Page 49 of Save Me
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Adam nod once. His approval is rare, and it means I’m getting somewhere that this gruelling practice is starting to pay off.
“Keep your guard up,” Adam commands from the edge of the mat. His arms are folded across his chest, his eyes tracking my every move with hawk-like precision. It’s unnerving, but also exhilarating. I want to impress him, show him I’ve got what it takes.
I push myself harder, moving faster, striking with more force. My body moves with a mind of its own, mimicking the techniques Adam has drilled into me. With each hit, I can feel his scrutiny, assessing, judging. When I nail a particularly difficult combo, there’s a slight nod, almost imperceptible, but it’s there. That nod is like a fucking trophy, and it makes my chest swell with pride.
“Don’t go easy on her. She will never learn that way,” he mutters to Quen.
The session wears on, and each moment is a battle between fatigue and willpower. But I don’t back down—I can’t. Not when I’ve come this far.
“Enough.” Adam’s voice cuts through the sound of our exertion, and Quen immediately lowers his hands. I stagger back, panting, my fists slowly uncurling. Sweat has plastered my clothes to my skin.
“Good work,” Adam says, and though his face remains an unreadable mask, there’s a hint of respect in his tone that wasn’t there before. The words are simple, but coming from him, they mean everything. They make all the pain and exhaustion worth it.
“Thanks,” I manage between heavy breaths, pride mingling with relief.
Without another word, Adam turns and walks away, leaving me to bask in the small victory. I’ve earned his respect, even if it’s just a sliver. That’s something.
My legs finally give out, and I collapse onto the cold gym floor. The impact sends a shudder through my tired body, but lying here, sprawled out and spent, I’ve never felt better. Quen sits beside me, dropping to the floor with a grunt, his presence a silent show of solidarity.
“Nice job,” he says, nudging me with his elbow.
“Could’ve been worse,” I reply, trying for nonchalance but failing because of the grin pulling at my lips.
We sit there together, just breathing, letting the quiet wrap around us. Today, I’ve pushed past limits I didn’t even know I had. I’ve shown them—and myself—what I’m capable of. And tomorrow, I’ll do it all over again, because now I know I can.
18
HARRISON
I’ve been workingall night to ensure this hand off went smoothly and without incident. Anything even remotely on the less than legal side has been removed so a raid wouldn’t amount to much. The hard drives, backups, files, folders, burner phones, you name it, it’s gone.
Waving bye to my parents, who have been up all night as well, we are all weary, but I sharpen up as I climb back into Aaron’s Chiron and fire up the engine. I just want to get back to Vogue, kiss her, and crash for a week. It’s afternoon now, and I know the guys are back on campus plotting and putting plans into motion. I should join them, but I really just can’t be bothered right now.
The Chiron purrs beneath me, a monster ready to devour miles in minutes. Streets blur as I drive, the city oblivious to the game being played in its underbelly. My phone is constantly buzzing with updates, but I ignore it for now; every muscle in my body aches for a break from this relentless tug-of-war between loyalty and law.
As Aaron’s mansion comes into view, the gates open, and I drive through, parking up slowly and neatly. Aaron waits for me, unimpressed by the long delay.
“Back in one piece,” I say, handing him the keys.
He takes them with narrowed eyes. “And the hotel?”
“All clear.”
“Good job.” He turns on his heel and stalks off, leaving me to trail in his wake.
Vogue and Quen appear, holding hands and looking just as wrecked as I feel. Vogue’s eyes meet mine. She doesn’t have to say anything; that look tells me she’s been holding down fortresses of her own.
She lets go of Quen and crosses the entrance hall, throwing herself into my arms, and for a moment, I let the world fall away. We’re here, together in this madness, clinging to each other like nothing else matters.
“I missed you,” she mumbles against my chest. “I was worried this morning when they told me you’d been gone all night.”
“I missed you.” I kiss her lips gently and quickly, still not sure if we are doing this in front of her dad or what.
“We good?” Quen asks, eyeing me for any sign of trouble.
I nod. “Handled it. For now.”
Vogue pulls back slightly to look at me. “You can tell me about it later. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
