Elly knelt on the thinning carpet of the apartment, her fingers moving deftly as she zipped up the light jacket Felix wore. The Montana summer sun filtered through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating motels of dust dancing in the air.
"Since it's still summer, how would you like to go to the amusement park?" Elly whispered. She tried to sound cheerful, though her eyes were still a bit puffy. She stroked Felix's cheek gently. "We didn't get a chance to go last summer, did we? Now that the air is warm, let's go."
Felix looked at his mother with wide, innocent eyes, slightly confused by the sudden change of plans. "Aren't you going to work at the hotel, Mama?"
"I asked Maria to help cover for me for the next two days," Elly replied, forcing the sweetest smile she possessed. She didn't want Felix to sense the fear creeping through her veins. "So, for these two days, Mama belongs entirely to Felix. We're going to have fun, okay?"
At that, Felix's small face instantly brightened. Without warning, he threw himself into Elly's arms, wrapping his small limbs tightly around his mother's neck. "Felix loves Mama."
Elly's chest tightened with profound emotion. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of the shampoo in her son's hair.
"Mama loves Felix much more," Elly murmured, the words sounding almost like a vow that she would protect this boy with her life.
Elly stood up, wiping away a stray tear with the back of her hand. She snatched her small bag and took Felix's warm, tiny hand in hers.
"Let's go," Elly said firmly.
She opened the apartment door and stepped out, casting a wary glance toward the end of the corridor before leading Felix toward the stairs.
Elly walked briskly toward the Mountain Line bus stop located two blocks from her apartment. In Missoula, the blue and white buses were a lifeline for people like her. The zero fare service allowed her to save a few extra dollars for Felix's needs.
"Come on, sweetie, the bus is here," Elly said, gently tugging Felix's hand as the large vehicle came to a stop with a loud hiss of air brakes at the edge of Higgins Avenue.
Elly did not notice that just a few yards behind the bus, a luxury black SUV was cruising slowly. Behind the wheel, Erick's sharp eyes narrowed, locking onto the figure he recognized all too well as she guided a small boy through the bus doors.
"Elly?" Erick whispered. His heart hammered against his ribs, a mix of rage and disbelief. He immediately hit the brakes, slowing his pace and pulling the vehicle onto the shoulder of the road for a moment just to ensure his eyes weren't deceiving him.
Inside the bus, Elly and Felix chose a seat in the middle row, right next to a large window. Felix pressed his face against the glass, staring in wonder at the Sentinel Mountains that surrounded the city of Missoula.
Elly let out a sigh of relief, feeling safe within the crowded public transit, completely unaware that a pair of eyes was watching her from the same stretch of asphalt.
As the bus roared back to life and merged into Missoula traffic, Erick steered his car back onto the road without a second thought. He maintained a safe distance, trailing right behind the bus, following every stop and turn the large vehicle made.
"So you lied about your son's condition, Elly," Erick muttered. His grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles turned white. Anger began to sear his chest. "The boy looks perfectly fine. You were just trying to avoid me."
Erick snorted roughly. "Pointless of me to feel... worried."
Erick suddenly flinched at his own words. "No! Worried? Why would I worry about that brat!" Erick cursed softly, trying to deny the strange fluttering in his heart that had felt like genuine anxiety when he heard Maria's report about Felix being sick.
A thin, cold smirk appeared on Erick's lips. He caught his reflection in the mirror, then locked his gaze back onto the rear of the bus.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson, Elly. You think you can run from me? You're dead wrong," Erick hissed. He continued to stalk them, waiting for the exact moment Elly stepped off the bus to show her that today's escape was futile.
The bus finally pulled over with a heavy hiss of brakes in front of the park gates. Elly held Felix's hand, carefully guiding her son down the bus steps. The moment his small feet hit the sidewalk, Felix's eyes rounded in awe at the magnificent dragon-themed wooden gates of Dragon Hollow.
"A dragon, Mama! Look!" Felix shouted with glee. The trauma of the previous night seemed to evaporate, replaced by pure, childhood enthusiasm. Without warning, he broke free of Elly's grip and bolted toward the play area, his crisp laughter cutting through the morning crowd.
"Felix! Wait, sweetie!" Elly gasped. Her heart dropped as she watched her son run off into the throng of people. Her breath hitching, she immediately gave chase.
At the same time, Erick's black SUV roared up and screeched to a halt right next to a fire hydrant, a blatant no parking zone. Erick didn't care. He slammed his car door shut with a heavy thud, not even turning when a parking attendant began blowing a whistle at him.
Erick's eyes were locked onto Elly as she ran after her child. A cold smirk played on his face. He adjusted his jacket briefly, then strode into the park with long, purposeful steps.
Amidst the cacophony of children's laughter and the whimsical melodies of the Missoula carousel, Erick moved like a shadow, ensuring he never lost sight of Elly.
"Mama, I want ice cream!" Felix exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as his small finger pointed toward a wooden stall not far from the Dragon Hollow gates. The sweet aroma of toasted waffles hung heavy in the Missoula summer air, tempting anyone who passed by.
Elly breathed a sigh of relief to see her son cheerful again. "Alright, sweetie. Let's go," she answered softly, taking Felix's hand and leading him toward the stall counter, which was beginning to attract a line.
When they reached the display case, Felix pressed his face to the glass, staring at the rows of colorful ice cream tubs. "I want strawberry, the pink one!"
The ice cream vendor, a teenager in a friendly uniform hat, smiled widely. With practiced ease, he scooped the soft, pale pink cream onto a crunchy cone and handed it to Felix. "Here you go, young man. Enjoy!"
Felix accepted it enthusiastically, his tongue immediately licking the edges of the melting ice cream. Meanwhile, Elly reached into her somewhat frayed crossbody bag, searching for her wallet. Her fingers had just touched a five dollar bill when a tall shadow fell across her back.
"I'll pay."
The deep, baritone voice sounded dangerously close to Elly's ear. It was cold, authoritative, and terrifyingly familiar.
The blood in Elly's veins seemed to stop cold. Her body stiffened instantly, her fingers freezing inside her bag. Slowly, she turned, and her world felt as if it were collapsing when her eyes met a pair of dark eyes staring at her with a terrifying intensity.
Erick? Elly's mind shrieked.
She stared in disbelief, her breath caught in her throat. Standing directly behind her was Erick Vanderbilt, looking strikingly out of place in his expensive suit, watching her with a thin, menacing smirk.