The night was thick with tension, the kind of suffocating weight that pressed down on Riley's chest as she sat in the back seat of the black SUV. Her brothers, Mike and Kyle, sat in the front, seemingly at ease, used to the routine by now. Another shipment, another night moving product for Sinclair. Except tonight wasn't like the others. Tonight was supposed to be the end.

Riley's hands gripped the seat tighter than necessary, her heart pounding against her ribs. She knew the warehouse they were heading toward was surrounded—SWAT teams and undercover officers hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to storm in and make the arrests. She had been feeding them intel for months, getting them closer and closer to Sinclair. This was the night everything was supposed to come crashing down.

But the closer they got, the heavier the weight in her chest grew. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of her brothers, sitting right beside her, completely unaware that in a matter of minutes, their lives were about to change forever. They would be arrested, charged, and most likely sent to prison for the rest of their lives. And it was all because of her.

A thought shot through her mind like a flash of lightning—Tell them to leave. She could warn them, just like she had done on patrol with Tim. She could tell them to get out, save themselves before it was too late. The thought gnawed at her as they pulled into the warehouse parking lot.

She glanced at Kyle's reflection in the rearview mirror. Mike was leaning against the door, checking his phone, while Kyle tapped his foot, humming to some tune in his head. They looked so calm, so unaware of the storm about to hit. Riley's throat tightened, and her hands shook. She could do it. She could just say the words, give them the heads-up, and maybe they'd have a fighting chance.

But she couldn't. She'd made her choice months ago when she agreed to go undercover. Telling them now would only tip off Sinclair, ruin everything, and leave her with no way out. Her brothers were already too far in. There was no saving them now.

"Alright, let's get this done," Mike said, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts.

Riley nodded, opening her door and stepping out into the cool nighttime air. The dim, flickering lights of the warehouse cast long shadows across the cracked concrete, making the place look as ominous as it felt. The air was still, too still. Her skin prickled with unease.

Minutes ticked by, and nothing happened. No trucks. No shipments. No sign of Sinclair.

Kyle frowned, leaning against the car and looking around. "Where the hell are they?"

Riley's stomach churned. Something was off. This wasn't how these deals went. There was always someone there to greet them, some sort of activity. But tonight, there was only silence.

She scanned the area, her pulse quickening. "Something is wrong," she muttered.

Mike and Kyle exchanged glances, standing up straighter. Riley's eyes darted around the lot, searching for any sign of movement, her instincts screaming that something was wrong.

And then she saw it.

In the reflection of one of the warehouse windows, a red dot danced on Riley's shoulder, barely noticeable in the darkness. Her blood ran cold. A laser sight.

She froze for a split second, the pieces clicking into place with horrifying clarity. This wasn't just a botched deal. This was a setup. Sinclair had known. He had known all along that she wasn't loyal, that she was playing both sides. This wasn't just a test—it was an execution.

"Riley, get down!" Mike roared, lunging toward her.

Just as he shoved her to the side, the shot rang out.

A bullet tore through the night air, and Mike crumpled to the ground with a pained grunt as Riley stumbled out of the way. Chaos erupted around them as the warehouse lot was suddenly flooded with SWAT teams and police, their shouts filling the night. Gunfire exploded from somewhere in the distance, and Riley instinctively ducked, grabbing Kyle by the arm and pulling him toward the SUV.

"Move!" she shouted, her voice shaking with panic. But Kyle wasn't moving—he was frozen in shock, staring at Mike's fallen form.

Before she could do anything, strong hands grabbed her from behind, pulling her away from the chaos as another shot rang out. She thrashed for a moment, trying to break free, but then she saw Luke's face, his expression grim and determined.

"Come on!" he yelled, dragging her toward one of the waiting squad cars as officers swarmed the area.

Riley's mind was spinning, her vision blurring with tears. She couldn't see Mike, couldn't tell if he was alive or if Kyle was okay. Everything was happening too fast, and her body was moving on autopilot as Luke shoved her into the passenger seat of the car.

"Wait!" she cried out, her voice cracking as she tried to climb out, but Luke slammed the door shut, his face pale with fear and anger.

"I've got you," he said, his voice rough. "We have to go. Now."

The car sped off, the sounds of gunfire and shouting fading into the background as they tore through the streets. Riley's hands shook violently in her lap, her mind a whirlwind of panic, guilt, and fear.

She didn't know if her brothers were alive. She didn't know if any of the officers had been hurt. And worst of all, Sinclair now knew the truth—she had failed. She was exposed.

Luke was driving with white-knuckled intensity, his jaw clenched tight. But as they put distance between themselves and the warehouse, Riley couldn't hold it together any longer. Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe, her vision blurring with hot tears.

"I don't know if they're alive," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Mike... Kyle... what if—what if they're—"

"Riley, stop," Luke said firmly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. His voice was tight, like he was trying to keep himself composed, but she could hear the fear in it. "We'll find out. Right now, you're safe, and that's what matters."

Riley shook her head, sobs wracking her body. "No, you don't understand. This is my fault. I... I betrayed them. They had no idea. They—" Her words choked off into a whimper, and she buried her face in her hands. "Mike took a bullet for me," she sobbed.

Luke pulled the car over abruptly, parking on the side of a deserted road. He turned toward her, his expression softening as he reached out, his hand trembling slightly as it brushed against her arm.

"Riley," he whispered, his voice cracking. "Look at me."

She lifted her tear-streaked face, her heart breaking under the weight of guilt and fear.

"This is not your fault," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "You did everything you could. Everything. Your brothers made their choices, but you didn't fail. You didn't."

Riley shook her head again, more tears spilling down her cheeks. "But they're gone. I don't even know if they—"

Luke pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as she sobbed against his chest. "We'll find out," he murmured, his voice shaking now too. "We'll find out. I promise."

For a moment, they sat there, the weight of everything pressing down on both of them. Riley clung to him, her heart shattered, her mind a mess of fear, guilt, and uncertainty.

Luke held her tighter, his grip almost desperate, like he was afraid to let her go. "I'm here," he whispered, his voice so soft she almost didn't hear it. "I'm always here."

His grip tightened momentarily before he released her. "We need to get out of here," he said, his voice rough as he turned back to the road. Riley pursed her lips and nodded, knowing there was no point in trying to argue with him.

The silence in the car was thick and heavy as Luke drove them away from the chaos of the bust. Riley stared out of the window, her mind racing, heart pounding in her chest. Luke hadn't said much since he'd pulled her from the scene, just a few quick instructions as he threw their phones into a nearby dumpster and drove off, navigating through streets she didn't recognize.

Every few miles, he'd glance over at her, concern etched deep into the lines of his face, but he didn't speak. He was as tense as she'd ever seen him, his jaw clenched, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, like he was afraid that if he let go for even a second, everything would fall apart.

After about thirty minutes, he pulled into an abandoned parking lot, far from any main roads. Without a word, he got out and opened her door, motioning for her to follow. Riley stepped out, the cold night air biting at her skin as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shake off the unease crawling up her spine.

Luke walked around the back of the car, grabbed a small duffel bag she hadn't noticed before, and led her down the street, moving quickly. He didn't explain, and she didn't ask. They both knew the drill.

After another ten minutes of walking, they flagged down a taxi. Luke paid in cash, a handful of bills exchanged without a word. The driver asked where they were headed, and Luke gave him an address halfway across town. It was just the first stop on their long, winding journey.

Over the next four hours, they switched taxis three more times, zigzagging through the city, each trip taking them further and further away from the scene of the bust. The tension between them remained, a thick, uncomfortable cloud of unspoken words and emotions hanging in the air. Neither of them wanted to be the first to break the silence.

Riley's mind was spinning. She replayed the events of the night over and over again in her head—the red dot, the gunfire, Mike falling to the ground. She had no idea if he was alive or dead. And Kyle—she hadn't seen him in the chaos. For all she knew, they were both gone. And if they weren't? A knot formed in her stomach. They would never forgive her.

By the time they reached the final stop, a small, run-down gas station in the middle of nowhere, Riley felt numb. Luke paid the last driver and led her to a nondescript car parked near the edge of the lot. He got in without saying a word, and she followed, exhaustion weighing down on her limbs as she sank into the passenger seat.

The drive took another hour, winding through dark, wooded roads until they finally arrived at a secluded cabin by the edge of a lake. It was the kind of place that didn't exist on maps, a hidden safe house meant for moments like these—when disappearing was the only option.

*******************

Author Note: 

I hope you're as happy as I am that daddy Luke is back in the picture! 

Spoiler alert - The title of the next chapter is 'A Single Bed' ;) 

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