Behind Closed Doors.
921 Words
The rain refused to let up.
It drummed relentlessly against the roof of the Range Rover as the vehicle sped farther away from the heart of Lagos. The city lights gradually faded behind them, replaced by long stretches of quiet roads lined with towering trees and high perimeter walls.
Inside the SUV, no one spoke.
James kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel, his eyes flicking between the road ahead and the rear-view mirror every few seconds.
Liam sat as still as ever, his attention fixed on the darkness outside his window.
Ada hugged her handbag tighter against her chest.
The silence had become unbearable.
She glanced sideways at Liam.
How could someone sit so calmly after everything that had happened?
Someone had died.
Some men are also trying to kill her.
Yet his expression hadn't changed once.
It was almost... unsettling.
"You always this quiet?" she asked at last.
James smiled without taking his eyes off the road.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you asked."
Liam turned his head slightly.
"When there's nothing to say, I don't speak."
Ada blinked.
"That's it?"
"Yes." He said back
She stared at him for another second before looking away.
"I've met bricks with more personality."
James coughed, clearly trying not to laugh.
Liam didn't react.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
"You definitely heard it."she said
"I did." He replied sharply
"And?"she asked
"And I've chosen not to respond."he replied
Ada let out a small huff.
"You're frustrating."
"So I've been told."he answered
For reasons she couldn't explain, that answer almost made her smile.
Almost.
The smile disappeared as quickly as it came.
Her thoughts drifted back to the hospital.
To her mother.
She wondered if the nurses had checked on her.
If she'd asked where Ada was.
If she was scared.
Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the folded prescription still inside her handbag.
Please hang on, Mama.
Just a little longer.
"I'll get back to you."
The promise echoed inside her mind, but it felt painfully empty.
She didn't even know where she was being taken.
Outside, another flash of lightning lit up the road.
The trees cast eerie shadows across the wet pavement before darkness swallowed them again.
James frowned.
He checked the side mirror.
Then the rear-view mirror.
Then the side mirror again.
His relaxed expression disappeared.
"Sir."
Liam didn't look at him.
"I see it."
Ada frowned.
"See what?"
Neither man answered immediately.
James adjusted the mirror ever so slightly.
"A black SUV."
Ada instinctively twisted around in her seat.
At first, she saw nothing but sheets of rain.
Then.
Two faint headlights.
Far behind them.
"They've been keeping the same distance for almost seven minutes," James said quietly.
Ada's stomach tightened.
"You think it's them?"
Liam's eyes remained on the mirror.
"I don't believe in coincidences."
James pressed the accelerator a little harder.
The engine responded with a deep growl.
The Range Rover surged forward.
Several seconds passed.
The headlights behind them grew smaller.
James watched carefully.
"They're speeding up."
Ada's heart skipped.
"They're following us."
No one corrected her.
Her palms immediately became damp.
She gripped the seat.
"What do we do?"
James spoke calmly.
"We don't panic."
Easy for you to say.
She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying it aloud.
Liam finally leaned forward.
"Take the east entrance."
James nodded once.
"Understood."
The vehicle suddenly left the main road, turning onto a narrower stretch hidden between rows of massive trees.
The road became darker.
Rougher.
Rainwater splashed violently beneath the tires.
Ada looked out the window.
"I don't remember this road."
"You wouldn't," Liam replied.
"It's private."
Private?
Before she could ask another question, enormous iron gates appeared through the rain.
At first glance, they looked abandoned.
Covered in creeping vines and surrounded by dense trees, they blended almost perfectly into the landscape.
James didn't slow down.
Instead, he flashed the headlights twice.
Nothing happened.
Then, with a deep mechanical rumble, the gates slowly began to slide open.
Ada's eyes widened.
The SUV drove through just as the gates started closing again behind them.
She turned around.
Through the narrowing gap, she caught sight of the distant black SUV emerging from the trees.
It accelerated toward the entrance.
Too late.
The gates slammed shut with a heavy metallic boom.
The pursuing vehicle screeched to a stop on the other side.
Ada released a shaky breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"We lost them?"
James didn't answer immediately.
He checked the security monitor mounted beside the dashboard.
"They won't get through those gates."
Liam's gaze remained steady.
"They'll try."
The road ahead curved gently uphill.
As the trees thinned, Ada caught her first glimpse of the estate beyond.
Warm golden lights glowed through the rain.
A massive mansion stood in the distance, its architecture both modern and elegant, surrounded by perfectly kept gardens despite the storm.
Security vehicles patrolled quietly along the perimeter.
Discrete cameras were mounted on nearly every light post.
She had never seen anything like it outside television.
James finally allowed himself a small smile.
"We're home."
Home.
The word echoed strangely in Ada's ears.
It certainly wasn't hers.
As the Range Rover rolled toward the grand entrance, she swallowed hard.
She had escaped the men outside those gates
.
But as she stared at the mansion before her, another question settled heavily in her heart.
Who exactly was Liam?
And what kind of man needed to live behind walls this secure?
- Writer
