Chapter Four

The gunshot rang out, deafening the silence of the night. Alison flinched, her hands moving to cover her ears to prevent the penetrating sound. The body let out a thud as it touched the ground.

Nicholas stood frozen in the doorway, the gun still raised. The man lay on the floor, blood streaming from him, his gun half-drawn.

“Stay there,” Nicholas said, not even sparing her a glance.

Alison’s chest rose as she tried to take in what had just happened. Nicholas stepped over the body, scanning the darkness beyond the cabin. His movements were deliberate, and each step he made was very calculated.

He put down his weapon after a long pause. He turned to her, his expression completely unreadable.

“He came alone,” he said flatly, shutting the door.

Alison was still dumbfounded. With how the night went, she should have expected it but she couldn't help feeling surprised. “You… you, you killed him”

Nicholas’s gray eyes locked into her. “ He was going to kill you or worse”

His words sent chills down her spine. She wanted to speak but she was short of words. She didn't know whether to be thankful to him cause she might feel like a villain that she was happy someone died in her stead.

He walked past her heading straight to the kitchen. He grabbed a towel and cleaned the blood that touched his body.

“We need to leave,” He said, his tone serious. “ Adrian is going to send more men.”

“More men, I thought you told them I was dead” Alison could feel herself panicking with every second that passed. The thought of more dangerous men approaching terrified her.

“They did until now; if he doesn't come back, they'll suspect you're alive, and you know he isn't going back.” He pointed to the lifeless body.

“What are we going to do now?” Alison was close to tears. She was coming to understand this was her new reality now.

“We leave. Now.”

Alison watched him leave the room only to return a minute later with a black duffel bag and her backpack, her mind racing.

“Where are we going?” She asked, her voice trembling.

“ Somewhere they won't find us” He answered curtly. He grabbed a gun from the bag and inserted it into a holster he was wearing.

Alison's heart was pounding. Everything seemed to be happening too fast. It hasn't been too long since she witnessed a man die and now another. She was wondering where she went wrong in life. What did she do to get herself in this kind of shitty situation? She seemed to be getting deeper into his world.

“ I can't do this,” She whispered to herself, but Nicholas heard her.

Nicholas paused, his eyes narrowing. “You don’t have a choice.”

She was paralyzed after he uttered these words. It was becoming a realization that her life was no longer hers She was stuck and felt she had been given no air to breathe by the fact that her life was no longer her own.

Nicholas stepped closer, his voice softer but no less firm. “Listen. I know this is overwhelming but if you want to live, you have to trust me. Understood?”

Alison’s gaze moved to the door, then back to him. She wanted to flee to escape this horror but under her breath, she knew he was right. Adrian’s men would find her eventually if she didn’t stay with Nicholas.

Reluctantly, she nodded.

She watched him move the body out of the doorway, returning minutes later. She didn't dare where he kept the body.

“ Now let's leave” He handed her backpack.

“Stay close to me” He ordered.

Alison stepped outside, her gaze anxiously flitting to the blood-soaked porch. 

Nicholas led her to the car, being swift and determined. He opened the door for her, and she got in her heart racing. 

As he settled into the driver’s seat and turned on the engine, Alison found herself stealing a glance at him. “Where are we going?” she asked, her voice a bit loud but hardly audible.

Nicholas glanced at her briefly, then returned his gaze to the road. “Someplace safe.” 

Alison bit her lip, anxiety full her gut. She had no idea of which was more scary: the danger outside or the man seated next to her.

Alison's breathing grew deeper as the car continued to speed down the empty road; she noticed the headlights of a car from her rearview mirror. Alison's heart raced faster and faster as the lights approached and it hit her.

They were being followed.