Chapter 2 - Beneath the Surface
The warmth of the restaurant interior did little to stop Clara’s body from shivering violently. He pulled her into a fierce, protective embrace, his muscular arms wrapping around her as his hands brushed past the open neckline of her sweater, laying bare the stark purple bruises and angry red scratches on her pale skin. The air left her lungs in a shaky sigh as she surrendered to the safety of his arms, though her mind remained trapped in the nightmare she had fled. ""Who did this to you?"" he whispered quietly against her hair, his jaw clenched so tight a muscle ticked in his cheek. She pulled back slightly, looking into his deep, unwavering eyes, the panic still raw in her chest. Before she could answer, the bartender and a nearby patron glanced their way, sensing the volatile energy crackling between them. He grabbed her hand, his grip firm and steadying, guiding her away from the dining room and into the shadows of the private lounge area. They sank onto a dark leather couch, the dim lighting masking the worst of her physical scars, but doing nothing to hide the terror in her gaze. ""I have to leave..."" she breathed out, her voice breaking under the weight of her panic. ""Dean is waiting."" He stared down at her, his expression turning into one of stone-cold defiance. ""He's not waiting anymore."" A heavy, suffocating silence fell between them, broken only by the sound of thunder rolling across the skyline, signaling that the hunter was already on their trail.
