Rivals Redemption

chapter 10 : Always

Tina Diaz

I grabbed Rowan's arm, my heart racing, pulling him toward the exit as the alarms screamed through the cold, industrial halls. Each shrill note echoed off the walls, amplifying the sense of danger. The footsteps of security were getting closer-heavy boots pounding on the marble floor like an inevitable storm. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were on the edge of something bigger than just bringing down Reginald.

"Rowan, we've got to go!" I whispered urgently, my grip tightening around his arm, but he was focused.

"Almost done," he muttered, fingers flying across the keyboard. His calmness under pressure was something I had always admired, but right now, it was infuriating.

"Seconds we don't have," I snapped, though I wasn't truly angry-just scared, for him, for us, for everything we were risking. My heart was in my throat, and I couldn't help but wonder: were we prepared for whatever came next?

Finally, the screen blinked green. Rowan's shoulders relaxed, the files transferring to the drive. "Got it!"

Without a word, we bolted, rushing through the twisting hallways. Every nerve in my body was on fire, but my mind was razor-sharp. I knew we needed to escape, but I also knew what was at stake. This wasn't just about Reginald anymore. There was something more lurking beneath the surface-something we hadn't yet uncovered, but could feel creeping closer.

"We need to head for the north exit," I said, taking the lead. Rowan stayed close, his hand finding mine, steadying me even as adrenaline coursed through my veins. The contact between us felt charged, like an unspoken promise of what lay ahead for us-if we made it out.

His voice cut through the pounding in my ears, breathless but resolute. "Tina, whatever happens, I'm not letting go. Not of this, not of you."

I glanced at him, my breath catching in my chest. For a moment, the chaos around us faded, and it was just him. Rowan. The man who had fought beside me through it all. "I wasn't going to let you either," I breathed out, feeling the weight of those words settle between us. There was more to our fight than just taking down Reginald. This was about us, about the future we could finally have once the dust settled.

We rounded the corner, and I stumbled back, nearly colliding with a guard. Rowan reacted fast, tackling him to the ground with more force than I thought possible. I blinked, regaining my focus, and quickly grabbed the guard's radio, switching it off.

Rowan got to his feet, brushing off his jacket, flashing me that smirk that made my heart skip, even in the middle of chaos. "Nice tackle," I said, letting out a shaky laugh despite myself.

"Nice distraction," he shot back, his eyes gleaming. I could see the spark of something deeper there, something that would be hard to contain once this was all over.

We burst through the exit, the bright sunlight momentarily blinding me as we stumbled into the alley. Outside, the protest was still going strong, chants filling the air like a battle cry. The noise gave us the cover we needed, but I could feel the danger still nipping at our heels. We weren't safe yet.

Nash caught sight of us from the barricades, waving us over. "Over here!" I shouted, grabbing Rowan's hand and running toward our friends.

The crowd swelled, creating enough of a diversion to let us slip into the sea of bodies. But as we blended in, the weight of what we'd just uncovered hung heavy on me. The evidence was there-emails, financial records, blueprints that would bring Reginald down. But something didn't sit right. A nagging feeling pulled at the back of my mind, a piece of the puzzle still missing.

Rowan leaned close, his breath warm against my ear. "We did it, Tina. We've got him."

I nodded, gripping his hand tighter. "We did," I said, but I couldn't shake the thought that Reginald wasn't the only villain in this story. Someone else was pulling the strings, someone who had fed false information about Reginald to ruin him-and we still didn't know who.

The crowd chanted louder, the wave of protest sweeping through the city. But as we moved deeper into it, my mind raced. Reginald's empire was about to crumble, but someone was hiding in the shadows-someone like Kevin Jonas, a man who had once been close to our families, trusted by Victor and Reginald both.

Whoever he was, he was playing a dangerous game. And if we weren't careful, we could be walking right into his trap.