Chapter 15 Come on, ride me.

"Who sent you here?" "What was the car crash about?!" Nathaniel pressed forward, his face half-covered in blood, looking downright demonic. Celeste pinched her palm hard, using the pain to calm herself down. "It was just an accident. Are you really going to gang up on a girl?" She played up her distress, reaching for her helmet as if to take it off. "Look, I'm hurt too..." But before she could finish, Celeste suddenly swung her helmet, hurling it hard at Felix. "Ah—" Felix caught it reflexively, the impact making him stagger back. By the time he realized what was happening, she was already dashing back to her motorcycle, completely abandoning her earlier limp. Felix raced after her, stunned as he watched her right the motorcycle and zoom past them at an incredible angle, vanishing into the dark night. Silence took over the scene, broken only by the cold wind. "She ran off?" Felix scratched his head, passing the clean helmet to Nathaniel. "Could you see her face?" "No... she had a mask on under her helmet." She was a pro at covering her tracks. Quick to run when things got heated, she was definitely no amateur. Nathaniel examined the feminine helmet, his expression dark and brooding, replaying the woman's moves in his mind. The more he thought, the more familiar it seemed. But it couldn't be someone he knew well, could it? … Nathaniel, really? No way! Celeste sped back to her hideout, changed, and headed for home, her thoughts racing. She messaged Sophia, asking her to quietly dig into Nathaniel's background. This time, she was determined to uncover all his secrets. "Madam is back!" Just as she reached the doorway, the urgent voice of a servant greeted her, "Madam, you've arrived just in time, the master's been injured!" "What?" Celeste was more shocked that Nathaniel had beaten her home without a hospital visit than by his injuries. "Mr. Ford?" She pushed open the door and there he was on the couch, now blood-free but still bleeding from multiple wounds. His face was pale, his lips colorless, yet he managed to sit up at the sight of Celeste. "Don't freak out at my appearance." "I won't! How did you end up like this?" Celeste shook her head, covering her face as she began to sob softly. The guilt was just for show; it was really the annoyance that was genuine! Nathaniel always looked like a proper businessman. How on earth did he get tangled up with the mob boss? Was he really involved in some shady dealings behind the scenes? "Sir! There's been an update," Felix rushed in just in time, "We didn't run into our contact today, but it seems there was an accident." "I've already sent some people to follow up..." "Alright." Celeste quickly picked up on something important. "Were you guys out looking for someone?" He didn't seem to be in cahoots with the boss! "Yes, sir is investigating his parents' deaths. We've recently found some leads that could be linked to the killer. We were actually on our way to meet someone about it today when the accident happened." "I see." Celeste let out a sigh of relief. So it was just a coincidence. Nathaniel wasn't involved with the boss after all. Otherwise, she might have had to face the dilemma of possibly fighting against him, which would have been a tough call. Unbeknownst to her, Nathaniel had caught every shift in her expression. His eyes were keen and observant, locked on her, trying to detect any hint of deceit. He didn't mention it, but the moment the female motorcyclist took off her helmet, and he saw Celeste's face, he realized they looked strikingly similar! "Mr. Ford, are you in pain?" Celeste asked gently as she applied ointment to his wounds, her eyes filled with genuine concern. Nathaniel shook his head. "How could it not hurt with all these injuries?" She had caused them... Celeste now felt like she was to blame. "It'll get better in a few days, don't worry," Nathaniel reassured her, pulling her closer to stop her from fussing, "They're just surface scratches, they'll heal fast." Since he couldn't bear to falsely accuse her, maybe it was a good chance to clear the air. The female motorcyclist was an adept rider, and if it really was Celeste, then her skills should match... "Mm." Celeste suddenly felt a soft kiss on her lips. Nathaniel was kissing her. He held her in his lap, only a towel covering his lower half, his intentions clear and pressing. "You're hurt, should we still go ahead?" Celeste knew her own strength. Although not severe, sitting in the back without a seatbelt meant unavoidable bumps and bruises. Any vigorous movement would surely be painful. "A minor injury won't keep me from wanting you," Nathaniel said softly, his eyes narrowing slightly as his hands moved boldly across her body. He had decided to test out her "riding skills," lifting her skirt and shifting her pants aside, then gripping her waist. "Come on, ride me."