Chapter 2 Ex-trouble

"Then maybe it's time you considered leaving," Darlene suggested carefully. "I know it's not what you want to hear, but I've seen this before. Men like Marcus don't stop. They escalate. And you have Aiden to think about."

The mention of my son sent a fresh wave of fear through my chest. Aiden was only two years old, too young to understand why his mother was always looking over her shoulder, why she jumped at every unexpected sound. I had done everything I could to shield him from the worst of Marcus's behavior, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he became a target too.

"I can't leave," I said, though the words felt hollow even to my own ears. "I don't have the money, and I don't have anywhere to go."

"You have options," Darlene insisted. "You just have to be brave enough to take them."

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that there was a way out of this nightmare, that I could find a safe place for myself and my son, that Marcus would eventually tire of tormenting me and move on to someone else.

But I had been telling myself that for months, and nothing had changed.

I finished my tea, thanked Darlene and Frank for their help, and returned to the dining room to finish my shift. I moved through the motions of serving customers and refilling coffee cups, but my mind was elsewhere—with Aiden, who was safe at home with the neighbor, and with the question that had become the central focus of my life: How do I escape?

The answer came to me later that evening, as I was walking home from work. The sun had set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, and the streets of Holbrook were quiet and peaceful. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to live in a world where I didn't have to look over my shoulder, where every shadow didn't seem to hide a threat.

And then I thought of Knox.

It had been three years since I had seen him, three years since I had walked away from the only man who had ever made me feel truly safe. I had been young and scared then, too afraid to accept the protection he offered, too proud to admit that I needed help. I had convinced myself that I could make it on my own, that I didn't need anyone.

I was wrong.

Knox was still in Holbrook—or at least, he had been the last time I checked. He was part of The Black Cats MC, a group that had a reputation for being dangerous but also for protecting their own. If anyone could help me now, it was him.

The thought of seeing him again sent a complex mixture of emotions through my chest—hope and fear, longing and shame. I had hurt him when I left, I knew that. I had seen the pain in his eyes when I told him I was going and I had carried that image with me ever since.

But I also knew that Knox was the kind of man who would help me regardless of how I had treated him. He was honorable, loyal and fiercely protective of those he cared about. And once, long ago he had cared about me.

Maybe, just maybe he still did.

I quickened my pace, my mind made up. I would go home, pack what I could and leave Holbrook tonight. I would drive until I reached the town where Knox lived and I would throw myself on his mercy. It was a desperate plan, a foolish plan but it was the only plan I had.

And desperate times called for desperate measures. 

The night air was cool against my skin as I loaded the last of our belongings into the trunk of my car. Aiden was already strapped into his car seat, his small body limp with sleep, his favorite blanket clutched tightly in his tiny fist. I paused for a moment to look at him—really look at him and felt my heart clench with a love so fierce it almost hurt.

He was the reason I was doing this. He was the reason I had to be brave.

I closed the trunk and slid into the driver's seat, my hands trembling as I gripped the steering wheel. The note Marcus had left on my windshield earlier that day was still burned into my memory, the words scrawled in his angry handwriting: You can run, but you can't hide. I'll always find you.

But I had to try. I had to try for Aiden, for myself, for the chance at a life that wasn't defined by fear.

I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway, heading north toward Holbrook. The road stretched out before me, dark and endless, and I felt a strange sense of calm settle over me as the miles passed. Whatever awaited me at the end of this journey, it had to be better than what I was leaving behind.

I just hoped Knox would be willing to help me.

I just hope it wasn’t late.

The first rays of sunlight were beginning to peek over the horizon when I finally saw the sign for Holbrook. My heart hammered against my ribs as I drove through the familiar streets, past the diner where I had once worked, past the park where I had once walked with Knox, past all the places that held memories I had tried so hard to forget.

And then, finally, I was there.

I parked in front of the house I remembered, a modest single-story home with a motorcycle parked in the driveway. The lights were off inside, but I knew he was there. I could feel it.

I sat in the car for a long moment, my hands still gripping the steering wheel, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Aiden stirred in the back seat, making a small sound of protest before settling back into sleep.

You can do this, I told myself. You have to do this.

I opened the car door and stepped out into the cool morning air. The neighborhood was quiet, the kind of peaceful silence that only existed in the hours before dawn. I walked up the path to the front door, my legs feeling like they were made of lead, and raised my hand to knock.

The sound echoed through the house, loud and jarring in the stillness. I waited, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears, and then the door swung open.

Knox stood there, his dark hair tousled from sleep, his eyes widening in shock as he recognized me.

"Sarah?" His voice was rough, disbelieving. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. All the speeches I had rehearsed in my head, all the explanations I had planned, evaporated in the face of his presence. Instead, I simply stood there, tears streaming down my face, and whispered the only thing I could think to say.

"I need your help."