ONE Night On His Bike

Gone

*CHAPTER 16: GONE*

Morning came too fast.

He woke up with me in his arms.

Before he could say anything, he pulled back.

*"Let me go take a shower first,"* he said, thumb brushing my cheek. *"Then we talk, okay?"*

I nodded. But my chest was tight.

What happened last night... the kissing... me choosing him...

I couldn’t face him. Not yet. I was too shy. Too exposed.

So I got dressed fast. Left a note on his phone.

*_Me: Don’t look for me.

After last night I don’t think I can look you in the face.

I just need space. Please._*

And I ran.

He saw the message in the shower. Smiled a little.

*"She’s just shy,"* he told himself. *"She’ll come around."*

He gave me one day.

When I didn’t text. Didn’t call. He called me. No answer.

That night he went to my place.

Empty.

Panic started crawling up his throat.

Meanwhile...

Ryan had been watching.

The second I stepped out alone, she had me.

Tied up. In some warehouse.

*Ryan: "You think you can move on from me?"* she hissed.

*"Over my dead body,"* I said.

She slapped me. Hard.

*Ryan: "Fine. Then don’t blame me for what happens."*

Her guys held me down. She poured hot drinks on me. Beat me.

*"Say you want me,"* she screamed.

I didn’t.

Back to him.

One day turned to two. No texts. No calls.

That’s when he remembered — we share location.

He opened it.

One dot. In an abandoned place across town.

With Ryan. And other men.

His jaw clenched. Rage in his eyes.

*"If I go in there now, they’ll kill her,"* he whispered.

So he didn’t rush in.

He made a plan.

And I was in there, bleeding, praying he’d find me in time.

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