Chapter 16
heavy undertone of displeasure.
Behind Natalie, Jonas’s deep voire carried a heavy i
Before she could even react, his knee shifted with deliberate force, and her world spum Gravity pulled her downward, leaving her scrambling for something to grab onto. That it was too late.
“Ow” With a soft chaud, she fell off the mattress and landed on her back, staring up at the cracked, hole–riddled ceiling, her thoughts in disarray,
From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Jonas’s towering figure looming above her. Any lingering grogginess vanished in an instant, replaced by sharp clarity.
She shot upright, her gaze locking onto his face. Something felt off. What’s with him?
Jonas sat there, one leg bent, his posture exuding a castal dominance.
He ran a hand through his slightly disheveled hair, the action slow and purposeful His other land toyed absently with the silver bracelet wrapped around his fingers–a telltale sign of his rising frustration for anyone who knew him well
that Natalie’s cl
He had spent the entire night wrestling with his assumptions. At first, he’d been certain th
closeness was part of a calculated seduction.
But by the end of the night, it became glaringly obvious he’d been giving her far too much credit. Seduction? My ass. This woman’s a menace. A pretty, adorable one, sure, but a menace all the same. She wasn’t trying to seduce me– she was trying to drive me insane
The memory of her restless tossing and turning made his jaw tighten. Damn near suffocated her just to keep her still. She moved so much I’d think she was doing yoga in her sleep. And me? She left me more wrecked than a long day in the field:
His teeth clenched as his sharp gare flicked to Natalie.
She sat demurely on the mat, her back straight, her wide eyes brimming with a kind of innocence that could almost make someåne believe she was entirely blameless and innocent
Innocent? Yeah, right. Jonas ktout a low laugh, the sound laced with a dark humor that sent a shiver down her spine. The usual warmth in his gaze was gone, replaced by a shadowy intensity.
“You sleep like a lunatic, he drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. “What were you doing in your dreams—salsa dancing? Or maybe.” He paused, his stark widening. You’re warning up for some morning exercise. Should we test that theory?”
Natalie blinked, completely thrown. She had no idea why he was so angry, but the fiery edge in his tone made her heart race. Flustered, she quickly shook her head, fumbling for words 1–I’m sorry,” she blurted out, her voice merk
Her apology only made Jonas’s saule turn colder, sharper.
The heavy silence that followed was unbearable, and Natalie’s gaze dropped to the g
ground as anxiety gnawed at her.
Thankfully, Myla’s arrival broke the standoff. “There’s a spot nearby where you can wash up Myla said casually, stepping into the room with a bagged instant coffer dangling from her lips. Her words were nonchalant, but her sharp eyes quickly registered the thick tension in the room.
Natalie shot to her feet as though propelled by an invisible force. She snatched the disposable toiletries from Myla’s outstretched handl, muntered, “Thank you.” Then she bolted from the room through the crumbled wall like she had wolves on her heels.
Myla fished another set of toiletries out of her oversized cargo pocket. “Boss, there’s another spot on the second floor. Uable”
Jonas glanced up, his sharp features even more striking under the dim light. Myla’s words faltered as her gaze caught on his face.
Her grip on the coffee bag nearly slipped. “Wait, what? Dark circles? This man looks like he’s been through hell What the hell happened? We’re the kind of people who can go two, three days without sleep and still look like we’re running on adrenaline. But him?”
Her thoughts churned ‘Even if the boss didn’t sleep, he should’ve at least meditated or something. But why does he look worse than I do? He looks like some woman drained every ounce of his energy last niglu. Could it be Natalie? No way….. It doesn’t seem like it..
“Myla” Jonas’s cold voice snapped her out of her thoughts, the chilling edge in his sone sharp enough to cut
Myla shivered involuntarily at the unspoken menace behind his words and quickly averted her gaze. “Well, guess that confirms it. They didn’t sleep together. I knew it. Boss can’t handle women. This just proves the rumors are 100% true!
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Chapter 16
After a quick wash–up, Natalie followed Myla at a brisk pace.
She hesitated for a moment when she saw Myla heading upstairs, then abruptly turned toward the car parked outside. No matter what, they cant go anywhere without the car. If I stick by it, they won’t leave me behind‘
The vehicle way
was already parked on the roadside. But as she took her first step toward it, her collar was suddenly tugged from behind.
Startled, she spun around to find Jonas leaning lazily against the battered garage door. As soon as she froze, he let go of her collar without a word.
Confused, Natalie blinked up at him, her large eyes darting nervously. “What now? Is he still mad? Is he planning to make things difficult for me?
Before she could figure it out, the sharp noises of gunfire shattered the tense silence. The sound was so close it felt like it exploded right beside her
ein.
Her shoulders jerked involuntarily, and without thinking, she darted behind Jonas for cover. But before she could fully hide, his arm came down and hooked her around the shoulders, pulling her into place.
“So now you’re scared?” Jonas’s mocking tone cut through the residual shock. His arm dropped as he turned and strolled toward the car, his movements casual, almost lazy.
Still shaken, Natalie pecked out from behind him, only to realize the shots came from Myla.
She was coolly Bring at the military–grade bulletproof SUV. The vehicle’s once–sleek surface was now riddled with dents and the occasional buller hole, some even puncturing all the way through.
Natalie’s confusion deepened. What on earth is going on!”
It didn’t take long for her to figure it out. Judging by Myla’s precise angles, the shots were calculated. They gave the car the appearance of having been attacked, but clearly avoided any critical areas that would affect its performance.
With a loud slam, the car door was shut with enough force to make Natalie jump.
Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest when Myla, with effortless ease, slung the machine gun over her shoulder and jumped off the second floor. Natalie decided not to waste another second standing around.
She hurried over to the car, flinging the door open and sliding into the passenger seat. Her fingers fumbled to fasten her seatbelt as quickly as possible. Only when she felt the solid pressure of the seatback against her spine did a faint sense of safety retum.
Myla tossed the heavy machine gun into the trunk before climbing into the driver’s seat with a nonchalant expression.
From the corner of her eye, Natalie stole a glance at Jonas through the rearview mirror. Despite the irritation etched across his face, he said nothing
“At least he didn’t tell me to get out, she thought, her nerves finally relaxing—if only a line.
The atmosphere during the drive was suffocatingly tense, an almost tangible weight pressing down on them.
Natalie did her best to shrink into herself, making her presence as unnoticeable as possible. Even her breathing became quieter, almost imperceptible.
Jonas lounged in the backseat, his posture deceptively relaxed, but his fingers drummed an erratic rhythm against his knee.
“Lefi half alive,” Myla muttered, her words deliberately vague as she flicked a glance at the rearview mirror.
Jonas remained still, his eyes shut. Myla took his silence as a green light to continue in front of Natalie. “Boss, the target’s barely hanging on. If we’re sticking to the plan, we’ll have to take a detour now!
Her gaze darted back to Natalie, gauging her reaction. When their eyes met, Myla added, almost as an afterthought, The detour, plus handling this, means we’ll reach the Northern District a few days later than planned” She couldn’t say exactly how many days.
Natalie nodded quietly, her fingers tightening around her seatbelt as if it were a lifeline.
Worry flickered in her eyes-not because of the delay, but because she feared what “handling this” might entail. She couldn’t shake the gnawing thought that they’d leave her behind if she became too much of a liability.
That fear had her glancing cautiously at the rearview mirror. Her gaze landed on Jonas just as he unexpectedly opened his eyes.
The sunlight filtering through the window caught in his striking sapphire–blue irises. But instead of warmth, his gaze carried a steely, almost mechanical chill that sent a shiver down her spine.
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Chapter 16
He arched his brow, and his tone was lazy but razor–sharp. “Sweethean, if you keep tagging along with me, you might not make it out alive
Before he could finish the thought, Natalie whipped her head around to look at him. The timal art she’d been putting on vanished in an instant. Her wide, dor–like eyes locked onto his brimming with alarm, making her look like a cornered hamster trembling before a predator
Jonas’s expression didn’t change, but his chin jerked forward slightly, a subtle command to look ahead.
Natalie followed his cue, her gaze shifting reluctantly forward–and froze. Standing near a makeshift roadblock were two soldiers in camouflage.
“Stay here. I’ll call your granddad to come get you-” Jonas began, his tone impassive
with
But Natalie didn’t let him finish. Her head snapped up, a rush of panic drowning out any logic. The images of Norradorian soldiers colluding » the kidnappers flashed vividly in her mind, sending a chill down her spine.
“No!” The word shot out of her mouth as the shook her head.
Jonas’s brow lifted, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his face before it melted into something more amused. He tilted his head, openly intrigued now, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of curiosity and mischief. “So attached to me already!”
When she didn’t waver, didn’t soften her stance, the smirk playing on his lips grew sharper. He leaned back slightly, throwing out another casual aunt. “I thought you Mastrarians had undying faith in your soldiers.
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