The trees whipped by as they hurried down the narrow, winding path, their boots crunching against the dirt with every step. The sun had climbed a little higher, casting long shadows across the ground, but the quiet of the woods remained unsettling. Carlos could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. His mind was running a marathon, filled with thoughts of how he would explain his absence, how he would make up for the lost time, and most importantly, how he would keep his life from spiraling any further out of control."Hey, we better pick up the pace," Toby urged, glancing back at Carlos. "The nearest station isn’t exactly around the corner, and you’re cutting it real close."Carlos glanced at his watch again, gritting his teeth. "I know, man. But running? After all that? My legs feel like bricks."Toby stopped walking, turning back to face him. "Do you want to make it back or not? We can either keep up this pace and you risk losing your job, or we hustle and at least ha
Stepping into his office, Carlos felt the weight of the morning bearing down on him. His shirt clung to his back, still damp with sweat from the mad dash he'd made to the office. He could feel his pulse in his throat, the remnants of adrenaline still coursing through his veins. His breathing was heavy, but what greeted him inside made his chest tighten even further.Alisha and Tommy stood by his desk, their faces tight with impatience. Alisha’s arms were crossed, her eyes boring into him, while Tommy leaned casually against the desk, but his relaxed posture didn’t fool Carlos. His gaze was sharp, waiting.Carlos felt the walls closing in. The air in the office suddenly felt stifling, suffocating. He swallowed hard, forcing a weak smile as he tried to ease the tension.“Morning,” he said awkwardly, running a hand through his damp hair. "What brings you two in here so early?"He knew exactly why they were here. He could see it in their faces, feel it in the way the atmosphere bristled wi
Carlos's heart pounded as Derek uttered the name, "Alisons." His breath hitched slightly, hoping this was enough to save them both.Alisha's sharp eyes darted from Carlos to Derek. She didn't blink, didn't move for a second, and the silence felt unbearable. The entire room was tense— like a tightrope stretched to its limit. Tommy stood by, arms crossed, watching the entire scene unfold. His expression was unreadable, but it was clear that he was calculating his next move. He wasn’t one to get involved unless absolutely necessary, but when he did, it usually meant the situation had escalated beyond repair."Alisons?" Alisha repeated slowly, letting the word hang in the air. She had this dangerous habit of playing with her prey before striking.Derek shifted uncomfortably, and Carlos could feel the weight of his gaze. He prayed Derek would stay firm, that they’d get through this together. But Alisha wasn’t done. She leaned in closer to Carlos, her perfectly manicured nails tapping rhyth
'A FEW HOURS LATER'Carlos's eyes snapped to the door as a sudden knock broke the calm of his office. The day was winding down, and he was just about to finish up. Seated at his desk, the stack of paperwork in front of him had started to blur, but now, his focus sharpened. The knock wasn’t just unexpected; it carried a weight that cut through his end of day exhaustion. When he looked up, there was Toby, standing at the entrance with a lopsided grin, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.Without waiting for an invitation, Toby sauntered in, closing the door behind him with a soft thud. His movements were fluid, casual, like a man with nowhere to be, and yet, there was an urgency to his presence. He approached Carlos's desk, hopped up onto it with a light tap of his shoes against the wood, and folded his arms, eyeing Carlos as if he knew something Carlos didn’t."I heard about what happened this morning," Toby said, his tone carrying much concern. "Alisha?— and Tommy from HR, huh? This guys
'A WEEK LATER'Carlos couldn't stop himself from smiling as he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, the rhythmic hum of the electric toothbrush filling the room. His body swayed to a song only he could hear, his excitement bubbling up inside him. It was the night he’d been waiting for, the night he’d been planning for weeks. This was going to be it. Tonight, I'm going to propose to Abby. His heart raced with the thought, but the smile never faltered. He rinsed his mouth, spitting into the sink before straightening up again, locking eyes with his reflection.“Okay, Carlos, you got this,” he muttered to himself, staring down the man in the mirror like he was giving himself a pep talk before a fight. “She loves you, right? She’s stuck around this long... it’s time.”But then, as he wiped his mouth with a towel, doubt began to creep in. He gripped the edges of the sink, staring at his reflection a little harder. “What if she says no? What if she isn’t ready? What if...” He sho
As Carlos walked across the dimly lit parking lot toward the restaurant, he could feel his pulse quicken with each step. He had come this far, no backing down now. The faint scent of Abby’s perfume drifted into his memory, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, and how her touch always had a way of grounding him, no matter how chaotic things got.Carlos stopped just before the entrance, pausing for a moment to collect himself. This is it, Carlos. You’re here. There’s no turning back now. He adjusted his shirt again, rubbing his palms together as he psyched himself up. His mind drifted back to all the little moments that had led him here— the first time they met, their long late night talks, the way she made him feel like the best version of himself. He couldn’t afford to let the fear or doubts win tonight.He looked down at the small velvet box tucked in his jacket pocket. His fingers brushed against it, and a wave of nervous energy surged through him. “It’s just a question,” he m
Carlos’s chest still burned with exhilaration as he slowly pulled away from Abby, their hug lingering, their breaths mingling. His heart was pounding as he leaned in, closer again the space between them again, and this time, he pressed his lips firmly against hers. It was a raw, passionate kiss, fueled by the electric joy that coursed through his veins. He felt her melt into him, her hands clutching at his shirt, pulling him closer as if they were the only two people left on the planet.The kiss deepened, their mouths moving in sync, tongues brushing together in a heady, intoxicating exchange of warmth. The taste of her, the softness of her lips— it was as though the world had finally aligned for him in that moment. His fingers traced her jawline, and she tilted her head back slightly, giving herself to him entirely.But then, after what felt like both an eternity and the blink of an eye, they pulled apart, their lips parting with a soft, wet sound. Abby’s eyes fluttered open, and she
As Carlos drove down the dark road, his mind couldn’t shake the nagging feeling from earlier. Something was off. His grip tightened around the steering wheel, and he kept glancing in the rearview mirror as if he was expecting someone to be following him. But the road behind him was empty, and the night around him was still.He sighed, trying to relax. Maybe it was just the high from the proposal that was still messing with his head. Tonight had been perfect. He and Abby were officially engaged, something he had been dreaming of for a long time. But with her father in the mix... well, Senator Harvey was known to play dirty. Still, Abby had assured him that she could handle her father, and he trusted her. Right?Just as Carlos began to ease his foot off the gas, the roar of an engine came out of nowhere, slicing through the stillness of the night. His heart skipped a beat as a pair of bright headlights appeared in his rearview mirror, closing in fast. His stomach clenched. The lights we