Isabella's POV
The silence that followed the gunfire felt suffocating. My heart beat in my chest like a drum, each pulse reminding me that I had no idea what was happening behind me. Derek’s grip on my arm was firm, but his urgency was clear. We had to move, had to get out of here before more of Monalisa’s men found us.
I glanced over my shoulder again, the dark expanse of the forest behind me. “What about Alex?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Is he okay?”
Derek’s jaw tightened, his eyes scanning the dense trees around us as we moved quickly. “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” he said, though the uncertainty in his voice made my stomach churn. “We need to focus on getting to safety. If we stay here too long, we’ll be sitting ducks.”
His words were a harsh reality I didn’t want to accept. Ale
