and
G4
Mauve’s POV
My hands trembled as I slid into the passenger seat, shutting the door behind me with a shaky breath. I didn’t even look at the driver. My mind was too busy racing to notice anything else. “Please, take me far away from here.”
The car jerked forward, speeding into the night. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself, but then a familiar voice broke the silence.
“Are you going home now, Mauve?”
I opened my eyes quickly and looked at the driver. I gasped when I saw him. “Elias? What are you doing here?” “Shouldn’t I be the one asking questions here?” He glanced at me, a small, knowing smirk tugging at his lips. “What are you doing in my car?
Heat rushed to my face. “I… I didn’t know it was your car. I just needed to get away.” I shook my head and rephrased my question, trying to make sense of it all. “Why are you here? Why are you even around Shadowpine?”
“Honestly?” Elias began with a shrug, “I came to see you. I have something important to discuss.”
His words confused me, but before I could press him, his eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, and his smirk vanished. “Do you know the guy behind us?”
I turned to look, and my stomach twisted into knots. The convertible roaring up behind us was unmistakable. It was Jester who stole the car from the parking lot!
“He’s insane,” I whispered.
“Who is he, Mauve?”
I
My heart pounded. I didn’t want to answer, but I knew I had to. “He’s my ex–husband. The reason I’m here in Shadowpine.”
“A love quarrel?” he asked with a brow raised.
I felt a surge of frustration as I glanced back at Jester’s car, which was closing in fast. “Do you think this is just a simple quarrel? We’re over, Elias. There’s no reason for him to follow me!”
Elias’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he glanced at the rearview mirror again. “I can see this isn’t simple,” he muttered.
Jester’s voice carried over the roar of the wind and the hum of the engines. “You can’t run from me, Mauve! I’ve come this far, and I won’t stop until you’re back with me!”
I felt my chest tighten with panic. I turned to Elias, desperation clenching at me. “Please, help me. That bastard cannot catch me!”
He nodded. Without a word, he pressed the accelerator, and the car shot forward. I screamed as my body jerked back against the seat, and I gripped the sides of the door for support.
But Elias drove with a calm precision that somehow eased some of my panic, but when I looked back, Jester was still following
“He’s not stopping.” I muttered.
Elias frowned, taking a sharp turn that made the tires screech. “How did you end up with a crazyass like that?” I shook my head. “All I know is that we’re over. For good!”
Jester’s car stayed close, weaving through traffic and causing chaos. Horns blared, and tires screeched as other drivers tried to avoid him. I winced when I heard a crash behind us. I turned to see two cars colliding, metal crunching against metal, glass shattering across the road. My stomach twisted at the thought of innocent people getting hurt because of Jester’s madness.
Elias’s expression didn’t falter as he took another sharp turn heading toward an unfinished bridge. He grinned
Elias’s expression didn’t falter as he took another sharp turn, heading toward an unfinished bridge. He grinned. saying. “Let see if your jerk ex can catch up now”
*Elias, no!” I cried, clutching my scalp in panic. “Have you gone crazy as well? Don’t go there!!!
He glanced at me briefly, his lips quirking into an almost amused smile Relax I’m not nut ball like your ex. Trust
I wasn’t sure why, but something about his voice steadied me. I nodded, gripping the seat tighter as we soared off the edge of the bridge. My breath hitched as the car left the ground, and for a terrifying moment, we were weightless.
When the car landed with a jolt on the other side, I opened my eyes. We had made it! My heart pounded as I looked back. Jester was nowhere in sight.
I let out a shaky breath. “We made it.”
Elias glanced at me, a smirk tugging at his lips again. “I told you to trust me ”
The car slowed as we approached my house. When we came to a stop, I unbuckled my seatbelt, my hands still trembling. I turned to Elias. “Thank you. I owe you for saving my life.”
He chuckled softly, tugging his hands inside his pockets. “Saving your life? Mauve, this is nothing compared to what you did for me.”
I smiled faintly. “Then we’re even now.
We shared a quiet moment, and I felt heat rise to my cheeks. I quickly looked away, remembering something. “Earlier, you said you had something important to tell me. What was it?”
Elias shook his head. “It can wait. You’ve had enough excitement for one night ”
I tilted my head, studying him. “What about your wounds? Are you fully healed?”
He grinned. “Completely. Didn’t my driving prove that?”
I couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I suppose it did. Goodnight, Elias.”
“Goodnight, Mauve.”
The next morning, I woke uni
exhaustion must have taken over.
sunlight streaming through the window. I hadn’t expected to sleep, but
As I dressed for the day, doubt crept in. What if Jester was still lurking around Shadowpine? What if he caused another scene?
I pushed the thoughts aside and headed downstairs, only to freeze in the doorway of the kitchen. Elias was there, flipping pancakes as if he’d done it a hundred times before
“Oh my,” I blurted out. “Elias, what are you doing here?”
He turned, his face lighting up with a playful smile. “Making breakfast. You didn’t eat last night, did you?” My stomach growled, and my eyes drifted to the table. Pancakes, eggs, and freshly brewed coffee were like a feast
laid out
“You didn’t go home?” I asked. My eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw the spread before me. “No,” he said, his tone serious now. “I figured you might need protection. I didn’t want to leave you alone in case your ex came back.”
My chest tightened. “What do you mean?”
He set the pan down and turned to face me. “I’ll be guarding you.”
