Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 125

Ruby settled Mira gently into the stroller, folding her arms and fixing Sylas with a wary stare.

"I'm here to drop off the stroller," she said flatly.

Sylas didn't look the least bit ashamed at the confrontation. Instead, he just shrugged with a disarming nonchalance, a playful glint in his eyes as he met her gaze.

Ruby was momentarily at a loss for words—she'd never expected anyone to be so brazenly shameless.

"I owe you an apology," Sylas said suddenly, his deep voice breaking the silence.

She blinked, caught off guard, and looked up at him in surprise.

He gave her a quick wink. "But I really had no choice."

"Oh? No choice, huh?" Ruby arched an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by his excuse.

Sylas, expecting her skepticism, just smiled. He reached out and picked up the soft blanket Ruby had draped over Mira's little belly.

She watched, puzzled but not stopping him, frowning as she waited to see what he'd do next.

"Here. Smell this," Sylas said, holding the blanket up to her nose.

Ruby eyed him suspiciously, but as she inhaled, an unpleasant odor stung her senses.

Her eyes shot up in alarm.

Sylas caught the flicker of realization that crossed her face. "Ring any bells? On your way through the park, I'm guessing you noticed this smell more than once."

Ruby's hand clenched at her side. He was right.

Suddenly, the memory crashed into her: a reckless figure brushing by her in the park. That person!

Her pupils constricted.

Sylas didn't miss the change in her expression and pressed, "Did you remember something?"

Their eyes met in midair—hers startled and fearful, his urgent and probing.

"In the park, when someone bumped into me, I smelled it too," Ruby said, her voice dropping as the weight of realization settled over her.

Sylas nodded, understanding. "That's it, then. I think that's when you and Mira were exposed to the powder."

"Powder?" Ruby echoed, uneasy, a tremor in her chest.

Sylas draped the tainted blanket over his arm and found a clean one, tucking it gently around Mira. He explained in an even tone, "I had the dog from earlier checked out. As for this blanket, it was laced with a hallucinogenic substance—something that can make animals lose control and become aggressive."

A chill ran up Ruby's spine, leaving her cold to the bone.

Was this really happening?

First, she'd been poisoned. Now, Mira had almost been bitten by a frenzied dog.

Who was targeting them?

Ruby's frightened eyes swept the quiet street.

She'd moved apartments, putting half of Quinborough between herself and her old place. How were they still being found?

The sense of being hunted, unable to see where the threat was coming from, made her stomach twist with dread.

Sylas ducked his head, letting his chestnut hair fall over his eyes, hiding the flash of pain and fury he didn't want her to see.

After searching for her for so long, he'd finally found her—only to learn she'd married and had a child. And the man she married hadn't even valued her.

His teeth ground together with frustration.

Ruby stared, confused. "You…"

But Sylas seemed to snap out of it, his eyes suddenly bright and fierce.

"You're about to be divorced, and raising a child alone isn't easy," he said gently, his gaze full of honesty and concern.

Ruby rubbed her chin, considering. "I've been raising Mira on my own for quite a while. Sure, it's tough, but honestly? I'm happy. I have everything I need."

As she spoke, she reached into the stroller and tickled Mira, her expression softening with motherly tenderness.

Sylas couldn't take his eyes off her.

The strength and warmth she radiated were nothing like the girl he'd known years ago—and it only made her more captivating.

"No."

The single word broke the moment.

Ruby glanced at him, a little thrown, as Sylas fixed her with an intense look. "I mean, a child… maybe she needs a father."

He didn't say it outright, but the meaning was loud and clear in his eyes, in the set of his jaw.

Ruby froze, her eyes widening. Without a word, she scooped up Mira and hurried inside, slamming the door with a decisive bang.