Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 685

Thinking back, something about today felt... off. I hadn't been to DracoLux in days, but the second I show up, Xander's there, and chaos breaks loose? Yeah, no way that a coincidence. Someone had to be pulling strings.

1 spotted the guy from earlier-my ashtray victim-lingering in the parking lot. Stepping in front of him, I snapped, "Talk. Who sent you to start this mess?"

His face was still smeared with blood. It might've freaked me out once, but these days? Not so much. Guess I'd grown tougher than I realized.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered though his panicked eyes said otherwise.

Look, violence isn't ideal, but let's be real-It gets results. One ashtray to the face, and suddenly this guy had a whole new attitude.

I glanced around the dim parking lot, a chuckle slipping out.

He flinched. "Ms. Kay, please don't make this harder than it has to be."

"It's not hard. You tell me the truth, I leave. Easy, right?" I said, fixing my gaze on him.

His panic bubbled up. "I can't. If I do, I'm a dead man."

Classic. He wasn't scared of me-yet-but he was definitely scared of someone.

"Okay, how about this? I'll name names, and

"Ms. Kay..."

every micro-flinch. The way

gave him a second, then tossed out

His face drained of

go after Mr. Johnston.

In the reflection of a car mirror, I saw him fumble for his phone, his

no Hayden.' It wasn't subtle-he wanted me to drop the last tiny shred of hope I still had. To finally let Hayden go. Seriously, how much time and effort had he wasted on this

through the quiet.

Oh, crap.

turned to move, but something yanked me back hard. Next thing I knew, I was hitting the ground, rolling

engine fading into the distance. When I finally blinked the stars out of my eyes, I looked up at the person who'd

425 BONUS

Chapter 685

could stop myself, but I swallowed

Hayden. It was

What the actual-?

trying to process why he of all people had just saved me. I mean,