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“Duty calls.”
How strange. I swore I could hear the “L” train—with its highly distinguishable metal grating noise—grinding in his background. In fact, I did hear it.
Which meant Sean wasn’t out of town; he was in Chicago.
Why would Sean lie about his whereabouts?
I was about to challenge him on it, but he said, “Talk to you later, Luna,” and hung up before I had the chance.
Unsettled, my eyes drifted back to the driver, who was still staring in the rearview mirror.
“We’re being followed,” he said in a tense voice.
CHAPTER48
Luna
In the early morning hours, downtown Chicago was transformed into a tranquil sanctuary, the recently risen sun casting a soft orange glow over the towering skyscrapers—its light kissing the reflective glass of the sixty-story buildings that defined the skyline. The smell of freshly made coffee wafted through the air as local cafés began brewing their first pots, infusing the atmosphere with warmth and comfort.
Echoes of car engines and the metallic screech of the “L” train served as a reminder that soon, the metropolis would be overflowing with people. But at this hour, only the early risers peppered the streets and sidewalks with cars and pedestrians. In these quiet, serene moments, the city exuded an air of calmness.
Until now, that was.
“Four cars back,” the driver, Leo, said. “Audi A8. Black. Tinted windows. No plate.”
I glanced behind us. Our black sedan rumbled through the skyscrapers as if it were carving a path through a tunnel of steel and glass. We had been driving leisurely, but now, the engine groaned, and my back pressed against the seat with the force of the increased speed.
“I’ll call it in,” Carl, the front-seat passenger, said.
While he did that, Leo changed lanes, watching in the rearview mirror for what the other vehicle would do next. I quickly glanced out the back window and saw that the black Audi changed lanes, too.
My heart accelerated, and my mouth ran dry, but I was fine. I was safe, protected in the car with three bodyguards—bodyguards that I was suddenly incredibly grateful for.
“We can’t take her to the office. Plan B,” Leo said.
“What’s plan B?” I asked.
Leo changed lanes again, swerving to the right so quickly that my body jerked. My back pressed harder into the seat as the engine revved even higher, vibrating the leather with its acceleration.
I couldn’t stop my eyes from glancing back again, like looking at a bad car accident. As we’d increased our speed to double the posted limit, so had the black car following us.
While Carl called the Audi’s pursuit into Hunter’s private security team, I searched around the vehicle for any kind of weapon. Surely, it wouldn’t come to that. In the unlikely event the Audi caught up to usandintended to attack, all three bodyguards were armed, and they were highly trained in protecting people from assailants.
The pins and needles shooting through my fingers didn’t seem to agree, though.
Our engine ground even louder as our driver swerved left and then right, cars and trucks flying past us, merely inches from my window. All the while, the black Audi gained on us, following our maneuvers with ease, as if we were in the middle of a video game and they were highly skilled at this course.
There was absolutely no doubt they were following us. And there was no doubt, based on the reckless driving, that if they caught us, they weren’t just here to talk.
The streets of Chicago became an unintended racetrack as we navigated the city’s concrete labyrinth. The buildings that lined the roads flashed by in a blur, like abstract paintings in shades of gray and beige. The iconic architecture of the city—soaring skyscrapers and historic facades—created a terrifying backdrop for our chase.
The seat belt cut into my shoulder and chest, a constant reminder of the dangerous speeds we were traveling. My ears filled with the symphony of the city—the cacophony of honking horns, the faint screech of tires against asphalt, and the ever-present hum of the wind as it whistled past our windows. The sound of the engine was a powerful, guttural growl that resonated deep within me, vibrating my bones.
“Police headquarters is on Michigan,” Leo said to Gabriel—the bodyguard sitting to my left. “Call ahead and tell them we’re coming. Have police ready, and armed. Carl, text Red, let him know the plan.”
These guards were smart. They were going to use this chase to their advantage and lead these guys into a trap. An army of police officers waiting to take them down the minute we turned into the parking lot.
And at this speed, we’d be there in no time.
