no turning back

• thirty five •

gladys

The excitement coursing through me intensified as civilization grew bigger in the windshield. Endless fields of crops, livestock pastures, and weathered farmhouses dwindled into neighborhoods, grocery stores, and stoplights. My nose was nearly smashed against the window as I eagerly took it all in as if I hadn't been a part of it in years, not weeks.

Coarse warmth clamped onto my exposed kneecap, drawing my gaze to the hooded eyes behind the wheel. Elijah arched a thick brow.

"Excited?" he asked.

I bit my lip, nodding. "You've held me prisoner, so yeah. I'm excited."

He rolled his eyes. "Some prisoner. I agreed to let you come and go as you please."

"So, if I asked to borrow the car, you would've let me go?"

His thumbs tapped the steering wheel but he remained silent. Smiling sadly, I nodded and sighed.

"That's what I thought."

"The world hasn't been safe for you, Angel. My enemies may know where we are, and they won't hesitate to hurt you to get to me."

"What enemies? The FBI?"

He gave a little snort, stealing a glance at me from the corner of his eye. "No. I wouldn't consider the FBI an enemy. The worst they can do is imprison me."

"So, who are these people? Other mafia people?"

"Something like that."

Expelling an exasperated breath, I crossed my arms and fixed my glare on the window again. This time my focus traced the shadowy reflection of my scowl in the glass, rather than on the scenery passing us by.

"Pouting won't get you anywhere, Princess."

"I'm allowed to be frustrated," I clipped. "You always have something to hide."

"It's better if you don't know. Safer, even."

"If these enemies want to use me to get to you, it would be better for me to prepare to meet them."

His grip tightened on my thigh. "You're not going to meet them. Ever."

I rolled my eyes. He was way too confident in himself sometimes.

"Listen," he said, sighing forcefully in that reluctant way he did. "I don't want to fight. I want us to enjoy some normal time together."

Normal. I couldn't resist a sardonic smile.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." I shrugged, peering over into his coal-black irises. "There's nothing normal about anything we do."

"Well, we can pretend. You need to get out into the world and we could both use some . . . perspective."

This didn't seem like the right time to remind him, once again, that he was the reason I was apart from the world to begin with. Swallowing a retort, I forced my body to relax into the leather seat. I was still excited to get out, even if he was keeping secrets.

While he didn't understand how moments like this challenged my trust in him, it was also becoming clear that he could do literally anything and I would believe he'd keep me safe.

Is this Stockholm Syndrome? Probably.

We soon turned off the highway into the vast parking lot of a mall. Common store names like Belk, Barnes & Noble, Bath and Body Works, and JC Penney littered the navigational signs. I felt a bit of relief at realizing we weren't going somewhere upscale. After being on lockdown, I wanted nothing more than to simply blend in.