"I think I'm tired of Vegas now, Carla. Like it's cool and all—but I'm bored of the gambling stuff. You've already won so much," I said, my voice a little quieter as I stared ahead.

Carla nodded slightly, her fingers still intertwined with mine as we walked. She didn't argue, didn't try to convince me otherwise—just listened.

My other hand held the cotton candy I'd picked up from one of the stands earlier. I tore off a piece and tossed it into my mouth, the sugary fluff melting almost instantly.

Ridiculously expensive.

But... worth it.

I chewed absentmindedly, humming as we passed by people.

"Yeah," Carla said after a moment. "Vegas gets old fast if you're not chasing something."

Her thumb brushed lightly against my hand as she spoke.

I glanced over at her briefly, then back towards the buildings.

"Then let's not stay longer than we need to," she added.

I nodded, taking another small piece of cotton candy, the sweetness cutting through the quiet.

"Yeah... I'd rather just be with you anyway," I murmured.

Carla didn't respond right away, but I felt her grip tighten just a little.

"Is there anything you wanted to do? Visit anyone? Just let me know," Carla said, her voice softer now, a lot calmer compared to earlier.

I stayed quiet for a moment, thinking.

Friends... places... anything that might make staying here worth it.

But nothing came.

"Nope... nobody," I said finally, shaking my head slightly. "I think I'd actually prefer to be in Mexico... being here..." I paused, trying to find the right words. "...it makes me feel weird and uncomfortable."

Carla glanced over at me briefly, her expression unreadable for a second before she looked back at the road.

"Uncomfortable how?" she asked.

I shifted slightly in my seat, my fingers tightening around hers without really thinking about it.

"Well, you know... cause of her," I admitted. "this feels like I'm not supposed to be here."

Carla nodded slowly, like she understood more than she was saying.

"Then we won't stay," she said simply.

No hesitation.

No questions.

Just a decision.

Her thumb brushed over my hand again, a small, reassuring motion.

"We'll head back today."

I let out a small breath, shoulders easing, the tension in my chest easing just a little as well.

"Thank you," I murmured.

As we walked back toward the truck, something cut through the quiet.

Yelling.

Not the usual drunk shouting you hear everywhere in Vegas—this was sharper, desperate... like someone trying to be heard over distance.

"What..." I muttered, slowing down as I turned my head.

And then I saw her.

Even from far away, I recognized her instantly.

Elena.

My stomach dropped.

She stood out in the distance, partially obscured by the dim lighting, but her face—that face—was enough. I didn't need to see anything else to know it was her.

A cold feeling ran down my spine.

"Carla, we've gotta go... quickly," I said, my voice tightening as I grabbed onto her, trying to pull her along. "Elena's close."

My grip on her arm tightened, urgency taking over.

I didn't know if she had anything on her.

I didn't know if she was alone.

All I knew was that she was here—and that was enough to make every alarm in my head go off at once.

"We need to leave, Carla... come on," I said, my voice tight as I broke into a near run toward where she had parked the truck.

Pebbles crunched under my shoes as my pace quickened, my grip still locked around her hand, pulling her along with me.

"Alright, alright," Carla said, matching my speed without hesitation.

We were running now.

My heart pounded hard in my chest, every breath coming quicker as adrenaline kicked in. The parking area felt too open, too exposed, like there was nowhere to hide.

I couldn't help it—I looked back.

She was still there.

Far, but not far enough.

That same figure, still moving, still there.

"Fuck..." I muttered under my breath, turning forward again and picking up my pace even more.

The truck came into view.

"Carla, hurry," I urged, my voice sharper now as we closed the distance.

My hand tightened around hers instinctively, like letting go wasn't even an option.

Another glance back—

Still there.

Still watching.

The feeling crawling up my spine only got worse.

We rushed into the truck, the doors slamming shut behind us. My hands moved almost automatically as I pulled the seatbelt across my chest and clicked it into place.

"Hurry," I said, my voice tight as I kept my eyes locked on the direction we came from, half-expecting her to suddenly appear out of the darkness.

Carla didn't waste a second.

The engine roared to life, and the truck lurched forward, tires gripping the pavement as we pulled out fast.

I held my breath for a moment, my eyes flicking between the side mirror and the road behind us.

Nothing.

No sign of her.

As we gained distance, the tension in my chest slowly started to loosen. I let out a shaky breath and leaned back into the seat, my body finally beginning to relax.

"She's not there..." I muttered quietly, more to reassure myself than anything.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then—

"I could've just killed her, you know?"

Carla's voice cut through the quiet, calm but heavy.

I turned my head toward her.

"That stupid fuck deserves it for being so abusive to my husband," she continued, her grip tightening slightly on the wheel.

The words hung in the air.

I swallowed, the earlier relief mixing with something more complicated.

"Carla..." I started, my voice softer now, trying to ground her a bit. "Not here... not like that."

I glanced back out the window briefly, then back at her.

"I just... want to stay away from her," I admitted. "That's enough for me."

The truck kept moving through the dark road, the distance between us and Elena growing with every second.

"Holy fuck..." I muttered, the realization hitting me all at once.

It wasn't just that I saw her.

I was close.

Too close.

The thought spiraled fast—what could've happened, what almost did happen—and suddenly my chest tightened like something was squeezing it from the inside.

My breathing shortened.

Each inhale felt shallow, not enough.

"Carla—" I tried, but it came out uneven.

"Miguel? What's wrong?" she said immediately, her voice shifting, concern cutting through everything.

My hands started trembling.

"I... I was so close..." I managed, my vision starting to blur at the edges. The road, the lights, everything felt like it was closing in on me.

"Miguel, tell me, baby," she said again, more urgently now.

I tried to breathe, but it only got worse.

Too fast.

Too tight.

My chest burned, my head felt light, and the last thing I remember was the sound of my own breathing before everything went dark.

—

"Miguel."

Her voice sounded distant at first.

"Miguel, wake up."

Something warm pressed against my face—her hand.

My eyes slowly fluttered open.

We weren't in the truck no more.

Carla was right in front of me, one hand cupping my cheek, the other gripping my shoulder, her face tight with worry.

"Hey... hey," she said softly now, her voice completely different from before. "You're okay... you're okay."

I blinked a few times, trying to focus, my breathing still uneven.

"You passed out," she murmured, brushing her thumb lightly against my cheek. "You scared the shit out of me."

The world felt heavy, but her voice—her presence—pulled me back in.

"We need to get out of the states," I said, my voice still a little shaky as everything slowly settled back into place.

"Don't worry," Carla replied immediately. "I've already talked to the pilot. They're ready—we just need to get our things packed."

The certainty in her voice grounded me.

I shifted slightly, feeling the softness of the bed beneath me, the familiar comfort of the room wrapping around me like a shield. My breathing was still uneven, but it was getting better.

I was safe.

Nothing could touch me here.

"I love you so much, Carla..." I said quietly, sitting up and wrapping my arms around her. "I don't want to get hurt anymore."

She didn't hesitate.

Her arms came around me instantly, holding me tight against her as one of her hands moved to my back, rubbing slow, steady circles.

"I understand..." she murmured softly. "Don't worry..."

Her hold tightened just a little.

"I'd rather die than have you touched by anyone."

I pulled back slightly at that, just enough to look at her.

"Don't say that," I said gently, my voice still soft but firmer now. "I don't want you getting hurt either."

My hand came up, resting against her arm.

"I just want us safe... both of us."

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then I leaned back into her, holding her again—this time a little calmer, a little more grounded—just needing her there.

——