YEARS EARLIER FLASHBACK

The motel room was silent, save for the faint hum of the broken AC unit. Sariyah lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the fire in her mind like a favorite movie. She could still see Dre's shadowed form screaming on the pavement, his world crumbling before him. The memory brought a faint smile to her lips.

She'd slept better in the last two nights than she had in months. For once, she wasn't looking over her shoulder. She felt...free.

But freedom, she was learning, was an illusion.

A loud crash jolted her awake. She shot upright, her heart hammering as the door to the motel room flew open, slamming against the wall.

Her breath caught when she saw him—Dre, standing in the doorway like a ghost risen from the ashes. His dreadlocks were wild, his face slick with sweat and grime. There was a raw fury in his eyes, a look she'd seen before but never quite like this.

"Think you smart, huh?" he snarled, stepping inside and slamming the door shut behind him.

Sariyah froze, her mind racing. She glanced toward the knife she'd hidden under the pillow, but Dre's hand shot up, holding a gun aimed straight at her.

"Don't even think about it," he warned, his voice low and deadly.

Sariyah's lips curved into a faint smirk, masking the fear clawing at her chest. "Took you long enough to find me."

Dre's nostrils flared as he crossed the room in two quick strides, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her to her feet.

"You think this some kinda joke?" he growled, his grip bruising. "You really thought you could burn my shit to the ground and just walk away?"

Sariyah met his glare, refusing to flinch. "I did walk away. And what? You here to cry about it?"

Dre's free hand shot out, slamming against the wall beside her head. She didn't flinch, even as his face hovered inches from hers.

"You got jokes," he said, his voice shaking with barely contained rage. "But I ain't laughin', Riri. Not when you tried to ruin me."

"You ruined yourself," she spat. "I just made sure there was no going back."

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them crackling like static. Then Dre shoved her back onto the bed, keeping the gun trained on her as he grabbed a chair and sat down, blocking the door.

"Three days," he muttered, more to himself than her. "Three days I been lookin' for you. You got me out here lookin' like a fool."

Sariyah sat up slowly, her gaze flicking between him and the gun. "You've always been stupid, Dre. I just helped you see it."

His hand tightened around the gun, his knuckles going white. "watch your mouth."

Sariyah leaned back against the headboard, her posture casual despite the tension in the room. "Or what? You gone kill me? Do it then. But you and I both know you won't."

Days went by and Dre didn't kill her. Instead, he kept her locked in the motel room, his paranoia driving every move. He took her burner phone, smashed it against the wall, and kept the gun in his hand at all times.

"You're mine," he'd say, pacing the room like a caged animal. "Ain't nobody takin' you from me."

Sariyah played along, her survival instincts kicking in. She softened her tone, apologized for the fire, told him she'd made a mistake.

"I was scared," she said one night, her voice trembling just enough to sell the lie. "I thought you were gonna hurt me again."

Dre stared at her for a long moment, his jaw tight. "I told you I wasn't gonna put my hands on you no more."

"You said that before," she whispered, lowering her gaze. "But I still wanted to believe you."

For a brief second, his expression faltered.

"You still believe me now?" he asked, his voice quieter.

Sariyah hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, Dre. I do."

The lie was sweet enough to disarm him. He relaxed, setting the gun down on the table.

By the third day, Dre's guard had dropped just enough. He still watched her closely, but the gun was no longer glued to his hand. Sariyah knew this was her chance.

Late that night, while Dre was distracted by the TV, Sariyah slipped the knife from the mattress. She hid it in the folds of her sweatshirt, her heart pounding as she waited for the right moment.

"Dre," she called, her voice soft.

He turned, his brow furrowed. "What?"

"I just...I just want us to be okay again," she said, stepping closer.

Dre frowned, suspicion flickering in his eyes. "What you talkin' about?"

Sariyah took another step forward, her hand tightening around the knife. "I mean it. I miss us. I miss...you."

For a moment, he softened. His shoulders relaxed, and the corners of his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile.

That's when she struck.

The knife plunged into his side, and Dre let out a strangled cry, stumbling back.

"You bitch!" he roared, grabbing for the gun.

Sariyah didn't hesitate. She lunged at him, driving the knife deeper as they crashed to the floor. They struggled, Dre's strength overpowering hers for a moment, but her desperation gave her an edge.

With one final push, she twisted the knife, and Dre went still beneath her.

Panting, Sariyah staggered to her feet, staring down at his lifeless body. Blood pooled around him, the metallic scent thick in the air.

She wiped her hands on her sweatshirt, grabbed her bag, and left the motel without looking back.

_

PRESENT DAY

The drive back from the cabin was quiet, thick with unspoken words. Kaelix had one hand on the wheel, the other resting lightly on his thigh as his eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead. Sariyah sat beside him, staring out the window. Her reflection in the glass looked haunted, her features tense.

Neither of them had spoken much since the bodies were buried. The weight of what they'd done pressed on them in different ways. For Sariyah, it was the lingering grip of fear, a voice whispering that this wasn't over. For Kaelix, it was the relentless need to protect her, to stay two steps ahead of whatever—or whoever—was coming for them.

When they pulled up to their apartment building, the sky was dim with the fading afternoon light. Kaelix parked the car in their usual spot, killing the engine. He glanced over at Sariyah, his jaw tightening when he saw the distant look in her eyes.

"You good?" he asked, his voice low but steady.

She nodded quickly, almost too quickly. "Yeah. Just tired."

Kaelix studied her for a moment longer, then sighed and got out of the car. He grabbed their bags from the backseat while Sariyah waited by the door, arms crossed against the cool breeze.

As they approached their front door, something caught Sariyah's eye. A bouquet of blood-red roses sat on the doorstep, wrapped neatly in white paper with a small card tucked into the ribbon.

"Kaelix..." she said softly, her voice tinged with confusion.

He stopped mid-step, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the flowers. "The hell is that?"

Sariyah's brow furrowed as she bent down to pick up the bouquet. The roses were fresh, the petals velvety and perfect. She glanced at Kaelix, then pulled the card free from the ribbon.

Her stomach dropped the moment she read the words.

"Hi baby, I hope you miss me. I'm coming home soon. — Love, Dre"

The card trembled in her hand, her breath catching in her throat.

Kaelix stepped closer, his voice sharp. "Who the fuck is sending you flowers?"

Sariyah looked up at him, her face pale. "I thought they were from you..." she murmured, her voice trailing off as she held the card out to him.

Kaelix snatched the card, his eyes scanning the words. His jaw clenched so tight that the muscles in his face twitched. "Dre?" he repeated, his tone dangerously low.

Sariyah didn't say anything, her mind racing.

Kaelix crumpled the card in his hand, his eyes locking onto hers. "Sariyah. What the fuck is this?"

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her heart pounded in her chest, the weight of her secret crashing down on her.

Kaelix stepped closer, his voice hardening. "Talk to me, Who the fuck is Dre?"

Sariyah's lips parted, her throat dry. Finally, she whispered, "I have something to tell you."