The storm began an hour ago, rolling over the city like an unstoppable tidal wave. Elena watched from her window as the sky darkened into a bruised palette of gray and purple. Rain hammered against the glass, blurring the neon cityscape, but she didn’t move to close the curtains. Tonight, she was expecting someone, and despite the chaos outside, she was ready. She could face chaos—she had lived through worse.
She crossed the room to her bed, where she had carefully laid out her outfit. The white shirt with its striking camouflage pattern caught her eye. The creamy fabric gleamed softly in the dim light, the intricate green and brown design reminding her of the expansive forests she used to run through as a child. It was playful, yes, but calculated—because when you deal with the kind of people she did, everything had to be.
Elena slipped the shirt on over her bare shoulders and buttoned it, leaving the top few undone just enough to suggest confidence without overstepping into arrogance. Her tight jeans followed, the dark denim wrapping snugly around her toned legs. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Long blonde waves framed her face, cascading effortlessly down her back. She allowed herself a small smile. Elena knew how to dress the part she needed to play.
Just as she finished adjusting the cuffs of her shirt, her earpiece crackled to life. A low, familiar voice hummed in her ear. “He’s here.”
She felt her heart quicken slightly. This was it. Straightening her back, Elena sat down on the edge of the bed, letting her body settle into a deliberately casual pose. The bed’s plush surface gave beneath her weight, and she reminded herself to keep her smile easy, her posture welcoming. The room was dimly lit, save for the glow of a small floor lamp casting a warm light over her shoulder, but she knew he’d see her before anything else. That was the point.
Moments later, the door opened. A tall figure stepped in, rain dripping from his coat onto the hardwood floor. He paused just beyond the threshold, taking her in. There was recognition in his storm-blue eyes, but it was shadowed by caution. He didn’t move further.
“Sebastian.” Her voice was soft but carried an edge. “You’re late.”
“There was… traffic.” His tone was as careful as the way he shed his coat, shaking off water droplets with a slight grunt. “Nice trick calling me here. You know I don’t come without a reason.”
Elena chuckled, standing in one fluid motion. She closed the space between them slowly, letting her feet make deliberate clicks against the floorboards. She stopped just a breath away from him, tilting her head, her eyes locking onto his. His gaze flickered to the curve of her lips, then back to her eyes.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she teased, folding her arms. “You owe me. Remember Madrid?”
He huffed a breathless laugh, shaking his head as if to dislodge the memory. “You really like throwing that in my face, don’t you?”
“Doesn’t mean it’s any less true.” Her smile widened into a grin, and for a moment, the tension between them softened. But just for a moment. There was something unspoken lingering between them tonight, heavier than their usual back-and-forth. She stepped away and turned her back to him, running her fingers along the ridges of the bedframe.
“Why did you ask me here, Elena?” His voice wasn’t harsh, but it was no longer playful either.
She paused. Overhead, the sound of thunder rumbled, followed by the faint echo of sirens in the distance. Too close for comfort.
“Because,” she began, taking her time with the words, “I know you’ve been hiding something. And I could ask. I could demand you tell me. But I’d rather show you why that would be a bad idea.”
When she turned back to face him, her expression was unreadable, but her eyes burned with an intensity Sebastian hadn’t seen in years. Not since things had gone wrong in Cairo. “You left me to clean up your mess back then. You think I’ve forgotten?”
He didn’t answer. The tension crystallized between them like broken ice.
“People are looking for you now, Sebastian.” Her voice was a low whisper, chilling beneath its warmth. “I could let them find you, drag you away, and leave you at their mercy. Or…”—her lips tugged into a smirk that didn’t reach her eyes—“you could tell me what you know. Right here. Right now.”
For a moment, he said nothing. And then, finally, he whispered, “You really don’t want to know.”
The storm raged harder outside as the weight of his confession hung between them, tilting the raw edges of trust and betrayal. Thunder cracked, and everything changed.
And that’s when the gunfire started downstairs.
Elena’s grin faded into a sharp, furious line. “Don’t you dare tell me this is another ‘accident,’” she growled.
Sebastian was already moving, his coat forgotten as he grabbed her wrist. “We’ve got to go. Now.”
They sprinted toward the window just as the first splinters of wood exploded from the door. The neon glow of the city seemed colder now, more dangerous. As they climbed out into the rain-soaked fire escape, Elena thought back to her childhood forests and smiled grimly to herself. She’d been running through chaos her whole life—why stop now?
She leaped into the stormy abyss, her camouflage shirt billowing like a war flag behind her.
Let them come.
The sound of the chase began again.
The Source…check out the great article that inspired this amazing short story: Creamy White Camouflage Shirt and Chic Jeans: Bohemian Style Outfit with Luxe Ivory Tones for Effortless Elegance
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