Chapter 237: At Gun Point

Published Mar 30, 2026, 06:15 AM

Chapter 237: At Gun Point "Did you see his face? He was probably wondering how you shot those darts without looking," I said, gathering the plates to the sink. "I don’t think John is ever gonna set that booth again, knowing someone like you lurks." When I didn’t get a response, I threw a look over my shoulder. "What?" I pondered what was going through Ares’ mind as he scrutinized me like a predator stalking its prey. The entire dinner he did. I blushed, facing the dishes, cursing when I saw the sink was faulty again. I crouched to check the little spill of water. I shot up to my feet too quickly, yelping when Ares was suddenly behind me. "Get the toolbox." "T-Toolbox?" I stuttered. "Wait, you can’t be serious right now..." He wasn’t joking. Skeptical, I rushed to get it. When I got back, Ares took the box, taking what he needed. He crouched and lay down on his back, his face completely hidden under. Look, I love the view, especially that obvious rise in his jeans that outlined like a snake, but...! "Um, Ares...? Do you know how to—" The water splashed, and I yelped before laughing. "Oh my God!" Hearing a grunt, he tightened the pipe. I shook my head, going to get a towel for him. "Trust me, I would have swooned over you if you had fixed that at first..." I paused my words when Ares stood, dripping wet. His dark brown polo stuck to his body like a second skin. His inky dark hair had a little droplet of water as he ran his hand through it, allowing his biceps to bulge. I hadn’t realized I had stood there gawking until Ares neared me. "I don’t think the towel will do..." I murmured. Ares took off his polo. A simple yet the hottest action I have ever witnessed. I shuddered, tracking every inch of him as if I had never seen him half-naked before. I rested my hand on his solid abs, feeling the hardness beneath my fingertips like stones. The sight of his beautiful tattoo on his ribcage, and when I dragged my fingers tracing as if I would do a map, my eyes caught an ink design I had never seen before on his chest. My name was tattooed there in a small yet calligraphic design on the right, on the same line where a bullet scar was. I hesitated about taking my hand away, but he caught my wrist to stop me. I shook my head as tears sprang free. "Catherine..." "T-They weren’t gonna operate on you..." I closed my eyes as more tears slipped beneath my lashes. Then I felt his hand under my chin and, overcome by his ardent gaze, I opened my eyes to see questions swirling in his. "Your father... he told me if I didn’t leave Midnight, you would die on that table." Ares’ mood switched like a storm, but I continued. "I-I should have come back... the moment I saw the news about his death, but I was scared, scared not just for you but for Esme. I found out I was pregnant, and all I could think of was getting away. I shouldn’t have left you like that, but I had no choice, I—" I couldn’t finish as Ares’ face inches towards mine, his thumb wiping away my tears. "I never should have let you go," he conceded. "Never." I sobbed when his forehead pressed against mine, his hand covering my throat as our lips became so close they almost touched. I shivered when he covered my bottom lip, not in a kiss but to taste. Sparks flew, and it felt like my entire body was a live wire gathering tremendous current that shot to my toes and made them curl. My breathing hitched, and Ares’ too, his deeper and harsher as we were both affected. Ares repeated his action, using his tongue to lick against the flesh. I gave him pleading eyes, but he remained stoic and watered by desire so heavy I felt mine outweighed. Ares slanted his head to the side, covering my mouth entirely with his, but he had yet to seal them. The taste of his breath was like fire down my lungs, and as the seconds passed, I wasn’t sure I could survive anymore. Click! 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖 We turned instantly and found Reed pointing a gun at us... Ares to be exact. "R-Reed?" I eyed the firearm with wide eyes. "Step away from him, Cat," he said, face stern and deadly. "Step away." "W-What are you doing?" "Cat... we have to leave. Get Esme." When I didn’t move, he looked at me, only briefly. "Cat?" "P-Put the gun down, Reed. Please." I was more shaken that he had his finger on the trigger. He’s not gonna shoot Ares, is he? "Listen to her," Ares said in an icy tone. "How did you find us? I covered our tracks." "Not every track," Ares replied, stepping forward fearlessly, and for a minute there, I panicked, moving to shield him. "Cat!" "Stop this, Reed! Esme is in her room, and if she comes down and sees this, I won’t take it lightly!" I warned him. Reed didn’t lower the gun, but I could tell he hesitated a bit. Regardless, whatever flicker of it was gone when he set his attention back on Ares. He must have been irked because Ares was calm throughout the whole thing, not sensing him as a threat. It was the other way around. "I knew there was something fishy. The reason I got held up at the construction site was because of you. The anonymous owner of the building project, the demanded workforce, and the sudden dismissal. It was all your doing." "Reed..." I tried to appeal to him because I felt it in my bones that this situation was escalating towards a point I wasn’t sure I could talk down to. "Can’t you see, Cat? He’s here, and he’s doing whatever it takes to bring you back to Midnight. It’s what he does. Did you know he knew you ten years ago?"

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