Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 483

Here's the revised version of the translated text:

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Luke gritted his teeth against the stabbing pain, not letting out a sound. He forced himself to stand, positioning his body in front of hers to fight off the three thugs. But the wound was too deep.

Within minutes, his strength waned under the assault, and the thugs knocked him down, pulling the knife from his body with intentions of striking again.

Whitney, fueled by desperation, scrambled to her feet and grabbed a torch, charging at them. "Back off! Or I swear I'll burn this place down and take us all with it!" The masked intruders exchanged wary glances. Clearly, their plans had gone awry thanks to this man's intervention.

Taking Whitney now would only draw unwanted attention.

The best move was to flee before the cops showed up.

Casting a glance at Whitney, who was menacingly igniting the torch with alcohol, they dropped their weapons and ran.

Whitney held the torch aloft until she reached a dry patch

her breath, she turned to see Luke's towering frame crumpled on the ground, his leg drawn up, shaking from pain. Her heart raced with complex emotions as

word, she helped him up and they made for the basement

Luke gasped, hearing

iron door, but a heavy chain held

you

only the first was locked. They must've locked

easy to find like a pin dropped on a map. It

breathing slowed, his complexion pale, his grip tight on her hand as he pulled her

his gaze, her emotions a rollercoaster of fear and confusion. Why had he come

phone, Luke saw no signal. With the dim light, he painstakingly inspected her for injuries, relieved to find her

sudden outburst cut through the tension.

not answering her calls, for leaving her in danger, for choosing to be with someone else over

despair, clenched his jaw. "Whitney, don't be afraid. I'm here

barely a whisper,