?Chapter 187:


    The haze that had gripped him vanished, and instinct took over. He lunged forward, catching her before she hit the floor, pulling her close into his arms.


    Merlin didn’t bother asking for permission—he swept Hailee into his arms without hesitation. Judging by her fragile look, she had no chance of walking on her own.


    Even though Hailee’s limbs had given out, her re burned with stubborn fire. “You vile bastard! If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with! Quit ying with me!” she snapped, her voice hoarse but fierce.


    That outburst, though meant to intimidate,nded with all the weight of a kitten’s hiss.


    Looking down at her, Merlin’s lips curled into a grin, amusement flickering in his eyes. This girl could barely hold herself up, yet she was still trying to bare her ws. The contradiction didn’t escape him. Blood from his wrist still painted her mouth, turning her lips a striking shade of crimson. It should have looked gruesome. Instead, it had a strange allure.


    “I’m not here to kill you,” Merlin said calmly. “My name’s Merlin kely. I’m a friend of Cole’s, and I’m here on Elliana’s behalf to pick you up.”


    Suspicion lingered in her eyes as she studied him. Her breathing had slowed, but her mistrust hadn’t faded. After several tense seconds, her voice came quieter this time. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”


    He said tly, “Believe what you want.”


    No further exnation came. He simply kept walking. Whether she busted him or not didn’t matter anymore—she didn’t have the energy to resist him, let alone escape from his grip.


    As they stepped into the hallway, her eyes fell on the blood-soaked bodies strewn across the floor. She flinched at the sight, then shut her eyes tight and pressed herself closer to Merlin, hiding her face against his chest. The motion was instinctive. She looked like a cornered kitten seeking shelter.


    Merlin nced down at the girl curled in his arms and couldn’t hold back a quiet chuckle. She was scared to death, didn’t trust him for a second, and still, she clung to him like he was her only lifeline. The irony made him shake his head.


    Held tightly in his arms, she didn’t make another sound as he carried her down each set of stairs, the weight of her body light but constant. They reached the deck atst, and a strong gust of sea air greeted them. The cold wind cut through her haze, snapping her eyes open. Blinking rapidly, she lifted her head and looked around. Then, her gaze shifted to the man holding her.


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    In the distance, an aircraft waited, its doors open. A handful of men stood nearby, watching them approach.


    Though most were strangers to Hailee, a few faces stood out. Recognition dawned when she spotted Myles, Aron, and Hugh. She had seen them once—on the day Cole showed up at her family’s diner looking for Elliana. They weren’t random strangers. They worked for Cole. So, it turned out the man holding her hadn’t been lying after all—he really hade on Elliana’s behalf to get her out.


    The realization struck her with a wave of regret. A guilty weight settled in her chest as her eyes dropped to the injury on his wrist. Bright red and still raw, the wound made her wince before she lifted her gaze toward his face.


    From where she was nestled against him, she couldn’t see much—just the sharp edge of his jaw, clean and angr. Back on the yacht, panic had clouded her senses. She hadn’t even registered what he looked like. Now that things had calmed, she realized she couldn’t recall his features at all.


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