Ruthless Love

Chapter 35 - Sydney

Flint is strict. It's been five days since being at this safe house but he's keep me locked in bed. Every time I try to get out of bed, he stops me.

He's disappeared a few times. Gone for a few hours at a time. In my head I question whether I can trust him. Why does he need to go? He never says anything when he's back.

I thought a few times about looking around trying to find a clue or something that will make sense on the whole situation but I can't bring myself to snoop.

Maybe one day that is what will kill me. The fact that my conscience won't let me snoop which could possibly save my life.

I believe Flint won't hurt me but he is now somehow connected to the underworld via his ex and now I'm dragged into it. I haven't asked Flint but part of me thinks I'm being targeted because he has a jealous ex. Although that can't be entirely true seeing as Flint and I are definitely not dating.

It's a mess. It all is.

The silence becomes eerie, and I finally decide to push myself out of bed. I have the slightest limp but it's practically nothing at this stage.

The smell of coffee pulls me into the kitchen and the minute I walk in, Flint is frowning. "You shouldn't have gotten out of bed."

I do five star jumps which really isn't a good idea. It makes pain shoot up my knee but I play it off. Flint raises a questioning eyebrow as if to judge me. "See I'm fine."

He sighs. "Fine," he says sliding a cup of coffee over the kitchen island. "Sit."

I wrap my hands around the mug and sigh, the heat against my palms feeling like good ole times. I take a sip and close my eyes. He knows that I like my coffee as a cappuccino with two sugars. I don't know how he knows but he knows.

"What now?" I ask.

Flint sighs, running a hand through his hair. "We need to lay low for a little while. I have some men looking into it and I need to see what we can do to get you back home safely. This should never have happened."

I nod. "How long is a little while?"

"I don't know," he says. "Until I don't get some info, I can't make any decisions."

"But I have a job. I can't leave it unattended."

Flint smirks then raises an eyebrow in question at me. "You work for me."

"Yea, but you're the boss so you can stop working whenever and your employees will run the show. But I am your employee."

Flint's smirk grows larger. "You're my personal assistant. I don't know what you'd assist with if I'm not even at the office."

"Umm," I stumble. He's got a point. "I'd assist with doing some work for you so when you're back, everything would be up to date."

Flint chuckles. "I think we're fine. I make the rules and I say you're on leave."

Before he can mutter another sound, glass shatters and Flint throws himself at me. The stool bends sideways and knocks me on my back with flint on top. I groan from the pain as Flint pulls me up. He places a hand on my head and pushes me down. "Keep your head low and move behind the island."

I do as he says whilst he looks past the glass. "Dammit," he mutters before crouching down next to me.

"It's bad, isn't it?" I ask

"Four cars," he says. "We need to get to our car and get out of here."

I watch Flint type out a text before his hand latches onto mine and he pulls me forward. My throat almost catches when more glass shatters around us.

As we run out of the kitchen, Flint turns down a hallway and pulls at an end table. He grabs the gun and tucks it into his jeans. I try not to react but right now, I'd rather we kill than be killed.

He grabs his keys and pulls me to the left. "When I say go, you duck low and run to the car," he says throwing me the keys. "Keep my body as a shield because they'll shoot from the right. So stay in line with me."

My head spins at his words. Did he just advise I let them shoot him while I use his body to protect myself. "Wait, what?"

Flint's hands end on my cheeks as he pulls my face towards him so I can look him in the eyes. "I need you to focus. We don't have time. We're gonna make a run for it. Me on the right, you on the left. Stay in line with my body so their guns can't aim for you."

"I can't do that," I say in a panic, my head snapping left to right.

"Sydney," he purrs my name. It's the first time he's said it like that. "I'm going to run too and we have nothing to protect us from them so it's a free fall run. If you're out of line, it gives us both a chance to be shot. I'd rather limit those chances to just one person."

"But still," I counter however his finger on my lips cuts me off.

"No," he says. "Don't think. Just run."

He pulls me out of our crouching position as he lifts his gun up in his left hand. His right hand unlocks the door. He looks out once before he shouts, "run!"

And I run. I run like my life depends on it.

I align myself with Flint but I almost pause when I notice three men point the gun at him.

The car keys feel sweaty in my hands but I continue to run until I get to the car. Beside me, I hear Flint grunt but he doesn't stop. I pray to go nothing is wrong.

I unlock the car as Flint fires a shot or two to buy me time and then before I know it, where in the car. Flint takes the keys from me and starts the car.