Raine
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday had been a total nightmare at the office.
Every single morning at nine o’clock, Miguel sat across from my desk.
He asked sharp questions about my business, checked all my files, and tried to see if I would snap.
But I held my ground.
I stayed cold, calm, and professional.
When the weekend finally arrived, I was completely worn out and needed a break.
More than that, my boys needed a break too.
They had been stuck inside the apartment for days, and I wanted them to have some fun.
“We are going to the big toy store downtown,” I told them at breakfast.
Liam and Leo both jumped up and cheered.
I took every safety step I could.
I rubbed the smell-masking cream behind their ears and on their wrists.
I didn’t take my usual car.
Instead, I had one of Joshua’s guards drive us in a plain black SUV.
He stayed right outside the mall doors.
This was a busy shopping center in the middle of New York, completely filled with regular human shoppers.
I felt safe.
For the first two hours, everything was great.
My heart felt warm as I watched Liam pick out a big green dragon toy.
Leo carefully chose a model spaceship kit.
Seeing them smile made all my stress disappear.
“Can we get ice cream now, Mommy?” Liam asked, pulling on my jeans as we walked out of the store.
“Of course we can, sweetie,” I smiled, holding both of their little hands.
I stepped out into the wide hallway of the mall.
I looked down toward the moving stairs.
But the moment I looked at the crowd, my body went completely cold.
My feet froze to the floor.
About fifty yards away, walking out of a clothing shop, was a massive man.
Even in a simple sweater, Miguel stood out completely.
He was talking to a man next to him, his face serious and hard.
He was turning his head, and his dark eyes were starting to look right down the hallway we were standing in.
What was he doing here?
Does he have kids?
Ohh my God.
I could feel my hands shaking uncontrollably.
He was looking right at us.
In three seconds, his eyes would hit my face.
He would see the two little boys holding my hands.
He would see their faces.
No.
No.
I can’t allow that happen.
God please help me.
I couldn’t move.
My mind went blank with fear.
Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed my arm.
Before I could even scream, I was pulled backward into a small, quiet clothing shop.
The person pulled the twins along with me, hiding us in a dark corner near the entrance.
A tall man stepped directly in front of us, blocking the view from the hallway.
I looked up, ready to fight back, but I found myself staring into a pair of worried eyes.
It was Kordell.
“Don’t move,” he whispered quickly.
His chest was moving up and down fast.
He kept his back turned to the hallway, acting like he was just looking at a jacket on display.
“He is right out there, Raine.
Just stay behind me.”
My heart was beating so loud I could hear it.
He was referring to Miguel.
Meaning he knew I was hiding from Miguel and he knows why.
He knows about my boy, how?
I wanted to ask him how he found out but not now and here.
I need to get out of this mess first before anything.
I held Leo and Liam tightly against my legs, keeping them completely hidden behind Kordell’s wide back.
Through the small gap by Kordell’s shoulder, I watched Miguel walk right past the shop.
He didn’t look inside.
He completely missed us, stepped onto the moving stairs, and went down out of sight.
The heavy, scary feeling in the air finally left.
I let out a long breath, my knees shaking badly.
Kordell slowly stepped back and looked down at me.
He looked just as scared as I was, but he also looked relieved.
He knew the danger I was in, and he had jumped in to save my secret.
I’m truly grateful.
“Are you okay?” He asked softly, looked at my face, then looked down at the two little boys holding onto my legs.
He stared at the twins, he didn’t say it out loud, but I could see it in his eyes.
He knew exactly whose children they were.
“Mommy?
Who is this?” Liam asked quietly, looking up at Kordell.
I swallowed the fear in my throat and patted Liam’s head.
“He is an old acquaintance, sweetie.
Just someone from a long time ago.”
I looked up at Kordell.
The anger I usually felt toward my past went away for a second.
He had just saved my kids from being found out.
“Thank you, Kordell,” I said, my voice quiet but completely honest.
“You have no idea what you just did.
Thank you.”
”I know,” Kordell said softly.
He looked deeply into my eyes.
“I saw him walking toward the toy store, and then I see you.
I couldn’t let him see them, Raine.
I just couldn’t.”
I gave a short nod.
I was still shaking from how close we came to disaster.
I needed to get my boys away from this mall right now.
I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Joshua’s guard downstairs, telling him to bring the car to the side exit doors.
“Raine, can we talk?
Just for a minute?” Kordell asked, taking a step closer.
“Not here, Kordell.
Not right now,” I said firmly, keeping my voice calm.
I looked down at my sons.
“I need to get my kids home.”
In less than two minutes, Joshua’s guard walked up to the shop.
I handed him our shopping bags and gave him a calm nod.
“Take the boys down to the car, please.
Put them safely in their seats.
I will be down in just a second.”
”Yes, Ms.
Argent,” the guard said.
He reached down, took Liam and Leo’s hands, and walked them toward the elevator.
Leo looked back at me once, staring at Kordell with his quiet, smart eyes, but he followed the guard without making a sound.
The moment my children were gone, the heavy feeling came back into the small corner.
I turned back to Kordell and fixed my jacket, putting my cold boss mask back on.
“I mean what I said, Kordell.
I am very grateful for what you did,” I told him, keeping my voice polite but distant.
“But I have to go.”
”Raine, please…” Kordell reached out his hand, but he stopped himself and dropped it.
He looked incredibly sad.
“I am just…
I am glad they are safe.
I am glad you are safe.”
”Goodbye, Kordell,” I said quietly.
I turned around and walked fast toward the elevator.
I didn’t look back.
My only thought was getting into that car and getting back to my safe apartment.
But as the elevator took me down, I couldn’t stop thinking about the look on Kordell’s face when he pleaded to talk to me.
He had helped me.
Yes, I’m grateful.
But it doesn’t mean I can just forget what he did.
And I knew this wasn’t the last time I would see him.