Chapter 16 - The Safehouse
We drove for three agonizing, completely silent hours into the deep, heavily wooded mountains outside of the city limits.
Vincent’s highly classified, off-the-grid safehouse was a small, rustic wooden cabin completely hidden entirely from the outside world.
There was absolutely no cell service, no internet, and no modern tracking devices allowed anywhere near the secluded property.
Vincent aggressively locked the heavy deadbolts on the wooden door and finally let out a massive, entirely exhausted sigh.
He looked completely shattered, not just from the adrenaline of the bloody shootout, but from the profound, devastating betrayal of his closest friend.
I walked over to him, gently wrapping my arms around his broad, tense shoulders and pressing a soft kiss to his strong jawline.
"It wasn't your fault that Marco made a cowardly, treacherous choice, Vincent," I whispered softly, desperately trying to ease his immense burden.
He turned around and pulled me incredibly tightly against his chest, burying his tired face deeply into my messy hair.
"I was supposed to completely protect you from this dark, violent world, Emily," he confessed, his voice rough with overwhelming emotion.
"Instead, I have dragged you into a terrifying, bloody nightmare where you have to constantly run for your life."
I pulled back slightly, forcing him to look directly into my fierce, uncompromising eyes.
"I made a completely conscious, permanent choice to stay by your side, Vincent," I stated firmly, leaving absolutely no room for doubt.
"I would rather spend the rest of my life hiding in a freezing cabin with you than live a single day safely without you."
Vincent stared at me in absolute, profound awe, his dark eyes burning with an incredibly intense, overwhelming love.
He picked me up entirely, carrying me smoothly into the small, rustic bedroom as if I weighed absolutely nothing.
That night, there were absolutely no terrifying mafias, no federal investigations, and no violent betrayals to worry about.
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There was only the fierce, passionate, and incredibly desperate love between a powerful king and the woman who completely anchored his soul.
We completely forgot the chaos of the city, focusing entirely on the profound, unbreakable bond that would carry us through the coming storm.
