about some random encounter or coincidence. Her life had been tangled up in Noah's from the moment they crossed paths. And now, she had no choice but to follow him into whatever nightmare was chasing them.
Noah looked at her for the briefest moment, his voice steady but filled with an emotion she couldn't read. "I never wanted you involved in this. But I don't have a choice anymore. Neither of us does."
The car swerved sharply as Noah turned onto another street, the tires screeching against the wet road. Ava grabbed the door for support, her pulse hammering in her throat.
And then, in the distance, a flicker of headlights appeared, moving fast, closing in on them. Ava's stomach lurched. They weren't alone anymore.
"Hold on," Noah gritted out, his hands jerking the wheel to the right, sending the car into a hard turn.
Ava's breath caught in her throat as the world seemed to tilt, the city blurring around them.
They were no longer running from shadows. They were running for their lives.