Page 12 of Until You Break

Somewhere in the distance, a sound cuts through the quiet—a muffled shout, followed by another. I sit up, my heart pounding, ears straining as the noise grows louder, closer.

Gunfire echoes down the hall, a few scattered shots that make my blood run cold. The heavy thud of footsteps draws nearer, and I press myself back, fear latching onto every cell in my body.

The lock clicks.

The door flies open.

And there, covered in blood, wild-eyed and breathing hard, is Dominic. He stumbles into the cell, one hand gripping a ring of keys, the other pressing against his ribs, blood seeping through his shirt.

“Hey,” he says, flashing me a lopsided, blood-smeared grin. “Miss me?”

“Dominic?” I sob as disbelief and relief crashes over me.

“No time for tears, Little Sinner,” he rasps, as he tries different keys in the lock of my cell. “We’re getting out of here.”

He shoves the right key into the lock, twisting it with a grunt. “You can tell me how heroic I am later. Right now, we need to move. Let’s go.”

The door swings open, and he reaches out, grabbing my arm and pulling me up. Then he thrusts a butcher’s knife into my hand—where he got it, I have no idea—and I stare at it, wide-eyed.

“A knife?” I manage to whisper, my voice shaky. “Where did you—?”

“Turns out, these guys aren’t exactly hard to surprise,” he says, pressing a hand to a bloody gash on his shoulder. He holds up a gun, the grip firm in his hand. “Come on. Let’s go before they realize I’m not dead.”

He gives me a quick, serious look. “Just… stick close, and if anyone comes at you, use it. Don’t think. Just swing.”

I nod, my heart pounding as he leads me out of the cell, his hand gripping mine as he pulls me down the hallway. Bodies lie scattered on the floor, the neon mask of one guard crushed beneath his limp arm. Blood pools across the concrete, a sickening, dark trail marking the path Dominic carved to get here.

“Dominic… what did you…” I start to ask, but he cuts me off, a grim smirk on his face.

“Let’s just say I had a little chat with our captors,” he says, his tone sarcastic even as he winces, clutching his injured shoulder. “They’re not great at handling conversations.”

“Remind me to never cross you,” I mutter, half in awe, half terrified as we pass another bloodied figure slumped against the wall.

He glances over his shoulder, grinning through the pain. “Hey, I aim to impress.”

I feel bile rise in my throat, but Dominic’s hand tugs me forward, his voice low and steady.

“Eyes on me, Aria,” he says. “Just keep looking at me. Don’t think about them.”

I nod and we move quickly, his steps unsteady, but he pushes forward, guiding me through the maze of corridors. I hear voices echoing down the halls, sharp commands and frantic shouting, but Dominic doesn’t stop. He keeps going, practically dragging me along with him.

We stumble out, blinking as the sky stretches above us, endless and dark. A dense forest surrounds what looks like a warehouse.

“We’re… we’re in the middle of nowhere,” I breathe, glancing around, the sheer isolation of it hitting me like a punch to the gut. There’s nothing—no buildings, no lights, just trees and darkness as far as I can see.

“Perfect for running,” Dominic mutters, already pulling me forward. “Come on. We don’t have much time.”

We start running, our feet pounding against the forest floor, branches scratching at our skin as we weave through the trees. I can hear Dominic’s labored breathing beside me, each step making him wince, but he doesn’t slow down.

“Where are we even going?” I ask, breathless, adrenaline surging through my veins.

“Anywhere but here,” he replies, his voice strained but determined. “Just keep moving.”

I struggle to keep up with him, my mind spinning, every instinct screaming at me to run, to keep going. But the sound of footsteps behind us are relentless, closing in like shadows. I can hear voices, angry and urgent, and I know they’re coming for us.

We’re almost to a clearing when a loud crack echoes through the trees, and Dominic lets out a strangled gasp. I whirl around just as he stumbles, clutching his leg. Blood stains his jeans, pooling beneath his hand, and he sinks to one knee, his face twisted with pain.

“Dominic!” I drop to his side, reaching out to steady him, my heart pounding. “Oh my God, you’re shot!”

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