Chapter 13

Rowan

As I sat by the campfire, watching the dancing flames cast an orange glow over the forest, my mind wandered to the future. I couldn't help but think about it. It was important to me, after all.

And I was thinking specifically about the new life growing inside me. I placed a hand on my still-flat stomach, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I couldn't wait to become a father.

I thought back to all the moments I imagined that happening and couldn't quite believe it was happening for real this time.

Being a father was something I had always wanted, even before I met Diego. He was helping me realize my dream. After doing so much for me, he became the most important person in the world to me.

I knew Diego shared my excitement. We wouldn't be together if he didn't care so much about me, after all.

We had talked about having children together, and he had been just as eager as I was. Of course, my pregnancy had only started, and we hadn't shared the news with anyone yet.

We hadn't had the opportunity to do that yet, after all. We were still on the run from the cartel.

For now, as much as I didn't want it, it felt like our little secret. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but at the moment, there were no buildings and we were in the middle of nowhere. Plus, we couldn't make much noise. We couldn't attract unwanted attention to ourselves.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Diego's deep voice interrupted my reverie, and I turned to find him standing behind me, his eyes warm as they met mine. He almost startled me, but after my eyes registered it was him, relief washed over me. He could make me feel calm no matter the circumstances.

"Oh, just thinking about the future," I replied, my smile growing. "Our future."

He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and resting his chin on my head. It was like we weren't running away from the cartel anymore. It was as though we didn't have anything to worry about.

"Our future together, with our little one," he murmured, his voice full of love and wonder. "I can't wait to meet them."

I leaned back into his embrace, relishing the feeling of his strong arms around me. "Me too," I murmured. "I just hope they know how much they're already loved. I plan to love them as much as possible."

Diego kissed the top of my head. "They will because we'll never stop reminding them. I'll make sure of it."

I closed my eyes, soaking in the warmth of the moment. His words made me chuckle. If there was something I knew would happen, it was that. He was going to be a good father, I knew.

This all felt like a dream come true. Here I was, with the man I loved, starting a family. It was everything I had ever wanted, and more. Though, I had to be honest, first we had something important to deal with. We had to make the cartel stop hunting us somehow. How to do that? I had no idea.

"We should get going if we want to make it to the safe house before nightfall," Diego said, sounding worried. He was concerned about what might happen. I shared his sentiment. We both didn't know what was going to happen.

I nodded, knowing he was right. We had been on the run from the cartel for days, and while we had managed to stay one step ahead of them, it was a constant game of cat and mouse. I couldn't help but wonder how much longer we could keep outrunning them.

The safe house Diego had mentioned was supposed to be a temporary refuge, a place where we could rest and regroup before moving on to our next destination. So, we had to leave this place as soon as possible. Staying in one place for too long was detrimental to our efforts.

As we packed up our meager belongings, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled in my stomach. I felt something bad was going to happen, but with Diego keeping me safe, shouldn't we be fine? But then, what if we encountered something he couldn't deal with? What then? What would we do? So many questions and so few answers. It was maddening.

I had grown accustomed to this life of running and hiding, but it never got any easier. Would it ever? I didn't think so. That was something I should put into my mind and forget about it.

The next time we went somewhere, I hoped it would be the last, that we would finally find a place to settle down and raise our child in peace. And yet, that objective appeared to be further away from us. My heart was tight just realizing that.

Diego must have sensed my apprehension because he squeezed my hand as we walked. He understood me perfectly, which was one of the reasons why he was meant to be with me. I had never felt surer about that.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand. Who could've thought he could be so gentle? "We're almost there."

I nodded, grateful for his unwavering support. It meant so much to me and made such a big difference.

"I know. I'm just tired of running."

He pulled me closer, his free hand sliding around my waist. "I know, love. But we're in this together. We'll get through it. I know we will."

His words comforted me, and I leaned into his side, drawing strength from his presence. His warmth enveloped me, making me feel safe and loved.

We had been walking for about an hour when the peaceful sounds of the forest were shattered by the roar of motorcycle engines. I didn't like this at all.

My heart sank as I recognized the distinctive sound of the Nightshade Wolves' enforcers. They had found us again. We never had a moment of peace. Those people were always in our tail.

"Run!" Diego shouted, pushing me behind him as he drew his gun. He was going to do something dangerous and I didn't know if he was going to survive. He had to, though. Without him, I wouldn't know what to do.

I didn't need to be told twice, too. I took off through the trees, my heart pounding in my chest. I was running as fast as possible, but it still didn't feel enough. I didn't know if I could ever run fast enough to feel safe from the cartel.

I could hear the sound of gunfire behind me, and I knew Diego was holding them off, giving me a chance to escape. He was willing to sacrifice himself for me. I could never thank him enough. He had to come back to me.

I was still running as fast as I could, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I had to put as much distance between myself and the cartel members as possible. Otherwise, what would I do? I couldn't fight them. I knew doing that would be a mistake and we couldn't make any more mistakes.

The sound of the motorcycles grew fainter, and I allowed myself a small glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I had lost them. Or maybe something else was happening. The next seconds were crucial.

And my relief was short-lived. I knew there was a chance it was going to be like that, but I was still surprised. My heart was in my throat and I was shocked too.

The sound of an engine revving behind me made my heart sink. One of them had broken off from the group and was now pursuing me alone. They weren't all stupid. One of them must have seen that I was running away and immediately started to chase me. That was what must have happened.

I could hear the bike getting closer, the rider no longer bothering with stealth. Did he ever? Maybe, before, I just didn't hear him rushing toward me. That was the explanation that made the most sense to me.

I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw the rider gaining on me, his face hidden behind a black helmet. Panic surged through me, and I pushed myself to run faster, my lungs burning with the effort. And yet, it didn't seem it was going to be enough. He was so much faster than me on his motorcycle, after all.

I veered off the path, hoping to throw the rider off my trail. But I didn't think it was really going to work. I wasn't as smart as I thought I was.

I crashed through the underbrush, branches scratching at my face and arms, but I didn't slow down. For the safety of our baby, I had to take the risk. I didn't even want to think about what the cartel would do to me if they found out I was pregnant. They were cruel. They were capable of anything.

Just when I thought I might be able to lose him, I tripped over a hidden root and went tumbling to the ground. Pain shot through my body, but I forced myself to my feet, knowing I had to keep running.

I was now more worried about our baby than before. Did I hurt them? We hadn't even had time to know if it was going to be a boy or a girl. I hated that. I wished I could do something about it, but I couldn't. My only concern, at the moment, should be our safety.

The rider was almost on me now, and I could see the gun in his hand. He was going to shoot. He didn't even care if the cartel would receive the payment later or not for my debt. His boss wanted me dead and that was everything that mattered.

Desperation lent me speed, and I darted behind a large tree, pressing myself against it as the rider skidded to a stop in front of me. I didn't even know I could run faster. I thought I was already at my limit.

I held my breath, praying he hadn't seen me. Yet, I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. He was prowling, assessing the situation.

Then, his helmeted head turned in my direction, and I knew he had seen me. It was all happening just as I thought it was going to. These could be my last seconds of life.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the shot that would end my life. But it never came. Wait, what happened? My heart was in my throat and I couldn't think straight.

I heard the sound of a struggle, grunts of pain, and the revving of the motorcycle engine. I didn't want to open my eyes, fearing too much what might be happening.

But I still had to do it, and my eyes flew open, peeking around the tree to see Diego grappling with the rider. He was saving me! Just like before so many times, he was putting himself at risk for me. I felt so thankful. I wished I could pepper him with several kisses right now, but I couldn't do it.

Diego and the assailant were locked in a fierce battle, each trying to gain the upper hand. I was cheering for Diego and I knew he was going to win, and yet, I still felt I had to do something to help. But what? I didn't even know where to begin.

Diego was injured, I realized with a start a few seconds later. There was a gash on his arm, and his movements were slower than usual. But he was still fighting, still trying to protect me. My heart was tight. He was injured and needed my help. I didn't know much about dressing wounds, but I would still do something. We just needed to be alone for that.

The rider managed to wrench himself free and swung his gun towards Diego. I cried out, certain I was about to watch the love of my life be gunned down in front of me. No, that couldn't happen. I knew he was invincible.

Diego was faster. With a snarl, he lunged, tackling the rider to the ground. The gun went off, the bullet embedding itself in the tree next to me. I flinched, my heart pounding, as Diego and the rider rolled on the ground, trading punches.

It was over in seconds. Diego rose to his feet, standing over the unconscious rider. He was breathing heavily, his face a mask of determination. Finally. We were safe.

I stumbled out from behind the tree, my legs like jelly. I was so nervous I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

"Diego," I whispered, my voice hoarse with relief. "Are you okay?"

He turned to me, his eyes softening. Relief washed over me. I knew he could pretend he was okay even though he was hurt, but in this instance, I knew he was fine for the most part.

"I'm fine, love. Are you hurt? I was so worried about you."

I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears. I wasn't one hundred percent okay, but it was nothing to worry about.

"No, but you are. You need help."

His gaze dropped to his arm, and he grimaced. "It's just a scratch. Let's get out of here before his friends come looking for him. We don't have time to waste."

I nodded, knowing he was right. We had to keep moving. I didn't want to go anywhere. I just wanted to be left alone by the cartel, but we both knew that wasn't going to happen.

I helped Diego bind his wound with a strip of fabric torn from my shirt, and then we set off again, moving away from the scene of the fight. That was a moment we would always remember. If luck was on our side, later, in the future, we would talk about how close we got to dying.

I glanced back over my shoulder, half-expecting to see more cartel members bearing down on us, but the forest was quiet. It was eerily quiet. It made me think that something else was going to happen, but we couldn't be so unlucky, right? At least, I was hoping we weren't going to be.

We walked in silence for a while, the weight of what had just happened hanging over us. His hand was soft, giving me comfort. Without it, I would be feeling a lot more anxious.

I knew Diego was in pain, but he didn't complain, gritting his teeth and pushing forward. His determination and strength never ceased to amaze me. No matter what he was feeling, he didn't want me to worry. It didn't work. I was still worried, but that was the way he was.

After a while, we reached a small stream, the water sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight. Finally, a good place to stay, at least for now.

Diego sank down onto the bank, his shoulders sagging with relief. I shared his relief. After that close call with the cartel members, we were both thinking we were lucky to be alive.

"We should rest here for a bit," he said, his voice tight with pain. I worried about that. "I need to tend to this wound before it gets infected. I can't let that happen and we can't go to a hospital. Doing that would be a mistake."

I nodded, my eyes taking in the serene setting. It felt like a small oasis amid the chaos of our lives. For now, we could relax, though, obviously, not for much longer.

"I'll see if I can find some plants to help with the healing. There's gotta be something around here," I said, already spotting some familiar medicinal herbs growing along the bank. I didn't know much about them, only that they could help.

Diego leaned back against a tree, his eyes closing. He exhaled loudly, relaxing, even if only for now. Given the kind of person he was and the environment where he probably grew in, he couldn't relax much.

"That would be great, love. I trust your knowledge of herbs."

I chuckled slightly, but he didn't notice it. If I told him I actually didn't know much about herbs, would it make him stop me and deny my help? I didn't think so, but there was still no point in saying that.

I set to work, gathering the plants I needed and crushing them with a smooth stone to release their healing properties. I mixed the paste with water from the stream, creating a simple poultice that I applied to Diego's wound. He hissed as the paste made contact with his injured skin, but he didn't pull away.

He was tough. He had suffered much worse than this. I didn't ask him about it, but he had probably had worse wounds than what my eyes were seeing.

"It'll help with the pain and speed up the healing," I explained, my hands gentle as I bandaged his arm again.

"Thanks, love," he murmured, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine. "You always know what to do. And, of course, I trust you. I know you're going to do the best for me."

I smiled, my heart swelling with love for this man. "I just want to take care of you and our little one. You both mean so much to me."

Diego's eyes softened, and he reached out to cup my cheek. His hand was soft, giving me comfort. No matter what, he could always make me feel better. That was one of his best attributes.

"And you do, every single day. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm grateful. If I could go back, I would save you every single time."

I leaned into his touch, my eyes closing as I savored the warmth of his hand against my skin. I wanted to be doing more than just this, but we couldn't. We had to prioritize what was most important. First, our safety. Then, we could figure out what to do about our situation with the cartel.

"We take care of each other," I whispered. "That's what we do. Without doing that, we would be lost. Probably dead, to be honest."

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of the gently flowing stream lulling me into a sense of peace. But it was short-lived. After all, we were out in the open. Anybody could see us from miles away. We couldn't stay here for much longer.

"So, have you thought any more about names for the baby?" Diego asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

I rolled my eyes, a small smile playing at the corners of my mouth. He was thinking about that right now? I couldn't believe it.

"Really? Now? We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet. Not enough time has passed yet."

He shrugged, a lazy smile on his lips. "So? We can still discuss names. I have a few ideas I want to run by you. I'm sure you want to do that. I can see it in your eyes."

I couldn't help but laugh, even as I shook my head. "Fine, fine. What names did you have in mind? Don't leave out a single one."

His eyes sparkled with excitement as he launched into a list of names, some traditional, some unique. I listened, my heart full to bursting as we imagined the future of our little family. I had so many dreams. Could I make them all real? I didn't know. The next days were going to be crucial.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the stream, Diego's eyes drifted closed again. I was worried. Did something happen? Was he losing too much blood? No, it couldn't be that.

I watched him, my heart overflowing with love. He had fought off our pursuers, despite his injury, and now he was exhausted. Yeah, that was what was happening. It couldn't be that his life was at risk. It wasn't anymore.

"Diego?" I whispered, my voice full of concern. "Are you okay? Please tell me you are. I don't want to worry so much about you. It's not good for both of us."

He didn't respond, and I placed a hand on his cheek, my thumb brushing his stubbled jaw. His skin was warm, and I bit my lip, hoping he wasn't running a fever. He was strong, so I knew he was going to pull through. A few minutes from now, he should open his eyes again.

His eyes fluttered open, as if reading my thoughts, and he offered me a tired smile. "I'm fine, love. Just a little tired. We can rest here for now."

I nodded, not entirely convinced, but knowing there was little I could do. Not to mention, I was tired as well. My body didn't want to go anywhere. It just wanted to be sitting right where I was.

"Get some rest, then. I'll keep watch. I'm not good enough in a fight, but I can scream when I need to."

He didn't argue, and within moments, his breathing evened out, and I knew he was asleep. He could fall asleep so quickly. I wasn't like that. It always took me a while before I could relax and fall asleep.

I sat vigil by his side, my eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any signs of danger. The peaceful setting belied the danger we were in, and I knew we couldn't let our guard down, not even for a moment.

The place looked peaceful, but its peace could be shattered at any moment by the cartel. They were probably out there hunting us, trying to sniff our scent.

As the moon rose, bathing the forest in soft silver light, I found myself dozing off, my head resting on Diego's uninjured shoulder. I started at a noise, my eyes flying open to find Diego stirring.

Relief washed over me. He was finally waking up again. I knew that it meant we were going to be leaving this place soon.

"Diego?" I whispered, my hand tightening on his arm. "Are you okay? Please tell me you are feeling better."

He stretched, a groan escaping his lips. "I'm better, actually. Feeling much more like myself. With your help, of course I was going to feel much better. It couldn't be any different."

I exhaled loudly and sagged against him. It was one of the few moments I felt at peace. It was going to be short-lived, but for now, I could relish it.

"Thank goodness. I was so worried."

He pulled me closer, his arm tightening around my shoulders. His muscles made me feel even safer, not to mention, also slightly aroused. But I ignored that. It wasn't time to be feeling horny.

"I know, love. But I'm fine now. Let's get some rest and continue our journey in the morning."

I nodded, my eyes already drifting closed again. It was difficult for me to think about standing up and moving again, but we didn't have many other options. It was either that or risking the cartel finding us again.

"Okay," I murmured, snuggling closer to his side. His warmth enveloped me even more than before. "I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered, his voice warm and sleepy.