His Innocent Sera novel Chapter 55

"Your dad has set the hounds loose.." Rio faltered mid-sentence, momentarily distracted by the scratches on his neck before quickly recollecting himself and adding, "You need to be very careful."

Nate wasn't surprised. He had no doubt his dad had activated every contact by now, pulled every string to hunt him down and 'rescue' Sera. But he overlooked one crucial detail. Nate was his blood and flesh. His dad could tear apart the sky, dig the earth down to its core, but he still wouldn't be able to find him. And as for snatching Sera from him? Not in this fucking lifetime.

"It's a good thing they don't know about me or else...." he trailed off as Nate turned his gaze upon me.

"Or else? You would have snitched on me?" he questioned, voice calm but cutting.

"What? Of course, not. I just meant..you know, things would have gotten messy. I would never betray you," Rio clarified, flashing him a nervous smile to ease the tension. He wasn't his friend or acquaintance. He was a lower-class grunt from one of the local mob groups. The boy was persistent, eager, and always hovering around. He had been trying to get into Nate’s good graces for months, desperate to win his trust. Everyone in the shady business knew that Nate was the next leader. Rio wanted to join his troop of warriors and gain a reputation that all his rivals would fear.

"Good. Because I don't tolerate betrayal," Nate stated, his words carried the weight of a threat. Rio nodded, already knowing that. Nate's gaze drifted past him to the fighters training in the distance, dismissing the conversation.

............

She felt empty, drained— sucked of feelings, hope, thoughts. He took it all away by force, leaving her with nothing but a quiet numbness. But at the same time, her heart still felt heavy. She felt as if a mountain had settled on her heart, crushing it relentlessly.

Her vacant eyes followed people drifting beneath her balcony. There were not many people here, the streets usually remained empty except in the evening when old people would come out for a stroll. It was clear he had brought her to an isolated place. Even in his absence, his presence could be felt, like an unseen shadow clinging to her. No matter how hard she tried to distract herself but the pain lingering between her legs wouldn't let her forget. Wiping away a tear, she strolled back into the room.

She passed by the shelves, stacked with paint colors, sketches, books, and candies— everything she loved. But she had lost her fondness for them. These "gifts" were nothing but shackles in disguise, meant to keep her tethered.

She plopped down on the edge of the bed and immediately regretted it as a mild pain shot up her core. even though pain had subsided to a great extent, it hadn't disappeared completely. Her eyes watered as the bitter realisation struck her again. This was her life now. No one was coming to save her. She was at his mercy until her end.

To avoid another frantic meltdown, she decided to take a bath.

........

Nate came earlier than usual today. Rio's words hadn't stopped echoing in his head since their meeting. He knew his dad would leave no stone unturned to find them. The thought of losing Sera had haunted him all day long, clouding his thoughts and making it impossible to focus on the fight. He turned on the light and found her nowhere. A frown immediately marred his features before he picked up on the water running in the shower. An idea clicked him. The day had been long and tiring; only a long, relaxing shower could fix it now. Peeling off his clothes, he moved towards the bathroom.

He pinched the knob and realised that the door was unlocked. The learning brought him both joy and disappointment. She would keep the door locked whenever he was home.

Shrugging off the disappointment, he opened the door and walked in, only to find her standing under the shower. She was naked and soaked from head to toe. The waterdrops danced across her body, teasing and testing him. He stalked closer, his eyes transfixed on the smooth curve of her back. She ran her fingers through her wet locks, completely unaware of his looming figure.