Chapter 11
The approaching footsteps were steady and deliberate, and Jonas could tell right away–these men were trained
Jonas didn’t bother to move, his relaxed posture unchanged. Instead, he cast Myla a sharp glance, a silent order conveyed with nothing more ti flicker of his piercing eyes.
Without hesitation, Myla tossed aside the smoldering firewood she’d been holding, her expression unflinching. She staircase, her every move fluid and calculated.
than
e strode toward the crumbling
With a
a few effortless leaps, she called the jagged remains of the structure and landed
ded on what w
was left of the second floor with feline grace.
The group closing in on them made no effort to conceal their presence. They were brash, confident in their numbers, and their chatter grew loud enough that even Natalie–an outsider to this world–could hear the commotion
Forgetting any fear of irritating Jonas, she quickly bolted toward him, her footsteps hurried and uneven as she closed the distance. Without waiting for an invitation, she slipped behind the crumbling wall he was leaning against, instinctively using it–and him–as a shield
Jonas had been on the verge of continuing his reasing conversation about their “intimate collaboration, but Natalie’s sudden display of self- preservation amused him. For someone who seemed so reluctant to be around him, she was quick to seek him out when danger loomed
He glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of her, half hidden and peeking cautiously from behind the wall. The sight of her delicate face. half–obscured, with her wide, wary eyes darting nervously, was oddly endearing
Sensing his gaze. Natalie looked up fully, her luminous eyes meeting his. Her long lashes cast shadows that danced like whispers over her cheeks, giving her an almost ethereal glow
posture and the way her gaze darted nervously toward the approaching
For a fleeting moment, she seemed serene if not for the tension in her po
threat.
‘She’s really using me as a human shield,” Jonas thought, raising his brow.
“Natalie” It was the first time he had said her name, his voice as lazy and low as ever. But there was something about the way it rolled off his tongue that sent a shiver down Natalie’s spine.
She hesitated before peeking her head out a little further and meeting his gaze. “Yes” she answered cautiously
Jonas didn’t bother with a reply. Instead, he shifted his weight and reached out, grabbing the front of her jacket with an unceremonious tug
Natalie let out a startled gasp as the force yanked her forward, her body propelled straight into his chest.
“Mm-“The muffled sound escaped her lips as her face collided with the firm, unyielding expanse of his muscular torso. The unexpected impact sent a sharp tingle through her nose.
She scrambled, her hands pressing against him as she tried to push herself away. But before she could gain any leverage, one of his large, calloused hands slid under her camouflage jacket and pressed firmly against the small of her hack. The sudden pressure locked her against him.
“Let go of me,” she demanded, or at least tried to. Her voice, trembling and breathy, betrayed her resolve. What should have been a stern rebuke came out as a soft, quivering protest–closer to a plea than a command.
Jonas hadn’t planned for more than a quick pull to get her into position, but the second he felt Natalie resist, his fingers, already poised, tightened with decisive strength. That slender waist of hers was now firmly under his control, leaving no room for escape.
Natalie squirmed uncomfortably, her lower back arching slightly under the pressure
of his unyielding grip.
Jonas’s gaze darkened imperceptibly, and the heat from his rough palm seared through the thin fabric of her clothes, sending a tremor through Natalie that she couldn’t control. Her heart skipped a beat, thrown off balance by the intensity of his rouch.
Natalie lowered her head, her teeth grazing her bottom lip as she contemplated her next move.
She wanted to push him away, but just as she shifted, Jonas’s deep, languid voice reached her ears, laced with mocking amusement. “You’re in such a hurry to get up What is it–planning to take a bullet for met I’m touched. Truly
His words stopped her cold. Natalie froze, her breath catching as her mind raced. What a shameless threat” s
she thought. But she dared not test whether Jonas was joking or entirely serious.
Pressed against him, her petite figure finally stilled, though the rigiday in her posture betrayed her discomfort.
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Chapter 11
Jonas, feeling her compliance, relaxed his grip on her tiny waist just a fraction, his large hand loosening enough to allow a hint of freedom but not enough to let go.
Instead, his elegant finger began tapping rhythmically against her side, right where the curve of her waist was most sensitive.
The gentle, teasing motion was maddening, like the soft brush of a feather over exposed nerves. Natalie chatched the edge of the cushion beneath her, her fingers curling tightly as she fought to suppress the shiver building within her. The sensation wasn’t painful–it was utterly distracting.
Suddenly, the air outside erupted with two sharp cracks, followed by muffled shouts and curses.
“Gunfire? Natalie’s heart leapt to her throat. All thoughts of decorum or proximity to Jonas vanished as she turned her head, her wide, worried eyes scanning the direction of the sound. “Shouldn’t we help Ms. Carr?” she asked hurriedly
Her bambi eyes glistened with unshed tears, the faint sheen making her expression all the more vulnerable, heartbreakingly beautiful.
Any normal person would have been moved to offer comfort, to soften their tone and reassure her. But Jonas wasn’t a normal person.
“Oh, be drawled, his lips curling into a sardonic smirk. “So you’re not here for me.. then! You’re willing to play the hero for Myla and take bullets for her instead?”
As his mocking words hung in the air, Natalie felt the grip around her waist loosen slightly. And yet, she didn’t dare move an inch-
Her mind raced with one persistent thought that if she so much as twitched, Joras might actually follow through on his unspoken threat and loss her out there like a pawn.
She quickly shook her head, her voice flustered. “No, I was just saying. I mean, staying here like this is perfectly fine…..”
Her words trailed off as she cast a nervous glance toward the collapsed staircase, where a gaping hole exposed the night sky. The silvery moonlight. illuminated the faint outline of Myla’s camo uniform, barely visible against the darkness.
But then that faint sliver of fabric shifted, growing larger. She could tell Myla was sitting up
Natalie’s heart skipped a beat, her fingers instinctively tightening into a fist. In the middle of a literal gunfight, and she’s getting up?”
Before Natalie could figure out if she should say something, a sudden burst of rapid gunfire erupted from the floor above. The noises shattered the fragile calm of the night, each shot slicing through the silence with ruthless precision.
Moments later, the distinct clink of shell casings falling through gaps in the ceiling filled the air, the sharp metallic pings bouncing off the co
concrete
floor in rapid succession.
Natalie’s thoughts raced in a chaotic spiral heavy machine gun? Why would something like that be upstairs? Who the hell are these people
Outride, the faint sounds of shouting broke through the night, chaotic and frantic. Yet as quickly as the voices had risen, they began to fade, growing fainter and more distant until they finally disappeared altogether. The eerie silence that followed felt deafening
A few moments passed before Myla reappeared, now sitting on the edge of the broken staircase. Without hesitation, she leapt down, landing with practiced ease before striding toward them like nothing out of die ordinary had just happened.
Natalie straightened immediately, her wide eyes scanning Myla from head to toe. Seeing Myla looking unscathed brought her a shaky sense of relief, and Natalie exhaled a small breath she hadn’t realized she was holding
But her anxiety returned just as quickly, her gaze darting toward the still–smoldering scene outside. Smoke curled lazily in the air, a grim reminder of the chaos that had just unfolded. Will they come back for reinforcements That’s always how it goes in movies, isn’t it?
She thought nervously. First, they fend off the henchmen, but then their retired–special–forces dad’s show up. Beat the dads, and here come their mafia grandpas. And if it escalates to rocket launchers? What thent
