Page 18 of Promises in the Dark

“Dylan, I need a few minutes to change into my uniform. Meet me at our spot in ten minutes. We can talk then.”

She, freaking out completely, stumbled back as that fool moved in closer. He had the nerve to put his lips on her forehead, making her body tremble. A spark of recognition of her being scared by him might have crossed my mind for a split second, but it disappeared right away.

My priority was to get away from this camp, not to save Red. Her choices and decisions were her own, and, frankly, I didn’t give two shits about what happened to her.

You’ve made your bed, Red. Now fucking lie in it.

“Alright, baby,” he chuckled, like he actually thought everything was fine. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Thank you,” Red replied relieved. “And I’m sorry. I really am.”

“It’s okay, I get it,” the bastard said, his voice now entirely gentle. “But just don’t do this to me again, okay? I’m not always going to let you off the hook so easy.”

“I know,” Red exhaled deeply, forcing herself to play along.

“You better not keep me waiting too long,” he added in a commanding tone. “I don’t like it when you keep me waiting.”

She forced a smile, one of those fake ones that never reaches the eyes. “I’m aware. I’ll be right behind. See you soon.”

I watched as Red’s chest heaved with every breath, her breathing getting more and more frantic. I waited until his footsteps faded, and the prick was finally out of earshot. Then I stepped up behind Red, towering over her small, shaking frame.

“Move,” I ordered, my voice low and authoritative.

Her emerald eyes met mine, and I could see the fear reflected in them. She was scared shitless, and I didn’t blame her. But I didn’t care either.

“Relax,” I said in a quiet, serious whisper. “I won’t hurt you as long as you stick to the plan.”

She nodded, still scared, and started moving. I followed right behind, my eyes scanning every shadow, every corner. My steps were heavy, boots thudding against the floor, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we weren’t alone. Someone was watching. Waiting.

We kept moving through the dimly lit corridors, and every step felt like it dragged us deeper into trouble. I stayed on high alert, keeping my distance but close enough to act if she tried anything. I wasn’t about to get caught because of some dumb mistake.

Then, out of nowhere, Red stopped dead in her tracks. My gut twisted—something was wrong. I glanced at her, expecting her to have seen something, to have spotted whatever had her freezing like that.

Then I heard it too—voices, getting louder. Shit.

I quickly looked around, searching for a place to hide, somewhere we could wait it out. But there was nothing. The hallway was too open, and we were sitting ducks. I needed a plan, fast.

Red turned to me, motioning for me to stay quiet, placing a finger against her lips. She leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

“That way,” she whispered hurriedly, pointing down a nearby corridor. “Down that hallway, to the end. The exit is on the right.”

I was dumbfounded by her sudden change of heart. I expected her to run for help, to save her own skin. But here she was, guiding me instead. Maybe she was just stupid. Or maybe she had some other motive. Either way, I didn’t have time to figure it out.

“Go!” she rushed me, her voice quieter now. “I will buy you some time.”

I gave her a quick nod, watching her turn and head toward the main corridor where the voices were getting louder. Just before she disappeared, she looked back at me, giving a final nod before slipping into the shadows.

I followed her directions, moving quickly but cautiously. As I stepped outside, the cold Afghan night hit me like a slap to the face, bringing with it the smell of dust and smoke. I scanned the area—just a shitty makeshift medical camp, barely lit by flickering lanterns and some weak moonlight.

There were two cars parked nearby, doors open and stuffed with medical gear. The moonlight bounced off the metal, casting a dim glow over everything.

Perfect. Time to get the hell out of here.

I crept my ass toward those cars, staying the fuck out of sight. Sure, the night gave me some cover, but I wasn’t about to get sloppy. I wasn’t a dumbass. Every sense was on edge, scanning for any sign of trouble.

My eyes narrowed when I spotted a black SUV—my ticket to get the hell out of this dump. I crept closer, my heart pounding when I saw the driver unloading some medical shit into a tent.The key dangled from the ignition, glimmering in the faint light, practically begging me to grab it.

This was my shot, and I wasn’t about to waste it. Every breath I took felt like knives digging into my ribs, and the dull, relentless throb in my abdomen reminded me I’d had a goddamn bullet pulled out of me not long ago. But pain didn’t mean shit when freedom was dangling right in front of me.

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