Chapter 26
Twenty-Six
It’s been two days since my heat swept through me like a wildfire, leaving nothing in me untouched—literally—reshaping everything I thought I knew about myself, about the three Alphas. They never left my side, their presence a constant during the lust-filled storm of emotions and carnal sensations that I was wholly unprepared for.
The fact that they took turns knotting inside me, flooding me with their cum, brought me unimaginable comfort. Now, I feel the ache between my thighs with each movement… which comes from two days straight of being fucked by three gorgeous men.
By some miracle, we hadn’t left for Philadelphia yet; the music and the world outside our hotel room paused as if in respect to the force of nature that had taken hold of me. And not once did they make me feel guilty about it. If anything, their dedication to pleasuring me and their unwavering support made me feel like they’d willingly endure it all over again. And Reed... Reed’s involvement without a hint of hesitation has me questioning everything I assumed about him disliking me.
This morning, the three of them are back at the stadium wrapping things up, and I’m taking it easy. My body is humming as if I’m still riding an orgasm. It’s exhilarating, in all honesty, but there’s no guarantee that I won’t have another episode. For all I know, what I experienced was the crescendo of my heat. Another reason why they want me resting… just in case it returns.
Needing a break from the penthouse, I pull my hoodie over my face to conceal myself and step out of the hotel elevator. The hotel cafe calls to me with its array of treats and the promise of a strong coffee. I’m desperate for it.
As I stand at the counter, my eyes wander over the selection of cakes, landing on a decadent slice of chocolate mud cake that promises indulgence. I order it along with a latte, deciding to treat myself after the explosive sessions of the past few days.
Waiting for my order, my gaze inadvertently catches on an iPad screen over someone’s shoulder at a cafe table. The headline of the news article sends a jolt through me.
Seth’s Mysterious Hoodie Girl Makes Another Appearance.
My eyes widen in disbelief, and I’m trying to make sense of the words blurring in front of me. The article also states that in the midst of his electrifying performance, he was seen giving special attention to a mysterious girl in a hoodie among the crew, even going as far as to blow a kiss in her direction—a moment caught in a photo that’s now circulating the internet. And there, on the edge of the image, is a figure I recognize all too well despite the hood obscuring her face—me.
Oh, shit!
Panic surges through me, a chaotic whirlwind of dread colliding with me. Why were people watching us that closely and taking photos? Of course, I know the answer. Seth is all over the news, and people watch everything he does. But the risks are terrifying for the potential backlash it could bring the band from Wing Music, and worse, the unwanted attention from Nexus if anyone recognizes me. God, what if someone took a photo of me that captured my face?
Sickness turns in my gut. I can’t go to another concert, not with my hoodie, as everyone will be looking to get a photo of me now.
The girl reading the article is now animatedly discussing it with her friend next to her, saying something about it being romantic. Except it’s too much, and I feel as though I’m about to suffocate.
I move to the window. Maybe I need to go outside for fresh air. I glance out at the bustling street, and my gaze catches on something across the street—a silver SUV with dark-tinted windows parked with an air of silent threat.
A chill races down my spine. That car... it’s eerily similar to the one that pursued Seth and me after our visit to my mom and sister. My heart pounds, dread washing over me. I stumble back.
“No, that can’t be Nexus, can it?” I whisper to myself. “It’s just a coincidence, it has to be.” But I can’t shake off the fear that they’ve tracked me down. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the rising panic. “You’re just being paranoid,” I tell myself, already rushing back into the elevator, even as the cafe guy’s calling me for my order. As my gaze slides to the car sitting outside, I can’t help but feel exposed, as if they tracked me down and now are working out the best time to come for me.
I dart inside, hugging myself.
The elevator doors start closing. My heart thundering, I push myself into one of the corners, trying to make myself as small as possible. Just as the gap narrows to a sliver, a hand shoots through, halting the doors with a jarring force. A scream escapes my lips, a sound ignited by the dread that’s been clawing at my insides, as the doors reluctantly slide open.
I’m barely breathing, bracing for the worst, but it’s just Reed stepping into the elevator, his eyebrows knitted together in concern.
“Are you okay?” he asks. “What’s going on?” He glances around the confined space, as if expecting to find some immediate danger that caused my panic.
“Why would you scare me like that?” I manage to say, trying to force myself to move and not look so terrified. “Why are you here?”
Reed blinks, looking partly confused, partly concerned. “What’s going on?” he repeats, his stance blocking the elevator doors, which now release a persistent beeping, protesting his obstruction.
“Th-They’re here,” I stammer out the words in barely a whisper.
“Who?” His gaze flicks behind him, back into the hallway, searching for any sign of a threat.
I quickly tell him the harrowing experience of Seth and me being chased from my mom’s place by a car that looked eerily similar to the silver SUV parked across the street.
“What if it’s Nexus?” My hands are shaking, and my breath is coming in short gasps.
Reed peers at me, his expression hardening. Then, decisively, he takes my hand, pulling me back into the lobby. “Let me go see,” he says, a determined edge to his voice.
“Wait, what if...” My protest dies on my lips, the fear of confronting Nexus paralyzing me.
“What if it’s not them, and you’re stressing over nothing?” Reed counters, his gaze holding mine, a hint of the protective streak I’ve noticed in him since my heat became more pronounced.
He leads me to a cafe table, the owner approaching with my forgotten coffee and cake. Reed speaks to him in low, firm tones, asking him to keep an eye on me, to make sure I stay put and that no one approaches me. The man nods in understanding. “Of course, sir.”
My attention is riveted on Reed as he strides out of the hotel, crossing the street with a purposeful gait toward the silver SUV. My heart lodges in my throat, every worst-case scenario playing out in my mind. What if they arrest him? What if he’s swarmed by more Nexus enforcers, and they force him to hand me over?
Then, just as Reed nears the vehicle, it springs to life, tires screeching as it peels away from the curb, disappearing down the street in a reckless escape.
The SUV’s hasty retreat doesn’t reassure me; if anything, it confirms my fears. Shit. Nexus knows where I am, and now there’s no telling what might come next.
The queasiness in my stomach intensifies, and the mere thought of the chocolate cake is now utterly repulsive. Reed reappears inside, his expression a mix of frustration and concern. Without a word, he takes my hand and my latte, guiding me swiftly down the hotel hallway.
“I think it’s best you stay by our side now,” he says, his voice low but firm, echoing the seriousness of the situation.
“God, you’re scaring me,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “Did you get a glimpse of who was in the SUV? Were they wearing a uniform or anything?”
He takes a long sip from my latte, and despite the circumstances, I can’t help but shoot him a half-annoyed look for commandeering my drink. But the irritation quickly fades, replaced by a grudging gratitude for his timely protection. For that, he deserves my coffee.
“Could barely see them,” he admits after a moment. “But they didn’t look familiar or like they were wearing uniforms. That doesn’t mean they aren’t undercover.”
My stomach twists into knots, and instinctively, I move closer to his side. Reed’s grip on my hand tightens reassuringly as he leads me to the hotel car park, his presence a constant source of comfort amid the swirling chaos of my thoughts.
Before I know it, we’re in his black, hired car, speeding away from the hotel. Every shadow, every passing vehicle, has me on edge, my gaze darting to the mirrors in search of the silver SUV. But as the miles stretch out behind us, there’s no sign of pursuit, no hint of the danger that had sent my heart racing just moments earlier.
The tension slowly slips away with each passing minute. Yet, the fear remains deep inside me.
Reed’s black sports car purrs beneath us, the cityscape blurring past in a haze of movement and buildings. There are cars everywhere, but traffic is flowing quickly for a change.
When the engine’s growl deepens as Reed suddenly accelerates, I twist in his direction, seeing his tight grip on the steering wheel and his gaze in the rearview mirror.
A knot of panic forms in my gut, but before I can say a single word, something slams into us from the back, throwing me against my seatbelt.
My heart hammers against my ribcage, a frantic beat that drowns out everything but the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass of the rearview window.
A frantic fear beats inside me, and I’m having flashbacks of me and Dad in our car that rainy night, of the other car hitting us, sending us into a wild spin. I’m gripping the door handle with a death grip, a yelp on my lips.
Reed has his arm thrown across my middle, holding me in place, but he’s not stopping and races forward.
“Hold on,” he tells me.
He turns sharply left, but it’s the precise moment a silver SUV rushes out from an adjacent street, right in front of us.
I scream as the SUV comes to a sudden halt. Reed’s reflexes kick in, his hands wrestling with the steering wheel in a desperate attempt to avoid a collision, but the closeness of the SUV leaves us no escape.
I’m frantically gripping the door as we slam into its side with a sickening crunch, the impact sending shockwaves through me. Reed and I are jolted by the brutal force.
“Danica, are you hurt?” Reed pleads, worry in his voice. His hand is back on my leg as his eyes scan me.
“I-I’m fine.”
Abruptly, Reed’s door is wrenched open, and before I can even process what’s happening, he’s yanked out of the car by a man wearing a face covering.
My sharp, piercing scream is cut short when my door flies open. A man, shrouded in black from head to toe with a matching balaclava covering his face, grabs me by the arm with an iron grip. With one flick of the blade in his other hand, he cuts my seatbelt and yanks me out with such force I can barely keep up.
I fight back, thrashing and kicking, trying to break free from his hold, crying out, hoping that someone on the street will help me.
His hand moves to my neck with the speed of a striking viper, and I feel an instant, sharp prick of a needle on my skin.
I cry out, and with desperation, I lash out, my fists pounding against his chest, but he doesn’t even respond to my attempt.
“Reed!” I call out desperately, my gaze searching for him, even as the edges of my vision darken as the world starts to blur.
I can’t see him as my world slips away, and I’m consumed, fading into nothingness as I pass out.