Chapter 7: Flight and Pursuit
The back exit of Evelyn's building led to a narrow alley that connected to the main street. Alexander moved with practiced efficiency, checking corners and shadows as they made their way through the maze of London's back streets.
"My car is two blocks away," he murmured, his hand steady on her back as they moved. "Stay close, keep quiet."
Marcus had insisted on coming with them, despite Alexander's obvious displeasure. "I'm not leaving her alone with you," he'd said, and something in his tone suggested he knew more about the danger than he was letting on.
"Who were those people?" Evelyn whispered as they ducked into a doorway to avoid a passing patrol car.
"The Order of the Crimson Rose," Alexander replied grimly. "They've been tracking bloodlines like yours for centuries. They believe that women with your abilities should be... recruited... to serve their purposes."
"What kind of purposes?"
"Political manipulation. Corporate espionage. Anything that requires someone who can influence powerful men without them realizing it." His jaw tightened. "They see you as a tool to be used, not a person to be protected."
"And what do you see me as?" The question escaped before she could stop it.
Alexander's gray eyes met hers in the dim streetlight. "That's a conversation for when we're not running for our lives."
They reached Alexander's black Aston Martin, and he quickly ushered them inside. As the engine purred to life, Evelyn caught sight of black sedans turning into the street behind them.
"They're following us," Marcus said, looking through the rear window.
"I expected they would be." Alexander's driving was smooth but fast, weaving through London traffic with the skill of someone who had done this before. "Hold on."
The next twenty minutes were a blur of high-speed chases through narrow streets, sharp turns that pressed them against the car doors, and the constant tension of not knowing if they would be caught. Alexander's knowledge of London's back routes was impressive, suggesting this wasn't his first escape from dangerous pursuers.
Finally, they pulled into an underground garage beneath what appeared to be an exclusive private club in Mayfair.
"Safe house?" Marcus asked.
"Something like that." Alexander led them to a private elevator that opened only with his key card. "My London residence. They won't find us here."
The penthouse apartment was a study in sophisticated luxury—dark leather, crystal decanters, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a commanding view of the city. But what caught Evelyn's attention were the books. Hundreds of them, many appearing ancient, filling custom-built shelves that covered entire walls.
"More research material?" she asked.
"Family histories. Bloodline records. Documentation of abilities like yours going back five centuries." Alexander moved to pour three glasses of whiskey from a crystal decanter. "Everything the Order knows, and more."
"How do you know so much about them?" Marcus's question carried a suspicious edge.
Alexander handed them each a glass, his expression unreadable. "Because I used to work for them."
The admission hung in the air like a confession of betrayal. Evelyn felt her world shift once again, trust and suspicion warring in her chest.
"You what?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"I was recruited when I was young. My family had connections to old bloodlines, old money, old secrets. The Order trained me to identify and... acquire... women with abilities like yours."
"Acquire?" Marcus stepped forward, his hand moving protectively toward Evelyn.
"Seduce. Manipulate. Bring them into the fold." Alexander's honesty was brutal. "I was very good at it."
"And now?" Evelyn's voice was steady, but her hand shook slightly as she raised the whiskey glass.
"Now I protect women from becoming what I helped create." He moved to the window, looking out at the city lights. "Your grandmother was my first rebellion. I was sent to recruit her, but instead, I helped her understand her power so she could choose her own path."
"That's why she knew you. That's why she trusted you."
"She didn't trust me, not at first. But she was willing to let me prove myself. Just as I hope you will."
The implications were staggering. Everything between them—the attraction, the lessons, the protective instincts—might have started as a mission for a mysterious organization.
"How do I know this isn't just another manipulation?" she asked. "How do I know you haven't been playing me from the beginning?"
Alexander turned from the window, and for the first time since she'd met him, she saw vulnerability in his expression.
"Because if I were still working for them, you would already be in their custody. Because I've spent the last five years building a network to protect women like you from the life I once helped destroy. And because..."
He paused, something flickering across his features.
"Because what?" she prompted.
"Because what I feel for you is real, even if it started as part of a job I abandoned years ago."
The confession sparked something dangerous in her chest—hope mixed with desire, trust battling with suspicion. Around them, the night pressed against the windows like a living thing, and Evelyn realized that the choice between safety and danger was no longer clear-cut.
Outside, the Order was hunting her. In this room, two men waited for her decision about whom to trust with her future.
And inside her own heart, the Blackthorne power pulsed like a second heartbeat, whispering promises of what she could become if she was brave enough to embrace the darkness.
Trust and betrayal intertwine as Evelyn learns the truth about Alexander's past. But with the Order closing in, can she afford to let suspicion cloud her judgment? And what role does Marcus really play in this dangerous game?
Chapter Navigation:
Story Stats:
- Word Count: 970
- Reading Time: 4.5 minutes
- Part: II - Temptation