The city blurred past them in streaks of rain and neon, but inside the car, the world shrank to silence sharp, tense, suffocating silence.
Aria's pulse hammered against her throat.
Caspian hadn't let go of her hand.
His thumb rested over her knuckles barely touching, but heavy enough to make her hyperaware of every breath she took. Rafael watched the street through the rearview mirror, fully locked in, gun ready.
The driver was silent, masked, and professional, didn't look back once.
But Aria couldn't unsee it.
The white car.
It hadn't followed them.
It hadn't moved at all.
It had just… waited.
Like a ghost that missed its chance.
Her phone buzzed again.
Caspian's head snapped toward her. "Don't."
His voice cracked like a whip.
Aria's fingers twitched over her phone anyway. "It might be…"
"It's not her," he bit out. "It's a trap."
Her throat tightened. "You don't know that."
He turned fully toward her, eyes burning into hers. "I know a threat when I see one. I know when someone wants to use you as bait."
"And if she's alive?" Aria demanded. "If she's trying to help me"
Caspian leaned in, so close their breaths collided. "Then she can damn well wait until you're out of a kill zone."
Her phone buzzed again.
Are you with him?
Don't trust him, Aria.
Please.
Her mother's voice still rang in her ears. That trembling familiarity. That warmth that cut her deeper than any bullet.
Aria's chest twisted. "She sounded real."
Caspian's jaw clenched. "People can mimic voices."
He said it too fast. Too sharp.
Like he was trying to convince himself.
Aria lowered her gaze. Rain pattered against the window. Her phone buzzed again, and she silenced it with a shaking thumb.
Rafael finally looked at her. "We're being tailed."
Aria's spine snapped straight.
Caspian whipped around. "White car?"
"No," Rafael said slowly. "Worse. Vitalli."
The driver accelerated. Tires hissed over wet pavement.
Aria's breath caught. "Are they close?"
Rafael didn't answer.
Caspian didn't wait for one. "Take the Route 6 bypass. Lose them under the viaduct."
The driver veered sharply. Aria grabbed onto Caspian's arm to steady her instinct, desperation. But he didn't pull away.
He wrapped his hand over hers, firm.
"We're fine," he said, voice low, calm, controlled too controlled. "I won't let them touch you."
Her heart twisted.
She wasn't supposed to believe him.
She wasn't supposed to want to.
Her phone vibrated again.
This time a voicemail.
From the same unknown number.
Caspian stiffened. "Aria"
She pressed play.
Static.
Breathing.
And then…
"Aria… sweetheart… they're lying to you."
Her mother's voice.
Aria's throat closed.
"They're trying to use you to find me. Don't let them. Don't trust…"
The message cut off.
Caspian ripped the phone from her hand.
"HEY!" Aria gasped, reaching for it.
But he held it out of her reach, eyes narrowed in a fury she didn't understand.
"She's manipulating you."
His voice was low, dangerous. "Whoever this is wants you scared and confused. It's the oldest tactic in the book. Break your trust so they can isolate you."
Rafael muttered under his breath, "Caspian…"
But Caspian wasn't listening. His attention was locked entirely—violently—on Aria.
"You listen to me," he said, leaning in until she felt his breath on her lips. "I am the only person with a reason to keep you alive."
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
"That's not fair," she whispered. "I want answers. I deserve answers."
"You'll get them. From me. When I know you're safe."
"Safe?" she snapped. "I was almost killed tonight because of you!"
The car jerked slightly as the driver swerved to avoid a truck. Caspian didn't flinch, didn't blink.
He moved closer.
Too close.
"Not because of me," he said softly, voice dropping to something dark and intimate. "Because someone wants you to believe I'm the enemy."
His hand rose.
Not to grip her.
Not to control her.
But to brush a tear she didn't realize had fallen.
Slow. Gentle. Heartbreaking.
Aria's breath trembled. "Stop doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Acting like you care."
Caspian's eyes flashed, sharp as a blade. "I do."
Silence detonated between them.
It wasn't gentle.
It wasn't warm.
It was raw, volatile, uncontainable.
Then Rafael cursed loudly. "Three cars incoming. They're boxing us in."
Caspian turned instantly, pulling a gun from his holster. "Prep the decoy route."
Aria grabbed his coat sleeve. "Caspian—"
His gaze flicked to her.
Tension snapped tight.
"You stay with me," he said. "Always with me."
Before she could argue, a bullet hit the rear windshield—glass cracking like ice under pressure.
Aria screamed.
Caspian dragged her down into his lap, shielding her body with his.
The driver swerved hard.
Another shot.
Another crack of glass.
Tires screeched.
Rain blurred into chaos.
Caspian's voice cut through the panic:
"I've got you."
The world turned sideways.
The car spun once, twice before slamming to a stop under the viaduct.
Smoke curled from the hood.
The street lights flickered.
Somewhere in the distance, footsteps approached.
Rafael pitched forward. "They're closing in fast."
Caspian pulled Aria closer, breath shaking for the first time.
"Run," he whispered against her forehead. "When I say run, you run with me."
Her heart pounded. "I can't leave you"
"You won't," he said, gripping her jaw, forcing her to meet his eyes. "I'm not letting them take you."
Rain dripped through the cracked window.
A shadow stepped into view outside.
Then another.
Aria pressed closer into Caspian's chest, his heartbeat thundering against her cheek fast, fierce, human despite everything.
He kissed the crown of her head once.
Not an accident.
Not a mistake.
A promise.
"Stay low," he whispered. "Stay quiet."
Her pulse shook. "Caspian…"
"I know," he breathed.
And then…
Gunfire erupted.
The world exploded.