Chapter 1549:

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Once she got up to settle the bill, her legs struggled to hold her steady. She gripped the edge of the bar to keep herself from falling.

Cold wind struck her as soon as she opened the door and walked outside. Instead of clearing her head, it made the alcohol feel even heavier and drained what remained of her strength.

Around the corner, Novalee entered a side street with little light. She had barely walked several steps when slow, measured footsteps began following her.

Her steps became uneven, so she placed one hand against the wall to steady herself. When she looked behind her, two men came out of the shadows beyond the streetlight. One smoked a lit cigarette, while the other kept watching her bag.

“Well, look at you. Are you out here by yourself?” the smoker asked.

At once, Novalee gripped the strap of her bag more tightly.

𝘕𝗲𝘄 𝘄е𝖾𝗸𝗅𝗒 𝘤h𝖺p𝘵e𝗋𝗌 o𝗇 𝘨𝖺l𝗇𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗅s.𝗰𝗼m

Fear broke through the fog in her mind, but her legs remained weak. She stumbled backward until her shoulders struck the wall.

“Come on, we’ll show you a good time,” the smoker said. He stepped closer and reached toward the strap of her bag.

“Stay back,” Novalee rasped, her voice coming out low and rough. “Don’t touch me!”

“There’s no reason to act that way.” The other man chuckled in a falsely gentle tone. “We’re only trying to enjoy ourselves.”

Both men moved closer while their dirty laughter filled the street. One of them seized her shoulder with a heavy hand, and the other reached toward her chest.

As Novalee tried to fight back, headlights suddenly turned in from the street and covered the alley in a blinding white glare.

Bright light hit the two men’s faces and stopped them at once. Soon afterward, the driver’s door opened. A dark figure climbed out and moved farther into the alley.

Through her blurred vision, Novalee struggled to see clearly. After several moments, she recognized Marcus, but his face revealed nothing.

At either side of him stood two tall bodyguards. Both carried weapons, and their presence was enough to frighten anyone.

The attackers quickly realized that they couldn’t win. They tried to escape, but Marcus’s bodyguards moved faster. Within seconds, the guards forced both men onto the ground and began beating them.

Her pulse raced as Novalee pressed one hand against her chest. Still dazed, she stared at Marcus as the headlights shone from behind him. “How did you find me here?”

Chance had nothing to do with his arrival. Marcus had secretly ordered someone to watch her these past few days.

Every action she’d taken had reached him, including the drinking she’d turned to after having her heart broken tonight.

Jealousy suddenly tightened Marcus’s chest, but he forced the feeling down immediately. After removing his jacket, he placed it over her shoulders with practiced ease.

“I happened to be nearby,” he said calmly. Then he looked down at her and asked, “Are you able to walk?”

No answer came from Novalee. She could hardly stand as the alcohol rushed through her again, so she merely shook her head.

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