Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 293

“Ruby! Stop!”

The shout was suddenly so close, it was almost in her ear.

“Ah!”

Ruby gasped as a hand shot out from the darkness of the alley, grabbing her and yanking her inside.

Her eyes went wide in shock. Before she could react, a palm clamped firmly over her mouth.

The grip was rough, but whoever it was adjusted their hold so she could still breathe through her nose. Not exactly gentle, but considerate in its own strange way.

Ruby blinked, realizing that whoever was behind her didn’t mean her harm.

The world outside was silent. She caught the faint, crisp scent of citrus on the person’s clothes—a cool, refreshing smell that calmed her nerves for a split second. Just as she tried to focus on it, a wave of foul odor hit her like a slap.

She wrinkled her nose, suddenly aware they must be crouched near a garbage heap.

Heavy footsteps and ragged breathing echoed down the alley.

“Where’d she go? She was just here!”

“Maybe she ran that way!”

“Come on, let’s check!”

Men and women’s voices mingled, their footsteps sounding again—like distant thunder rolling through the night.

When the noise finally faded away, Ruby let out a shaky breath as the hand over her mouth released her.

She started to say thank you, but the person behind her spoke first. “My place is nearby. Come with me.”

Fanny’s voice was cool and flat, almost mechanical.

Ruby turned, startled. Fanny stood tall and composed at the mouth of the alley, a silhouette in the gloom.

Ruby opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to refuse, but the stench swirling around them made her hesitate.

“This is basically a garbage pile. I have hot water at home,” Fanny said quietly, her gaze distant and cold, like moonlight glinting off ice.

Ruby didn’t argue. She just whispered a thank you and followed.

Fanny’s apartment was small and a bit bare, but spotlessly clean.

She told Ruby to wait just inside the door, then rummaged in her closet and handed over a brand-new white T-shirt, tags still attached. “Never worn. There are disposable towels in the bathroom.”

Ruby took the shirt with a grateful look.

Clutching it, she breathed in a few calming lungfuls of air. Then she turned to Fanny and said earnestly, “Thank you.”

Fanny, who had been leaning against the wall scrolling on her phone, paused and looked up.

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re trending again.”

She held out her phone. On the screen was a chaotic scene—just moments ago, on the food street.

The word “again” made Ruby’s lips twitch in embarrassment.

“They haven’t left. There’s already a swarm of reporters outside,” Fanny added, peeling back the blackout curtain to peek out the window.

Knock, knock—

A sharp rapping at the door interrupted. Bennett glanced at Cassian, who rubbed his brow and waved him to answer it.

Gennifer stood outside.

She hurried over to Cassian, her face pinched with distress. “Cassian…”

He was already on edge and frowned at her, his patience worn thin.

Gennifer flinched under his piercing gaze, but she steeled herself, determined not to back down.

“What is it?” His voice was cool and distant.

Gennifer bit her lip. “It’s about my sister.”

The word “sister” snapped Cassian’s attention into focus. For the first time, he really looked at Gennifer. “Gennifer? What’s going on?”

She noticed the subtle shift in his tone, and it stung more than she’d expected.

Fiddling with her fingers, she said, “My sister’s been contacting the judge from the District Court of Quinborough in private. Farrar lost the case, but now he’s threatening to come after me if I don’t do something about it…”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Cassian, I’m scared…”

Cassian’s frown deepened. That certainly sounded like something Farrar would do.

“What do you want me to do to help?”