102: Upset

Williams' POV

As I walked back through the city streets, the adrenaline from our narrow escape still pulsing through my veins, I couldn’t shake the image of Allison’s face—determined, fierce, and yet, beneath it all, vulnerable.

I had seen that look before, in those brief moments when her guard slipped, and it twisted something deep inside me. I hated that I had to leave her like that, alone in the middle of a war zone, but what choice did I have? She insisted, and I knew better than to argue when she was in that state.

But damn it, it felt wrong. Every step away from her felt like a betrayal.

Jonathan was waiting by the car, his expression impassive as always, but I could tell he’d been tense. He’d seen the gunfire, heard the commotion. “Is everything alright, sir?” he asked as I approached.

“No, Jonathan, everything is far from alright,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended. I yanked open the car door and slid into the back seat, trying to calm the storm in my head. “Drive.”