Gunfire exploded through the tunnel.
Loud.
Violent.
Unforgiving.
---
"Down!" Marcus shouted.
---
Lester reacted instantly—
Pulling Teresa down with him as bullets tore through the narrow space.
Dust and debris rained from the ceiling.
The tunnel shook.
---
"Stay behind me," Lester ordered, his body shielding hers completely.
---
Her heart pounded wildly.
"I'm not leaving you," she said breathlessly.
---
"You're not supposed to," he shot back.
"But you are supposed to stay alive."
---
Marcus fired back with precision, taking out one of Victor's men.
But more stepped forward.
Too many.
---
"They're blocking both ends," Marcus said. "We're boxed in!"
---
Victor's voice echoed through the chaos.
Calm.
Untouched.
---
"End this quickly."
---
Lester's jaw tightened.
---
"I will," he muttered.
---
Then—
He moved.
---
Fast.
Deadly.
---
Pulling Teresa with him as he fired back, pushing forward instead of retreating.
---
"Lester—!" she gasped.
---
"No way out means we make one," he replied.
---
His grip on her hand never loosened.
Not even for a second.
---
They pushed through the tunnel—
Gunfire lighting the darkness in flashes.
---
Marcus covered them from behind.
Efficient.
Relentless.
---
But then—
A shot rang out.
Different.
Closer.
---
Teresa felt it before she saw it.
---
Lester jerked slightly.
---
Her heart stopped.
---
"Lester?!"
---
He didn't answer.
---
But his grip—
Tightened.
---
Blood.
---
Her breath caught.
"No—no, no, no—"
---
"I'm fine," he said through clenched teeth.
---
"You're bleeding!"
---
"It's nothing."
---
It wasn't nothing.
---
She could feel it.
Warm.
Spreading.
---
Her chest tightened painfully.
---
"You're not fine," she said, her voice breaking.
---
"I said I am," he snapped.
---
Not at her.
At the situation.
At himself.
---
Marcus glanced back.
---
"We don't have time for this!"
---
Another wave of attackers rushed forward.
---
Lester stepped in front of her again—
Despite the blood.
Despite the injury.
---
Firing.
Protecting.
---
Like nothing else mattered.
---
"Stop doing that!" she cried.
---
"Doing what?"
---
"Putting yourself in front of me!"
---
His head snapped toward her.
Eyes dark.
Burning.
---
"That's not going to change."
---
Her breath hitched.
---
"Why?" she demanded.
---
"Because you're mine."
---
The words hit like a bullet.
---
Silence.
In the middle of chaos.
---
"You don't get to decide that," she whispered.
---
"I already did."
---
Another shot rang out.
---
Marcus swore.
---
"We're losing ground!"
---
Victor's voice echoed again.
Closer now.
---
"You're predictable, Lester."
---
Lester's jaw clenched.
---
"And you're running out of time."
---
Then—
A scream.
---
Teresa's head snapped to the side.
---
One of Victor's men—
Had grabbed her arm.
---
Hard.
---
She gasped—
Trying to pull free—
---
But his grip tightened.
---
"Got her!" he shouted.
---
Everything stopped.
---
Lester turned.
---
And something in him—
Snapped.
---
Completely.
---
"Let. Her. Go."
---
His voice was low.
Deadly.
---
The man laughed.
---
"Or what?"
---
That was a mistake.
---
A fatal one.
---
Lester moved.
---
Faster than Teresa had ever seen.
---
Closing the distance in seconds—
Ignoring the pain—
Ignoring the blood—
---
Grabbing the man—
And slamming him hard against the tunnel wall.
---
The crack echoed.
---
The man dropped.
Unconscious.
---
Lester didn't stop.
---
Didn't even look at him.
---
He pulled Teresa back instantly—
His hand gripping her face—
Checking—
Searching—
---
"Are you hurt?" he demanded.
---
She shook her head quickly.
"No."
---
His grip tightened slightly.
---
"Don't let anyone touch you," he said.
---
Her breath caught.
---
"I won't," she whispered.
---
But his eyes—
Didn't soften.
---
They darkened.
---
Like the thought alone—
Was enough to break something inside him.
---
"Good," he said.
---
Marcus fired another shot.
---
"We need to move!"
---
Lester grabbed her hand again—
Pulling her forward.
---
But then—
It happened.
---
A single shot.
---
Close.
---
Too close.
---
Marcus froze.
---
Just for a second.
---
Then—
He dropped.
---
"Marcus!" Teresa screamed.
---
Everything stopped.
---
Lester turned sharply—
His eyes widening.
---
"NO—"
---
Marcus hit the ground hard.
Blood spreading beneath him.
---
Victor stepped forward from the shadows.
Gun still raised.
---
"End of the line," he said calmly.
---
Teresa's chest tightened.
---
"No…"
---
Lester moved toward Marcus—
But another gunshot rang out—
Forcing him back.
---
"Stay where you are," Victor warned.
---
Lester's hands clenched into fists.
---
"Get up," he said.
To Marcus.
---
But Marcus didn't move.
---
Didn't respond.
---
Silence.
---
Heavy.
Final.
---
Teresa's eyes filled with tears.
---
Not again.
---
Not him.
---
Victor's gaze shifted to her.
---
"Come here."
---
Her body went rigid.
---
"No."
---
Lester stepped in front of her.
---
"You don't get her."
---
Victor smiled faintly.
---
"I already do."
---
Silence.
---
Because in some way—
He wasn't wrong.
---
Lester's voice dropped.
Lower.
Colder.
---
"You touch her again…"
A pause.
---
"I will burn everything you have."
---
Victor chuckled.
---
"That sounds familiar."
---
Another step forward.
---
"Let's test that."
---
The tension snapped.
---
Gunfire erupted again.
---
Lester turned—
Grabbing Teresa—
Pulling her with him—
---
They ran.
---
Past Marcus.
---
Past everything.
---
Because stopping meant—
Death.
---
Teresa looked back once—
Just once—
---
And her heart shattered.
---
Marcus wasn't moving.
---
At all.
---
Tears blurred her vision.
---
"Lester—"
---
"Don't," he said sharply.
---
His grip tightened.
---
"Don't look back."
---
Her chest tightened painfully.
---
But she faced forward.
---
Because he was still there.
---
Still fighting.
---
Still choosing her.
---
Even now.
---
Even bleeding.
---
Even breaking.
---
"I'm not losing you too," he said.
---
Her breath caught.
---
"What?"
---
His voice was rough now.
Raw.
---
"I've already lost enough."
---
Her heart ached.
---
"You're not losing me," she whispered.
---
He stopped suddenly.
---
Turned to her.
---
Right there—
In the middle of the chaos.
---
"You don't get it," he said.
---
His hand came up—
Gripping her face again.
---
"If it comes down to it…"
His voice dropped.
---
"I choose you."
---
Her breath hitched.
---
"Even if it destroys everything else."
---
Silence.
---
Explosive.
Terrifying.
Beautiful.
---
Then—
A loud rumble echoed through the tunnel.
---
The ground shook.
---
Cracks spread across the walls.
---
"Lester—" she gasped.
---
His eyes widened.
---
"They're collapsing it."
---
Victor's voice echoed faintly behind them.
---
"If I can't have control…"
A pause.
---
"No one does."
---
The tunnel began to cave in.
---
Fast.
---
Too fast.
---
Lester grabbed her—
Pulling her forward—
Running—
---
But the exit—
Was still too far.
---
Debris fell around them.
---
The ceiling cracked.
---
And just as they reached the end—
---
The ground beneath them—
Gave way.
---
Teresa screamed—
As everything disappeared beneath them.
---
And they fell—
Into darkness.
---
END OF CHAPTER 9