Chapter 55
1 Cismon remembered contri
correctly, the two men wete NEW chackup racers who shard recently joined the team.
Their skills were decent, but their personal lives were notoriously messy. Not long ago, a pregnant woman had stormed into the team’s headquarters, demanding to know which of the two was the father of her child.
The incident had entaged the team leader, who punished them by banning them from participating in any races for three months. They were only invited to today’s victory party as a courtesy, yet here they were, stirring up trouble again.
Damon conudered stepping in to stop them but pauseid mid–step:
thought. Why should I care? Noelle has insisted on coming and claimed she could take care of herself. If something happened, it would be her own fault–not my responsibility“:
If he intervened. Lesa might misinterpret his actions and think he was siding with Noelle. That would devastate Leia
He thought. “No. I can’t get involved. There’s no reason for me to do so
Just as Damon was struggling internally, a drunken teammate stumbled over and threw an arm around him. “Damon! What are you doing over here! Come on, you’re the star tonight. Let’s drink!”
The trammate dragged Damon back to the party.
Damon haltheartedly followed but couldn’t help glancing back toward Noelle.
From the comer of his eye, he saw the two scumbags still pressuring her to drink.
“Noelle you’re amazing! Five bottles already!”
Baker watched in disbelief as Noelle downed her fifth boule of champagne.
Sure, the champagne wasn’t particularly strong at first sap, but its aftereffects packed a punch. Most women would be passed out after just one bottle, yet Noelle had polished off five without batting an eye…
“I told you she can hold her Liquor! Let’s keep going”
Jarari Cannon popped open another bottle and poured it into Noelle’s glass.
Erick gave Jamari a look. (Dude, are we still doing this!]
Jamani replied with a shrug (Why not? She’s not drunk yri.]
Erick: This champagne’s expensive.
Lainan (Who cares? The team’s paying for it |
Erick: What if something happen to her?]
Janan (Kelax. Damon doesn’t care, and we’ll just take her away quietly. No one will know |
Fræk hentated but finally relented (Alright, keep going
“Niselle, one more glass,” Jamari coaxed, pouring her another drink.
beautiful
ryes were slightly lazy, adding an unintentional allure that
no more.” Noelle shook her head, her fair checks flushed a rosy red. Her beaut inade her look almost enchanting
What a grin. Jamani dhaought, hús excitement g
growing “What’s
‘s wrong. Noeller Feeling dizzy?”
Finally, after five bottles of champagne, was she about to pass out?
“No. I need to the the bathroom, Noelle and, wobbling to her feet.
“Oh, the bathroon? Sure, we’ll take you there,” Jamari offered, reaching out to steady her.
But Noelle dodged his hand. ‘I don’t need your help. I can walk by myself”
ப
9:32 AM c
Chapter 55
“Alright, be careful.” Jamari smiled sheepishly but mentally planned to take her to a hotel as soon as she returned.
Herschanged a look with Erick, and the three of them left the party hall
Not long after. Damon suddenly returned to the area where Noelle had been drinking
No matter how much he dishked Noelle, he couldn’t just leave her to fend for herself, especially with two guys like Erick and Jamari. If they succeeded in taking advantage of her, her life would be ruined
But when Damon arrived, the three of them were gone. Where were they?
His heart sank. “Where were they?
In just a few minutes, they had disappeared.
Images of the hysterical pregnant woman who had confronted the team flashed in his mind. He imagined Noelle meeting a similar fate, and a cold sweat broke out on his back
His chest felt tight, like a weight was pressing on it, making it hard to breathe.
phone to call Erick and Jamari. His hands trembled so much that he nearly dropped the device.
Frantically, Damon pulled out his p
When he finally dialed, neither of them answered.
“The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later… The automated message played, cold and indifferent.
“Damn i Damon cursed
The two bastards weren’t answering their phones.
Desperate, Damon tried to call Noelle, only to realize he didn’t have her number saved
“Damn it!” Damon muttered through gritted teeth. He was on the verge of losing his temper.
His only option was to call Eli, who he knew was close to Noelle.
“Hello?” Eli answered cheerfully. “Damon, what’s up? Did you win your race today?”
“Give me Noelles number, Damon demanded without explanation.
“Huh? Why do you need Noelle’s number all of a sudden? Eli asked, confused.
“Just give it to me.
it to me. Stop wasting time, Damon snapped.
Though puzzled, Eli eventually relented and gave him the number.
Before Damon could hung up. El asked, “Wait, did something happen to Noelle? Why are you so frantic?” Damon hesitated, his face darkening After a p
a pause, he said, “Nothing happened.” Then he ended the call
With Norlie’s number in hand, Damon dialed immediately, practically praying as he waited for her to pick up.
Please. Please let her be safe, Damon thought
After a few tense seconds, the call connected.
“Hello?” Noelle’s soft, sliglaly slurred voice came through. “Who’s this?”
Hearing laer voice, Dagon felt an immense weight lift off his chest. He let out a relieved breath and said, “Noelle
“Olc Damon!” Noelle exclaimed, surprised. How did you get my number?”
“Cut the craps Where are Erick and Jamuri! Are you with them right now?” Damon asked slurply.
“They’re un…” Noelle hesitated.
2/3
9:32 AM c
Chapter 55
Her relistance made Damon’s heart race. “What’s going on! Are you with them? Where are you now?”
“Well Noelle admitted softly, “We’re at a hotel room…”
The words “hotel room sent Damon’s heart plunging into the depths of despair.
“Are you stupid? Why would you go with them? What have they done to you?” Damon demanded, his voice rising in anger.
“Damon. I’m not stupid? Noelle protested indignantly. “They… well, they started pulling at my clothes.
“What the” Damon swore loudly. His anger boiled over as he imagined Erick and Jamari laying their hands on her. “Which hotel? What’s the room number:
Noelle, sounding like a child caught in a mistake, gave him the address.
Without wasting a second, Damon rushed over.
When Damon arrived at the hotel, he was sweating and out of breath.
He pounded on the door with his fist, ready to give Erick and Jamari the beating of a lifetime,
The door opened a crack, and Noelle’s head peeked out. She looked at him sheepishly and said in a soft voice. “Damon, you’re here…”
“Where are they Damon demanded, pushing the door open.
Noelle followed him inside, her voice small. “They’re over there… lying down.”
“Oh, they’re just lying down, huh?” Damon sneered, expecting to find the two men lounging on the bed.
Hut as he stepped further into the room, he froze. Erick and Jamari were sprawled on the floor, beaten to a pulp. Both were unconscious, their faces bruised and swollen, with several teeth missing.
“What… what happened here? Damon stammered.
Noelle walked up beside lai
Chapter 55
1 Cismon remembered contri
correctly, the two men wete NEW chackup racers who shard recently joined the team.
Their skills were decent, but their personal lives were notoriously messy. Not long ago, a pregnant woman had stormed into the team’s headquarters, demanding to know which of the two was the father of her child.
The incident had entaged the team leader, who punished them by banning them from participating in any races for three months. They were only invited to today’s victory party as a courtesy, yet here they were, stirring up trouble again.
Damon conudered stepping in to stop them but pauseid mid–step:
thought. Why should I care? Noelle has insisted on coming and claimed she could take care of herself. If something happened, it would be her own fault–not my responsibility“:
If he intervened. Lesa might misinterpret his actions and think he was siding with Noelle. That would devastate Leia
He thought. “No. I can’t get involved. There’s no reason for me to do so
Just as Damon was struggling internally, a drunken teammate stumbled over and threw an arm around him. “Damon! What are you doing over here! Come on, you’re the star tonight. Let’s drink!”
The trammate dragged Damon back to the party.
Damon haltheartedly followed but couldn’t help glancing back toward Noelle.
From the comer of his eye, he saw the two scumbags still pressuring her to drink.
“Noelle you’re amazing! Five bottles already!”
Baker watched in disbelief as Noelle downed her fifth boule of champagne.
Sure, the champagne wasn’t particularly strong at first sap, but its aftereffects packed a punch. Most women would be passed out after just one bottle, yet Noelle had polished off five without batting an eye…
“I told you she can hold her Liquor! Let’s keep going”
Jarari Cannon popped open another bottle and poured it into Noelle’s glass.
Erick gave Jamari a look. (Dude, are we still doing this!]
Jamani replied with a shrug (Why not? She’s not drunk yri.]
Erick: This champagne’s expensive.
Lainan (Who cares? The team’s paying for it |
Erick: What if something happen to her?]
Janan (Kelax. Damon doesn’t care, and we’ll just take her away quietly. No one will know |
Fræk hentated but finally relented (Alright, keep going
“Niselle, one more glass,” Jamari coaxed, pouring her another drink.
beautiful
ryes were slightly lazy, adding an unintentional allure that
no more.” Noelle shook her head, her fair checks flushed a rosy red. Her beaut inade her look almost enchanting
What a grin. Jamani dhaought, hús excitement g
growing “What’s
‘s wrong. Noeller Feeling dizzy?”
Finally, after five bottles of champagne, was she about to pass out?
“No. I need to the the bathroom, Noelle and, wobbling to her feet.
“Oh, the bathroon? Sure, we’ll take you there,” Jamari offered, reaching out to steady her.
But Noelle dodged his hand. ‘I don’t need your help. I can walk by myself”
ப
9:32 AM c
Chapter 55
“Alright, be careful.” Jamari smiled sheepishly but mentally planned to take her to a hotel as soon as she returned.
Herschanged a look with Erick, and the three of them left the party hall
Not long after. Damon suddenly returned to the area where Noelle had been drinking
No matter how much he dishked Noelle, he couldn’t just leave her to fend for herself, especially with two guys like Erick and Jamari. If they succeeded in taking advantage of her, her life would be ruined
But when Damon arrived, the three of them were gone. Where were they?
His heart sank. “Where were they?
In just a few minutes, they had disappeared.
Images of the hysterical pregnant woman who had confronted the team flashed in his mind. He imagined Noelle meeting a similar fate, and a cold sweat broke out on his back
His chest felt tight, like a weight was pressing on it, making it hard to breathe.
phone to call Erick and Jamari. His hands trembled so much that he nearly dropped the device.
Frantically, Damon pulled out his p
When he finally dialed, neither of them answered.
“The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later… The automated message played, cold and indifferent.
“Damn i Damon cursed
The two bastards weren’t answering their phones.
Desperate, Damon tried to call Noelle, only to realize he didn’t have her number saved
“Damn it!” Damon muttered through gritted teeth. He was on the verge of losing his temper.
His only option was to call Eli, who he knew was close to Noelle.
“Hello?” Eli answered cheerfully. “Damon, what’s up? Did you win your race today?”
“Give me Noelles number, Damon demanded without explanation.
“Huh? Why do you need Noelle’s number all of a sudden? Eli asked, confused.
“Just give it to me.
it to me. Stop wasting time, Damon snapped.
Though puzzled, Eli eventually relented and gave him the number.
Before Damon could hung up. El asked, “Wait, did something happen to Noelle? Why are you so frantic?” Damon hesitated, his face darkening After a p
a pause, he said, “Nothing happened.” Then he ended the call
With Norlie’s number in hand, Damon dialed immediately, practically praying as he waited for her to pick up.
Please. Please let her be safe, Damon thought
After a few tense seconds, the call connected.
“Hello?” Noelle’s soft, sliglaly slurred voice came through. “Who’s this?”
Hearing laer voice, Dagon felt an immense weight lift off his chest. He let out a relieved breath and said, “Noelle
“Olc Damon!” Noelle exclaimed, surprised. How did you get my number?”
“Cut the craps Where are Erick and Jamuri! Are you with them right now?” Damon asked slurply.
“They’re un…” Noelle hesitated.
2/3
9:32 AM c
Chapter 55
Her relistance made Damon’s heart race. “What’s going on! Are you with them? Where are you now?”
“Well Noelle admitted softly, “We’re at a hotel room…”
The words “hotel room sent Damon’s heart plunging into the depths of despair.
“Are you stupid? Why would you go with them? What have they done to you?” Damon demanded, his voice rising in anger.
“Damon. I’m not stupid? Noelle protested indignantly. “They… well, they started pulling at my clothes.
“What the” Damon swore loudly. His anger boiled over as he imagined Erick and Jamari laying their hands on her. “Which hotel? What’s the room number:
Noelle, sounding like a child caught in a mistake, gave him the address.
Without wasting a second, Damon rushed over.
When Damon arrived at the hotel, he was sweating and out of breath.
He pounded on the door with his fist, ready to give Erick and Jamari the beating of a lifetime,
The door opened a crack, and Noelle’s head peeked out. She looked at him sheepishly and said in a soft voice. “Damon, you’re here…”
“Where are they Damon demanded, pushing the door open.
Noelle followed him inside, her voice small. “They’re over there… lying down.”
“Oh, they’re just lying down, huh?” Damon sneered, expecting to find the two men lounging on the bed.
Hut as he stepped further into the room, he froze. Erick and Jamari were sprawled on the floor, beaten to a pulp. Both were unconscious, their faces bruised and swollen, with several teeth missing.
“What… what happened here? Damon stammered.
Noelle walked up beside laim, her tone quiet and innocent. “They tried to pull at my clothes. You said no man is allowed to touch me, so I told them to stop. They didn’t listen, so… I hit them.”
She looked up at Damon with wide, guileless eyes and added, “I really held back, though. I didn’t expect them to be so fragile…”
Damon was speechless.
m, her tone quiet and innocent. “They tried to pull at my clothes. You said no man is allowed to touch me, so I told them to stop. They didn’t listen, so… I hit them.”
She looked up at Damon with wide, guileless eyes and added, “I really held back, though. I didn’t expect them to be so fragile…”
Damon was speechless.
