Runaway (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 4)

He had leaned toward her and was talking into her ear but was well aware of the smoothness of her pale cheek, and the delicate scent of roses that teased his nostrils. Immediately, his body surged to life. He couldn’t resist the urge to touch her, even when everything was screaming at him not to.

Molly jerked when his hand settled on her waist.

“Wait,” Callum hissed.

Everyone stopped.

Niall turned to face the empty street behind them. They knew it was easy to be accosted in such a place. While they usually would have split up by now, they had made a pact that they had to stay together, no matter what, because of Molly. It was safest to go around in a group because they could surround Molly and keep her safe if they were challenged.

“Over there,” Phillip breathed. “The third house to the right. The alley to the side on the left.”

Jasper stepped into the darkest shadow closest to him and turned to look at the alley Phillip mentioned. At first glance there didn’t look to be anything there, but the more he watched that inky blackness the more he was able to pick out the distinctive shape of a person hidden deep within that impenetrable gloom.

Molly followed the direction of Jasper’s steady stare but couldn’t see anything that might have captured his attention. She was so out of her depth that the urge to tell him she wanted to return to the safe house hovered on her lips. It was only the thought of Oscar inhabiting somewhere like this that prevented her. While he was in such a place, she had to remain too, it was as simple as that. When he left, she would. Unfortunately, he had disappeared again, but she would find him – somehow – but it wouldn’t be tonight.

“I don’t know how you stand this,” she hissed quietly.

“It is all part of the job,” Jasper replied succinctly.

When he turned to look at her there was a cold aloofness in his gaze that made him a stranger. Not just a stranger, but a darkly lethal menacing one who was someone she didn’t recognise. It was so concerning that Molly shivered with a deepening sense of alarm that troubled her more than anything. She almost – she did – wish he would kiss her again, if only to prove to her that the Jasper she had become used to was still a part of him. She had no doubt the man before her was someone who would kill if left with no choice.

God, I hope it never comes to that.

What do you want to do, boss?” Callum asked Jasper.

“We have to go back to Rigley Row and find another way in and out. Seeing as other routes are blocked. We have to get back to the safe house and round up some reinforcements,” Jasper replied.

“Let’s go. I think it is best if we keep moving,” Callum replied.

Together, everyone began to walk down the street that would invariably take them to Rigley Row. He was aware of the deathly silence they walked through each street. It was so quiet that only the rustling of their clothing and the muted thuds of their booted feet broke the tension. Unfortunately, they also knew that the tension that hovered over them didn’t originate from them. Someone was following them.

“Do you know something? If I didn’t know better, I would think we are being surrounded,” Jasper whispered.

He slid his hand into the pocket of his jacket and fingered the reassuring metal of his cold, hard gun. He wasn’t at all sure it would be any use if they were heavily outnumbered, but it was reassuring to have it at his fingertips anyway.

“God, I want to get out of here,” Callum breathed.

“There is something rumbling, isn’t there?” Phillip murmured. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”

Suddenly, something moved beside them. It was hidden amongst the deepest of shadows. They all turned to look but saw nothing but shifting hedgerow.

“We know you are there,” Jasper whispered, his shoulders aching with the tension that thrummed through him. “You had better come out.”

When nothing happened, the men resumed their painfully slow journey and turned from one street into another. Unfortunately, a few minutes later it became apparent that they had taken a wrong turn. While they had wanted to move away from Rigley Row, they had found the street that ran past the rear of the warehouse beside it.

“Do you want to search it while we are here?” Phillip asked.

Everyone stopped and studied the area. Nothing moved.

“Might as well while we are here,” Oliver growled. He looked at Jasper. “You and Molly stay here and keep watch.”

“Now, isn’t that nice? Someone has left the door open for us,” Niall murmured sarcastically when he and Oliver turned to the huge building.

Jasper heard the undergrowth beside them rustling faintly and turned to study it and the street beyond while his friends investigated the building. His shoulders were stiff with tension. So much so, he rolled them to try to ease the dull ache of his muscles.

It took far too long as far as Jasper was concerned, not least because he was painfully aware of the stilted silence between him and Molly. He allowed it to remain, though, because it helped him keep his mind on watching the area rather than her.

Eventually, Callum emitted a long, low whistle Jasper recognised immediately.