Chapter 22\u00a0<\/p>\n
DYLAN\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was about to lean closer again for another kiss when the elevator bell went off, followed by the opening of the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That sound coming from the elevator was enough to disperse the spell surrounding us. My mind was clear this time, and I know for sure that this isn\u2019t right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cW\u2013We\u2019re here,\u201d I broke the silence, but his remained fixated on me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pressed my palms against his broad chest, gently pushing him away. But he didn\u2019t move an inch. His arms remained wrapped around my waist, and his hard, growing member pressed against my belly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cH\u2013Hunter\u2026\u201d I called him out, assuming he didn\u2019t hear what I said despite us being so close that I could even hear my heart beating erratically.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He moved his head towards the tiny space in between my neck and buried his face against my skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I gasped for air as soon as his warm lips touched my neck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHmm\u2026 I love the sound of my name coming out of your mouth,\u201d he moaned. Its vibration was sending shivers through every fiber of my being. \u201cYou smell so good,\u201d he whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I chuckled, \u201cOf course it is. That\u2019s your body wash.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. It smells different on you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
11\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDifferent how?\u201d I asked him curiously.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He lifted his head and looked me straight in the eyes before he replied, \u201cIt\u2019s intoxicating.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I gulped as I watched his eyes darken while staring at me. He looks like a predator ready to devour its prey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFuck!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was startled when he cursed loudly. He then took a step back and finally put some distance between us. He turned around and stepped out of the elevator, leaving me inside with my mind filled with confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Is he mad at me? Did I do something wrong?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Somehow, the thought of him getting pissed at me scared me. I don\u2019t think I can take another rejection after what happened between Beckett and me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I suddenly felt the urge to leave this place as soon as possible. I don\u2019t like how I feel around this man. He was practically a stranger, yet I feel the warmth that I haven\u2019t felt in a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I lowered my head as I twiddled with my fingers, waiting for the elevator door to close.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:30 Thu, Dec 25 M\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 22\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re waiting for something?\u201d His deep voice pulled me out of my self\u2013pity. I lifted my head and saw his beautiful smile. And somehow, that simple smile banished all the self\u2013doubt I was torturing myself with. \u201cIf you wanted to be carried back to my penthouse, you can just say so,\u201d he teased.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cY\u2013You\u2019re not mad?\u201d I asked as I slowly stepped out of the elevator.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He frowned as he gently reached for my hand. \u201cKindly enlighten me: why would I be mad at you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cY\u2013You cursed at me,\u201d I pouted my lips as I lowered my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt his fingers on my chin as he gently lifted my face to meet his. \u201cYou\u2019re not a fan of cursing, I assume?\u201d He said with a playful smile tugging on his lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that,\u201d I repeated softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn\u2019t bring myself to tell him the truth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That I was scared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That I was still haunted by the ghost of someone else\u2019s rejection.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And somehow, I didn\u2019t want him to be another scar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter watched me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to read all the words I couldn\u2019t say aloud. Then, with a soft sigh, he let his hand fall away\u2013but not before giving my fingers a gentle\u00a0<\/p>\n
squeeze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo cursing for me then,\u201d he chuckled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at me with an amused look. I can\u2019t believe how this man can easily adjust to my needs without begging me to. I stared at him, blinking in disbelief. I\u2019m used to begging for attention. I can\u2019t remember how many times I\u2019ve found myself begging him to change things that accept me. Yet, this man was willing to change a habit just to please me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A small laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re unbelievable,\u201d I said, shaking my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He grinned, a boyish, crooked grin that made something deep inside me flutter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUnbelievably charming, right?\u201d he teased.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook my head again, but the smile stayed on my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It felt good. Strange, but good.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without even realizing it, I fell into step beside him as we walked down the quiet hallway. The tension that once strangled my chest loosened with every step.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When we reached the end of the corridor, he paused in front of the door to his penthouse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter pressed his palm against a small scanner by the door, and with a soft beep, the lock clicked open. He looked back over his shoulder at me, his eyes meeting mine with a silent invitation. Then, like a true\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:30 Thu, Dec 25 \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 22\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
gentleman, he pushed the door open wider, waiting for me to step inside first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I crossed the threshold, a quiet calm settled over me. It wrapped around my tired heart like a warm blanket. For the first time all day, I felt like I could breathe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was strange, really\u2013how this place, his home, could feel safer than anywhere else. Especially after everything that had happened today. And yet, here I was, standing in the home of a man I barely knew, feeling like I\u2019d finally found somewhere I belonged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t make sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was still a stranger, wasn\u2019t he? I didn\u2019t know where he came from or what his intentions were. But somehow, just being near him brought peace to the storm raging inside me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, as I looked around, my thoughts were anything but settled. There was something about Hunter that gnawed at the back of my mind. A strange familiarity in the way he looked at me. In the little things he did. The way he always seemed to know what I was feeling\u2013before I even said a word.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was something else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Y\u00a0<\/p>\n
More than once, he\u2019d spoken or acted like we\u2019d known each other far longer than a day. Like there was history between us that only he remembered. I tried to dig through my memories, hoping to find even a single thread that connected us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But there was nothing. No face from the past that matched his.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So why did it feel like he already knew me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That thought terrifies me, yet comforts me at the same time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a few matters to take care of. Please help yourself around the house,\u201d he said before he walked over to\u00a0<\/p>\n
his table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded in agreement before looking around his pad. The whole place was plain and dark. You can\u2019t see any color other than white, black, and gray. I was looking for something to busy myself with, but I\u2019m afraid to touch anything without his permission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the end, I decided to sit on the couch and check my phone. I haven\u2019t checked it since last night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The thought of my mom and dad, probably worried sick about me, made my chest tighten. I had left my old phone behind at Beckett\u2019s house, along with every piece of my old life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I only used the landline back in my parents\u2018 old apartment to make a few calls while looking for a job.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I twisted my fingers nervously before gathering the courage to speak.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cC\u2013Can I use your phone?\u201d I asked, my voice small. \u201cI\u2019d like to check on my parents.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter sat at the office table, a sleek silver laptop open in front of him. His brow was furrowed in concentration, his long fingers flying over the keys.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:30 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 22\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without looking up, he answered, \u201cGo ahead.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
I bit my lip, standing there awkwardly for a moment before spotting the black cordless phone resting on a side table. I hurried over, picking it up carefully like it was something precious, and plopped back down onto the couch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taking a deep breath, I dialed my mother\u2019s phone number. I don\u2019t know if they already know about what happened back in the apartment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few rings had passed before I heard the click of someone answering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHello?\u201d My mother\u2019s familiar voice floated through the line, thick with worry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMom\u2026 it\u2019s me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDylan, sweetheart! Thank goodness!\u201d she cried. I could hear her relief pouring through the phone. \u201cWhere are you? Are you safe? We heard about what happened in the apartment. We\u2019ve been so worried! We should have warned you about them. We know it\u2019s not safe to stay there, but we have nowhere else to go. That\u2019s why I was trying my best to check if we can get some money here for us to find a new place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed the lump in my throat. \u201cI\u2019m okay, Mom. I\u2019m safe. I\u2019m\u2026 staying with a friend for now.\u201d I glanced at Hunter, who still hadn\u2019t looked up but whose presence somehow made me feel less alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDylan!\u201d This time it was my father\u2019s voice. I can sense something else in his voice. He sounds angry, but I can sense a hint of fear in his voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, I\u2019m okay\u2014\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell have you been up to?\u201d he exclaimed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, I don\u2019t understand. What do you mean by that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all over the news, Dylan! You\u2019ve been dating Mr. De Marco! He\u2019s bad news, Dylan. He\u2019s dangerous!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Dad, wait. Calm down. Who told you about Hunter?\u201d I asked, frowning in confusion, pressing the phone tighter against my ear as I sat upright on the couch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned my head toward Hunter\u2019s direction, finding his eyes already locked on me. He wasn\u2019t typing anymore. His fingers had stilled on the keyboard. The second I mentioned his name, I must have caught his\u00a0<\/p>\n
attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all over the news, Dylan. It\u2019s on TV, social media, online articles\u2013everywhere. Pictures of you and him entering that high\u2013rise building on Fifty\u2013Seventh Street,\u201d my father continued, his voice hard but shaken. \u201cTell me the truth, Dylan. Are you with him?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked fast, trying to make sense of what he just said. News? Pictures? Internet? My pulse started to race.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWait\u2026 I don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d I said, standing up quickly. \u201cHold on, okay? Just stay on the\u00a0<\/p>\n
line.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without thinking, I strode toward Hunter, my bare feet padding softly over the polished wood floor. He didn\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:30 Thu, Dec 25 M\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 22\u00a0<\/p>\n
.(94\u00a0<\/p>\n
stop me when I reached his table and didn\u2019t say a word when I snatched the laptop from under his hands and turned it to face me. My fingers flew across the keyboard, typing in both our names into the search bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He remained still beside me, his presence quiet yet intense. The glow of the screen lit up our faces as I leaned slightly forward, his warmth brushing up against my side as I hovered close. I could feel the air shift between us, thick with questions and unspoken things. But I tried my best to ignore it and focus on the matter at hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And then I pressed Enter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The screen flooded with headlines.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHunter Gage De Marco and Mystery Woman Spotted at His Private Residence!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTech Billionaire Engaged to Unknown Beauty?!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWho Is The Woman Who Stole Hunter Gage\u2019s Heart?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There were dozens\u2014no, hundreds\u2013of articles already out. Pictures of us stepping into his building, side by side. The warmth of his jacket draped over my shoulders. His hand rested lightly on the small of my back. His protective stance in front of the elevator. Every image seemed to scream intimacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart pounded louder as I scrolled through the chaos. And then, the kicker:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSources Confirm Engagement Between De Marco and Brunette Companion.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEngaged?\u201d I whispered to myself, more stunned than outraged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDylan?\u201d my dad\u2019s voice crackled through the receiver still in my hand. \u201cIs it true?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, no, it\u2019s not true. It was all just a misunderstanding. I\u2019ll talk to Hunter. I\u2019m sure he can fix this mess,\u201d I assured my father.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHoney, I don\u2019t know how you met him, but you should stay away from him as soon as possible. You have no idea what kind of person he is.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at Hunter while listening to what my father said. He says he\u2019s a dangerous man, yet it\u2019s with him that I can only feel safe. He says he\u2019s bad news, yet I can\u2019t help but be drawn to him like a moth to a fire, and I\u2019m more than willing to get burned just to be with him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Dad. Don\u2019t worry about me. I\u2019ll hang up now. I\u2019ll call you again later. Love you, Dad. Love you, Mom,\u201d I said before hanging up the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once the call has ended, it\u2019s time for me to confront Hunter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you know about this?\u201d I asked, my voice trembling just a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He shook his head, but I saw the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. \u201cI had no idea who made these articles, but I figured it would happen eventually. The media likes to run wild with things when it comes to me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:30 Thu, Dec 25 M \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 22\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure you have nothing to do with this. You will never intentionally leak information like this. Being associated with me will only do you more harm than good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
94\u00a0<\/p>\n
He smirked, \u201cLet them say what they want. You\u2019re here, aren\u2019t you?\u201d He said softly, his eyes watching my every\u00a0<\/p>\n
reaction.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath hitched. Is he planning to continue on with this facade?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWait, are you saying we should just go along with it?\u201d I asked, frowning in confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no problem with it.\u201d He leaned back slightly, his fingers steepling on the table as he watched my expression shift. \u201cHow about you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked. \u201cHunter, people think we\u2019re engaged. That\u2019s a huge deal. You can\u2019t just shrug that off like it\u2019s nothing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can. And I will.\u201d His voice dipped lower. \u201cBecause it\u2019s not exactly the worst idea I\u2019ve heard.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him how crazy all of this was\u2013but the words refused to come. Because a small, stupid part of me wasn\u2019t horrified. A small, stupid part of me was liking the idea that this man wants\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t look at me like that,\u201d I muttered, crossing my arms defensively.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLike what?\u201d he asked, smiling now. That quiet, confident kind of smile that could melt resolve in seconds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLike you\u2019re enjoying this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stood then, slowly, like a lion stretching after a long nap. \u201cMaybe I am.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stood up from his chair and stood in front of me, just a breath away from me. I stiffened as his hand brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch light but electrifying.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are going to talk either way,\u201d he said, his voice gentler now. \u201cWould you rather they talk about how you were abandoned by your husband?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard. \u201cYou don\u2019t even know me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His smile faded into something softer, more serious. \u201cDon\u2019t I?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
*******\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:30 Thu, Dec 25 M\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Alchemist of Broken Dreams by Sienna Rose Blackwell 22 Chapter 22\u00a0 DYLAN\u00a0 94\u00a0 He was about to lean closer […]<\/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":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-alphas-golden-cage-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24373","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=24373"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24373\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}