A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 305

Elissa’s cheeks flushed a deep red. When she finally looked up, she found herself caught in Rowan’s unwavering stare.

He knew exactly where her mind had wandered. Gazing at her with a hint of amusement, he asked, “What were you thinking about to get so flustered?”

He sounded so serious that for a moment, Elissa doubted herself, wondering if she’d read too much into things.

But there were two other people sitting in the front seats. She couldn’t possibly say what she was really thinking: That she’d been thinking about him, and how easily he could make her lose her composure.

Rowan clearly banked on her not having the nerve to say it out loud. He didn’t care about embarrassment, but she did.

So, Elissa simply fell silent. When it came to verbal sparring, she sometimes just couldn’t win against him.

The car finally pulled up in front of Vistapeak Gardens. Elissa opened the door and stepped out. Just as she was about to enter the building, Rowan strode up and caught her hand in his.

“Didn’t we agree to have dinner together at home?” he reminded her quietly.

Together. He meant it—hand in hand, not letting her slip away for even a step.

His palm was warm, almost electric, sending tingles up her arm and all through her body.

Inside, Ian had already arranged for dinner to be picked up from their favorite restaurant. By the time Elissa sat down to eat, the food was still warm and comforting.

This time, when dinner was over, Elissa didn’t rush off. Instead, she set down her fork and turned to look at Rowan sitting beside her.

She watched him longer than she had in the elevator earlier—so long that her eyes began to sting with dryness.

Rowan noticed her odd behavior and raised an eyebrow, watching her with lazy curiosity. “Did you get possessed tonight or something?”

“No…” Elissa hesitated, then slowly reached out, her slender fingers moving over the fabric of his shirt, searching across his chest.

Rowan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He looked at her, his dark eyes kindling with a familiar heat. “And what do you think you’re doing?”

But Elissa seemed not to hear him. She kept searching, her fingers finally stopping at a spot where the fabric was uneven—beneath it, a scar, the skin slightly raised. Her heart clenched painfully.

She didn’t understand herself. Why did simply touching this old wound make her feel so unbearably sad?

Rowan realized what she was doing. His gaze darkened as he caught her hand, trying to gently pull her away. But just then, Elissa looked up at him, her eyes rimmed red, brimming with tears. “Did it hurt a lot? Back then?”

That question.

Rowan tried to remember, but the truth was, that day had been chaos. He’d had too many things to worry about; pain wasn’t even on his mind.

He’d just been grateful to be alive.

Most of all, he’d been relieved that she hadn’t been in the car with him. That she wasn’t there—by his side.

He reached over, pinched her cheek lightly, and managed a crooked smile. “I barely remember. Do you want to kiss it better for me?”

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