RUSH ― han lue

ELEVATOR

Dinner came through while I was already on my seventh bottle of the night. I tried keeping a level head just so I could enjoy the food, and the way that Dom and Brian cooked that beef was wonderful enough that I had to stop and get something before it runs out. The twins were also able to score a few things quite magically like an old couch, makeshift tables, and for some reason, speakers that blasted rap music. They reeled in the compliments of that while I was sitting on the stairs, trying to inhale food when it seemed as if I'd forgotten to consume anything but beer and cigarettes since coming here.

"They're on the move." Curse blew right out of my mouth as soon as Mia spoke. I was barely halfway through my food but I had to let go of it the minute Dom began rounding us up and tasking us to follow the cars. The CCTV picked up a movement near the second cash house and we immediately have to move and watch out for the others, while I was attempting to ride with Brian like initially planned since I didn't have my own yet—a car stopped in front of me before I could even cross the way, and the daunting look in his face told Brian it wasn't his lucky day.

I had a choice, either I ignore him and jump over the hood, make this considerably harder and slower for all of us. Or, get there as fast as we can and suck it up. Time was the biggest factor of all so I grunted loud, opened the door in one swipe, and hopped in—banging it closed in the process. The car immediately screeched out and we all took different ways and began driving around the city with full precaution.

I lost the ability to breathe well when I could physically feel him beside me. The car was smaller on the inside than I expected, and the proximity was killing my insides so I had to pull up a cigarette and light it in between my lips to help me calm down. It wasn't difficult to look away, but what made it incredibly intolerable was the way he was sighing every minute as if he wanted to say something to me but couldn't. And I really hope he wouldn't. I'd like to think that there are things in this world better left alone—"You know, Violet, you could've at least given me the courtesy of letting me know you're married."

"Would you have easily believed me when I say I'm not?" I heard him huff, glancing briefly and watching his hands curl aggressively on the steering wheel.

"I know what I did to you but—what the hell?" The frustration in his voice ache my chest but I willed myself away, finding we're close to the cash house and that Han had already stopped a few feet away from men loading a truck with big bags. One was carrying a gun while on the lookout so we had to lower ourselves down a bit while I slowly pulled the safety of my own gun, just in case. It was a slightly bigger cash house than the others so it was taking five men some time to load everything up, which consecutively made me shiver from the thought that it's so much money, in one lifetime, for only one person. "What happened, Vi?"

"We have work to do. Keep your eyes on the car, they're almost done." I finally mumbled, feeling a lump on my throat at the same time.

"I wasn't going to make the same fucking mistake, Violet." Damn it.

"They're moving. Let's go."

I didn't watch him as he started the car, and as he drove a few vehicles back to make sure we don't raise suspicion. We just followed it around as it cruised over the dark city and stopped when it made a much unexpected turn. Consecutively, Tej's voice blared on the radio, "I know you all said they were consolidating the money somewhere, but, ya'll ain't gonna believe this."

We received a location where we could gather discreetly to see the kind of basket we've been handed with and it was at the top of this old building that looked sketchy at most.

We went inside and I realized it was a hotel. Gloomy and almost empty but when we got there, it seems everyone minded their own business and didn't look for longer than 3 seconds when we passed by and went through. The elevator was the brightest thing in the place and I was relieved to get inside and push the door close, almost forgetting who I was with when I glanced to my right and saw Han was fixated on the elevator door with our blurry figure a few feet away from each other. I was grateful for what little relief it offered, though I wasn't so sure if it was from his utter silence or that we're inside a slow elevator, just the two of us, surrounded by nothing else than this. Maybe I was losing my shit, but that idea seemed better to grasp than admitting I was just as soft as I was the first time around.