We burst out of the insurance office building, the bright sunlight momentarily blinding us. Our footsteps pounded the pavement as sirens blared, the sound reverberating off the glass-fronted skyscrapers. The acrid smell of burning rubber filled the air as police cars screeched to a halt in the middle of traffic, their doors swinging open right by my silver SUV parked in the 15-minute area.

Elijah's hand found mine, his grip firm as he pulled me away from the parking area. "Keep your head down so they don't recognize us," he muttered, his breath warm against my ear.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Us? They don't know who I am. They're looking for your face. Plus, they're only here because of your crazy driving!"

A roguish grin spread across his face. "But I didn't lose Captain Celestial, did I?"

He had a point. My mind raced, thoughts tumbling over each other like acrobats. Every fiber of my being screamed to take off for the sky, but that would only openly tie me to my alter ego. I wasn't exactly in costume, unless you count a slightly rumpled blouse and pencil skirt as villainous attire.

"They don't know we were driving the car," Elijah whispered, his grip on my hand tightening. "We have to stick together and find a way out of this." It's like he could read my mind, sensing my urge to fly off.

"Of course, we do. I wouldn't abandon you." Even as I said it, I wondered if I was trying to convince him or myself. If I had flown away, I would have taken him with me, right?

"We can't leave my car here. They'll know it was me."

"You have a fake license plate And you scrubbed the VIN number, right?"

"Yeah, but my vehicle registration and insurance are in the glove box."

"What?" Elijah snapped, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief.

I shrugged with a laugh, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "I'm a good girl, deep down, right? What if there was an accident? Insurance is important."

Elijah's lips twitched, fighting a smile. "Okay. New plan. Do you trust me?"

"No."

"Well, too bad," Elijah said with a smug grin that made my heart skip a beat. "We're making a break for the car. Ready?"

"No."

He ignored my protest. "In three... two... one... go!" The look of determination in Elijah's eyes told me he had my back. I had to trust him, if only for this moment.

And off we went, making a mad dash towards my SUV. The world blurred around us, adrenaline sharpening my senses.

"Stop! Freeze!" the cops yelled, their voices almost drowned out by the blood pounding in my ears.

But we didn't hesitate, sprinting full-tilt towards the SUV. We dove inside, the leather seats cool against my skin. Elijah started the engine, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. He threw it in drive and slammed on the gas pedal. The tires squealed in protest as we jagged into traffic, narrowly missing the cop car parked beside us.

"Grab the steering wheel," Elijah commanded, a fierce look in his eyes. "I can take care of this and create enough of a distraction for us to get away, but I need both hands."

"At this speed? Ha! I don't think so. Pull over. We'll abandon the car, and I'll fly us to safety. I'll just report the vehicle as stolen." Note to self: Next time we go on a simple stake out, don't use my personal vehicle. But who knew it'd turn into a high-speed chase worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster?

"And it's full of our fingerprints----together. They’ll know we spent some time together after the prison break. Probably not a good idea to let them have the car."

"Okay. So abandoning is not an option." Skeptically, I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure we're not going to get killed? Or that they'll see where the sonic boom came from? A sonic boom will tell them you're still living that life of crime here in Obsidian City. This is a bit risky."

Elijah chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "Risky? Emily, darling, when have we ever been afraid of a little risk? Trust me, I've got this. The cops won't know what hit them."

"Trust you again? Another haha!" I sighed, knowing there was no other option. I had to trust Elijah, even though it went against my better judgment. I took the steering wheel, the leather warm beneath my palms, and Elijah held his arms out the window, giving a mighty clap.

The sonic boom that followed was like nothing I'd ever experienced. It rattled the windows, set off car alarms, and sent a visible shockwave rippling through the air. The authorities were momentarily stunned, and we seized our chance to escape.

Elijah took control again, turning down one street, then another. We sped out of downtown, leaving the cops and our problems behind. The bright lights and towering buildings blurred around us, the city becoming a kaleidoscope of color and motion.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I had to admit that it was exhilarating. For a moment, I forgot about all my doubts and fears, and I just focused on the rush of the escape. As we raced down the streets, a small sense of admiration for Elijah grew in my chest. He was smart, resourceful, and he protected both of us. And it was nice to be taken care of for a bit.

Even though we all knew I was a strong, capable woman who could fly circles around him. Literally.

But our narrow escape didn't last long. The authorities were hot on our heels again, and I could see Elijah's grip on the steering wheel tighten as he navigated through the crowded streets, dodging cars and pedestrians as we made our way to the outskirts of town.

"I'll shake them." But his tense voice betrayed his words.

I rolled my eyes, not impressed with his attempts at bravery. "Don't worry, Darling. In the past year, I've learned a thing or two about shaking the authorities."

Elijah chuckled and grinned. "That's because you had a fantastic teacher."

The red and blue lights grew brighter in the rear-view mirror, their reflections dancing across Elijah's face. "I have an idea," I said, my mind whirring with possibilities.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on his face. "Oh? Talk to me."

I glanced over at him, judging that the cops were less than fifty yards behind us. "Not now. I need to focus. You'll just have to trust me."

"Haha. Throwing my own words back at me. Well done. I have to admit that I love it when you take charge."

I reached into the back seat of the car, my hands shaking as I struggled to change into my leather supervillain costume. Elijah was driving like a madman, swerving through the streets as he tried to dodge the sirens that were hot on our tail. I stripped down to my bra and panties.

Elijah's eyes darted between the road and me, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "Are you intentionally distracting me? I might pull over and ravage you. Even if I get caught, the few minutes of bliss would be so worth it."

I couldn't help but laugh, even as I struggled with my costume. "Not tempting you on purpose. Damn, this leather is so hard to change into. I see why the Superzeros wear spandex." I pulled on my gloves, my heart racing with adrenaline. "Ready for some excitement?"

The hint of a smile hung on his lips. "Every day with you is exciting."

I blushed, feeling a goofy smile spread across my face. "Likewise." A surge of affection for Elijah filled my chest despite the chaos of the situation. Something inside me changed, and I blame the next move on the adrenaline. I leaned over and placed a sweet little peck on his cheek, my lips tingling at the contact.

"What was that for?" he asked, his voice husky.

"In case I never see you again."

"After that little display of your Victoria Secret shopping habits? You'll see me again. I promise."

"At our evil lair." My heart pounded as I gripped the door handle. "As soon as possible."

"You're taking off on me again?" But when I glanced back, I saw his full smile. This time, he knew I was only leaving him to help our situation.

With that, I opened the car door and launched myself into the night sky, the rush of wind drowning out Elijah's final words. As I soared towards the authorities, I knew I had to distract them so that Elijah could escape.

The wind whipped my ponytail, and I couldn't help but feel alive. This was what I was born…err made to do. As the cop cars veered away from Elijah, I swooped down, ensuring they got a good look at me. I then turned and headed in the opposite direction to our lair and away from Elijah. Many of the cars followed me, and I knew Elijah had a chance with only one car still after him. As I flew faster and faster, my heart raced. This was it, the moment of truth, but it was anticlimactic. I flew and flew, adding more distance between me and the city.

The sirens faded into silence.

The lights became mere pinpricks in the distance.

The city shrank to nothing more than a speck on the horizon.

Maybe I got carried away, but my mind was replaying the nearly five years Elijah and I had spent together, dwelling on the first time he met my sister. She told me to watch out for that guy, and I spent the last year wishing I would have listened, but now, all I remember is how Elijah won her over with one simple sentence: "I promise to love Emily as passionately as you hate me."

And she laughed.

And Elijah had only spoken the truth. He proved that to me every single day with small favors, such as bringing my favorite chocolate home from the confectionary or a simple phone call telling me he was thinking about me, to his grand gestures like a romantic escape to a Caribbean Island or renting an entire restaurant just for us to wine, dine, and dance.

That was until the last few weeks when Doctor Quackery had hunted us down. The rest of the time together was good. Great, actually. The best years of my life. He was my partner.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of flying, I returned to the city and entered our evil lair with a racing heart. This time, it wasn't from the thrill of the escape, but rather the excitement of seeing Elijah's handsome face.

But as I flew back towards Hannah's garage, my heart was heavy with worry. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

As soon as I saw my little silver SUV safely inside the garage, relief washed over me. I landed softly, my legs wobbling slightly as I touched down. I was panting and covered in sweat from my most exhilarating flight ever.

"Elijah?" I called out, walking around my car. But it was empty inside. Of course it was empty. How long had I flown away from the city? Plenty of time for Elijah to sit around Hannah's kitchen table and relay all the details of our little escapade.

When the door to the garage opened, I expected to see my husband, but Natalie peered at me instead. "Emily, you're back."

I nodded towards my SUV, my stomach churning with anxiety. "Where is he?"

"Elijah's not here." Her solemn face told me something was wrong.

My heart sank, a cold dread seeping into my bones. He didn't wait to make sure I was okay? My voice cracked. "He took off already?" Did he go back to our place or did he finally flee?

Natalie shook her head, her normally tan skin ashen. "Oh Ems, he didn't come back. He called, letting us know where to pick up your car. Madison and I rushed right there, just in time to get a quick view of him being driven off in a police car."

I gasped, my heart plummeting to my feet. "What? No, that can't be right. We were just together. It couldn't have been more than a half-an-hour ago."

Natalie nodded; her face grim. "I'm sorry, Emily, but it's true. At least he helped us with the plan, right?"

"Right." My word had no emotion, but just something I said to give my mind time to process what was going on. I closed my eyes and listened to my heavy heart.

The high I had been on from the thrill of the chase and the hope of a repaired relationship just came crashing to the ground. The entire time I had been soaring through the air, my mind had been dwelling on how good it felt to be Elijah's partner again. Perhaps not in marriage, but at least in villainy.

Either way, I just got him back.

I might not have known where our relationship was going, but what I did know was that I wasn't ready to lose him again.