Despite\u00a0being\u00a0a\u00a0friend,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0embrace\u00a0warm,\u00a0his\u00a0touch\u00a0somehow\u00a0felt\u00a0wrong.\u00a0Like,\u00a0I\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0allowing\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0touch\u00a0me\u00a0like\u00a0this.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0feel\u00a0something\u2026\u00a0anything\u00a0other\u00a0than\u00a0the\u00a0pain\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0feeling from\u00a0Gavin.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome\u00a0on,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0softly,\u00a0lifting\u00a0me\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0ground\u00a0and\u00a0carrying\u00a0me\u00a0bridal\u00a0style.\u00a0My\u00a0lips\u00a0trembled\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0suppressed\u00a0more\u00a0sobs,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0hold\u00a0them\u00a0in.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0brought\u00a0me\u00a0over\u00a0to\u00a0his\u00a0waiting car\u00a0and\u00a0helped\u00a0me\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0passenger\u00a0seat.\u00a0He\u00a0buckled\u00a0my\u00a0seatbelt\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0too\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0it\u00a0myself.\u00a0He\u00a0ran\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0and\u00a0got\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0driver\u2019s\u00a0seat.\u00a0For\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0my\u00a0name\u00a0coming\u00a0from\u00a0Lucy\u2019s\u00a0lips,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0gone\u00a0as\u00a0Spencer\u00a0sped\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0packhouse.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0was\u00a0quiet\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0drove\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0streets;\u00a0his\u00a0hands\u00a0clutching\u00a0the\u00a0steering\u00a0wheel tightly,\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0it\u00a0owed\u00a0him\u00a0money,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0jaw\u00a0tensing\u00a0periodically.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0glanced\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0frown,\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0what\u00a0to\u00a0say.\u00a0I\u00a0was grateful\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0friend\u00a0at\u00a0that\u00a0moment\u00a0for\u00a0getting\u00a0me\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0packhouse,\u00a0but now\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0getting\u00a0further\u00a0away,\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0questions\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0mind\u2026\u00a0like\u00a0why?<\/p>\n
Most\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0gammas\u00a0were\u00a0on\u00a0post\u00a0with\u00a0this\u00a0new\u00a0threat\u00a0out\u00a0there,\u00a0so\u00a0why was\u00a0Spencer\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0packhouse\u00a0to\u00a0begin\u00a0with?<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tell\u00a0him,\u00a0breaking\u00a0the\u00a0silence\u00a0after\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0while.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t\u00a0mention\u00a0it,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0remaining\u00a0fixed\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0road.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0that,\u00a0you\u00a0know.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0was\u00a0quiet,\u00a0which\u00a0gave\u00a0me\u00a0a\u00a0slightly\u00a0eerie\u00a0feeling\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0pit\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0stomach.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0feeling\u00a0I\u00a0never\u00a0got\u00a0from\u00a0being\u00a0around\u00a0him\u00a0before,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0where\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0coming\u00a0from\u00a0now.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0blamed\u00a0it\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0high\u00a0tension\u00a0from\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0dealt\u00a0with,\u00a0the\u00a0heartbreak,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0pregnancy\u00a0hormones.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0clouding\u00a0my\u00a0judgment,<\/p>\n
apparently.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0we\u00a0passed\u00a0my\u00a0condo,\u00a0my\u00a0frown\u00a0only\u00a0deepened\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0him.\u00a0I\u00a0assumed\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0taking\u00a0me\u00a0home,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0house\u00a0was\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0direction.\u00a0(2)<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u00a0exactly\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0taking\u00a0me?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0him,\u00a0my\u00a0tone\u00a0coming\u00a0out\u00a0rougher\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0intended.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomewhere\u00a0safe,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0assured\u00a0me,\u00a0though\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0was\u00a0anything\u00a0but\u00a0reassuring.\u00a0I\u00a0furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0at\u00a0him,\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0what\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0talking\u00a0about.\u00a0This\u00a0pack\u00a0was\u00a0plenty\u00a0safe\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0amount\u00a0of\u00a0security\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0around\u00a0here\u00a0this\u00a0last\u00a0day\u00a0or\u00a0so.\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0in\u00a0any\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0danger\u2026\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a0not\u00a0physically.\u00a0So,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0why\u00a0he\u00a0felt\u00a0the\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0me\u00a0somewhere\u00a0safe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d\u00a0rather\u00a0just\u00a0go\u00a0home,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him\u00a0honestly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0were\u00a0crying\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0reason,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0reminded\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cOnce\u00a0we\u00a0get\u00a0to\u00a0our\u00a0destination,\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0talk\u00a0about\u00a0it.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0feel\u00a0like\u00a0you\u00a0just\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0away\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0bit\u00a0my\u00a0lower\u00a0lip,\u00a0nibbling\u00a0on\u00a0it\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0so\u00a0serious;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0something\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0when\u00a0it\u00a0came\u00a0to\u00a0Spencer.\u00a0At\u00a0this\u00a0point,\u00a0I\u00a0wished\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0with\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0almost\u00a0cursed\u00a0myself\u00a0for\u00a0having\u00a0it\u00a0shut\u00a0off\u00a0and\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0nightstand.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0second\u00a0we\u00a0left\u00a0the\u00a0parking\u00a0grounds,\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0was\u00a0pounding\u00a0rapidly\u00a0against\u00a0my\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease,\u00a0tell\u00a0me\u00a0where\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0going,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told him,\u00a0hating\u00a0the\u00a0fear\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0clear\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0tone.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0heard\u00a0it,\u00a0too,\u00a0because\u00a0he\u00a0frowned\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0glanced\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0afraid?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0not,\u201d\u00a0Ilied.\u00a0(1)<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0have\u00a0nothing\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0afraid\u00a0of,\u00a0Judy.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0your\u00a0friend\u2026\u00a0remember?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded\u00a0and\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0shaky\u00a0deep\u00a0breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cFriends\u00a0tell\u00a0each\u00a0other\u00a0where\u00a0they\u00a0are\u00a0going,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him,\u00a0trying\u00a0my\u00a0best\u00a0at\u00a0witty\u00a0humor,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0only\u00a0sounded\u00a0desperate.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0sinirk\u00a0played\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0lips,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0gave\u00a0me\u00a0an\u00a0even\u00a0more\u00a0unsteady\u00a0feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s\u00a0this\u00a0cabin,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0finally\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0about\u00a010\u00a0miles\u00a0south\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Redcliff\u00a0pack\u00a0borders.\u00a0I\u00a0found\u00a0it\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0out\u00a0exploring\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0kid.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0abandoned\u00a0for\u00a0years.\u00a0I\u00a0decorated\u00a0it\u00a0and\u00a0turned\u00a0it\u00a0into\u00a0a\u00a0hideout.\u00a0Very\u00a0few\u00a0know\u00a0about\u00a0this\u00a0place,\u00a0I\u00a0only\u00a0tell\u00a0those\u00a0I\u00a0trust.\u00a0I\u00a0figured\u00a0we\u00a0could<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0517<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
stay\u00a0there\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0days.\u00a0There\u00a0are\u00a02\u00a0bedrooms,\u00a0a\u00a0kitchen,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0full\u00a0bathroom.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0fancy\u00a0or\u00a0anything,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0hiding\u00a0spot\u00a0for\u00a0when\u00a0you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0others\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0where you\u00a0are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA\u00a0hiding\u00a0spot?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0furrowed.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0such\u00a0a\u00a0place\u00a0existed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0never told\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0replied.\u00a0\u201cLike\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0very\u00a0few\u00a0know\u00a0of\u00a0its\u00a0existence.\u00a0But\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0worry.\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0there\u00a0soon\u00a0enough.\u201d\u00a0(22<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 617 Despite\u00a0being\u00a0a\u00a0friend,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0embrace\u00a0warm,\u00a0his\u00a0touch\u00a0somehow\u00a0felt\u00a0wrong.\u00a0Like,\u00a0I\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0allowing\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0touch\u00a0me\u00a0like\u00a0this.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0feel\u00a0something\u2026\u00a0anything\u00a0other\u00a0than\u00a0the\u00a0pain\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0feeling from\u00a0Gavin. \u201cCome\u00a0on,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0softly,\u00a0lifting\u00a0me\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0ground\u00a0and\u00a0carrying\u00a0me\u00a0bridal\u00a0style.\u00a0My\u00a0lips\u00a0trembled\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0suppressed\u00a0more\u00a0sobs,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0hold\u00a0them\u00a0in. He\u00a0brought\u00a0me\u00a0over\u00a0to\u00a0his\u00a0waiting car\u00a0and\u00a0helped\u00a0me\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0passenger\u00a0seat.\u00a0He\u00a0buckled\u00a0my\u00a0seatbelt\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0too\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0it\u00a0myself.\u00a0He\u00a0ran\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0and\u00a0got\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0driver\u2019s\u00a0seat.\u00a0For\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0my\u00a0name\u00a0coming\u00a0from\u00a0Lucy\u2019s\u00a0lips,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0gone\u00a0as\u00a0Spencer\u00a0sped\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0packhouse. He\u00a0was\u00a0quiet\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0drove\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0streets;\u00a0his\u00a0hands\u00a0clutching\u00a0the\u00a0steering\u00a0wheel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21686"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21686\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}