Drake's voice was low and tight. "Left! Great Russell Street!" His shout barely cut through the rain. I swerved onto the street, barely registering the sign. Massimo, his headlight a sinister glow, followed suit.
As we neared the British Museum, Drake took a shot at our pursuer then directed me toward St. Paul's Cathedral. The majestic dome illuminated our frantic drive. We weaved through late-night traffic, my grip tightening on the wheel as the rain grew heavier.
Around the cathedral, Drake fired off more shots. For a moment, it seemed to work. Massimo fell back a bit. But we couldn't let our guard down.
"Millennium Bridge!" Drake's voice barely carried over the rain. The pedestrian bridge over the Thames wasn't made for cars, but Drake's determined gaze told me we had no other choice.
We raced across the rattling bridge, Drake retaliating with gunfire. Despite the rain, Massimo managed to keep up. A sudden idea hit me as I spotted a sharp turn leading to a narrow alleyway. "Brace yourself, Drake!" I yanked the wheel hard.
Our car screamed around the corner, tires squealing on the slick cobblestones. Caught off guard, Massimo lost control. His bike skidded, throwing him into the cold Thames.
We didn't stop. Drake guided us to a hidden garage where we left the car. Catching our breath, we shared a sigh of relief, safe for now.
I could barely hear anything above the roaring in my ears. But something was very wrong with my hands. They were shaking. And I couldn't feel the tips of my fingers. Shaking was a bad sign, right?
Drake took my hands and warmed them in his. “Shhh. You're okay. We're safe now. He's in the river. Take a deep breath. Count it out with me. One, two, three. Good girl. Now release it slowly. One, two, three.”
After several deep breaths, I started to feel like myself again as my brain functioning came back online.
"Oh my God, that was terrifying. Is this what it's like for you all the time?”
His smile was rueful. “Most times I do a lot of paperwork and watching. But sometimes, yeah.”
Sometimes. Sometimes he was likely in far worse danger than this. My stomach knotted just thinking about that. “Okay, so what's next?" I asked, my voice shaky from the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. Drake exhaled slowly, looking out the rain-streaked window of the garage.
"We'll have to lay low for a while," he said, his voice heavy with concern. "Massimo won't forget this, and he'll be out for blood. But we'll figure it out."
This wasn't my life. How the hell had I ended up here? A week ago I'd never even seen a gun outside of television.
Drake turned to me, his dark eyes searching mine. "You okay?" he asked, his voice softening.
I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to steady my racing heart. "Yeah, I think so," I replied, my voice coming out more composed than I felt.
He smiled wryly. "You did good out there."
I couldn't help but grin back at him, despite the gravity of the situation. "I had a pretty good teacher."
Drake chuckled, and I felt a warmth spread through me. I knew I shouldn't be feeling this way, not when my life was in danger, but there was something about his calm, confident demeanor that was hard to resist.
"So what do we do now?" I asked, breaking the moment.
"We need to head back to the house," he replied, reaching for his coat. "We've got some planning to do."
Drake
Tonight had been close. Much too close for comfort. We needed a moment to catch our breath, to regroup, and to figure out our next move. I never thought I'd become the kind of guy who drew baths, but Daphne had a rough night and needed to relax.
Or you like her.
As I ran the hot water and bubbles, I smiled to myself. For a moment, all the danger had been forgotten. I was just happy to be able to provide Daphne the simple luxury of taking a bath.
With a shy smile, she dropped her clothes and threw a robe on, and all my worries came back. I was a man with no nation and no friends, and that could have gotten her killed tonight.
I watched her from across the room as she closed her eyes in relief. She looked so peaceful, and for a brief moment, I wanted everything this interlude promised. The quiet, the peace, the intimacy. In our own secret hideaway with no one else around.
Except this isn’t a hideaway. She’s here because you lied, used her desperation, and kidnapped her.
Reality came crashing back in, reminding me that we couldn't stay here forever. We still had to figure out what to do with all the information we had gathered.
I poured some of her favorite bath salts into the water, and the lavender scent quickly filled the room. I dimmed the lights and lit a few candles, creating a soft, romantic glow. I had to admit, I was pretty good at this pampering thing.
I walked over to Daphne, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, deep in thought. "Hey, beautiful," I said, trying to keep things light. "I've prepared a little surprise for you." I extended my hand, and she took it without hesitation.
She looked genuinely surprised as she stepped into the bathroom. "Drake, this is amazing," she said, her eyes shining. "Thank you."
I grinned. "You’ve had a long night. I figured you could stand to relax. The driving probably made you tense." We undressed and stepped into the bath together, the warm water soothing our tired bodies. As we settled in, I could see the tension in her shoulders start to fade.
We sat there in comfortable silence for a while, letting the steamy water work its magic. But eventually, I knew we had to talk about the elephant in the room. "Daphne, I've been thinking," I began, hesitating for a moment. "I'm going to turn all the information we have over to the Rogues."
She looked at me, her brow furrowing. "You're serious?"
I nodded. "I started this with my own agenda, but now all I want is you safe. Tonight, you were almost taken, and I can't risk that happening again."
Daphne reached for my hand, her fingers lacing with mine. "And what about you?" she asked softly. "I want you safe too, you know."
I couldn't help but smile at her concern. "Don't worry about me, kitten. I've got a knack for getting out of tight spots."
She raised an eyebrow, and her voice took on a teasing tone. "Oh, really?”
I snorted. "Okay, so maybe I've had a few close calls. But hey, I'm still here, aren't I?"
She laughed and splashed water at me playfully. "True. But seriously, Drake, we're in this together. I don't want you taking unnecessary risks for me."
I sighed, knowing she had a point. "I know, Daphne. But I can't help it. I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone."
She leaned in, pressing her lips to mine in a tender kiss. "I care about you too, Drake. We'll figure this out together."
As we kissed, I could feel the weight of the world lifting from my shoulders. With Daphne by my side, there wasn't anything we couldn't handle. We had each other's backs, and that was all that mattered.
We spent about an hour in the bath, letting the warm water envelop us as we talked, laughed, and shared stories of our pasts. It was the first time in a long time that we'd allowed ourselves a moment of respite from the dangerous world we'd been navigating.