Chapter 7: The Enemy Within
The night air was cold as Alicia followed Caden out of the warehouse, her mind still reeling from the confrontation with Joshua. She didn’t know what to think or feel—betrayal, anger, fear—it all swirled inside her like a storm. But one thing was clear: she couldn’t go back. Not to Joshua, not to the life she’d been living. She had to keep moving forward, even if she didn’t know where that would lead.
Caden led her to a parked car a few blocks away, its engine already running. He opened the passenger door for her, his expression unreadable. “Get in. We need to get out of here.”
Alicia hesitated, glancing back toward the warehouse. “What about Joshua? What if they come after him?”
Caden’s jaw tightened. “Joshua made his choices. Right now, we need to focus on keeping you safe.”
Alicia wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She climbed into the car, her hands trembling as she buckled her seatbelt. Caden slid into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the curb, his eyes constantly flicking to the rearview mirror.
“Where are we going?” Alicia asked, breaking the tense silence.
“Somewhere safe,” Caden replied, his tone clipped. “Somewhere they won’t find us.”
Alicia nodded, though her mind was still racing. She didn’t know who “they” were, but she had a feeling she was about to find out. “Caden,” she said after a moment, “who are these people Joshua’s been working with? And why are they after us?”
Caden glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. “It’s a long story, but the short version is this: there’s a powerful group of people—businessmen, politicians, criminals—who’ve been working together to control the city. They’ve been using Joshua to launder money and cover their tracks. But now that he’s started to slip, they’re cleaning up loose ends. And that includes you.”
Alicia’s chest tightened. “But why me? I don’t know anything about this.”
“Because you’re his wife,” Caden said, his voice grim. “They think you know more than you do. And even if you don’t, you’re a liability. They can’t afford to let you live.”
Alicia felt a chill run down her spine. She had always known Joshua’s family was powerful, but she had never imagined it could be this dangerous. “What about you?” she asked, turning to Caden. “Why are you involved in all of this?”
Caden hesitated, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “Let’s just say I have my own reasons for wanting to take them down. And right now, that means keeping you alive.”
Alicia wanted to press him for more details, but something in his tone told her not to. Instead, she stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare, one she couldn’t wake up from.
After about thirty minutes, Caden pulled into the parking lot of a small, nondescript motel on the outskirts of the city. He parked the car and turned to Alicia. “Wait here. I’ll get us a room.”
Alicia nodded, though her nerves were on edge. She watched as Caden walked into the motel office, his movements quick and efficient. A few minutes later, he returned with a key and led her to a room at the far end of the building.
The room was small and dimly lit, with a single bed, a worn-out couch, and a TV that looked like it hadn’t been updated since the 90s. Caden locked the door behind them and immediately began checking the windows and closets, as if expecting someone to jump out at any moment.
“We’ll stay here for the night,” he said, his tone all business. “It’s not much, but it’s safe. Tomorrow, we’ll figure out our next move.”
Alicia sat down on the edge of the bed, her mind still spinning. “Caden,” she said quietly, “what happens now? I can’t just disappear. I have a life, a job, friends…”
Caden turned to her, his expression softening. “I know this is a lot to take in, Alicia. But right now, your life is in danger. We need to focus on staying alive. Once we’re safe, we can figure out the rest.”
Alicia nodded, though her heart was heavy. She didn’t know what to do or where to go from here. All she knew was that she couldn’t go back to the way things were.
As the night wore on, Alicia tried to sleep, but her mind wouldn’t let her rest. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Joshua’s face, heard his voice pleading with her to trust him. She didn’t know if she could ever forgive him for what he’d done, but a part of her still cared about him. And that made everything even harder.
Finally, she gave up on sleep and sat up, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room. Caden was sitting on the couch, his head resting in his hands. He looked exhausted, but he didn’t seem to be sleeping either.
“Caden,” she said softly, “can I ask you something?”
He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. “Of course.”
“Why are you helping me?” she asked. “You don’t even know me. Why risk your life for someone you just met?”
Caden hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. “Let’s just say I’ve been where you are. And I know what it’s like to feel like there’s no way out. If I can help you, then maybe… maybe it’s a way to make up for some of the things I’ve done.”
Alicia’s chest tightened. She didn’t know what to say to that. Before she could respond, Caden’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening.
“We need to go,” he said, standing up. “Now.”
Alicia’s heart raced. “What’s wrong?”
“They found us,” Caden said, his voice grim. “We need to move.”
Alicia didn’t ask any more questions. She grabbed her bag and followed Caden out of the room, her heart pounding in her chest. As they ran to the car, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.
Caden started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, his eyes constantly flicking to the rearview mirror. Alicia glanced behind them and saw headlights in the distance, growing closer by the second.
“Caden,” she said, her voice trembling, “they’re following us.”
Caden’s jaw tightened. “I know. Hold on.”
He pressed down on the accelerator, the car speeding through the empty streets. Alicia clutched the door handle, her knuckles white. She didn’t know what was going to happen next, but one thing was clear: the danger was far from over. And if they didn’t find a way to stop it, they might not make it through the night.