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Novel Catalog
Chapter_26
Sadie stumbled backward as the car door slammed shut, the suddenness of it all taking the wind out of her. The roaring engine faded into the distance, leaving her alone in the cold night, her heart pounding in her chest.
She blinked rapidly, trying to process what had just happened. Her body shook from the chill in the air and the emotional whirlwind she had just been through. Her breath came out in shaky puffs, her thoughts tangled and muddled.
What was she even doing? The desperation for money, the idea of securing a future—was it really worth this kind of toll? Micah’s coldness, the way he had dismissed her like she was nothing more than a nuisance, was like a slap in the face. But then there were those fleeting moments when he had shown something else, something softer, even if just for a split second.
“You’re an idiot,” she muttered to herself, wiping at the tears that had started to form in her eyes. She took a shaky breath and glanced around, hoping for something familiar, anything to ground her. She had no idea where she was, just some deserted stretch of road outside the city.
She had to get back, but her legs felt like lead, her body weighed down by exhaustion, frustration, and guilt. Her mind was still racing, circling around the thought of Micah—who he really was, what he wanted, and why he always seemed to keep her at arm’s length. Why couldn’t she understand him?
But even more pressing than her confusion about him was her own sense of self. How had she gotten to this point? The relentless pursuit of money, the endless cycle of bad decisions. She had crossed a line, and now it felt like everything was unraveling, bit by bit.
“God, what am I doing?” she whispered to the empty night, her voice cracking.
As she turned, preparing to walk back down the road, a familiar sound reached her ears. The roar of an engine. She glanced up, and to her surprise, the Aston Martin was coming back toward her, slowing to a stop.
Micah’s eyes locked onto hers through the tinted window, and for a brief moment, there was no anger in his gaze, just a piercing silence that seemed to stretch between them.
The passenger side window rolled down, and Micah’s voice came through, low and clipped. “Get in.”
Sadie hesitated. Every part of her wanted to refuse, to walk away and never look back, but something—maybe it was the hint of concern in his tone, maybe it was the absurdity of it all—made her take a step forward.
She opened the door slowly, sliding into the car. The tension was palpable, and neither of them said a word for a long while. The car moved again, cutting through the night with a smooth, powerful grace.
Finally, Sadie broke the silence, her voice small. “Why did you come back?”
Micah’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but his voice remained calm. “You’re an idiot,” he said bluntly, his eyes fixed on the road. “But you’re my idiot, so I’m not leaving you out here.”
Sadie blinked in surprise, the words sinking in. Her chest tightened, both with frustration and something else—something she couldn’t quite put into words. She stared out the window, the city lights blurring past them.
“Don’t you dare make another deal with me,” he continued, his voice quieter now, almost as if he were speaking to himself. “I’m not some tool for you to use.”
Sadie nodded, unsure of how to respond. Maybe this was the start of something different between them. Or maybe it was just another mistake waiting to happen.
But for now, she was just grateful to be out of the cold night and back in the car.
