From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 337

Adolphus just held Laurinda tighter, as if he hadn’t heard a word she said. His mind kept replaying the scene of that car barreling straight at her. He didn’t even want to think about what would have happened if it had actually hit her.

They stayed like that for a while, arms wrapped around each other, until his heartbeat finally slowed down. Only then did he let go, his fingers still shaking as he reached for her wrist. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Did it scare you?”

Laurinda squeezed his trembling hand and shook her head. “I’m okay. Really.”

A few more pairs of headlights cut through the darkness. Laurinda glanced at the people getting out of the cars and held onto Adolphus’s hand. “Foley and the others just arrived.”

It wasn’t only Foley and Garry—Locke was with them too. He rushed over, worry written all over his face as he stared at Laurinda and Adolphus. His voice came out way too loud. “What happened out here?”

Adolphus frowned. “Lower your voice.”

Locke seemed to snap out of it, suddenly realizing how loud he was being. He quickly softened his tone. “Sorry. I just got nervous. Are you both alright? What’s going on?”

Adolphus kept his explanation simple. “Those men were probably sent by The Charles Family. Looks like they wanted to take us out.” He didn’t mention that Laurinda was their main target. After what Laurinda had done to Aileen, it made sense The Charles Family would hold a grudge. He was sure their attackers wouldn’t dare admit who sent them.

Locke’s jaw clenched. “The Charles Family again. And Len still thinks we should help them out.” He stopped talking, not wanting to get into family drama or scare Laurinda away now that Adolphus had finally gotten her to come home.

“So what are you planning to do with these people?” Locke asked.

Laurinda glanced toward where Nash’s body was. Her face was completely neutral. “He got what was coming to him. If he hadn’t been lying there, the car might have actually hit me. Take the body back. Feed it to the dogs.”

She didn’t feel the slightest bit sorry for any of Baily’s people. If they’d won tonight, they would have been even more ruthless. This was just how things worked.

Adolphus nodded and told Garry, “Take him back to the wildlife enclosure at the base.”

Garry grinned. “On it.” He knew that place better than anyone. The animals there wouldn’t even leave a bone behind.

Once everything was cleaned up, Adolphus brought Laurinda back to Lunaria Lakeside. Locke spent the rest of the night organizing a search for Adah. Foley and Garry headed back to their base with more than thirty men and five vehicles, ready to deal with the aftermath.