Chapter 76: Sea-Bound Tension

Night envelops the ocean. The boat's engine hums, and the salt wind whips our hair. Zach navigates by a flickering GPS. We're battered, bruised, but alive—barely.

Elena slumps beside me, arms wrapped around her knees. I see the haunted look in her eyes. She's never taken a life before. I curl an arm around her, planting a soft kiss on her temple. Her shuddering breath slows, her gaze flicking to me with a mix of gratitude and sorrow.

We find a stash of blankets, huddling together in the stern. The boat bobs in the dark, Marta scanning the horizon for pursuers. Every shift of Elena's body against mine stirs a flicker of want, but grief and exhaustion overshadow it. For now, we hold each other, sharing fragile comfort in the star-flecked void.