Zina POV
Jared's hands were tight on the steering wheel, knuckles white as he pressed his foot against the gas. The tires screeched as they tore out of the motel parking lot, kicking up gravel and dust behind them. The flickering neon sign grew smaller in the rearview mirror, a ghostly reminder of the temporary safety they had just abandoned. Whatever had been lurking in the shadows of that place was nothing compared to the danger still chasing them.
The car's headlights cut through the inky darkness, illuminating the deserted road ahead. The night stretched out endlessly, the only sounds being the hum of the engine and Jared's heavy breathing.
Zina sat in the backseat, curled protectively around Asher. The baby's tiny breaths tickled her collarbone, his little fingers clutching the fabric of her jacket like he could sense her fear. She could feel the rapid thump of his heartbeat against her own, a fragile rhythm that made her stomach twist.
