Chapter 8 In The Flames

• Chapter 8
• Adeline didn’t hesitate; she grabbed Reid’s hand, her fingers trembling but firm. “We’re leaving,” she said, her voice barely audible over the lump rising in her throat.
• Reid stared up at her, eyes wide, his cheeks streaked with tears. “Where are we going, Mum?”
• “Somewhere safe.” Her words were more of a promise to herself than to him. She refused to let despair take over, even as Precious clung tightly to Reid’s other hand, whispering soothing words in his ear.
• They walked past the men, Adeline keeping her gaze forward, pretending their piercing stares didn’t burn into her back. She felt naked without the car keys in her hand, without the home waiting for her just a few steps away.
• But this wasn’t the time to crumble.
• “Where will we sleep?” Reid’s question hung in the cold evening air as they rounded the corner, the building now out of sight.
• Adeline stopped. For a moment, her carefully crafted strength faltered, and the weight of their situation pressed her down. But then, she looked at Reid, his face tired yet trusting. “We’ll figure it out,” she said, crouching to his level. “You trust me, don’t you?”
• He nodded hesitantly, clutching the edge of her blouse like it was a lifeline.
• Precious chimed in. “I know a place. It’s not much, but it’s safe.”
• Adeline nodded, not bothering to ask further questions. At this point, safety was all that mattered.
• ---
• The room was cramped, barely bigger than a storage closet, but at least the walls didn’t threaten to collapse around them. Adeline sat on the thin mattress, holding Reid close. His breathing had finally evened out, the exhaustion of the day pulling him into sleep.
• But Adeline couldn’t sleep.
• Her phone buzzed. She snatched it up quickly, careful not to wake Reid. It was a message—from an unknown number.
• **“This is bigger than you think. Leave the city before it’s too late.”**
• Her stomach churned. She stared at the screen, reading the words over and over, trying to make sense of them. Who had sent this? Why now?
• “Is everything okay?” Precious asked, her voice soft but sharp with concern.
• Adeline shook her head, showing her the screen. Precious’s face paled. “What does it mean? Who’s threatening you?”
• “I don’t know,” Adeline whispered. “But we’re not going anywhere. Not yet.”
• ---
• The next morning, Adeline woke to the sound of voices outside the door. Her heart raced. She motioned for Precious to stay with Reid, who was still asleep, and quietly moved to the door.
• The voices were muffled, but one phrase sent a chill down her spine: “She doesn’t have long.”
• Adeline’s breath hitched. Who were they talking about?
• The door rattled as someone on the other side attempted to turn the knob. Adeline stumbled back, clutching her chest.
• “Mum?” Reid’s sleepy voice startled her.
• “Shh.” She motioned for him to stay quiet, pressing her finger to her lips.
• The rattling stopped, and the voices faded. Adeline waited a full minute before exhaling, her legs shaking beneath her.
• “Someone knows we’re here,” she muttered, her voice shaking. “We can’t stay.”
• “Where will we go?” Precious asked, clutching her own bag like it might hold all the answers.
• Adeline didn’t have one. But she knew staying wasn’t an option. Not when someone was watching their every move.
• ---
• The day stretched on as they moved from one temporary refuge to another, Adeline constantly looking over her shoulder. She knew she was running out of options, but every time she tried to think of a plan, her mind went blank.
• By the time the sun set, they were in yet another unfamiliar place, and Reid was asleep again, this time in her lap.
• “I think it’s time you tell me the truth,” Precious said, breaking the silence. “What’s really going on? Why are people after you?”
• Adeline opened her mouth, ready to deny everything, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she said, “It’s not just me. It’s Reid.”
• Precious frowned. “Reid? What do you mean?”
• Adeline hesitated, her mind racing. How could she explain something she barely understood herself? How could she admit that Reid’s father wasn’t just a man from her past but someone whose secrets could destroy them all?
• But before she could answer, there was a loud knock at the door.
• Adeline froze, her arms tightening around Reid. Precious’s face went pale as she mouthed the question Adeline was dreading.
• “Who is it?”
• The knock came again, louder this time.
• Adeline’s heart raced. She motioned for Precious to stay quiet and crept toward the door, her mind screaming every possible worst-case scenario.
• When she peered through the peephole, her blood ran cold.
• It wasn’t Sarah’s agents this time.
• It was Alex.