The car ride back is quiet. I sit pressed into the seat, hands clasped together in my lap, trying to calm my still-racing heart. Outside, the scenery blurs, but I notice every detail—the way sunlight filters through trees, the faint hum of the wind. It all feels sharper than it ever has.
Asher sits beside the driver, his posture calm, composed, while Lucien drives. He doesn’t speak unless necessary, and when he does, it’s brief, measured. I glance at him through the rearview mirror. He’s always aware, always watching. I realize, somewhere deep down, that for the first time since the kidnapping, I feel… safe.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding when the car finally stops. The building before me is large, secluded, and surrounded by thick trees that block the view of the road. A
