The car sped down the highway, the city lights flashing past in streaks of white and red. The tension inside was suffocating.
Vincent kept glancing at the rearview mirror. "Two black SUVs. They've been on us since we left the airport."
Dominic's jaw tightened. "Matteo?"
"Could be. Or someone worse," Vincent muttered.
Elijah sat up straighter. "Worse? Who the hell could be worse?"
Dominic didn't answer. Instead, he pulled a gun from his holster, checking the magazine before clicking it back into place.
Adrian's eyes widened. "Okay. Nope. No way. Why do you have a gun?"
Dominic glanced at him like he was an idiot. "Because I'm not planning to die tonight."
Adrian let out a nervous laugh. "Right. Great. Love that." He turned to Elijah. "You seriously live like this?"
Elijah didn't answer—because, honestly, he didn't know how to.
Vincent turned sharply onto a side road, trying to lose their tail. But the SUVs followed, accelerating.
"Shit," Vincent muttered. "They're not backing off."
Dominic leaned forward. "Turn left. Head to the warehouse district."
Vincent obeyed without hesitation.
Elijah frowned. "Why the hell are we going there?"
"Less civilians. More cover."
"You mean more places for us to get shot at?"
Dominic smirked. "Exactly."
Elijah groaned. "Why am I even here?"
Dominic's gaze darkened. "Because you belong to me."
Elijah opened his mouth to argue, but then the first bang shattered the car's back window.
"Shit!" Adrian yelled, ducking.
Vincent swerved violently, the tires screeching against the asphalt. "They're shooting at us!"
"No kidding," Elijah snapped, pressing himself down in his seat.
Dominic stayed eerily calm. He rolled down his window, aimed, and fired. The shot hit the SUV's front tire, sending it skidding.
"One down," Dominic muttered.
The second SUV sped up, ramming into them from behind. The impact jolted them forward.
Elijah cursed. "Vincent, do something!"
"I am doing something!" Vincent yelled, yanking the wheel and slamming on the brakes.
The sudden stop sent the SUV flying past them. Before their attackers could react, Dominic was out of the car, gun raised. He fired two precise shots—one hitting the driver, the other taking out the front tire. The SUV spun out of control, crashing into a metal fence.
Silence followed.
Adrian slowly peeked up from the back seat. "Uh… are we alive?"
Elijah sat up, heart pounding. "I think so."
Dominic shoved his gun back into his holster. "Let's go before more show up."
Elijah exhaled sharply, gripping his temples. "I really need a vacation."
Dominic smirked, sliding back into the car. "After I deal with Matteo, I'll take you anywhere you want, Eli."
Elijah rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the slight flush on his face.
Vincent pulled the car back onto the road, speeding off into the night.
But as they disappeared, a man stepped out from the wreckage of the SUV, wiping blood from his temple. He pulled out his phone and dialed.
"They escaped," he reported. "But they won't get far."
A deep voice responded on the other end.
"Good. Keep following them."
The man smirked. "With pleasure."
The tension in the car was thick, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on everyone. Elijah exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, so… what the hell was that?"
Dominic didn't look at him. His eyes were fixed ahead, his jaw clenched in silent rage. "A message."
Elijah frowned. "A message from who?"
"Matteo."
Adrian let out a dry laugh. "Great. So, what? He just randomly sends people to kill us now?"
Vincent kept his hands steady on the wheel, his voice grim. "That wasn't random. He knew exactly when and where we were leaving."
That realization sent a chill through Elijah. "You're saying someone snitched?"
"Someone gave him our location," Dominic confirmed. His fingers tapped against his thigh—a dangerous habit Elijah had learned to recognize. Dominic wasn't just angry. He was calculating.
Vincent glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "What's the plan?"
"Get to a safehouse," Dominic answered.
"Which one?"
Dominic finally looked at Vincent, his expression cold. "The one no one knows about."
Vincent gave a sharp nod and changed routes.
Elijah leaned forward. "Wait. Hold up. There's a safehouse no one knows about? What does that even mean? You know about it, so someone must."
Dominic's gaze flickered toward him. "Only one other person knew about it."
"And where are they now?"
"Dead."
Elijah sucked in a breath. "Oh."
Adrian shook his head. "Jesus Christ, Elijah. How the hell are you just accepting this?"
Elijah let out a humorless laugh. "Oh, trust me. I'm not. But freaking out won't help right now."
Adrian looked between him and Dominic, then slumped back in his seat. "Yeah. Sure. Let's just drive to a secret hideout only a dead guy and a mafia boss knew about. Sounds great."
Vincent kept driving, taking backroads, avoiding main streets. The city lights started to fade as they entered a more isolated part of town. Old warehouses, abandoned factories, and broken streetlights surrounded them.
Elijah crossed his arms. "This place looks like the perfect setting for a horror movie."
Dominic didn't respond. He pulled out his phone, typed a quick message, and then pocketed it again.
Vincent finally stopped the car in front of what looked like a run-down garage.
"This is it?" Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not exactly five-star accommodations."
Dominic stepped out without answering. He approached a side door, entered a code, and the metal door slid open with a mechanical hum.
Inside, it was nothing like Elijah expected.
The place was spotless. A modern interior with reinforced steel walls, surveillance monitors, a small kitchen, and a fully stocked armory.
Adrian blinked. "Oh. This is actually kinda cool."
Vincent locked the door behind them, checking the security system. "We should be safe for now."
Elijah sat on the couch, exhaling. His whole body was still buzzing from adrenaline. He glanced up at Dominic, who was standing near the monitors, deep in thought.
"…So what now?" Elijah finally asked.
Dominic turned to him, his dark eyes unreadable.
"Now? We prepare for war."