Chapter 11
Chapter 11
“Are you okay?” Declan’s voice came from outside the door.
“I’m fine,” I said. I didn’t want to see anyone right now. Not even
Declan.
I heard him leave my door. For some reason, I felt a little better. I
lay down on the bed. Exhaustion washed over me.
Because of the shock, my mind kept replaying the last few months in
Chicago. I ended up having a terrible nightmare.
Alex had always been handsome. Tall, muscular, with a beautiful
jawline. Blond hair. Bright blue eyes. I’d fallen for him at first sight.
Now, that handsome face was staring at me. His forehead
creased–like he was worried.
“Tessa, where are you?” he asked. His voice was soft and distant.
“Leave me alone,” I begged him.
We stood in darkness. Just the two of us. No ground. No sky. Just
endless black–and the light in Alex’s blue eyes. I didn’t dare look
into his eyes. I could never withstand the depth in that gaze.
“Please, Tessa.” He tried to move closer. I stumbled backward,
keeping my distance.
“Go away, Alex.” I backed up again.
“Please, Tessa. Just tell me p>
“No!” I stumbled back a few more steps. I didn’t dare turn my back
Chapter 11
on him–but the farther I retreated, the farther apart we got.
“Tessa!” His voice grew fainter.
But I kept backing away.
“Tessa!” I could barely hear him now.
I finally turned around, wanting to run–but when I turned, he was right there. He reached out to grab me-
My morning alarm suddenly went off. I woke with a start. Drenched
in sweat. Heart racing. Breathing hard.
You’re safe. He can’t find you.
I sat up and turned off the alarm. My legs shook as I walked to the
shower.
It took me a few minutes before I dared go downstairs for breakfast.
I knew everyone would be talking about what happened at the Blue
Moose last night. I’d have to endure pitying looks and gossipy questions. People like Harry Lance would probably take Brooks’s
side.
Sure enough, the second I appeared, the dining room went quiet.
All the usual morning crowd was there. Harlan and Lucia were at
the counter. No empty seats.
Declan sat at a small table by the window. He glanced at me with
cold indifference. My face flushed–embarrassed and angry.
I straightened my shoulders and walked toward the counter, sitting
down between Nate Evers and Jessica Talzi.
Chapter 11
“Hey, Tessa.” Jessica tried to sound casual.
“Good morning,” Nate said to me, his tone deliberately gentle.
“Good morning,” I said to both of them. The conversations around us
slowly started up again.
Natalia walked over to me. The worry in her eyes was impossible to
hide. Thankfully, she didn’t ask about last night. “Good morning,
Tessa. Coffee p>
I nodded. “Yes, please.” I could feel the entire dining room’s eyes on me. I started to sweat. “Can I also get some scrambled eggs?” I had
no appetite–but I didn’t want people to see me panicking.
“Of course.” She poured me coffee, then went into the kitchen.
“We’re expecting snow on Monday,” Nate said, cutting into his fried
moose steak.
I wrapped my frozen hands around the mug. “I like it when it snows,” I said, making small talk. “It’s cozy p>
“Cozy?” Harry Lance’s voice cut in. He was sitting three seats away from me. “Wait till you see a real Alaskan blizzard,” he warned. “You
won’t think it’s cozy then p>
Normally, I’d tell him to buzz off. But today, his sharpness was
almost comforting compared to everyone else’s careful politeness.
“What’s so scary about an Alaskan blizzard?” I teased him. “Are
there ice giants p>
“You laugh now. Wait till ten feet of snow dumps on you overnight! And forty–below temps! And-” Harry stopped himself. I hadn’t
expected that.
Chapter 11
I suddenly realized the dining room had gone quiet. I turned and
looked around.
A few feet away, Declan stood up.
At first, I thought he was the reason everyone had gone quiet. But then I saw the figure at the lobby entrance. My heart dropped.
Brooks.
♡ (17)
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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.