As they exited, a smile and some color returned to Aidenâ€™s face as he thought about her response. The only thing better than escaping from prison, he suspected, would be escaping with someone like her. Besides being attractive, she was brave, dramatic and playful â€“ even a little flirty. If anyone could pull of pretending to be married, it would be Carina. Although he couldnâ€™t really imagine being married in that moment, he looked forward to pretending with her.<br/><br/>â€œAfter you, my dear; I donâ€™t want to keep Mom waiting. Believe me,â€ he added with a chuckle, â€œsheâ€™s going to be surprised to meet you.â€ Since Aidenâ€™s parents were Alphaâ€™s, there would be a certain amount of irony in him bringing one home to meet them, if they were to visit his parents. Of course he knew that wasnâ€™t an option. Once the guards realized they had escaped, his parents apartment would likely come under police surveillance. There was no way he could visit them again. That thought chased the smile from his face. Aiden mentally changed gears as he locked the door behind them, holding the bell to prevent it from ringing as they shut it. The air outside was cool, but brighter than before. He looked around to make sure the coast was clear. So far, so good.<br/><br/>The bus station in the small town was a lonely kiosk, sitting under an oak tree and a light pole, one of the few in town. The contraption looked brand new, and Aiden suspected the locals were quite impressed when it was installed. New York had been lit up for a few years now, but many communities still relied on gaslight. The light hummed softly to itself as they sat down.<br/><br/>Once they were situated Aiden put his arm around Carina and took her left hand in his. He leaned in, smiled, and gave her a falsely apologetic expression. â€œSorry,â€ he added with mock regret. â€œNeed to be convincing.â€ He winked and did his best not to smirk.<br/><br/>Her hand was cold, but was soft to the touch. The sensation of holding it was a bit more intense than he thought it would. He breathed deeply, taking in the moment.