Chapter 31



𝔹𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕

Lucas POV (ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕕𝕒𝕪)

I huff and puffed as I galloped over a branch with lightning speed, my arms narrowly missing a sharp bark that had materialized out of nowhere.

"Hell!" I growled as I zapped past it, almost knocking down Jay, who was right in front of me.

"Rita, you can do it, don't stop now, " Jay groaned fiercely. Sweat trickled down his back, the grip he had on Rita's hand, tightening.

I craned my neck to the side, trying to get a glimpse of our pursuers, but found my eyes widening at the sight that met me instead. Eve had stumbled on the branch I had narrowly escaped and was seriously struggling to get up.

Shit!

I grounded to a halt and veered around. She was on the ground, groaning in pain and her feet were twisted to the side, evidence of a broken ankle. I reached her and grabbed her arms, pushing her up with my hipbone. She wobbled on her feet, but then collapse again.

Fuck, fuck, double fuck! We were going to die here.

"Go," Eve's sore voice commanded. I looked behind us just in time to see the shape of a man, sprinting towards us, a rifle in hand.

The hand I had on Eve's arms tightened. Controlling my emotions I grabbed her ankle and twisted. She cried out in pain, her fingers digging into my shoulder.

"Get on my back." I rasped, minutes before the man sighted us and cracked his gun. "Now!"

Eve grabbed my hands and rose to her feet, then with more effort than I could ever imagine, hopped onto my back just in time for me to dive left, narrowing missing a bullet as it tore past us with a loud bang.

Fuck, I had to lose that guy.

"Or better still, kill him," Eve grunted into my ears.

Shit, I had unconsciously said that out loud. I agreed with Eve though, I had to do something about that guy.

I ran as fast as my heavy legs could allow, seeing as it was carrying twice its weight. I heard the reloading of a gun before I heard it fire. I sprinted to the right and veered to a stop behind a large oak tree. The guy hadn't seen me stop and came blazing towards the tree with high speed. The moment he was centimetres away, I stretched my arm and thrust the sharp wood I had picked from the ground, into his neck.

The man groaned, blood spurting from his mouth as he dropped to the ground. Grabbing his gun, I picked up running, my eyes set on the hidden cave I had spotted while jumping over a large rock a while ago.

"Lucas, you have to drop me. We won't make it." Eve moaned behind me.

"You are right, we won't make it."

The moment I said this, I changed direction, heading for what looked like higher ground. "Hold on tight," I warned before sliding down a sloppy curve. We went tumbling down with brutal speed, my body rolling to a stop only when it met with a large tree, Rita landed next to me in a trail of sand and leaves.

Without wasting a minute, I dragged Eve, then my aching body to the edge of the slope and laid flat. Barely seconds later the voices of our assailants echoed above us, the sound of their boots thumping the ground as they ran past us, peering at the surface as they did. Luckily for us, we were well hidden, the slope hiding our bodies.

After I was sure the sounds of their feet were completely gone, I released the breath I was holding and turned to Eve.

"You can breathe now," I whispered and she slouched, shoulders falling, and took in a deep breath. "We need to get to that cave and we need to do it now."

"Do you know the direction Jay and the rest took?" She asked, her voice laced with suppressed pain.

"I think east from here, why?"

"Because we have to find them, and we have to do it now." I rolled my eyes at her antics. She using my words against me and all. Couldn't she see that this wasn't the time for witty resorts?

"True. But that would be after you are safely in the cave, treated and rested."

She was about to protest when I placed my fingers on her lips. "Don't worry, Eve, you can thank me later.

****************

The cave was hidden by rocks and trees. It looked like a sloppy hill and nothing more. Only if you looked closer would you find its opening. After spending five years on the run, hiding out in caves, mountain houses and long yacht trips, it was safe to say I was a forestry expert.

We got to the cave and I dropped Eve to the ground. She landed with a groan, then grabbed my arms. I smiled. This was the first time I had ever seen her truly vulnerable.

"After you," I grunted and she slipped through the opening without so much as a word. I followed behind her, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to fill my lips from her tough girl attitude.

The cave was dark as expected. We had to feel our way through the walls, using our hands as a guide.

"Lucas?" Eve called her voice a broken whisper.

"Yes?"

"We are going to need some light in here. Any ideas?"

I chuckled. "You scared?"

She scoffed. "In your dreams, big boy."

As we got deeper into the cave, I dug out the lighter I had stuffed into my pocket this morning and lighted it. Darkness gave out as a dim light protruded. I walked past Eve to the middle of the cave and place the pieces of wood I had picked on our way here.

Eve chuckled. "And I thought you wanted to use that as some kind of makeshift bed."

"I turned and gave her the sexiest smirk my weak lips could manage. "It's not too late, tiger, we can still do that. There will be plenty of space for both of us."

She crackled, laughter radiating from her lips. But it was soon cut short as she groaned mid-way, clasping her head in pain. "Lucas, please, I'm begging you, turn off your big boy charm because as it is, there's only so much my poor head can take."

"If you say so," I remarked and went back to working on setting the sticks on fire. After a few strikes from the stone in my hand, blows to make the fire circulate and a few angry curses, the sticks finally got engulfed in flames, producing a much-needed heat and light into the cave.

I turned to Eve and beckoned for her to come closer. She wobbled towards me, slowly making herself comfortable beside the fire. It was mid-morning and this damn cave was as cold and dark as hell. Which had its advantages. It made the cave almost impossible to discover.

"Let me take a look at you," I whispered, then picked up her legs and placed them on my laps. She adjusted herself to face me, then rested her weight on the arms she placed on the floor behind her.

She smiled at me and my heart melted, her face illuminating from the reflection of the orange flame beside her. For a moment there, I thought I saw her. I thought I saw-

"Lucas?" She whispered and I drooped, her voice wrapping around me in a pool of warmth. I stretched out my left arm and touched her chin with three fingers, my palm sliding to the curve of her neck as I whispered her name.

"Evelyn."

Eve body stiffened, then turned cold as she jerked her face away from my touch. "What did you just say?" She whispered, her voice breaking.

It was as if my head was knocked in, bringing me back to my senses. I stared at Eve in horror. "Shit. I'm so sorry."

"What. Did. You. Just. Call. Me?"

I stared at her as if she had suddenly grown two heads. Had she known Evelyn? No, if she'd known Evelyn I would have known. Evelyn never kept anything from me, including her friends or acquaintances. But why was she looking like she'd seen a ghost?

"Look, I am sorry I called out that name. I wasn't in my right senses."

"Obviously." She muttered so lowly, I almost didn't hear it. She suddenly looked relaxed, her voice slouching in exhaustion. "You know what, forget it. You were supposed to do something right?"

"Yeah," I place her hands back on her injured leg and examined it. Discovering the affected part, I slowly began to massage it, applying just the right amount of pressure to help stop the swelling.

"I wanted to ask," She whispered, breaking the silence. I broke concentration and gazed at her. "What was up with you and Damien this morning? Why were you guys going at Rita like that?"

My hands paused in their ministration, my head spinning. Should I tell her? Or should I not. The indecision clung to me with a vice grip. I watched her study my every reaction, my every move.

"There is something you should know." Her shoulders stiffened. She was mentally preparing herself for whatever I was planning to deliver. She nodded at me to proceed and I did. "I caught Rita sneaking into your apartment the night Laura called."

Her expression remained unchanged so I continued, "I also discovered she was running a very deep background check on my history."

Her stony mask finally cracked, her features metamorphosing into a frown. "Are you sure-"

There was a sudden noise at the entrance of the cave and I immediately stood up, setting myself in a defence position in front of Eve, the barrel in my hand. As the footsteps approached, I felt Eve's hand touch my right limb and couldn't help but sigh from the small comfort her warm hands brought me.

I corked the gun when the footsteps stopped, ready to attack, only to be met by Jay's annoying face as it metalized from the shadows. "It's good to see you living up to your word, Protector."

I had never been more grateful to see Jay's annoying face as I did at that moment.