MasukShare
Chapter seventeen : The order attacks
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-12-12 16:00:00The city lay under the quiet shroud of night, streets glinting wet under scattered lamplight. Vanessa clutched Alexander’s hand as they stepped from the car, her pulse still thrumming from the chaos at the warehouse. The adrenaline hadn’t faded, and yet, she could feel a different tension rising now a tension neither gunfire nor screams could break.
Alexander’s grip was firm, protective, guiding her as they entered the sleek apartment he’d insisted on securing for the night. “Safe,” he said softly, almost a whisper, but the word vibrated through her like a promise. He released her hand, but only enough to step close, his shadow falling over her like a shield. The storm outside mirrored the storm she felt inside one she couldn’t yet name.
Vanessa let out a shaky breath. “I… I thought we were safe when Collins and the team had her. But… the Order… they won’t stop.”
Alexander’s g
Bab terbaru
The contracted heart Chapter twenty two : Public appearances
The city didn’t wait for wounds to heal.By noon, Vanessa understood that clearly.She stood in front of the bedroom mirror, fingers smoothing down the soft fabric of the dress Alexander’s stylist had laid out for her elegant, understated, deceptively simple. Navy blue. Long sleeves. High neckline. The kind of dress that whispered refinement while hiding every vulnerability beneath it.A shield.Her reflection stared back, composed on the surface, but her eyes gave her away. Too thoughtful. Too aware.A knock sounded.“Come in,” she said softly.Alexander stepped inside, already dressed in a tailored charcoal suit. He looked every inch the man the world feared controlled, powerful, unreadable. But when his gaze landed on her, something warm flickered through the steel.“You look beautiful,” he said.She exhaled. “I feel like I’m walking into a battlefield without armor.&rdq
The contracted heart Chapter twenty one : After the fire
Dawn arrived quietly.No sirens. No gunfire. No urgent voices crackling through earpieces.Just pale light slipping through the tall windows of the penthouse, touching the city Alexander Cole ruled with a softness that felt almost unreal after the night they’d survived.Vanessa woke slowly, her body heavy, sore in places she didn’t remember hurting. For a moment, confusion wrapped around her then warmth.Solid. Steady. Alive.Alexander.She lay against his chest, his arm draped over her waist with unconscious possession, his breathing deep and even. He hadn’t let go of her since they’d returned hours ago not when Collins’ team debriefed, not when doctors checked them both, not even when exhaustion finally dragged them under.Her fingers curled slightly against his shirt, feeling the rise and fall beneath her palm.We’re alive.The thought came with a rush of emotion so strong her throat tightened.She lifted her head carefully, studying him.In sleep, Alexander looked younger. Less
The contracted heart Chapter twenty : Fire and desire
The city slept, but Vanessa didn’t. Her body was a taut wire of adrenaline, her senses sharpened to every whisper of movement, every distant siren. Even the wind through the penthouse windows seemed too loud. She couldn’t shake the memory of the warehouse the gun, Elise’s rage, the flash of Alexander’s hand shielding her, the chaos, the near death. Her chest still ached where his body pressed against hers, a lingering reminder of how fragile, how human they were beneath the power, the contracts, the lies.Alexander sat beside her on the leather sofa, the city lights slicing across his sharp features, casting long shadows that made his gaze look even darker. His hand held hers, thumb brushing circles over her palm a steadying rhythm that anchored her, yet sent heat spiraling through her veins.“I hate that they’re still out there,” he said, voice low and rough, almost a growl. “I hate that they’re thinking about you the way they did tonight. That someone could hurt you just because of
The contracted heart Chapter nineteen : The order strikes
The city’s night skyline glittered like distant stars, but Vanessa barely noticed. Her gaze was fixed on the penthouse windows across the street, the same ones they had barely secured hours ago. The adrenaline from the warehouse ambush had barely faded, and yet her heart refused to settle. Every shadow seemed alive, every sound amplified, every breath a reminder that danger still lurked close.Alexander stood beside her, tall, dark, and lethal. His hand enveloped hers, fingers entwined, thumbs brushing in a constant, grounding rhythm. She had wanted to stay brave. She had wanted to hold herself together. But tonight, the weight of their enemies pressed down like a vice.“They’re not going to stop,” Alexander murmured, his voice low, almost a growl. “The Order doesn’t forgive. They escalate. Always.”Vanessa swallowed, her pulse spiking. “We’ve faced them before. We survived. Tonight... ” Her voice faltered, the words stuck in her throat.“Tonight is different,” he said, eyes scanning
The contracted heart Chapter nineteen : The order strikes
The city’s night skyline glittered like distant stars, but Vanessa barely noticed. Her gaze was fixed on the penthouse windows across the street, the same ones they had barely secured hours ago. The adrenaline from the warehouse ambush had barely faded, and yet her heart refused to settle. Every shadow seemed alive, every sound amplified, every breath a reminder that danger still lurked close.Alexander stood beside her, tall, dark, and lethal. His hand enveloped hers, fingers entwined, thumbs brushing in a constant, grounding rhythm. She had wanted to stay brave. She had wanted to hold herself together. But tonight, the weight of their enemies pressed down like a vice.“They’re not going to stop,” Alexander murmured, his voice low, almost a growl. “The Order doesn’t forgive. They escalate. Always.”Vanessa swallowed, her pulse spiking. “We’ve faced them before. We survived. Tonight... ” Her voice faltered, the words stuck in her throat.“Tonight is different,” he said, eyes scanning
The contracted heart Chapter eighteen : Shadows of betrayal
The city hummed quietly beneath them, unaware of the storm that had erupted within the walls of the warehouse minutes ago. Vanessa leaned back in the car, still trembling from the adrenaline of the ambush, Alexander’s hand never leaving hers. Her pulse thrummed not just with fear, but with the raw intensity of being close to him, of surviving, of living through something neither of them could ever forget.Alexander’s eyes were fixed on the rearview mirror, scanning the streets, his jaw tight. “They won’t stop,” he muttered, almost to himself, voice low and dangerous. “The Order doesn’t forgive. They don’t negotiate. And they don’t miss.”Vanessa swallowed, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on her. She had trusted him with her life before. Tonight, she realized that trust wasn’t enough. She needed to be stronger. She needed to fight beside him, not just lean on him.“I’m not
Anda juga akan menyukai
Dear Ex-Wife, You Are MINE!
RaeV646.6K DibacaMy Bestfriend's Brother Shouldn't Know How I Taste
Demiah13512.8K DibacaThe Breaking Point of Love
Cloudsearcher2.3M DibacaCraving The Wrong Brother
Elysian Sparrow490.1K DibacaEchelon
Janine Lozano3.6K DibacaGoodbye to the Ball and Chain; Hello to Me
Wild Moon656 DibacaHER REVENGE: THEIR OBSESSION
LizzaPen231 DibacaFifteen Years of Craving The Wrong Love
Blessed assurance 221 Dibaca
