Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 119

His usually clear, youthful voice dropped, turning cold and taut. He hunched forward, shoulders coiling like a predator ready to spring—dangerous, wild, every inch the hunter.

"I'm going with you."

Ruby shook her head, clutching Mira a little tighter. Her mind raced through the whirlwind of recent events. Everything seemed like an accident, but when too many "accidents" pile up, it's hard not to be suspicious.

Was this just a run of bad luck, or was someone pulling the strings?

The deeper she thought about it, the faster her heart beat. She could only hope she was overthinking.

The ambulance barreled straight to the hospital entrance. Before Ruby could even step out, Sylas swept her into his arms without warning.

Suddenly, she was high above the ground, her eyes wide with surprise.

"What are you doing?" she gasped, unable to hide her shock.

Sylas paused, glanced up at her, and flashed a silent, crooked smile.

"Hold still. You're light as a feather."

His voice rumbled just above her ear, the warmth of his breath unexpectedly intimate, sending a shiver down her neck. Ruby could feel the blood rush to her cheeks.

She smacked his arm. "Put me down!"

Ever since their first encounter, she'd had a strange sense of familiarity around this man, but in reality, he was still a stranger. This was way beyond her comfort zone.

Determined, Ruby's expression grew stern.

Sylas's dark eyes flickered, meeting her unwavering gaze. In the end, he relented and gently set her down.

Once her feet touched the ground, Ruby finally felt like she could breathe again.

Then, a sharp, metallic scent caught her attention.

"Sylas, are you hurt?"

The chaos earlier had left her focused on Mira. She hadn't even thought about how Sylas managed to restrain that frenzied golden retriever.

"I'm fine," Sylas replied smoothly, tucking his arm behind his back, nothing but tenderness in his eyes.

Her mind flashed unexpectedly to the time Gennifer twisted her ankle. Cassian had gone to similar extremes, practically summoning every specialist in the hospital for her. Now, someone was fussing over Ruby in much the same way.

The difference was, this time it was simply top-tier care; the everyday patients weren't affected.

Almost against her will, Ruby glanced at Sylas beside her.

Just then, she noticed the furtive, cautious glances the staff kept shooting in his direction—their fear barely concealed.

Her heart skipped. Something wasn't right.

Veyne Private Medical Center was used to catering to the rich and powerful. Their staff saw all kinds of VIPs—so why did Sylas stand out? Why did his presence seem to command a different kind of respect—almost fear?

A flicker of unease rippled through her.

At nearly the same moment, Cassian's phone rang.

"Hello, is this Miss Ruby's emergency contact? She's been injured and brought into our hospital…"