Chapter 714

The two cars collided with a screech so loud it felt straight out of an action movie, except it wasn’t. This was real, happening right in front of me. Panic hit me like a brick, but with Xander next to me, I clung to a tiny shred of calm. My hand clutched the seatbelt as I turned to him. “This Wayne’s doing?”

“Could be. Might just be a test.”

A test. It clicked instantly. They wanted to see if he was really Hayden.

“What now?” I asked.

“Sit tight. Don’t freak out, no matter what,” he said.

Uh, yeah, easier said than done. Something about his words felt… off. “What are you planning?” I asked.

“I’m going to make sure they give up,” he replied. Then, he added, “Hold on.”

Before I could process, the car jerked violently, slamming me back into the seat. My breath whooshed out as the car screeched to a halt. Xander’s door was shoved open. A crew of guys stormed out of the other car, yanking him out before I could even blink. They were beating the crap out of him.

And Xander? He didn’t lift a finger to stop them. I froze. This wasn’t adding up. Hayden—Xander—whoever could’ve dropped them in seconds. Then his words echoed in my head: ‘I’m going to make sure they give up.’ This was his plan. He was letting them do this.

Nope. Not happening. Snapping out of it, I yelled, “Stop! Stop it! Don’t hit him!”

My yelling did nothing. They ignored me completely. Heart pounding, I fumbled with my seatbelt, practically falling out of the car as I rushed toward them. I grabbed one guy’s arm, desperate to pull him off, but he shoved me down like I weighed nothing. Hitting the ground stung, but I wasn’t about to back down. Scrambling up, I snatched a rock and chucked it at one of the attackers. It smacked him dead-on, and his glare was full of fury.

Before he could charge at me, another guy held him back. They exchanged a look, then glanced at Xander, who was crumpled on the ground, blood pooling around him. Without a word, they turned and sped off in their car.

I ran to Xander, my stomach twisting at the sight of all that blood. My hands hovered, too scared to touch him.

Chapter 714

“I’m fine,” he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

Fine? He was bleeding everywhere.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

I shook my head quickly. “I’m calling the police right now.”

“No,” he cut me off. “Not the police. Just traffic officers.”

I made the call. While we waited, I crouched next to him, wanting so badly to help him sit up or stop the bleeding, but he wouldn’t let me touch him. Instead, he stared at me, his voice soft but steady. “Were you scared?”

How could I not be? His hand lifted shakily, brushing against my cheek. “You used to be so brave.”

My heart skipped. Used to be. He was talking about the past. Was this it? Was he finally admitting he was Hayden? This idiot. He couldn’t own up to it when things were fine, but now, lying here, beaten and bleeding, he finally let it slip.

I was a mess, caught in a storm of heartbreak and fury. “You used to be so amazing. A few guys like that wouldn’t have even touched you before.”

To my surprise, he let out a soft laugh. Somehow, it pulled a faint smile from me too, even as tears blurred my vision. But the laugh didn’t last long, and when it faded, the weight of everything came crashing back. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. All the pain, the longing, the chaos from Hayden’s death to this moment—it spilled out like a dam breaking.

“You idiot,” I sobbed, throwing my arms around him. “You absolute bastard. Hayden, you bastard.”

“I’m sorry, Kiki,” he whispered.

I didn’t need his apology. None of it mattered. As long as he was alive, I’d take it.

“Kiki,” he said softly, “don’t cry. There’s something important I need to tell you.”

I realized then how hard I was crying. Yeah, from now on, he was my Hayden again. I tried to pull myself together. “What is it?”

Chapter 715