Escape
1999 Words
HER
“I need you to stop f*cking wiggling your hands!” the guard cuffed to Sera’s wrist snapped, his eyes flashing with growing agitation.
“Well, I hope I’m doing a great job telling you to go f*ck yourself!” Sera shot back, her voice sharp despite the ache pulsing through her body. “Let me go.”
They were heading toward the left wing of the property now, and God help her, she was beyond infuriated. The anger sat hot beneath her skin, barely contained, clawing for release.
“Quit acting like you have a choice in any of this, and do yourself the favor of shutting up.” He dug into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a set of keys.
Sera finally took a moment to look around, and she wasn’t surprised by the magnanimous buildings or the ridiculous amount of space. With the scale of crimes the syndicate committed, anything less would have been disappointing. Even the left wing she was about to be locked in looked like a politician’s private cottage, and she wasn’t exaggerating. The only difference was the structure itself, a massive building lined with several doors, like a compact prison coated in luxury.
“I was actually curious to meet you, you know,” the guard said, taking his time with the keys. “Wanted to see who had the balls to blow up Capo’s warehouses. Thought you had a death wish. Still do, honestly. But I’ll admit…” He glanced at her, brown eyes glinting with amusement. “It’s interesting, considering you’re a woman. And that sh*t you pulled with Giovanni Moretti?”
Sera rolled her eyes, irritation bubbling over. “What’s the deal? I just glared at the man, for f*ck’s sake. No big deal.” She shrugged, feigning indifference.
He stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “That man isn’t just any man. He’s a psychopath. The kind that would kill an animal for looking at him too long.”
She gave him a flat, unimpressed look. “Wait, is this the part where I pretend to be scared?”
His brows lifted slightly. “Yeah… you’re just stupid.”
The lock clicked open, and he uncuffed her. “And the pretending part? You won’t need to pretend soon enough.” Then he shoved her inside and slammed the door shut, locking her in.
Sera released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and looked around. The inside didn’t match the exterior at all. It was bare, cold, and empty, with no furniture and a single high window that let in barely anything except the sun rays.
Her footsteps echoed as she moved to a corner and sank to the floor. The cold seeped through instantly, biting into her skin. Why the hell was the floor this cold?
Leona wasn’t there yet. Not that Sera was waiting for her, but the girl’s connection with the elders sat wrong with her. It was too convenient, and calculated. And the way they insisted she was The Ghost… “They even gave her a f*cking scar,” Sera muttered bitterly, wincing slightly when her voice echoed across the empty room. Of course it did.
She couldn’t stomach how her life had unraveled in less than twenty-four hours, and she refused to accept it. Adjusting to this nightmare would be the real stupidity. Fighting it was the only option. And she would fight. Her goal hadn’t changed: destroy the syndicate. Only now, there was an addition. Cassian Vale. Before, he had only been a problem because he took over after his brother. Now… Now he was climbing to the top of her list, sitting comfortably beside the deranged Giovanni whatever. The bald man had slapped her. Twice.
The silence stretched on for what felt like hours before it was broken by the shuffle of keys outside and the creak of the door.
Leona stumbled in after being shoved from behind, her lips frozen in an exaggerated pout. “You’re one rough motherf*cker,” she growled, her voice pitched high with forced seduction.
Another guard stepped in, taller and bulkier than the last, tossing a bag onto the floor. “Here. Food for both of you.”
Sera stared at the bag, her stomach growling at the sight. She was starving. As much as she wanted to refuse out of sheer defiance, her body wasn’t cooperating. But it wasn’t just hunger. “Can I get a painkiller?” she asked.
The guard’s expression hardened, though his eyes dragged slowly down her body. “You’re not planning to OD on them, are you?”
Her brows pulled together. “Why would I do that? I just need a painkiller.” The headache was brutal, pounding behind her eyes. It always came when she skipped meals, a cruel habit her body had held onto since childhood.
He shook his head. “Not happening. I’m not about to be the reason you die. I don’t trust you.” And just like that, he left, locking the door behind him.
Sera rolled her eyes and turned to look at her mother’s golden daughter. Leona was already staring. Her hazel eyes burned with something sharp, something ugly. Then she looked away, running a hand through her shoulder-length red hair.
Relief. That was what Sera felt. Ignoring each other made everything easier.
Leona looked better now, steadier. The drug had clearly worn off. Sera briefly wondered why it had taken so long to bring her in, but dismissed the thought. Not her problem. Leona walked to the bag, pulled everything out, and inspected it. There were two bottles of water. A container of fried rice, and bread. Just enough for two people.
Sera took a step forward, and froze at the scene that suddenly unfolded. Leona dumped everything onto the floor and crushed it beneath her foot. She ground the bread into the dirt, spat on the rice, then walked away and sat down like nothing had happened.
For a second, Sera couldn’t process it.
Then the anger hit. It was fast, violent, and consuming. Of course. The witch had already eaten. That was why she did it. Hatred twisted deep in Sera’s chest as her stomach churned painfully, hunger clawing at her insides. Still, she forced herself to sit back down. She wouldn’t react. She wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Nothing would make her speak to that girl. Not even this.
Leona glanced at her again, clearly expecting a reaction. When none came, her lips curled into a frustrated frown.
Sera met her stare head-on, letting every ounce of disgust show. The hatred between them was mutual. And in this silent war, Sera intended to win.
Leona finally looked away, her hands clenching into fists. Sera smirked faintly.
She would rather die than be trapped in a room with her, forced to relive the past. Whatever twisted deal Leona had with the syndicate didn’t matter. That girl had been dead to her long before they were separated. And she would stay dead.
Darkness settled over the room, confirming it was night. Then suddenly, a bulb flickered overhead. Sera exhaled slowly, realizing someone definitely turned on the bulb from outside. Her mind flashed back to the guard’s lingering gaze, and something sharp slid into place. Before she could second-guess it, she stood and started banging on the door. Hard and relentless. Minutes passed before keys shuffled outside.
“b***h, are you mad?” the guard snapped as the door swung open.
Relief flickered in Sera’s chest when she saw it was the same one from before.
“I need to use the restroom,” she said, lowering her voice, letting weakness creep in. The dizziness was real now, pressing hard.
He raised a brow. “Pee in there.”
She scrunched her nose in disgust. “And risk an infection? What is wrong with you?”
She moved subtly, playing with her hair, shifting her posture just enough. She knew exactly what she was doing. She also knew how she looked. Sweaty, exhausted, a mess. But her desperation stopped her from caring about how ridiculous she looked.
His eyes dragged over her again, and Sera wasn't surprised. Men were predictable. He hesitated, visibly battling himself, before finally grabbing her and dragging her out. He locked the door behind them and pulled her close.
“I’m not supposed to let you out,” he muttered, voice dropping. “But f*ck it… Your body might be worth it.”
Sera swallowed down the nausea rising in her throat. But she forced herself to focus on the bigger picture. “Where’s your room?” she asked softly.
He let out a low, crude laugh. “F*ck a room.” He flipped a switch, plunging their section of the property into darkness while the rest remained lit at a distance. “Here’s fine.”
Sera stiffened when his hands gripped her waist and his lips pressed against her neck. “You’re a little sl*t, huh?” Her eyes shut briefly, and she tried to endure it just a little longer.
Her arms slid around him, steady, and calculated. He was too distracted to notice her hand slipping to his holster. By the time he realized anything was wrong, the gun was already pressed to his head.
“Step back you son of a b***h,” she said coldly, her voice stripped of everything but steel. “Or I’ll blow your brains out.”
He froze. “You… you can’t–”
“Have you forgotten why I’m locked up?” she cut in. “Do you really think I won’t kill you?”
Silence. Then he slowly stepped back.
“Hands behind your head,” she ordered. “And if I hear you follow me, I’ll shoot. I don’t miss.” She couldn’t see him clearly, but she heard him backtrack.
The moment she was sure he was far enough, she ran. Fast. As fast as her weak, trembling legs could carry her. The iron gates loomed ahead, massive and guarded. Impossible odds. But she’d rather die trying than stay.
“b***h, what the f*ck are you doing?” a guard shouted. Around her, guards pulled out their guns instantly. Too many. Way too many. Sera raised hers anyway, her hand steady despite everything. “I’ll shoot. I don’t care about my life. Open the gate.”
A frantic voice cut through the chaos. “She escaped! Catch her–” She rolled her eyes. Pathetic. It was the lustful guard. He'd finally caught up to her.
“Drop the gun,” one of the guards said, his voice cold enough to freeze blood.
Sera didn’t move. “Open the gate. I swear, I don’t care if you kill me. I’ll shoot.”
To prove she wasn't bluffing, she placed her finger on the trigger, ready to pull. But suddenly, they all went still. One by one, the guards lowered their weapons.
Sera frowned, unease creeping in. They weren’t looking at her anymore. They were looking behind her. She narrowed her eyes and eyed them warily. It had to be a trap.
“Open the damn gates,” she snapped, forcing steadiness into her voice.
Silence. The dizziness surged again, threatening to drag her under. Slowly, she gave up and turned, curious to see what had hypnotized them.
She froze. Those eyes. Cold. Blue. And Unforgiving. Her heart slammed violently against her ribs, something sharp and unfamiliar clawing through her chest, replacing the adrenaline with something far worse.
Fear.
“Who did she get that gun from?” he asked, his tone calm, and almost bored.
The guard from before dropped to his knees. “M-me… I swear, the b*ch–”
A gunshot cracked through the air. Sera flinched as blood splattered, the man collapsing instantly. Her vision blurred the same time the realization hit and her legs gave out beneath her… He shot him.
- Writer
