Burn Me Right

Chapter 28

Autumn stepped out of the house with a heavy heart. She turned around and looked at the place that had housed her for a long time. She had designed that house according to her heart's desire and happiness, and now it was being taken away from her. Is this how people feel? When is something taken away against their will? Do they want to burn everything down?

Every step towards the car felt like a heavy burden, like her feet were rooted to the ground. Despite the vehicle being within reach, it took her an eternity to finally reach it, as if she was dragging her bags and all her fears. She had asked Ro and Peaches not to come outside, as her heart would break more.

Reluctantly, she got into the car. Zyler was already inside. His scent greeted her before he did. "Ready?" he inquired, his tone hinting at amusement.

"No," Autumn replied, her voice shaking with anger. "I'm not ready for any of this. I don't want to be here," she didn't hide it.

She watched his smirk disappear, replaced by a cold and calculating expression. "Too bad," he dismissed, his tone icy. "I don't care what you want," he turned to the driver and asked him to start to the destination. Soon, she felt the familiar town fade and be replaced by unknown streets. Before she knew it, they were at the airport, but the car took a private entrance instead of the commercial entrance. She exited the vehicle only to notice a vast plane standing before them. Zyler was talking to the pilots and his staff like the king he is, and they were listening to him like his loyal subjects. There was no gentleness in his tone. It held authority.

She Autumn stood frozen in front of the imposing, obsidian-black private jet. Everything about it whispered danger and unimaginable wealth, from the sleek, predatory lines of the fuselage to the darkly elegant lettering spelling out its beautiful name: "Shadow Hunter."

With no choice, she climbed the steps and entered the cabin, her breath catching as she took in the rich surroundings. Black leather and chrome accents dominated the space, casting the interior in an eerie monochromatic palette. It was dark, too dark for her liking. Autumn loved dark colors, but this was like a dark forest trapping her. Alas! She was trapped, pushed onto this plane against her will, with no means of escape.

Her thoughts broke with the pilot's announcement. A male flight attendant came in and smiled at her, and Autumn responded with courtesy. "Do you need help with that, mam?" He bent down to help Autumn when they heard a loud bang, and Autumn was yanked into Zyler's lap. The attendant and Autumn looked horrified. Zyler twisted her neck to face him. His eyes blazed with fury, casting an intense, fiery gaze that seemed to scorch the air between them. His expression showed an unmistakable threat, a warning that Autumn couldn't ignore.

"Get the fuck out," he seethed at the poor man. The flight attendant had been working for Zyler for a while. He was used to Zyler's temper and mannerisms, but this was something new in his body. He had never seen him this angry. He didn't understand what caused him to do it either. Then he looked at Autumn. The girl's cheeks heated in embarrassment. The position wasn't the best either. It was so compromising. The attendant cast a pitiful look at Autumn walking out.

Holding her waist with a bruising grip, his eyes bore into hers, smoldering with a dangerous intensity. "You find him funny, Autumn? Is that it?" he sneered, his voice laced with jealousy and anger. "Let me tell you something, sweetheart. You laugh at him again; that will be his last laugh. Do you understand me?" his gaze settled onto her wobbling lips.

Autumn shrank back from him, feeling the weight of his warning settle heavily upon her. Zyler's inner conflict simmered beneath the surface as he struggled to control the jealousy that coursed through him. He'd felt it before, but never with this intensity. He couldn't bear the thought of anyone else making her laugh, of anyone else being the source of her happiness. But he refused to acknowledge it as jealousy, even to himself. He was too proud of that, too much of a monster to admit to any weakness.