Tara stepped out of the Booth Bar and made her way toward the taxi lane. It didn't even take a second before a taxi pulled up in front of her.
"Hello, ma'am. Can I take you where you're going?" the driver asked, his face oddly tense.
Tara was still a little tipsy from the alcohol. "Aaah… su—" she began, but before she could finish, the low hum of another engine cut her off.
A sleek black Mercedes pulled up behind the taxi.
The passenger door opened.
Cain stepped out.
"Miss Logan, it's late. Would you like a ride home?" he offered calmly.
Tara looked at him—and for a brief moment, that strange feeling she had been experiencing since meeting him resurfaced. But as always, she pushed it aside.
"Mr. Wood, I don't need your help. But thank you for your thoughtfulness," she said, her tone polite but distant, as she reached for the taxi door.
Before her fingers could touch the handle—
Cain caught her wrist.
With a firm pull, he drew her toward him.
Tara stumbled forward, landing against his chest. Her right hand pressed against him instinctively, while her left remained trapped in his grasp.
She looked up at him, startled.
"Mr. Wood, what is the meaning of this?" she asked, trying to steady her voice.
Cain said nothing.
He simply looked at her—his gaze intense, unreadable.
"Are you deaf?" Tara tried again, intending to sound sharp, but her voice came out weaker than expected.
"Miss Logan…" Cain murmured, leaning closer. "You're very vulnerable right now. Imagine if that driver wasn't a good person… what would happen to you?"
His words brushed against her ear in a low whisper.
Tara froze.
The closeness.
His scent.
The warmth of his body—
It all made her head spin even more.
Realizing what was happening, she pushed him away abruptly.
"What happens to me is none of your business," she snapped, though her voice still lacked strength. "So please, Mr. Wood, remain within your limits."
With that, she opened the taxi door, got in, and said firmly, "Drive."
The taxi pulled away.
Cain stood there, watching the car disappear into the distance.
Then something caught his attention.
The taxi had no license plate.
His expression darkened instantly.
Without hesitation, he got into the car.
"Drive," he ordered. "Follow that taxi Miss Logan just got into."
Jade stared at him like he'd lost his mind. "Bro… don't you think you're going too far? What's with stalking her?"
Cain turned his head slowly, his gaze cold and dangerous.
"I won't say it again."
That was enough.
Jade hit the gas.
The car sped forward.
"You're too close," Cain said sharply. "Keep some distance. Don't let him notice."
"Wait—what's your deal exactly?" Jade asked, frustration creeping into his voice.
"Are you dumb?" Cain replied coldly, his eyes fixed on the taxi ahead.
A few seconds later, Jade noticed it too.
"…Crap. That taxi has no plate."
"Miss Logan is in trouble."
Cain didn't respond.
"Don't lose that car," he said instead, his tone lethal. "Or you're dead."
Jade swallowed and focused completely.
They followed the taxi as it veered off into a secluded road—one where traffic was nearly nonexistent.
"Now," Cain said. "Close the distance."
"Got it."
Jade accelerated.
Inside the taxi, Tara leaned back, placing a hand over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.
After a few moments, she began to relax and turned her gaze toward the window.
Then—
She smelled something.
Faint at first.
But slowly, it grew stronger.
Her head began to spin.
Her stomach churned.
She frowned and tried to open the window—but it wouldn't budge.
"Excuse me, sir… could you please open the window?" she asked.
No response.
The driver kept going.
Her unease turned into alarm.
The route… was wrong.
This wasn't the way home.
Her breathing grew heavier. Her vision blurred.
Something was very wrong.
With what little strength she had left, Tara pushed the door open.
Cold air rushed in.
She twisted her body, forcing herself to look back.
A car was following them—but it was too far to notice her clearly.
She didn't hesitate.
Summoning the last of her strength—
She jumped.
Her body hit the ground hard.
She rolled off the road, tumbling down the side until—
Her head struck a rock.
Everything went black.
"STOP THE CAR!"
Cain's voice cut through the air.
The Mercedes screeched to a halt.
Both Cain and Jade jumped out and ran toward her.
"Tara—Miss Logan!" Cain called, dropping to his knees beside her.
He pulled her into a half-embrace, gently shaking her.
"Miss Logan… wake up."
Her eyes fluttered open weakly.
Her hand trembled as it reached for his arm.
"Mr… Wood… I—"
She lost consciousness.
Cain's jaw tightened.
Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms—carefully, protectively—and carried her back to the car.
"Drive to the nearest hospital," he ordered as he secured her against him.
Jade didn't waste a second.
Elsewhere, the taxi driver slammed his fist against the steering wheel.
"What the hell… how was I so careless?!" he cursed.
He grabbed his phone and dialed a number.
The call was answered almost immediately.
"Did you get the girl?" a cold voice asked.
"Boss, I almost had her. She was drugged—about to pass out—but… she jumped out of the car."
"…She did what?" the voice snapped, shocked.
"It's exactly as I said."
A tense silence followed.
"…How is she? Did you take her to the hospital?" the man asked, his tone now edged with urgency.
"I couldn't. Two men showed up—they seemed to know her."
"You fool!" the man barked. "Didn't you think to lock the doors? Forget that—did you at least cover your tracks? If this leads back to us—"
"Don't worry, boss," the driver cut in quickly. "I covered everything. No one can trace it back to us."
There was a pause.
"It better be that way," the man said coldly. "Because escaping the police is easier than escaping me."
The line went dead.