Chapter 525
“It’s you…”
E
Alicia set the tray down and walked over to him, lowering her voice. “Don’t say anything. We’re getting you out of here.”
“Getting me out? Weren’t you the one who said you wouldn’t care if I died?”
Zeke was stunned. He’d known Alicia for a long time, but after he made it clear that his heart belonged to Caitlin, things between them had gone downhill. They’d fought, stopped speaking for ages. The last time they spoke was when he got shot–she was the one who removed the bullet and cared for him.
But before his wounds had healed, he insisted on leaving Shadow Moon Pavilion to go find Caitlin. Alicia had cursed him out, swearing she’d never care what happened to him again.
“I did say that,” Alicia snapped. “But you’re not dead, are you? Must be my rotten luck and a moment of poor judgment. Ugh. Guess I’ve got nothing better to do than save your sorry ass!”
Her mouth was harsh, but her actions were anything but. Underneath the attitude, she clearly still cared. It was always that way with her–sharp tongue, soft heart. No matter how much she insulted him, she never truly gave up on him. Too bad Zeke had never
noticed.
“Samir and the others have already left for the US. If you want to stop him, you need to act now. Follow my instructions and I’ll get
you out.”
She quickly filled him in on what was happening outside.
“Thank you… ”
Zeke was genuinely moved. Her loyalty hit him hard, and for once, he didn’t know what to say.
“Save it!” Alicia huffed. “You’ve owed me so many thanks by now you could stack them into a mountain. Not that it matters- you’ve never done anything meaningful anyway. Hmph, hypocrite.”
She gave him a side–eye while unlocking the heavy chains around his wrists and ankles. When she saw the bruises and welts on his skin, her face tightened with something between anger and pain.
Her team was already at work. The two unconscious guards had been injected with strong sedatives and were completely out cold.
They stripped one of the guards of his uniform and gave it to Zeke to wear. The plan was simple–swap places.
Alicia used her expert disguise skills to transform Zeke’s face to look like her assistant. Meanwhile, one of the sedated guards was made to look exactly like Zeke and left shackled in his place.
“No time to waste Let’s move!”
She dumped the untouched food and led the group out of the chamber.
Her two assistants stayed behind to guard the door while Zeke followed Alicia away from his prison
Thanks to her disguise work, they avoided all the checkpoints and made it back to Alicia’s quarters without raising suspicion
There Alicia parked a bag and handed Zeke a suflection of its and papers
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“I’ll be leaving the castle soon. You’re coming with me. I’ll get you across the border . ”
“Okay.”
Zeke’s gratitude for her ran deeper with every moment. He’d always thought of her as a sharp–tongued, high–maintenance brat. But today, he saw something else–fierce loyalty, fearlessness, and heart.
According to her plan, it wasn’t long before Zeke was in Alicia’s personal vehicle.
As both the castle’s physician and a military doctor for Graystone’s army, Alicia had unrestricted access between the castle and military zones. Her clearance made her one of the few people who could come and go freely.
But as they approached the gate, a new obstacle appeared.
“Per the leader’s orders, all departing personnel must verify their fingerprints,” a gate guard informed them, blocking the exit.
Alicia’s face froze. Her mind raced. She’d changed Zeke’s face, but not his fingerprints. That detail had slipped her mind completely.
Zeke heard it too. His expression darkened. This was a problem.
If they couldn’t pass this check, everything would fall apart.
Alicia rolled down the window and lashed out, her voice sharp and furious.
“You damn idiots–do you even know who I am? Do you think my time grows on trees? I’m headed to the front lines to save lives! It’s an emergency! Move. Now.”
“I’m sorry, Dr. Gonzales. These are the leader’s orders. We can’t make any exceptions.”
“Oh, really?” she sneered. “Then how about I call the boss himself?”
She dialed Zorro, and when he answered, she instantly changed tones–now whiny, pitiful, almost tearful.
“Mr. Preston! What’s going on? I need to get to the military clinic ASAP, but your people are stopping me. They’re demanding a fingerprint scan–what do they think I am, a criminal? This is wasting time! They’re already calling for me!”
Zorro chuckled at her dramatics.
“Alicia, you’re exempt. The scan doesn’t apply to you. Just let them know I said so. You have full clearance.”
“Perfect! ”
She hung up and turned back to the guards, smug as ever,
“Did you all go deal just now? Or maybe your brains are defective? The boss said I’m exempt My vehicle gets a free pass. Now lower that bridge now! If I miss my window to reach the clinic, I swear I’ll have you all executed!”
Known for her ruthless attitude, Alicia had even Zorro wrapped around her finger. The guards didn’t dare argue
“Lower the bridge!”
With that, the drawbridge came down, and Alicia’s car drove out of Graystone Castle without incident
They had made if
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As the castle shrank in the distance behind them, Zeke finally let out a long, silent breath.
“Thank you, Alicia…”
It was all he could manage.
Alicia frowned and rolled her eyes,
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“God, stop it with the thank–yous already! They’re basically worthless coming from you. I told you–I don’t want words. I want something real.”
“Then what do you want?”
Zeke was serious now. After everything she’d done, if there was anything he could give her in return, he would.
Alicia turned to him with a sly grin. Without warning, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him toward her.
Their faces were inches apart. Before he could react, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
“There. Consider that kiss your repayment.”
Then she pushed him away.
Zeke stumbled, hitting the car door behind him, stunned. His eyes were wide.
He’d never imagined Alicia would do something like that. That kiss… he couldn’t describe how it made him feel.
Arms folded, Alicia turned and gave him a sideways glance.
“What’s that look for? It’s just a kiss. You’re not gonna die from it. Sure, I’ve got a sharp tongue, but I promise my lips aren’t poisonous.
Besides, it’s not like you ended up with Trinity, right? I’m not exactly stealing anyone.”
She grinned, mischievous and bright, disarming as ever.
Zeke shook his head with a soft laugh. “Fine. If it makes you happy.”
“Oh? That was easy. What if I said I want to be even happier? If a kiss is your way of thanking me, then maybe you should spend the rest of your life doing just that.”
She teased him lightly, and Zeke didn’t respond–just smiled.
The tension between them had finally broken. Something had shifted.
Their band had changed.
Alicia drove him to the edge of Graystone’s borders, where she’d arranged for someone to pick him ups
“This is as far as I can take you from here on, you’re on your own”
As they stood beside the car, feks hesitated
“What they find out what you did ! What if you’re punished for helping me?”
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