Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“Wake up.” The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it right away.
“Get up, Tessa p>
I sat up. The blanket slid off. Moonlight slanted through the window, illuminating the room. On the Juliet balcony, there was the shadow
of a man. I wanted to scream–but no sound came out.
“Hey, Tessa. I’ve been looking for you.” I finally recognized the voice–Alex.
He moved closer. Moonlight fell on his pale, chiseled face–cold and handsome, like an ice sculpture. His eyes glinted like silver shards.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. “Let me in, Tessa. It’s cold
out here p>
I wanted to scream. Wanted to jump out of bed. But my body
wouldn’t obey. Instead, I crawled toward the window. The closer I
got, the wider he smiled.
Inside my head, I screamed: What are you doing?
“Come on, baby. Open the window. Let me in p>
I tried desperately to shout. My throat hurt–but still no sound. My
hand reached for the window sash. Alex watched me gently,
expectantly. “Go on. Let me in p>
My hands trembled as I gripped the latch. I wanted to resist the urge
to open it. Tried to pull back–but my body wouldn’t move. Every
muscle locked tight.
Alex sighed. “Come on, Tessa. I worked so hard to find you. Just let
Chapter 19
me in p>
My hand clenched the latch. “No,” I whispered.
Alex’s expression went blank. Full of shock–the same look he’d give every time I suggested seeing friends or going out. “What p>
I took a deep breath, filling my lungs. “No!” I screamed. “Stay away from me!” I jerked away from the window–and my body tangled with something big and heavy.
I fought and twisted, screaming again–then fell off the bed. Hit the floor with a thud.
This time, I was really awake.
I lay on the floor beside the bed, tangled in the thick blanket, my own scream still ringing in my ears. I immediately looked at the window–empty.
Through the wall between my room and Declan’s, there was a loud crash. Then his door slammed against the wall. He started pounding on my door. It rattled in the frame.
“Tessa p>
I scrambled to my feet and pulled the door open before he could break it down. Declan burst in–a huge dark shape in the darkness.
He grabbed my shoulders, pinned me against the wall, and shielded me with his body while frantically scanning the room. The heat from his body wrapped around me.
“I’m fine!” I said quickly. “Just a nightmare. Sorry I woke you. I didn’t
mean to p>
“Shh.” He focused on scanning the room.
Chapter 19
His body was still pressed against me. When I reached up to push his shoulder, I realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt.
I yanked my hand back. He also stepped back because of my touch–like we’d both been burned. Finally, with some distance between us, I could see he was barely dressed–just gray sweatpants hanging loose on his hips, not tied, clearly thrown on in a hurry.
“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” I asked, trying to cover the sudden surge of adrenaline with fake indignation.
Moonlight fell on his skin, turning bronze to silver, highlighting his broad shoulders, taut muscles, and a thick white scar slashing diagonally across his chest from his left shoulder. I forced myself to look at his face–and found him staring at me.
That’s when I realized I was barely dressed too–just a loose T–shirt and thin cotton underwear.
His dark eyes glinted gold–amber in the moonlight. A predatory smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
I could only stare back at him, struck dumb by a pull I couldn’t explain.
His gaze traveled from my bare legs up to my face. “Why aren’t you wearing pants p>
He asked, his voice laced with teasing and roughness.
0.100
♡ (6)
000
(0)
Chapter 20
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.