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Chapter Thirty-Three

M aya

I can’t resist. When I wake in the middle of the night, I power up the phone to check messages. The screen glows in the darkness, casting shadows across Damian’s sleeping face. Laura’s latest message makes my blood run cold: “Security teams spotted in your area. Moving in grid pattern. Get out NOW.”

A truck’s engine rumbles past Kane’s shop above. Could be innocent—or not. My fingers find Damian’s shoulder, squeezing gently. His eyes snap open instantly, alert and focused despite the hour.

“Time to move,” I whisper. “They’re close.”

He rises silently, already gathering our meager supplies. No need to explain who “they” are—we both know the pharmaceutical companies won’t give up their pursuit easily. Not when they think his DNA holds the key to extended human life—and the billions that knowledge will bring.

After a quick text to Kane, he meets us at the hidden exit, his expression grim. “Back of the shop. Got an old Chevy truck. Keys under the visor.” He presses something into my hand—a flip phone, ancient but functional. “Burners are traceable these days. This? This is prehistoric. They won’t look for it.”

“I can’t take your truck—”

“Consider it payment for when you trained my kid after his mom died.” His scarred face softens slightly. “I’ll never forgot how you gave him a reason to live again. Some things matter more than money. Get him somewhere safe, Maya.”

Although he might not know Damian understands English, he leans in and whispers, “I see how you look at him… and how he looks at you. You deserve something good in your life.”

The night air hits like a slap as we emerge behind the shop. More engines in the distance—definitely not innocent traffic at this hour. Damian moves with predatory grace, scanning shadows while I locate Kane’s truck.

A flash of movement catches my eye—men in dark tactical gear moving between buildings across the street. My heart nearly stops when I recognize one of the men—the same close-cropped hair and rigid posture as the security team from the warehouse. They’ve swapped their corporate gear for nondescript tactical black, but their military precision gives them away. These aren’t local cops or FBI—they’re mercenaries.

“Down!” I hiss, pulling Damian into the shadows beside a dumpster. The security team passes within feet of us, their radios crackling with coded transmissions.

“Grid seven clear,” one says. “Moving to eight.”

“Contact in nine,” another voice responds. “Possible target vehicle spotted heading east.”

They’re hunting us like animals. Professional mercenaries with military training, unlimited resources, and the determination of men chasing immortality… and unlimited money.

Damian’s hand grips mine in the darkness, his touch steady despite the danger. The heat of his body against my back reminds me of all the reasons we can’t let them win.

When the team moves past, we make our break for Kane’s truck. It starts on the first try—thank god for small mercies. I take the wheel since Damian’s still learning, though his progress with modern vehicles amazes me.

We ease out of the alley with lights off, using only moonlight until we’re far enough away to risk being seen. Damian keeps watch, his warrior’s instincts scanning for threats as I navigate the maze of industrial streets.

“I’m an idiot,” I say once we’re on the highway. “I know the perfect place to hide. It’s in Utah.”

“Another friend like Kane. Someone who owes you?”

“They don’t owe me, but they’re honorable, and I don’t think they’ll turn us away.”

“You trust them?”

“More than I trust my father, although that’s not saying a whole lot.” I give a rueful laugh and check the mirrors for the hundredth time. “And right now, we’re out of options.”

After an hour of bat-out-of-hell driving with no pursuers in sight, Damian’s hand settles on my thigh, the touch both possessive and reassuring. Every point of contact sends electricity racing through my body despite the circumstances. Or maybe because of them—danger has a way of heightening everything else.

“You should rest,” he encourages. “I can drive.”

“Not tired.” A lie, but the alternative is letting my guard down. “Need to put more distance between us and—”

His fingers trace patterns on my leg that make it hard to focus on driving. “Your body betrays your exhaustion, Maya. Trust me to take care of you.”

The tenderness in his voice undoes me more than his touch. Here we are, running for our lives, yet he still finds ways to show his care. To prove that whatever started as pretense between us has grown into something real and precious. My father being who he is, I’ve spent my life taking care of myself and everyone in my orbit. Letting someone take care of me will take some getting used to.

“An hour,” I concede. “Then we switch. You need to practice driving anyway.”

He smiles—that rare, genuine expression that transforms his warrior’s features into something that makes my heart stutter. “As you wish.”

We drive through dawn, alternating shifts as Damian grows more confident with the truck’s controls. Each mile puts more distance between us and our hunters, but draws us closer to each other.

During one rest stop, I catch him watching me with an intensity that makes my skin tingle. “What?”

“You gave up everything,” he says quietly. “Your gym, your life, your safety. All to protect a man you barely know.”

“I know you.” The words come out fiercer than intended. “I know your heart, your honor, your—”

His kiss steals the rest of my words. Not like the careful, controlled embraces we’ve shared before, but something hungrier. Deeper. More possessive. His hands tangle in my hair as he backs me against the truck, and for a moment nothing exists but the heat of his mouth on mine and the solid strength of his body pressing me into the metal.

When we break apart, both breathing hard, his eyes hold a promise that makes my knees weak. “Later,” he murmurs. “When we are truly safe.”

The word carries weight beyond its simple meaning. Safe to explore this thing growing between us. Safe to act on the desire that crackles like lightning whenever we touch. Safe to be simply ourselves, without pretense or fear.

Behind us, corporate hunters search in vain while we forge our own path. Beside me, Damian watches with wonder as the sun paints the landscape with color, his profile as noble as any ancient statue.

My heart swells with an emotion I’m not ready to name. But soon. When we’re safe, when the time is right, I’ll find the words to tell him exactly what he means to me.