ter 34\u00a0<\/p>\n
DYLAN\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was relieved that Hunter decided to leave that awful situation. I\u2019ve been wanting to get out of there as soon as I saw the two of them, but I don\u2019t want them to know how deeply their presence affects me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter opened the car door for me, but he remained silent. And somehow, his silence bothers me more than the thought of Beckett and Sarah going on a date. That fact was already given. Sarah was Beckett\u2019s first love, and now that I was out of the picture, I\u2019m not surprised to see them picking up where they left off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, seeing Hunter with tight lips and a clenched jaw as we walked out of that restaurant really bothers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once he slid inside the driver\u2019s seat, I couldn\u2019t help but ask him, \u201cIs everything okay?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t answer. His hands gripped the steering wheel like he was trying to crush it, knuckles white. I turned slightly to face him, watching the muscle in his jaw tick as he clenched it again, harder this time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHunter?\u201d I said, more gently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes remained focused on the windshield, but his voice, when it finally came, was low and rough\u2013like gravel scraping pavement. \u201cDo you still want him?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeckett,\u201d he spat, like the name itself tasted bitter. \u201cHe was looking at you as if he still owns you. Does he?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My breath caught. So that\u2019s what this was about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes he what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOwns you,\u201d he continued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It irritated me knowing that he thinks somebody can own me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody owns me, Hunter.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen, why do you look at him as if you still have feelings for him?\u201d He yelled at me as if his final fuse had finally broken down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been his wife for three years, Hunter. You can\u2019t expect me to forget all the love I had for him right after our marriage ended,\u201d I explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still love him?\u201d He turned to me, and his eyes were dark, yet I could see a hint of pain reflecting from his\u00a0<\/p>\n
eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind of question is that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA kind of question that you\u2019re deliberately trying not to answer,\u201d he replied with a cold tone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:33 Thu, Dec 25 M \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 34\u00a0<\/p>\n
?(6)\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, I wast a loss for words. I don\u2019t know how to answer him because, honestly, even I have no answer for that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
93\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to find the same feeling I had for Beckett for the past few years, but I couldn\u2019t find any. However, I still couldn\u2019t state for a fact that I have no more feelings for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1 loved Beckett for as long as I can remember. He\u2019s the only man I\u2019ve known to love. So, how could a few days with Hunter erase all those feelings I kept for a very long time?\u00a0<\/p>\n
But as I looked at him, I realized something. Hunter made me feel things that Beckett didn\u2019t. And to answer his question, do I still have feelings for Beckett? The answer is, I don\u2019t know. Though one thing is for sure, this man beside me had already carved his place into my heart without me knowing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was pulled out of my reverie when I heard his deep baritone voice, \u201cBuckle up,\u201d he ordered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d I asked, frowning in confusion, trying to catch up to what he just said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPut on your seatbelt, goddamnit!\u201d Hunter barked, this time louder\u2013firmer, with a sharpness that made my stomach flip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something in his voice made my hands move before my brain even caught up. I fumbled with the seatbelt, the metal clicking into place just as he slammed his foot down on the gas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sudden jolt shoved me back into the seat, my breath catching in my throat. The tires squealed against the asphalt, and the world outside the window became a blur of streetlights and shadows. My heart leapt into my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHunter, what the hell is going on?\u201d I asked, panic creeping into my voice. My hands were gripping the edges of the seat, knuckles white.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t look at me. His eyes were glued to the road, his jaw set so tightly I thought it might snap. The muscles in his forearms flexed as he gripped the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSomebody\u2019s chasing us,\u201d he said through clenched teeth. \u201cSo hold on tight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That sentence alone sent a chill rushing down my spine. I twisted in my seat, heart thudding like a war drum, and looked out the back window. That\u2019s when I saw them\u2013headlights, moving too fast to be a coincidence. The black SUV behind us was weaving through traffic just as aggressively as we were, refusing to lose ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My mouth went dry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWho are they?\u201d I asked, barely able to get the words out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFriends,\u201d he answered, his voice tight. \u201cBut they\u2019ve been tailing us since we left the restaurant. I noticed it a\u00a0<\/p>\n
few blocks back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could feel my pulse thumping in my ears. I pressed my hand against the dashboard to steady myself as he took a sharp turn down a side street, nearly on two wheels. The car behind us mirrored the move.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJesus, Hunter! What kind of friend do you have?\u201d I whispered, fear knotting in my gut.\u00a0<\/p>\n
66\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:33 Thu, Dec 25 M\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 34\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
His hand darted to the center console and flipped it open, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside\u2013cold steel. A gun. He didn\u2019t touch it yet, but the sight of it made everything inside me twist into something cold\u00a0<\/p>\n
and real.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFriends who liked to send a message,\u201d he said, jaw clenched, voice like stone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what\u2019s the message?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked at me briefly, just for a second\u2013but it was enough to make my breath catch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat they\u2019re out to get those who I cherish the most.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at him and gulped. Somehow, I forgot the danger that we\u2019re in. All that mattered were his words. He cherished me enough for his enemies to send someone to kill me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut don\u2019t worry, little dove. Pointing their guns at you was the biggest mistake they ever made,\u201d he said. His words sound like a promise that he has every intention to keep.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter\u2019s knuckles whitened around the steering wheel as the car surged forward, tires screeching against the pavement. The city lights blurred past, a kaleidoscope of neon and shadow. Behind us, headlights loomed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took a sharp turn, the car lurching as we sped down a narrow alley. Garbage bins toppled in our wake, clattering loudly. The pursuing vehicle followed, its engine roaring.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just when I thought things couldn\u2019t possibly get any worse, the sharp crack of gunfire sliced through the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sound was deafening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I screamed without meaning to, throwing my hands over my head in pure panic. My heart pounded so hard it drowned out everything else. I braced myself, half expecting the searing pain of a bullet tearing through my body. But I remained unscathed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I opened my eyes, my chest rising and falling in quick gasps.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was still alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No blood. No pain. Just the sharp rush of fear coursing through my veins like wildfire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Slowly, I turned around\u2014and that\u2019s when I saw them. Tiny spiderweb cracks spread across the glass, bullet marks etched like angry scars into the windows. My breath caught in my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re shooting at us\u2026\u201d I whispered, my voice shaking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter didn\u2019t even flinch. He kept his eyes locked on the road, jaw clenched, hands steady on the wheel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax,\u201d he said, his voice calm in a way that made me more nervous than anything. \u201cThe car\u2019s armored.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was relieved knowing that the car was bulletproof, but for how long?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re safe as long as you\u2019re with me,\u201d he assured me, as if he could sense my worries.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:33 Thu, Dec 25 M\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 34\u00a0<\/p>\n
1733\u00a0<\/p>\n
And despite our current situation, I believe every word he said. I don\u2019t know why, but I trust him more than anyone in my life. I bet if he told me to jump, I\u2019ll definitely say, How high?\u201d His calmness radiates in the air, so I started to calm down as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few minutes into the car chase, the dashboard screen lit up. Hunter pressed the screen to answer the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBoss, we\u2019ve been aware of the situation. How do you like us to proceed?\u201d said the man on the other line.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTake care of it,\u201d he said, his voice low and commanding. \u201cI can\u2019t risk her getting dragged into a fight.\u201d There was a short pause before he added, \u201cBut make sure they understand exactly what my response means.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I frowned upon hearing his answer. Does that mean he would take on these armed guys if it weren\u2019t for me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few more minutes passed, my heart still racing, when I heard the distant roar of engines growing louder behind us. I turned to look through the rear window\u2013and there they were. Three more vehicles, sleek and fast, weaving through traffic like they owned the road. But they weren\u2019t chasing us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were here for us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Relief flooded through me. Back up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter\u2019s back up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They drove with precision, surrounding us like a protective shield. I could feel the shift in Hunter\u2019s body\u2013his hands were still tight on the wheel, but the tension in his shoulders had eased just a little. He was in control now. Whatever danger that had been nipping at our heels\u2026 was falling behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t take long before we left the chaos behind. The city lights faded in the rearview mirror, replaced by the quiet stillness of a narrow road that led us deep into the outskirts. After a few more turns, Hunter pulled into a gravel driveway and stopped in front of a small, secluded house hidden beneath thick trees. A safe house.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t say a word as he got out, but I followed him anyway. The cool air bit at my skin as we stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood there frozen, my mind trying to process his words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What the fuck did I get myself into?\u00a0<\/p>\n
****\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Alchemist of Broken Dreams by Sienna Rose Blackwell 34 ter 34\u00a0 DYLAN\u00a0 I was relieved that Hunter decided to […]<\/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-24385","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\/24385","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=24385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24385\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}