Page 21 of Sanctuary

As we pulled up to the departure terminal, I felt a sudden rush of anxiety. I’d be alone with Connor again soon, looking at whatever dangerous information was on that USB drive. Part of me wanted to run, to protect myself from whatever storm was coming. But a larger part knew I couldn’t keep running forever.

“Have a great trip,” I said as Declan and Wren got out, gathering their luggage.

Wren came around to my window, leaning in to give me a quick hug. “Take care of each other,” she whispered, her eyes darting meaningfully between Connor and me.

I felt my cheeks flush as I nodded, watching them disappear into the bustling airport. As I pulled away from the curb, Connor shifted in his seat, his eyes still closed.

“Home?” I asked softly.

He nodded, as he reclined his seat then cracked one eye open to look at me. “And then we face whatever’s on that drive together.”

“Right. But only after you take a nap.”

As we merged onto the highway, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me. The morning sun glinted off the rearview mirror, momentarily blinding me. When my vision cleared, I noticed a dark sedan a few cars back, weaving through traffic.

My heart started to race. It could be nothing, just another commuter in a rush. But after everything that has happened, I couldn’t afford to take chances. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white.

“Connor,” I said quietly, not wanting to startle him. “I think we might have company.”

His eyes snapped open, instantly alert despite his exhaustion. His seat bounced up as he twisted around, scanning the cars behind us. “The black Audi?”

I nodded, impressed by his quick assessment. “It’s probably nothing, but...”

“Better safe than sorry,” he finished, his voice grim. “How far out are we?”

I glanced at the GPS. “About 15 minutes from the estate.”

Connor’s jaw tightened. “Okay. Don’t do anything obvious but see if you can lose them in traffic.”

I nodded, my palms sweating against the leather of the steering wheel. I began to weave through the lanes, using the other cars as cover. But every time I checked the mirror, the sedan was still there, matching our movements with eerie exactness.

As we approached our exit, I felt a surge of panic. The estate was close, but not close enough. If these were the same men from before, leading them straight to our doorstep could be disastrous.

“They’re still on us,” I said, my voice tight with tension.

He cursed under his breath. “Alright, change of plans. Take the next exit. We’ll try to lose them in the back roads.”

I nodded, my heart pounding as I swerved across two lanes of traffic to make the exit. The tires squealed in protest, and I heard angry honks from the cars around us. But as we rounded the bend of the off-ramp, I saw the sedan still in pursuit, closer now than before.

“Shit,” he muttered, his eyes fixed on the side mirror. “They’re gaining on us.”

Chapter 11

Mia

The country roads flew by in a blur of green and brown as I pushed the SUV to its limits. The GPS kept recalculating with every turn that I took and yet the sedan kept pace, slowly closing the gap between us. My mind raced, weighing our options. We were still too far from the estate to make a run for it, but staying on these winding roads was only delaying the inevitable.

“There’s a private road about two miles ahead,” Connor said suddenly, leaning forward in his seat. “My family’s owned it for generations. It’s not on any maps.”

“How do I find it?” I asked, glancing nervously in the rearview mirror. The sedan was gaining ground.

“It’s hidden behind a cluster of oak trees—you’ll see a weathered fence post with a red marking. Slow down when you spot three mailboxes in a row, then look for the gap between the trees on your right. It’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.” His voice was steady despite the chaos. “It’ll take us directly to the back side of the estate, away from the main entrance. They won’t expect that.”

I nodded, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. “Got it.”

The sedan had disappeared from view for a moment, but I knew it wouldn’t last. I followed Connor’s directions, watching for the landmarks he’d described. When I spotted the three rusted mailboxes, I eased off the gas slightly, scanning the treeline.

“There!” Connor pointed.

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