Page 75 of Rescuing Aria
As the car carries us toward Guardian HQ, I can’t shake the feeling we’re missing something crucial. Marcus knows morethan he’s saying. This blood feud between half-brothers runs deeper than we’ve uncovered. Wolfe is targeting not just Aria but Ember and Ryn as well. Somewhere beneath it all runs a current of old hatred that makes this more than just business.
My free hand checks my weapon again, a grounding ritual learned through years of combat. Whatever’s coming, whatever Wolfe has planned, one thing is certain—he won’t get to Aria.
Not while I’m breathing.
TWENTY
Jon
Something’swrong with the driver.
The first hint is subtle—just a half-second hesitation at the green light two blocks back. Nothing anyone else would notice. Then comes the missed turn that would have taken us directly toward Guardian HQ.
“Taking an alternate route, sir,” the driver explained when Marcus questioned it. “Traffic alert on the main thoroughfare.”
Plausible. Except Marcus’s driver would have notified us before deviating from the planned route. This man keeps his cap pulled low, his shoulders tense. And there’s something about the way he holds the wheel. Too tight. Knuckles pale against the black leather.
I shift slightly, creating space between my hip and the door where my weapon rests. Marcus’s town car is luxury-armored, meant to stop bullets from getting in.
Right now, I’m more concerned about us getting out.
The streets grow less familiar with each turn. We should be heading north toward the coast, but instead we’re moving east, toward the inland hills. Reynolds makes another turn, this onesharper than necessary. His eyes flick to the rearview mirror, not checking traffic.
Checking us.
“The restaurant was lovely.” Aria fills the silence that’s stretched too long. “Thank you for dinner. I’m sorry we didn’t get to enjoy it.”
Her voice sounds normal, but her fingers tighten around mine beneath the fold of her dress. She senses the tension radiating from me, even if she doesn’t understand its source.
Marcus nods, still focused on his phone. “Garrison always prepares something special when I bring guests.”
I’ve been in enough dangerous situations to recognize the familiar calm settling over me—heart rate steady, senses sharpening, mind calculating options and outcomes. We’ve traveled at least six blocks in the wrong direction now.
Too far for coincidence. Too deliberate for a mistake.
The car makes another turn onto a road leading away from city lights. That’s the fourth deviation from our route.
This isn’t a detour. It’s an abduction in progress.
My phone vibrates.
Driver not responding to dispatch calls. Everything okay?CJ’s message confirms what I’ve already concluded.
Three options: wait and gather intelligence, attempt to overpower the driver, or exit the vehicle at the next stop. The first feels right. We don’t know how many hostiles are involved or what weapons they have. Better to wait, gather intel, and choose the moment.
I type back one-handed, keeping my movements casual:Compromised. Prepare extraction team.
The car slows for a red light. For half a second, I consider changing plans. The three of us could exit now, but we’d be exposed on an unfamiliar street with limited cover. I glance at Aria, at the thin fabric of her dress, at Marcus’s polished shoesunsuited for running. The temperature outside hovers around fifty degrees according to the car’s display.
“Is everything alright, Mr. Knutt?” Marcus’s gaze lifts from his phone, sharp and assessing. “You seem—distracted.”
“Just planning our security protocols for when we arrive.” The lie comes easily. No need to escalate until I have more information.
The light changes. The driver accelerates too quickly, then makes another turn onto a street lined with shuttered businesses. We’re heading into an industrial area now. Buildings grow sparse, streetlights fewer. The expensive shops and restaurants have given way to manufacturing plants and warehouses.
“I think we’re going the wrong way.” Aria’s voice carries the first hint of concern.
Marcus frowns, leaning forward to tap the privacy glass. “Driver, you’ve missed the turn for Guardian HQ.”
