Dangerous Affection

Cornered by Shadows

(LILA'S POV)

Ok so maybe I left the shed...

I stayed crouched behind the thick, dark tree, my breath shallow and sharp as I watched the man with the gun hold Quinn in place. The sight of the weapon, cold and menacing, sent a jolt of panic through me. I wanted to move, to rush in and tackle him, but the rational part of my mind screamed that would be a suicide mission.

Quinn's expression was calm, but I could see the subtle tightening of his jaw, the way his body was tense. His eyes were trained on the man, focused and calculating.

"You think you can escape this time, Westbrook?" The man's voice was low, like he was savoring the moment. His hand tightened on the grip of the gun.

"I'm not the one you should be worried about," Quinn said evenly, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. The defiance in his voice was unmistakable, even as his situation grew direr.

The man took a step forward, the barrel of the gun pressing into Quinn's chest. "You don't get it, do you? You and your little nurse girlfriend are way in over your heads. You have no idea what kind of people you're messing with."

At the mention of me, something inside of me snapped.

"Don't talk about her like that," Quinn growled, his eyes flashing with barely-contained fury.

I wasn't going to stand by any longer. I couldn't. I slipped from my hiding spot and crept closer, my feet barely making a sound on the cold, damp ground. I reached into the waistband of my jeans, fingers brushing the handle of the knife Quinn had given me earlier.

I wasn't a fighter. But I'd be damned if I let him get hurt because of me.

You'll find a way, I told myself, the familiar weight of the blade in my hand grounding me. You'll find a way to save him.

I moved again, a little closer this time, my heart hammering in my chest. My entire world narrowed to the sound of Quinn's voice, the thud of his heartbeat, and the pounding in my own chest.

But before I could get any closer, the man suddenly turned, his eyes sweeping the surrounding darkness, as if he could sense something was wrong. He cocked his head to the side.

Oh gosh.

Quinn's eyes met mine in that instant, and the unspoken command was clear: Run. Now.

But my feet were frozen to the ground, like the earth itself was holding me back.

The man took a step forward, eyeing me with suspicion. "You've got guts, little nurse. I'll give you that."

Without warning, Quinn lunged.

In a blur of movement, he shoved the man away, knocking the gun out of his grip. They stumbled backward, grappling with each other, struggling for control. The sound of fists hitting flesh filled the night air.

I didn't think. I acted. I rushed in, throwing my knife at the man, aiming for his leg. He yelled in pain as the blade sank into his thigh, and he fell to the ground, losing his grip on Quinn.

Quinn stood, panting, his eyes wide with surprise. "You—" He stopped himself, looking down at the bleeding man.

I didn't wait for him to finish. "We need to move, now!" I grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the man.

He didn't argue. Instead, we ran.

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