Page 142 of Wild Tangled Hearts

The peaceful atmosphere of the secluded cabin is shattered as the front door swings open, revealing a chaotic and desperate figure.

"What the hell?" Damien's voice carries a low, menacing growl, and I see his posture shift, instantly becoming one of protection, his body shielding me from the intruder.

“Damien?” The woman whispers, holding onto the door for support.

His eyes narrow on her. “Stacey.”

My heart races as I follow his gaze, trying to make sense of the situation. The peace and serenity of our time at the cottage is shattered instantly, replaced by a tense anticipation of the unknown.

Stacey stumbles inside, her disheveled appearance and wide-eyed fear making it clear that she had no idea Damien would be here. Before I can process the shock of her sudden arrival, she falls to her knees.

My heart lurches with concern, and I rush to her side to offer comfort and support. But as I look into her hollow eyes and notice the track marks on her arms, a sinking dread settles in my chest.

Damien shuts the door and then kneels beside his sister, his face a mixture of anger, concern, and frustration.

"What’s happened?" he demands, his voice sharp with worry.

She swallows hard, her words coming out in a rushed whisper. "I didn't know you'd be here. I just...I needed a place to hide."

The tension in the room escalates as the distant sound of an approaching truck reaches our ears.

“They’re coming.” Stacey's eyes widen in terror.

“Fucking hell,” Damien growls as a faded blue pickup pulls up outside the cabin.

Through the large Bay window, I see four men get out, their menacing presence sending shivers down my spine.

Stacey trembles beside me. “They’re going to kill me.”

Damien’s nostrils flare, and his features instantly change from fear to action. Those icy blue eyes lock on me. “You trust me?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“Get to the bedroom and stay down. Don’t come out until I say it’s safe.” Damien's command snaps me into action, and I let out a shaky breath, my heart pounding.

I guide Stacey toward the bedroom, staying low as we move. As we enter the bedroom, I shut the door and push the bed against it, trying to create a barrier between us and the unfolding chaos outside. I quickly grab a quilt and wrap it around Stacey's shoulders.

Her voice trembles as she speaks, her guilt and fear evident in her words. "He's never going to forgive me. I've messed up so many times... I'm never going to get Lexi back now."

I want to offer her reassurance and tell her everything will be okay, but I know that false promises won't help in this situation. My primary concern is Damien, and the muffled arguments and shouting continuing outside the room only heightened my anxiety.

"I'm sorry," Her lips and eyes have turned an unsettling shade of blue, her pallor is ashen, and her body shakes unnaturally — like she’s fighting the coldness in her soul. And when I look into those blue eyes that are so much like Damien’s, I see familiar demons there.

"We'll figure this out," I tell her, putting my arms around her shoulders and pulling her close. "Damien will fix this.”

But my reassurances are cut short by the horrifying sound of gunshots, one after another, followed by shouting, chaos, and fear that permeates the cabin. The realization that Damien is out there amid this terrifying confrontation fills me with an overwhelming sense of dread and helplessness.

“Oh my god,” I gasp.

The mayhem outside continues, shouts and threats blending into a cacophony of horror and violence. But amidst the turmoil, there's a stark absence of Damien's voice. My heart races with each passing moment, dread clawing at my insides.

Two more gunshots pierce the air, and then... silence. A profound and deafening quiet settles over the cabin, broken only by our uneven breaths. I can feel the terror in the air, see it reflected in Stacey's wide eyes as she utters those dreaded words, "He's dead."

No, I want to scream. It can't be true. I refuse to believe it. He promised me he'd never leave me again. The weight of uncertainty and fear presses down on me, threatening to consume me whole.

And then, just as despair threatens to overwhelm me, footsteps. The bedroom door slowly scratches open, pushing against the bed until it moves, and my heart leaps into my throat.

I forget to breathe in that moment until I see him.

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