The Calm Before the Storm

Fiona POV

The night was thick with tension, every shadow in the room stretching long like fingers reaching out to grab us. We had made our decision—no more running, no more hiding. Xavier's words echoed in my mind, repeating over and over like a haunting melody. "We stop running." And yet, the weight of that choice, of staying put when we both knew Jeremy and Sophia were tracking us, felt like a ticking time bomb.

The hotel room felt smaller than it was, as if the walls were closing in on us. Every creak of the floorboards, every soft exhale of air from the HVAC system made my skin prickle. The windows were closed, the curtains drawn tight, but I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. I had no idea how long we could stay here without being discovered, but for now, it seemed like the only option.