Chapter 17

Sloane edged a little closer and murmured, "So,when do you think we should make our move?"

Emilia kept her voice low. "We should hold off for now."

Sloane furrowed her brow and leaned in. "Do you think it's still too early?"

Emilia glanced at her, whispering, "Let's wait. Maybe someone will come saving us."

The silence stretched, and then Sloane's face lit up."Mr.Dixon?"

"That's a smart guess." Emilia smirked, and the corners of her mouth curled up.

She could take action right then if she wanted to,but part of her wanted to see whether Elias would show up. These fools had been reckless enough to snatch them so close to Gilded Fork, and she was pretty sure Elias would never let that slide.

Plus, she held onto something Elias was after, and she was counting on that to bring him here.

The bald man had been gone long enough for the others to notice, and soon one of them looked around, obviously concerned. "What's taking the boss so long? You two, go see what's up."

The two henchmen nodded and hurried out.

A few tense moments passed. Nobody returned, and the silence outside only grew heavier.

Concern flickered in their eyes as the remaining three men glanced at one another.

Each man tightened his grip on his weapon, rising sharply and striding toward the entrance of the warehouse.

Before any of them could reach the door, muffled gunshots rang out behind them. All three dropped to Free your loved the floor, struck down before they even understood what was happening.

A tense silence settled in, and Sloane's voice shook as she whispered, "Did you hear that? Someone's here."

Emilia leaned closer and spoke in a steady tone."You don't have to be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you."

Relief swept over Sloane. "Thanks. I knew you'd.watch out for me."

Suddenly,shouts and hurried footsteps sounded at the entrance. Then Elias's crisp, commanding voice broke through the chaos. "Leave no trace behind."

His words sliced through the air, leaving no room for argument.

Even seated in his wheelchair, Elias carried himself with an effortless confidence, every angle of his face carved with cool authority.

The tension in the room seemed to thicken,making it hard for anyone to breathe.

Wilbur rolled Elias forward with practiced ease.

"Set them free." Without missing a beat, Elias nodded once at Wilbur, his stare icy.

Wilbur wasted no time and rushed over to Sloane first, working at the knots with practiced hands.

Before he could reach Emilia, Sloane stepped in with a determined look. "Let me."

By then, Emilia had already worked her own wrists free, and Sloane wanted to keep Wilbur from noticing anything out of place.

Sloane fumbled with the last of the ropes, heping Emilia loosen the bindings in a hurry.

Both women looked a bit worse for wear, their hair tousled and their clothes rumpled from the ordeal.

Elias narrowed his eyes and stared straight at Emilia,a hint of doubt flickering in his usually unreadable gaze. Not a trace of fear crossed her face as she took in the aftermath of the violence around them. Maybe she was too stunned to react. Or maybe she just refused to let her fear show.

A shimmer caught Elias's attention, and he realized her eyes looked a little red, as if, she was holding back tears. Something about that struck him hard.She seemed genuinely shaken.

His skepticism faded, and his expression softened.For a moment, a rare warmth surfaced behind his wintry stare.

With a calm and almost distant voice, Elias reached out his hand. "You're safe now."

Emilia glanced at his hand, noticing how elegant and strong it looked. She slowly looked up, her expression shy but steady, her eyes meeting his with quiet resolve.

Elias gently lifted his hand in invitation, signaling her to take it.

With hesitant movements, Emilia slipped her hand into his, unsure yet trusting.

The gentle warmth of her touch surprised Elias,stirring something in him he hadn't expected.

She had kept her composure at the racetrack,and even back at Gilded Fork, nothing had rattled her. But facing the kidnappers now, she looked genuinely shaken.

A cold glint flashed in Elias's eyes as he weighed his next move. He should have made those thugs suffer before their deaths.