Erin didn't hesitate.
The moment Xander bolted out of the room with nothing but his ringing phone and a muttered curse, she dropped her book onto the bed and sprinted after him. Her feet were light, her breathing steady—trained instincts kicking in like muscle memory.
By the time she reached the front doors, she was already barefoot, not wanting the clack of her shoes to echo through the silent hallway. She saw the massive oak doors closing, just as Xander's silhouette disappeared into the shadows of the driveway. She slipped through before they sealed shut.
Night air whipped around her as she crouched behind one of the tall columns bordering the front entrance. From her vantage point, she spotted his figure—dark suit blending with the night—striding fast toward the garage. A second later, the motion-sensor lights flared on, revealing a matte-black car.
She moved quickly but carefully, using the cover of the tall hedges to remain unseen. The engine roared, and Xander was gone—tires screeching as he sped into the night.
She tried to grab one of the estate's vehicles but they were all locked.
"Damn it," she muttered, pulling her phone out.
She ordered a ride without hesitation. Fortunately, the estate's location—though remote in design—sat just adjacent to a popular high road. An Uber arrived within two minutes.
"Can you follow a car?" she asked as she slid into the back seat.
The driver, a man in his forties with sleepy eyes and a baseball cap, blinked. "Depends on what you're offering."
Erin offered a small, tight-lipped smile. "Let's say I'll give you a fat tip if you can keep up. Black car, matte finish. Just left this estate like a bat out of hell."
That was all he needed. The man shrugged and nodded, shifting gears with a chuckle. "You got it."
They pulled out, the mansion quickly becoming a blur in the rearview mirror.
Erin kept her eyes glued to the road ahead, watching for any sign of Xander's vehicle. She hadn't gotten the plate number—something she mentally scolded herself for—but she remembered the general direction he took. Right. Then another right. A highway turn.
They were close to the edge of the city now, lights thinning out, buildings becoming scattered. They managed to spot him because he hadn't taken any turns. But they were still finding it difficult to keep up because he was moving fast.
"He's fast," the driver said.
"He always is," she replied absently.
She was reminded of those times when she tried to follow him and always lost him. She had been trying a long time to get something, anything that could help take them down. And now she had finally found an excuse to be around him every time and she was going to make the most of it.
She didn't realize how tightly she gripped her phone until her fingers started to ache. She took a breath, forcing her hands to relax in her lap. The fact that Xander hadn't told anyone, hadn't even paused, told her that whatever he was rushing into wasn't just business. It was personal. Urgent.
And dangerous.
She hadn't forgotten the way his face had looked when that call came in—his usual indifference replaced with something that almost resembled fear. Or worse, guilt.
But then they lost him.
Somewhere around the industrial park, the car ahead disappeared from view. They waited at a stoplight. Nothing. Erin leaned forward.
"Turn left." She said out of instinct.
The driver glanced at her through the mirror. "You sure?"
"Yes. Just trust me."
He obeyed, and they drove down a dimly lit side street, littered with broken fences and graffiti. She scanned the pavement, the corners, the alleyways. Still no sign.
But then she saw it.
Skid marks. Sharp, erratic, and recent. Her mind clicked into place.
"Pull over. Here."
The driver parked beside an abandoned mechanic's shop. Erin got out, smoothing down her coat and scanning the area. A faint hum of city lights loomed in the distance, but here—it was quiet.
She followed the tire marks on foot, creeping down a side alley until she emerged onto a back lot.
And there it was.
Xander's car.
Parked—no, hidden—behind a rusted fence beside a large, looming warehouse. No signs. No lights.
Just silence.
Erin's heart hammered as she took cover behind a dumpster, eyes fixed on the warehouse door. What the hell was he doing here?
She was about to find out.