Bound to my Enemy

Chapter 268.

The cool night air hits my face and for the first time since waking up tied to that chair, I feel something that resembles hope.

Freedom.

But enough to make my chest ache.

Aria and I stand just outside the door, staring into the darkness stretching before us, neither of us moves for a second. It’s almost surreal.

The door is open and we are outside.....We’re actually outside.

"Come on," Aria whispers urgently.

That snaps me back to reality.

Right.

We still need to get away and fast.

I nod and follow her. The ground beneath our feet is uneven, covered in patches of weeds and gravel. The building itself looks even larger from the outside, like a giant dark monster sitting in the middle of nowhere.

We stay close to the wall, moving carefully.

Every tiny sound makes me jump, my heart refuses to calm down. Because at any moment....At any moment Thomas could realize we’re gone.

"How far is the road?" I whisper.

"Not far."

Aria points ahead.

"If we can get past the tree line we should be able to...."

A door slams somewhere behind us and both of us freeze instantly, every muscle in my body locking up.

No. No no no. Please no.

Aria slowly turns her head, i do too md my blood runs cold.

A figure has stepped out of the building.

Thomas.

Even from this distance I recognize him immediately. The moonlight catches part of his face and for a terrifying second he simply stands there, Searching.

Then his gaze lands directly on us and my stomach drops.

Fuck!

His shoulders go rigid, the silence stretching,

"Where exactly do you think you’re going?

"Oh God," I whisper.

Aria grabs my hand.

"Run."

We run Immediately.

My legs move before my brain can even catch up and I run, nranches whip against my arms, gravel crunches beneath our feet.

Behind us I hear Thomas shout something.

Then his footsteps.....He’s coming after us.

Panic explodes through me.

I can’t go back there!. It’s the only thing running through my head now, so I push myself harder.

Aria is slightly ahead of me, pululling me forward.

"Keep going!"

"I’m trying!"

My lungs burn and my chest hurts, when we reach the edge of the trees.

Hope sparks again, we’re going to make it, we’re actually....Suddenly a wave of dizziness crashes into me hard and the world tilts as my vision blurs.

"Oh no."

I stumble, my foot catching on something and I nearly go down but Aria immediately grabs me.

"Elaine!"

"I’m okay."

I’m not okay, not even remotely....the nausea returns with vengeance. The same nausea that’s been haunting me for weeks, only now it’s worse....much worse. Probably because I’m running for my life.

"Keep moving," Aria urges.

I force myself forward.

One step. Then another and another but I’m slowing down and we both know it.

The pregnancy is finally catching up with me, my body isn’t built for this not tonight, not after everything. A sharp cramp twists through my lower abdome and fear immediately floods me.

My baby.

Oh God.

My baby.

I stop instinctively, clutching my stomach. Aria turns, panic filling her face.

"What happened?"

"My stomach."

Her eyes widen, fear flashes across her face immediately. Behind us the sound of footsteps grows closer. Too close, way too close.

Thomas is gaining on us.

"Elaine we have to go."

"I know."

I try taking another step but my legs feel like jelly. The dizziness keeps coming in waves and the nausea isn’t helping.

Fuck!. I just need a few minutes or seconds, the dizziness and nausea will go in a few....i....i just need a few seconds....Everything feels wrong. Everything.

Thomas suddenly appears between the trees behind us, he’s much closer now, close enough for me to see the anger on his face.

But underneath the anger....theres Something else.

Hurt.

What the fuck is he being hurt for?. I should be the one hurt given he betrayed my trust and kidnapped me. I’m like he’s sister my foot!. Bloody lair

His eyes go directly to Aria and the look on his face changes completely. The anger disappears. Replaced by a sad look....

What just happened?. Is....is Thomas in love with Aria?.

"You were leaving me?"

His voice cracks slightly.

Aria immediately steps in front of me, shielding and Protecting me.

His face falls completely.

"No."

He shakes his head.

"No no no."

"Stay back," Aria says.

Thomas looks like she slapped him.

"You were leaving me too?"

The words come out broken and raw, almost childlike.

For a moment nobody moves.

The only sounds are our heavy breathing and the wind moving through the trees.

Thomas takes a step forward and when Aria moves further in front of me, his face crumples.

Something changes in Thomas’s face. His shoulders straighten and when when he speaks again, his voice is calm, Farr too calm.

"I can’t let you leave."

The words hang in the air between u, like he genuinely believes he still has a choice.

Beside me, Aria stiffens. I can practically feel her fear, for herself for me and the baby.

And honestly? I’m terrified too.

But fear has never really stopped me from doing stupid things before. I need a just a few seconds to get myself back and I have.

I gently touch Aria’s arm.

"Move."

She looks at me.

"What?"

"Move."

"Elaine....."

"Trust me."

Reluctantly, she steps aside.

Thomas’s eyes immediately lock onto mine, connfusion flickers across his face when I take a step forward.

"So that’s your final answer?"

His jaw tightens.

"Don’t do this."

I almost laugh.

"That’s a shame, Thomas."

I roll my shoulders once....because if there is one thing life has taught me...It’s that people underestimate me constantly.....

They see the pretty dresses, the smiles and the fact that I cry a lot.

And somehow they decide that means I’m fragile.

I know he trained me...but Zane and Lucas trained me to.

"I can’t let you not let us leave."

Then I charge him.

His eyes widen, clearly he wasn’t expecting that.

Good.

Neither was I when he fucking kidnapped me.

I slam straight into his chest with everything I have. The impact catches him completely off guard and he stumbles backward.

"Run!" I yell at Aria.

But Thomas recovers faster than I expect, his hand shoots out grabbing my wrist hard. Pain shoots through my arm but I immediately react and drive my knee upward, straight into his stomach.

A grunt escapes him and his grip loosens.

I yank free.

"Jesus Christ!" he growls.

"That’s what I’ve been saying!"

I throw a punch.....a terrible punch, an absolutely embarrassing punch.

I have no idea how people make fighting look cool in movies.

My fist barely clips his jaw.

Thomas actually looks offended, then he shoves me hard.

I stumble backward several steps, the world tilting dangerously.

Oh no. Nt now..

My balance wavers and one hand instantly goes to my stomach protectively.

And Thomas notices, his eyes immediately drop there for a second.

But before he can move again, Aria launches herself at him.

Fuck! I told her to fuckin run.

She actually launches at him like a tiny angry missile.

"ARIA!"

Thomas never even sees it coming as she collides into his side. The force sends him crashing into a nearby tree.

His shoulder smacking the trunk with a loud thud....pain flashes across his face and for a brief moment nobody moves.

Then all hell breaks loose.

Thomas grabs Aria before she can retreat, she fights immediately....yeears of bottled-up anger exploding all at once.

"LET GO OF ME!"

She elbows him hard, right in the ribs.

Thomas curses.

And she stomps on his foot.

He curses again.

Honestly, if the situation wasn’t so horrifying, it’d almost be funny.

Almost.

I rush forward grabbing a fallen branch from the ground.

"Elaine don’t..."

Too late.

I swing.

The branch smacks against Thomas’s shoulder. The crack echoing through the trees.

Oh my God.

I actually hit him.

Thomas stares at me, I stare at him as I raise the branch again.

"You stay away from us!"

His expression shifts, somewhere between disbelief and irritation.

"Did you just hit me with a stick?"

"Yes!"

"Are you insane?"

"Probably!"

Another swing.

This one he catches it and snaps the branch half.

Well.....That lasted all of ten seconds.

Fantastic.

Thomas immediately reaches for me but Aria grabs his arm and I grab his other arm.

Now somehow we’re all tangled together...It’s chaos, pure chaos.

Thomas trying to pull away, Aria trying to stop him and me trying not to get stepped on while simultaneously attempting to protect my unborn child.

Then suddenly Thomas breaks free, breathing heavily and looking significantly less terrifying than before.

For a moment all three of us just stand there.

Panting and exhausted.

The standoff returning, only now everyone’s dirty and angry, slightly injured too.

A branch crunches somewhere nearby, then another. The sound immediately cuts through the silence as Thomas’s head snaps toward the trees.