Chapter 110
Chapter 110:
The woman who used to blush and spar with him had, behind the wheel, become someone altogether different: composed, razor-sharp, radiating iron-willed resolve. Every drift and surge of speed had been flawless, executed with the elegance of a champion racer.
What other secrets was she still keeping from him?
He didn’t voice the question. Instead, Austin closed his hand around her wrist, firm but not harsh, and guided her toward the passenger seat. “Come on,” he murmured, leaving no room for refusal. “Let me drive you back p>
Brinley sank into the passenger seat of Austin’s car without protest.
U𝗉𝘥𝘢𝘁𝖾𝗌 𝖾𝘷e𝗋у 𝗐𝗲𝖾k 𝗼ո
It took nearly three minutes before the tremor in her chest eased, her breathing still uneven from the chase.
She hadn’t been behind the wheel like that in years, and the sudden eruption of danger had rattled her more than she wanted to admit.
Her mind spun with questions she couldn’t answer—what the pursuers wanted, and what might have happened if they’d managed to box her in. The thought alone made her palms clammy.
The cool blast of the air conditioning brushed her damp forehead, sending a faint shiver down her spine.
“Cold?” Austin asked. Without waiting for her reply, he adjusted the temperature with calm efficiency.
The drive passed in heavy silence until the car rolled to a smooth stop in front of Hillcrest Villa.
Austin finally broke the quiet, his deep voice steady and certain. “Someone’s tailing you p>
“That’s right,” Brinley admitted with a small nod, her tone deliberately light. “Fortunately, I pulled it off and shook that car behind me p>
“Fortunately?” Austin’s brows drew together as he closed his hand around her wrist again. “Come on. Get out first. We’ll continue this inside p>
The heat of his palm and the unyielding strength of his grip left her with no room to resist.
Brinley nearly lost her balance as he guided her into the villa.
Warm amber light spilled over the polished floorboards, pushing back the night outside, though it did little to ease the unease churning in her chest.
As she bent to change her shoes, Austin disappeared briefly, returning with a first-aid kit in hand.
“Come here.” His voice remained calm, yet beneath that steadiness was an unmistakable command that demanded obedience.
She hesitated, then tried softly, “I’m fine, really. I didn’t get hurt p>
“Come here,” Austin repeated, already holding iodine and cotton swabs.
Backed into a corner, Brinley lowered herself onto the sofa.
He gently took her arm, turning it beneath the light to inspect her elbow and wrist, then motioned for her to push her pant leg up so he could check her knees.
His touch carried careful tenderness, every movement deliberate—so unlike the calm, controlled composure he usually wore.
“I told you, I’m fine,” Brinley murmured, trying to pull her hand back. “Just a little rattled, that’s all p>
Austin didn’t answer. His gaze shifted to her palm, where a deep red welt stood out from how tightly she’d gripped the steering wheel.
He dipped a cotton swab in iodine, brushed it lightly over the mark, and finally spoke. “Does it sting p>