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Chapter 25: The Escape Plan
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2025-03-13 03:46:50
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Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 26: The Last Warning
Gunfire erupted.Juniper barely had time to react before Adrian yanked her to the side. A bullet splintered the wooden crate where sheâd been standing a second ago.âMove!â Adrian barked.Juniper sprinted after him, her heart slamming against her ribs. The warehouse was dimly lit, massive metal shelves stretching high above them. Stacks of shipping crates formed a maze of cover, but they wouldnât be safe for long.Behind them, Damienâs voice rang outâcold, furious.âYou think you can walk away from this, Sinclair?âAdrian gritted his teeth. âKeep going.âJuniper pushed forward, breath ragged, muscles burning. Footsteps pounded behind themâDamienâs men, closing in fast.A bullet slammed into the metal shelf beside her. Sparks flew.She flinched but kept running.Adrian yanked her behind a stack of crates, pressing her against the cool metal. He peered around the corner. His jaw tensed.âTwo guards. Armed. Heading this way.âJuniperâs pulse pounded. âWe need a plan.âAdrian exhaled shar
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 27: Betrayal in the Dark
BANG!The shot echoed through the night.Damienâs body jerked, a sharp, pained gasp escaping his lips. His gun slipped from his grasp, clattering onto the concrete with a metallic clang. He staggered back, his hand flying to his shoulder, blood seeping through his shirt. His men froze, eyes darting between him and the source of the shot.Juniper spun toward the rooftop entrance, her pulse hammering.Ethan.He stood in the doorway, gun raised, his chest rising and falling in heavy breaths. His face was unreadable, but his grip on the weapon was steady.Adrianâs jaw tightened. âWhat the hell are you doing here?âEthan lowered the gun slightly, his lips twisting into a smirk. âSaving your ass. Youâre welcome.âDamien let out a strained laugh, wincing as he gripped his wound. âPerfect. Another hero.â He staggered but stayed on his feet, his usual arrogance barely dimmed by the injury. âYouâll regret that shot, Kingsley.âEthanâs expression darkened. âYou talk too much.âThe rooftop air wa
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 28: Nowhere is Safe
The night pulsed with urgency. Sirens still wailed in the distance, but Juniper had no time to think about the police. Her lungs burned as she ran, Adrianâs grip tight on her wrist. The damp air reeked of gasoline and the stench of the alley, but none of it mattered.âLeft,â Adrian barked.Juniper barely caught herself as he yanked her around a corner. Ethan was right behind them, his gun drawn, his gaze flicking over their shoulders.âWe need a car,â Ethan growled.Adrian pulled out his phone, pressing a single button.One ring. Two.A gruff voice answered. âYeah?ââFive minutes. Black SUV. North side.âClick.Juniper wrenched her arm free, breathless. âThatâs it? Thatâs your plan?âAdrian didnât break stride. âYou got a better one?âShe didnât.But she also knew Damien wouldnât stop. Not after what had happened at the warehouse.Ethan cursed under his breath. âWe donât have forever. Weâve got company.âJuniperâs pulse spiked.Footsteps. Fast. Closing in.Adrian pulled her wrist. âRu
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 29: A Trap in Motion
âWeâve got a problem.âAdrianâs head snapped up from his phone. His jaw clenched. âWhat is it?âThe driver, a stocky man in a dark suit, gripped the wheel tighter, his eyes flicking between the road and the rearview mirror. âWeâre being followed.âJuniper twisted in her seat so fast her seatbelt cut into her chest. The moment she saw the black sedan tailing them, her stomach plummeted. Tinted windows. No visible plates. The way it stayed precisely two cars behind, keeping just enough distance to avoid suspicionâit screamed trained pursuit.âShit,â Ethan muttered, shifting in his seat. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out his gun, checking the magazine with practiced ease. âHow long have they been there?ââSince we left the alley,â the driver replied.Juniperâs fingers dug into the leather seat. âDamien?ââWho else?â Ethanâs voice was grim.Adrian exhaled slowly. His expression was unreadable, but Juniper could see the gears turning behind his eyes. Calculating. Planning.âWe lo
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 30: Checkmate
âDid you really think you could run from me?âDamienâs voice echoed through the alleyway, smooth and mocking, his presence commanding even in the dim light.Juniperâs grip tightened around the edge of her seat inside the bullet-riddled SUV. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her chest.Adrian, standing just outside the car, didnât flinch. His face remained unreadable, a mask of calm indifference that only pissed Damien off more.Ethan, however, wasnât interested in theatrics. He cocked his gun, finger steady on the trigger. âWant me to shoot him?âDamienâs lips curled into a smirk. âAlways so dramatic.â He spread his arms in an exaggerated gesture of invitation. âGo ahead. But I promise you, youâll never leave this alley alive.âJuniperâs stomach twisted. This was bad.Adrian took a single step forward, hands loose at his sides but posture taut with control. âYou made a mistake following me.âDamien chuckled. âNo, Bla
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 31: All or Nothing
âGo! Go! Go!âAdrian slammed the gas pedal to the floor. The SUV roared forward, weaving dangerously through the tight alleyway as bullets pinged off the metal frame.Juniper clutched the door handle, her knuckles white. âTheyâre still on us!âEthan twisted in the back seat, his gun raised. âYeah, no kidding! Hold this thing steady!âAdrian swerved hard left, nearly clipping a row of parked motorcycles. âSteady? Not an option right now.âBehind them, Damienâs black sedans were relentless, their headlights cutting through the darkness like hunting knives. More gunfire erupted, shattering the SUVâs back window.âShit!â Juniper ducked. âThat was way too close.âEthan cursed, returning fire. A bullet struck the windshield of the nearest sedan, causing it to swerve. But the driver corrected fast. âTheyâre not backing off!âAdrianâs grip on the wheel tightened. âWe need to lose them.ââYou think?â Ethan snapped.Juniperâs heart pounded. The speed. The gunfire. The deafening roar of engines.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 32: No Way Out
âAdrian!âJuniperâs scream barely cut through the chaos.The SUV hurtled between two massive trucks, scraping so close that she swore she heard metal screeching against metal. The blinding headlights swallowed them whole, and for a fraction of a second, time seemed to freezeâher pulse hammering in her throat, her breath caught between terror and adrenaline.ThenâBAM!The SUV shot out onto the open road. Behind them, the trucks blared their horns, slamming on their brakes to avoid crashing into Damienâs pursuing vehicles.Ethan clung to the headrest, his knuckles white. âAre you trying to get us killed?âAdrianâs grip on the wheel was a death vise. âIf I stop, weâre dead anyway.âBehind them, Damienâs men werenât letting up. Another blacked-out SUV tore through the intersection, plowing over the curb and speeding toward them like a missile.Juniper turned, her stomach twisting. âTheyâre gaining!âAdrian didnât hesitate. âHold on.âHe yanked the wheel rightâhard.The SUV skidded, tires
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 33: Nowhere is Safe
Juniperâs fingers curled tightly around her phone as she stared at the message on the screen.Unknown Number: You think this is over?A chill prickled down her spine. Her stomach knotted.âAdrian,â she said, her voice sharper than she intended. âWe have a problem.âAdrianâs focus stayed on the road, his hands gripping the wheel like a lifeline. âWhat now?âShe turned the screen toward him. The glow of the text cast an eerie light over his face. His expression darkened instantly, jaw locking, eyes flashing with something cold.Ethan leaned forward from the back seat. âThat Damien?âJuniperâs mouth felt dry. âWho else?âAdrianâs fingers flexed on the wheel. His knuckles were bone-white. âHe never gives up.âEthan scoffed. âYeah, no shit. What does he want now?âBefore Juniper could answer, her phone vibrated again. Another message.Unknown Number: See you soon.A shiver ran through her.Ethan let out a low curse. âThatâs not ominous at all.âJuniper forced a breath through her nose, ste
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13
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Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 39: No Way Out
The Warning. âYou shouldn't have come here.â. The voice swayed like smoke across the cave. Low. Rough. Hungry. Juniper's breath hitched. She felt the weight of those words shivering against her skin, colder than the damp air inundating around them. She ran around, scouting the dark as it changed. The chamber was spacious and staring out at them, the torchlight illuminating darkened stone walls. Its. They migrated like uncannible spirits, decomposing into hollows, turning shapes into nightmares. Somewhere in the gloom, movement. Subtle. Controlled. Her pulse pounding against her ribs. Adrian's arm protruded in front of her, creating a silent and instinctive barrier. His stanceâwide, steadyâwas pure defense. A wall of quiet fury. When it came, his voice was composed. Too calm. âShow yourself.â. Silence. Thenâfootsteps. Slow. Measured. They resonated throughout the cave, filling the void between pulses. A person came out of hiding.. Tall. Scarred. Armed. Juniper's muscles
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 38: Nowhere to Run
ImpactPain.Juniperâs body slammed into the water like a stone thrown from a rooftop. The impact ripped through her, knocking the air from her lungs in a violent rush. Cold, unforgiving darkness swallowed her whole.The river closed over her head, pressing in from all sides. The weight of it was suffocating, the churning currents dragging her down, down, down into the abyss.Her body twisted violently, spun like a leaf in a hurricane. Her limbs flailed, her lungs screamed.Up. Whereâs up?She had no sense of direction, no light to guide herâjust the numbing cold and the thunderous roar of the waterfall above.She kicked hard, fighting against the relentless pull of the river. Her muscles burned, her chest tightened. She was running out of air.Thenâa burst of light.She broke the surface with a desperate gasp, sucking in air so fast it burned.The waterfall roared behind her, monstrous and deafening. The river wasnât done with her yetâit dragged her forward, shoving her downstream li
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 37: Into the Abyss
The Fall. Cold. Violent. Endless. Juniper slammed into the water. The impact was brutal, unforgiving. Her body was in agony as it dislodged the air from her lungs. She was being pulled down by the river, which had engulfed her like no other. She was suffocated and cold, with darkness covering her like a veil. Her body was twisted by the force of the current, which caused her to spin like a ragdoll in twilight. Despite her body hurtling with pain, the river's frozen texture tugged on her like a string of iron chains. Up. I need to get up. Her chest gashes, desperately seeking oxygen, yet she couldn't determine which direction to kick. Her sense of direction was lost to the river, leaving only chaos and panic. Wildly, Juniper's arms waving their wings as he held something. Thenâa hand. Strong. Unyielding. Familiar. Her wrist was gripped by it, unyielding and relentless, lifting her upwards toward redemption. Adrian. They broke the surface together. Juniper gasped, heaving f
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 36 â Freefall
The Jeep plunged. Wind blew through the windshield, biting Juniper's hair and hitting her like a thousand tiny knives. Her stomach flipped violently, causing a sharp, nauseating lurch that sent her packing. Outside, the world shifted into a chaotic blur of trees, rock, and sky. The ground rose excessively quickly.? The Jeep fell to the ground as Juniper's hands searched for something to hold onto, but it was a free-falling metal coffin. The force of her seatbelt caused her to contract an almost fatal injury by biting her ribs. Thenâa hard yank. The arm of Adrian was encircling her waist, his strength commensurate with his stiffness against hers. With a hot and ragged breath, he pulled her closer with his hand to touch her cheek. âBrace yourself!â. CRASH. The impact was akin to hitting the spine. Glass exploded. A metal scream came from behind the Jeep as it ran under the canopy, snapping branches like broken bones. The globe swayed in opposite directions, then changed directi
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 35: Under Siege
The ExplosionBOOM.The door exploded inward.Splinters shredded the air, slicing through the dimly lit cabin.Juniper barely had time to duck before the blast wave ripped past her, sending a storm of wood and dust flying.Adrian grabbed her, yanking her down. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, shielding her.Gunfire erupted.The walls shook as bullets ripped through the cabin. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and the air filled with the acrid scent of gunpowder.Ethan cursed, returning fire. His gun barked in rapid bursts, each shot precise. âThey brought a damn arsenal!âAdrianâs grip on Juniper tightened. âWe have to move.âJuniperâs breath came short, fast. Her ears rang from the blast.âTheyâll see us,â she gasped.Thenâa voice.Deep. Cold. Familiar.âGive it up, Blackwood.âJuniperâs chest seized.Damien.His voice cut through the chaos like a blade. Calm. Unshaken.He was here.Adrianâs jaw clenched. A muscle ticked in his cheek. âLike hell.âEthanâs gun clicked empty. He m
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 34: The Crash
A Split Second Before ImpactThe SUV hurtled through the air.Juniperâs breath locked in her throat. Weightless.The world slowed.Adrian yanked the wheel, muscles straining, but there was nothing to control.Thenâimpact.Metal shrieked.Glass exploded.The SUV smashed down, nose-first, onto the pavement below. The force slammed Juniper forward into her seatbelt, knocking the air from her lungs.Adrian fought the wheel, but momentum was against them. The car spun.Juniperâs vision blurred as the world tilted sideways.BANG.They hit the guardrail.The sound was deafeningâsteel on steel, tires screeching as the car fishtailed out of control.Ethan shouted. âHold on!âToo late.The SUV tipped.For a terrifying heartbeat, Juniper felt herself floating.Thenâa drop.Her stomach plunged.The SUV pitched forward off the road, crashing down into a steep ditch.BOOM.Metal crunched. The impact whipped Juniper sideways, her skull smashing against the window.Pain exploded.Darkness threatened
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 33: Nowhere is Safe
Juniperâs fingers curled tightly around her phone as she stared at the message on the screen.Unknown Number: You think this is over?A chill prickled down her spine. Her stomach knotted.âAdrian,â she said, her voice sharper than she intended. âWe have a problem.âAdrianâs focus stayed on the road, his hands gripping the wheel like a lifeline. âWhat now?âShe turned the screen toward him. The glow of the text cast an eerie light over his face. His expression darkened instantly, jaw locking, eyes flashing with something cold.Ethan leaned forward from the back seat. âThat Damien?âJuniperâs mouth felt dry. âWho else?âAdrianâs fingers flexed on the wheel. His knuckles were bone-white. âHe never gives up.âEthan scoffed. âYeah, no shit. What does he want now?âBefore Juniper could answer, her phone vibrated again. Another message.Unknown Number: See you soon.A shiver ran through her.Ethan let out a low curse. âThatâs not ominous at all.âJuniper forced a breath through her nose, ste
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 32: No Way Out
âAdrian!âJuniperâs scream barely cut through the chaos.The SUV hurtled between two massive trucks, scraping so close that she swore she heard metal screeching against metal. The blinding headlights swallowed them whole, and for a fraction of a second, time seemed to freezeâher pulse hammering in her throat, her breath caught between terror and adrenaline.ThenâBAM!The SUV shot out onto the open road. Behind them, the trucks blared their horns, slamming on their brakes to avoid crashing into Damienâs pursuing vehicles.Ethan clung to the headrest, his knuckles white. âAre you trying to get us killed?âAdrianâs grip on the wheel was a death vise. âIf I stop, weâre dead anyway.âBehind them, Damienâs men werenât letting up. Another blacked-out SUV tore through the intersection, plowing over the curb and speeding toward them like a missile.Juniper turned, her stomach twisting. âTheyâre gaining!âAdrian didnât hesitate. âHold on.âHe yanked the wheel rightâhard.The SUV skidded, tires
Stranded with the Billionaire    Chapter 31: All or Nothing
âGo! Go! Go!âAdrian slammed the gas pedal to the floor. The SUV roared forward, weaving dangerously through the tight alleyway as bullets pinged off the metal frame.Juniper clutched the door handle, her knuckles white. âTheyâre still on us!âEthan twisted in the back seat, his gun raised. âYeah, no kidding! Hold this thing steady!âAdrian swerved hard left, nearly clipping a row of parked motorcycles. âSteady? Not an option right now.âBehind them, Damienâs black sedans were relentless, their headlights cutting through the darkness like hunting knives. More gunfire erupted, shattering the SUVâs back window.âShit!â Juniper ducked. âThat was way too close.âEthan cursed, returning fire. A bullet struck the windshield of the nearest sedan, causing it to swerve. But the driver corrected fast. âTheyâre not backing off!âAdrianâs grip on the wheel tightened. âWe need to lose them.ââYou think?â Ethan snapped.Juniperâs heart pounded. The speed. The gunfire. The deafening roar of engines.
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