Page 12 of Fugitive Flirtation

Now that my decision is made, I move silently through the room, gathering my few belongings and stuffing them into my backpack. I glance at Ace’s sleeping form. Why am I feeling guilty? Am I making a mistake? I push that thought aside. I have to do what’s best for me, even if it means leaving him behind.

I slip on my shoes and tiptoe to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I press on the button I saw Ice push just before he left. I hold my breath, praying it doesn’t make a sound. The red light above the handle turns to green, and I exhale slowly, relief flooding through me. I turn the handle, but before I can take a step, a strong hand grips my arm, spinning me around. I find myself face to face with Ace, his eyes blazing with a rage I’ve never seen before.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he demands, his voice low and dangerous.

I swallow hard, trying to find the right words to explain myself. “Ace, I… I have to go. I can’t stay here any longer.” I hate how my voice trembles.

His grip tightens on my arm, and I wince in pain. “Why not? Because you’ve got the money and you’re running off to meet with your partner?”

My mouth falls open in shock at his accusation. “What? No! That’s not true at all!” I protest, shaking my head vehemently.

Ace scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. “Don’t lie to me, Alicia. I was slow to catch on, but now I get it. You and Blackwell Jr. started this whole scheme together. And now… now… you used me, made me think you were innocent. Why? Were you hoping we would help you pin it all on him while you made a clean getaway?”

Tears sting my eyes as I realize the depth of his suspicion and mistrust. How could he think I would betray him like that? “No, Ace, please. You have to believe me. I didn’t lie to you. I’m not working with anyone, least of all David Blackwell,” I plead, my voice cracking with emotion.

He releases my arm, closes the door again, and takes a step back, putting some distance between us. The hurt in his eyes is like a knife twisting in my gut.

“Then why are you running?” he asks, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and sadness.

I can see the pain I’ve caused him, and it breaks my heart. “No, of course not. What happened between us… it was real. But I’m scared, Ace. I don’t want to go to jail for something I didn’t do. I can’t bear the thought of being locked up, branded as a criminal when I’m innocent,” I explain, my voice breaking as I fight back tears.

Ace runs a hand through his hair and lets out a growl of frustration, pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

“So you thought running was the answer? That you could just disappear without a word?”

I think what he’s really asking is how I could think about leaving him behind without a word.

I look away, shame washing over me as I realize how selfish and cowardly my actions must have seemed. I can’t meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. I thought it was the only way to avoid being wrongfully imprisoned. I should have trusted you, Ace. I never meant to hurt you or betray your trust.”

He takes a deep breath, his voice harsh. “I’ve got to hand it to you, Alicia, you’re good. You had all of us fooled. Fuck, my entire team was working on clearing your name.” He shakes his head. “Let me guess, you ran ’cause you knew this was going to backfire, we would figure out how guilty you are…”

I bite my lip, my heart pounding in my chest. How can I make him see the truth?

“Yes, I did take the money, but only after I was framed by someone at the company. And yes, as incredible as it may seem, I do have faith in you, Ace. I wanted so desperately to believe that you were going to be my knight in shining armor, the one to prove my innocence.” I swallow hard, feeling tears prick my eyes. “But what if your team can’t gather enough evidence? What if the Caldwells twist what you find to further implicate me? I can’t risk being imprisoned for a crime I didn’t commit. Please, you have to understand, I never meant to betray your trust. I’m just trying to survive.”

Ace reaches out, cupping my face in his hands. “If you had faith in me, you would have stayed. I wouldn’t have let anything bad happen to you. But now, I know better than to trust this pair of pleading eyes and those lying lips.”

Oh no, what have I done? I have sabotaged my entire case. I lost the trust of the only person who was willing to help me.

I’m positively screwed: Ace won’t let me run to investigate on my own, and now that he thinks I did, he’ll probably tell his team to stop searching for evidence of my innocence.

9

Since she’s ready to go, we may as well get on the road. I’ll call Ice on the way to let him know I’m delivering our package earlier than we planned. I jump into my jeans and make myself a large mug of coffee, savoring the rich aroma as I take the first sip. The bitter liquid burns my tongue, but I welcome the jolt of caffeine it provides.

Alicia stands at the opposite side of the room, her arms wrapped around herself as if trying to hold herself together. Yesterday night I would have felt sorry for her. Now I know better than to let her manipulate me with those wide, innocent eyes.

“Let’s go,” I tell her, my voice gruff as I open the door of the shack and stride toward the garage where my trusty SUV is parked.

She follows me, carrying her backpack and looking miserable, reminding me that I’ve learned not to fall for that act anymore.

“Get in the car,” I growl, not bothering to mask the bitterness in my voice. She’s brought this on herself.

Alicia climbs into the passenger seat without a word. I slam the car door shut behind her, the early morning sunlight glinting off the sleek black paint of my ride. As I slide in behind the wheel, she looks up at me, her eyes wide and pleading. I steel myself against the urge to comfort her. I can’t afford to let my guard down again, not after the stunt she pulled. In a twisted way, I’m grateful she tried to run—if she hadn’t, I would still be wrapped around her finger, blind to her true nature.

The engine roars to life, and I peel out of the garage. The drive to Miami stretches out before us, and I’m not looking forward to this couple of hours of tense silence. I grip the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white as I try to keep my emotions in check. Anger, disappointment, and a lingering sense of betrayal swirl inside me, threatening to spill over.

Beside me, Alicia fidgets nervously, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt. I can feel her eyes on me, but I refuse to meet her gaze. I’m afraid of what I might see there—fear, remorse, or worse, that calculating look that once fooled me so completely. For now, I need to focus on the road ahead and push all thoughts of her from my mind. The sooner I can hand her over to justice, the better.

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