It was just past 2 a.m., the city quiet and shadowed, the sky a vast, starless expanse as Noah swiftly ushered Vivian into his parked car outside his apartment. Vivian slipped into the passenger seat, heart already pounding fiercely, adrenaline making her pulse race uncomfortably fast beneath her skin. Her fingers gripped tightly around the cold metal window breaker Noah had handed her earlier, the pointed tip pressing against her palm, a sharp reminder of what was about to unfold.

  As Noah slid into the driver’s seat, his eyes scanned their surroundings carefully, pretending a tense vigilance he didn't entirely feel. He turned to Vivian suddenly, expression grave, eyes searching her face, quietly gauging her resolve. His voice was unusually serious, edged with genuine caution.

  “Last chance, Viv. You know we could actually die, right?”

  Vivian forced herself to breathe evenly, meeting his gaze steadily despite her fear. She nodded stiffly, fighting to keep her voice steady. “I know.”

  Noah stared at her for a moment longer, something flickering behind his dark eyes—dangerous excitement mixing with quiet pride at her courage. Then, his lips curved into a wicked, exhilarated grin, and his eyes sparked with that reckless fire Vivian had grown to recognize.

  “Okay, then fuck it. Let’s do it.”

  Without warning, Noah leaned across the console, his mouth crashing into hers with a raw, desperate hunger. Vivian’s breath snagged, shock swallowed by a torrid rush of adrenaline and a deeper, unnamed ache she couldn’t dodge. His lips claimed hers, hot and unrelenting, a bruising demand that left no room for hesitation. She met him head-on, her mouth opening under his, tongues clashing. He tasted of risk and heat, his breath ragged against her lips as he pressed closer, one hand gripping the back of her neck, fingers digging in just enough to sting.

  His other hand slid to her jaw, tilting her head to deepen the kiss, a hungry edge to the way his tongue swept against hers, coaxing and commanding all at once. Her pulse roared, as she arched into him, caught in the storm of it. As he nipped her lower lip, biting her gently, he drew a shudder from her and her hands curled in his shirt, pulling him closer.

  Then, he broke away, the separation abrupt and jarring. They were both panting, chests heaving as they stared at each other, inches apart. Noah’s eyes were dark pools, nearly black, glistening with something untamed—lust, adrenaline, a flicker of awe. He swallowed hard, brushed her cheek with his thumb, his voice rough and low as he murmured, “For luck.”

  Vivian shook her head slightly, forcing her racing pulse back under control as Noah sat back and started the engine. The low growl of the motor filled the silence of the deserted street, and he pulled away quickly, headlights slicing sharply through the darkness. Vivian’s fingers tightened reflexively around the window breaker as she stared out the windshield, her thoughts sharply refocusing on the plan ahead.

  They had barely turned out of his apartment complex when Noah’s eyes flicked briefly toward the rearview mirror, tension tightening his jaw.

  “Company’s here,” he announced calmly, eyes never leaving the road. Vivian instinctively turned slightly in her seat, noticing the glaring headlights of a vehicle slipping into traffic a few cars behind, deliberately keeping its distance but never losing sight.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Vivian’s heart thudded painfully again, anxiety surging anew as her grip tightened further around the small metal tool in her hand, fingers aching with the force of her hold. She glanced sideways at Noah, noting the sharp intensity etched into his features—the subtle tightness of his jaw, the absolute focus in his eyes as he navigated swiftly and smoothly through the sparse nighttime traffic. She felt another sharp spike of anxiety in her chest, though strangely comforted by Noah’s calm control.

  Noah expertly shifted lanes without signaling, sharply accelerating before abruptly slowing again, deliberately erratic enough to keep the pursuing vehicle engaged without making it overly obvious he was baiting them. Vivian’s throat tightened as she realized how close behind them the headlights had drawn, bright and relentless. Her grip tightened further around the window breaker, the hard edges biting sharply into her palm, grounding her amidst the rising fear.

  “Viv,” Noah’s voice cut through her thoughts, calm and steady. “Listen carefully. When we hit the water, you press that breaker into the corner of your window and push hard. Remember, you have about thirty seconds to get out, understand?”

  She swallowed hard, nodding sharply, the device feeling suddenly heavy in her palm.

  “Got it,” she replied firmly, voice stronger than she felt.

  He spared her another quick glance, visibly pleased at her determination despite the tremor she tried to hide in her voice.

  The vehicle behind them had closed the distance, headlights glaring aggressively now, clearly following them. Noah’s pulse quickened, eyes narrowing sharply with satisfaction as he jerked the wheel sharply to the left, veering onto a side road that twisted precariously along the edge of the cliffs toward Lands End. The ocean shimmered darkly in the distance, waves crashing violently against the rocks far below.

  Vivian’s heart slammed against her ribs, her breathing quickening again despite her attempts to remain composed. She risked another glance at Noah, noticing the faint exhilaration playing subtly across his features, the gleam of danger lighting his eyes. Vivian clenched her fingers even tighter around the window breaker, focusing desperately on steadying her breathing.

  Noah suddenly accelerated sharply, weaving skillfully around slower vehicles, each turn and maneuver deliberately aggressive yet expertly controlled. Vivian felt the car jerk beneath her, adrenaline surging hotly through her veins, her heartbeat echoing loudly in her ears.

  Ahead, the shadowy outline of Lands End loomed ominously against the moonlit sky, cliffs plunging steeply into the dark, restless ocean below. Vivian’s pulse spiked sharply with renewed anxiety, dread tangling tightly in her stomach. This was it: no going back now.

  Noah’s heartbeat quickened, excitement surging through him with every beat. He lived for this—the risk, the rush, the thrill of knowing they were balanced precariously between survival and disaster. The realization that after tonight, Doll Face would be entirely his thrilled him deeply, sending a sharp twist of exhilaration through his gut.

  Noah glanced over at her briefly, his voice quiet but edged with genuine urgency now.

  “Here we go, Viv. Brace yourself.”

  Vivian tightened her grip further, eyes fixed forward as she nodded quickly. “Okay.”

  Noah’s foot pressed harder his expression was wild, eyes bright with reckless exhilaration. The engine roared loudly as the car surged forward, barreling rapidly toward the cliff edge. The edge rushed closer, an ominous black line marking the boundary between earth and empty air, illuminated starkly by the moonlight. Vivian’s heart hammered violently in her chest, breath locked painfully in her lungs.

  Vivian felt her stomach lurch, her entire body bracing instinctively. Her breath caught sharply, pulse deafening in her ears, heart hammering wildly.

  Then, in one breathless instant, the car surged past the guardrails and launched into empty air, the ocean waiting darkly below.