Chapter 9 In-between The Web

• Chapter 9
• In-between the web
• I didn’t want to open the door. My hands trembled as I stared at it, the weight of my breathing filling the room. Alex being here didn’t make sense. He was supposed to be living his perfect life, far away from us. So why now?
• Precious stood behind me, clutching Reid, who had woken up, his small arms wrapped tightly around her neck. “Mum, who’s there?” he whispered, his voice barely audible but sharp enough to pierce my heart.
• I didn’t answer. My mind raced with possibilities, none of them good. If Alex was here, it wasn’t a coincidence. He had no idea where we were. At least, he shouldn’t have.
• Another knock, harder this time, echoed through the room. “Adeline, I know you’re in there.”
• His voice made my chest tighten. How long had it been since I’d heard it? Too long, yet not long enough. I swallowed the lump in my throat and gestured for Precious to stay back.
• “Mum—”
• “It’s fine,” I cut Reid off, though it was a lie. Nothing about this was fine.
• I pressed my palm against the door to steady myself, my mind screaming at me to leave it locked. But I couldn’t. Not without knowing why he was here.
• The moment I turned the knob and cracked the door open, Alex pushed his way inside. His tall frame loomed over me, his eyes blazing with an intensity I didn’t recognize.
• “What are you doing here?” I hissed, shutting the door behind him before anyone outside could see us.
• His gaze swept over the room, lingering on Precious and Reid. Reid clung tighter to her, and I could feel the tension rolling off Alex in waves. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice low but firm.
• “I don’t have anything to say to you,” I snapped, stepping in front of him to block his view of Reid.
• “That’s not true, and you know it.” He took a step closer, his voice softening. “Adeline, this is serious. You’re in danger.”
• I froze. “What are you talking about?”
• “You think Sarah sent those men just because of your suspension?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “This is bigger than you think.”
• My stomach churned. Those words—they were the same as the text I’d received. “How do you know about that?” I demanded, my voice rising despite myself.
• “Because they came to me first,” he admitted, his jaw tightening.
• I blinked, trying to process his words. “What?”
• “They wanted me to tell them where you were. They’ve been watching you, Adeline. They’re not just after your job or your house. They’re after Reid.”
• My knees nearly buckled. I reached out, gripping the edge of the table to steady myself. “Why would they be after Reid?” I whispered, though deep down, I already knew.
• Alex ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched across his face. “Because of who I am. Because of what they think he might know.”
• The room spun around me. Precious’s gasp filled the silence, and Reid whimpered, burying his face in her shoulder.
• “What have you done?” I whispered, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.
• “It’s not about what I’ve done,” he shot back. “It’s about who I am. Who my family is. They’re using you to get to me, Adeline.”
• I stared at him, the weight of his words crushing me. “So what? You thought you could just show up here and fix everything? Like you didn’t walk away and leave us to fend for ourselves?”
• “I didn’t walk away,” he growled, his voice low but fierce. “You left. You took Reid and disappeared. I had no idea where you were.”
• “Don’t you dare put this on me!” I snapped, my anger bubbling to the surface. “You were the one who—”
• “Stop!” Precious’s voice cut through our argument, sharp and commanding. She stepped forward, her eyes blazing. “This isn’t the time for this. If what he’s saying is true, then standing here arguing won’t solve anything. We need a plan.”
• She was right. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. “What do you suggest?” I asked Alex, crossing my arms.
• “We need to leave the city,” he said without hesitation. “They’ll find you here. It’s only a matter of time.”
• “And go where?” I shot back. “I don’t exactly have a list of safe houses lying around.”
• “I do,” he said simply.
• His words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable.
• “No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m not running away with you.”
• “You don’t have a choice, Adeline,” he said, stepping closer. “This isn’t just about you anymore. It’s about Reid. Do you really want to risk his life because you’re too stubborn to trust me?”
• His words hit me like a punch to the gut. As much as I wanted to argue, I couldn’t. Not when Reid’s safety was on the line.
• I looked at Precious, who nodded silently, her expression grim. “Fine,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “But if you try anything, Alex—”
• “I won’t,” he interrupted, his tone serious. “I swear, Adeline. I’m here to protect you both.”
• ---
• The plan was simple: pack up what little we had and leave before sunrise. Alex insisted we travel light, taking only the essentials.
• Reid was unusually quiet as I helped him into his coat, his small hand clutching mine tightly. “Mum, are we going to be okay?” he asked, his voice filled with a fear that made my heart ache.
• I crouched down, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “Yes, baby. We’re going to be okay,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure if I believed it.
• Alex led the way, his movements quick and deliberate. He seemed to know exactly where to go, which both comforted and unnerved me.
• We piled into a black SUV parked down the street, the tension in the air so thick it was almost suffocating.
• “Where are we going?” I asked as Alex started the engine.
• “Somewhere they won’t find us,” he replied cryptically.
• The drive was long and silent, the darkness outside pressing against the windows like a suffocating blanket. Reid eventually fell asleep in my lap, his small body warm and heavy against me.
• I stared out the window, my mind racing with questions. Who were these people? Why were they after Reid? And what wasn’t Alex telling me?
• The answers came sooner than I expected.
• We pulled into a secluded driveway, the house barely visible through the dense trees. Alex parked the car and turned to me, his expression grave.
• “They’ll come here eventually,” he said. “But for now, it’s safe. We’ll figure out our next move in the morning.”
• I nodded, too exhausted to argue. Precious helped me carry Reid inside, his sleepy murmurs the only sound in the otherwise silent house.
• But even as I settled him into bed, a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach told me this was far from over.
• And I was right.
• Because as I stood by the window, staring out into the darkness, I saw them.
• Two shadows, moving silently through the trees.
• They had found us.
• ---