Chapter 260

Fifteen minutes later, Lucas's car pulled up behind Timothy’s, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Stepping out of his car, Lucas approached us with his usual calm demeanor, a reassuring smile on his face.

"Hey," Lucas greeted us, offering a casual salute. His eyes flickered to the deflated tire, but it hardly phased him. "Let's get this sorted, huh?”

“Thank you for coming,” said Timothy. He had just taken out the spare tire and his toolbox from the trunk. “Even with it being so late.”

“Ah…” Lucas waved him off, then shrugged. “Work was getting boring anyway. Need a light?”

Timothy nodded as Lucas took out his own flashlight and flashed it on the car. As we worked together to change the tire, Lucas attempted to steer the conversation. "Any idea who did this?"

“We have a pretty solid idea,” I said carefully, glancing over at Timothy. He was in the middle of raising the car with the scissor jack, but there was an obvious reservation in his expression.

“My brother’s been on edge lately. I wouldn’t say that it’s too unexpected since playing dirty is usually his go-to petty response,” he said finally.

I scoffed. “That wasn’t just a petty response, Tim. Not only did he slash your tires for something neither you nor I had any say in, but he tried to beat you up for it.”

Lucas furrowed his brows, contemplating my words. "This guy giving you trouble?"

I sighed, nodding urgently. "He just found out that Stella was facing some serious charges for her involvement with Bruce. Now he’s convinced he’s on a quest to save the woman he loves, who probably hates him now.”

Lucas paused, fixing Timothy with a serious gaze. "Maybe you should consider filing a restraining order against him. It might help keep him in check."

The idea hung in the air, heavy with implications. I knew Lucas meant well, but suggesting legal action against Andy felt like stepping into a minefield.

"I don't know, Lucas. It's complicated, and it might just make things worse."

Lucas hummed. "Jeez...Well, we should probably get to work on your ride, huh? Your car’s a little too nice to be sitting around a place like this. "

Eventually, they dove into changing the tire. I stood to the side, shivering from the cold, with the flashlight aimed at their work. There was a collective sigh of relief when the tire was on.

Timothy stood up and wiped his hands. "Thanks, man. I appreciate the help."

“Yes!” I gave Lucas’ arm a squeeze. “Thank you. I feel so bad keeping you out in this cold.”

"Hey, don’t sweat it," Lucas replied with a reassuring smile. “Anything for my two favorite people.”

“Seriously, Lucas. I owe you big time for this."

Lucas flashed me a playful grin, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Oh, come on, Evie, you don't owe me anything. Just consider this my good deed for the day."

I chuckled. "Well, I appreciate it nonetheless. We should head home and get some rest."

"Sure thing," Lucas agreed, though not before teasingly adding, "Why not have a fun night with Timothy, huh? Don’t waste the night sulking!"

I felt my blush deepen at his playful remark. "Lucas, stop it," I said, turning to see that Timothy was laughing as well.

He laughed, patting my shoulder before heading back to his car. "Take care, you two. Call me if you need anything else."

I nodded, grateful for his support, and watched him drive off before turning to Timothy. "Right. Let’s get out of here."

Timothy grunted in agreement, wincing as he moved. I furrowed my brow, noticing the slight limp in his step. "Are you okay, Tim? Let me take a look at those bruises."

I took his chin and tilted his head from side to side, trying to get every angle beneath the streetlight. A angry red bruise was already forming on his cheek.

“You sure you’re alright?” I asked.

“I’m fine, Evie, really” he said, smiling gently. He wrapped an arm around my waist and bent down to kiss me on my temple. “Let me just get you out of this cold.”

I nodded, though I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his face as he guided me to his car.

Once we were home, I helped Timothy settle onto his couch, making sure he was comfortable. I carefully tended to his injuries, though thankfully Andy hadn’t done much damage. Timothy winced in pain but remained silent as I cleaned and bandaged his cuts.

“All better,” I said, placing he last bandage on the scratch above his eyebrow. I kissed it gently and cupped his face.

“Does this mean I’ll have to take it easy from now on, doc?” he asked, and an impish grin emerged on his lips as he lifted his eyes to meet mine.

I giggled. “I’m afraid so. But I’ll take care of you in the meantime.”

He grabbed my waist and lifted me onto his lap, bracing me against his chest. “I’m not complaining.”

My hands flew to his chest as he drew me into a kiss. It was painfully slow and sweet, as if he were trying to be gentle with me. I tilted my head back as he peppered kisses along my neck, each warmer than the next.

I began to rock my hips into him, hoping he’d catch on to the fact that I was in the mood. He pulled away to meet my gaze, looking slightly lost. This made me pause, even as he took my hands and kissed me on my palms.

I sighed, pressing my forehead to his. “Did you want to just head to bed tonight?”

“I…” He trailed off, his eyes narrowing as he focused his gaze on the far wall. “I’m worried about this becoming a usual thing.”

“I’ve been wondering about that myself,” I told him, shifting off his lap. I sat beside him and rested my head against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around me.

“Besides Andy, has anyone else given you trouble?” asked Timothy.

I shook my head, though I feared just saying it aloud would jinx things. “No. I haven’t even heard from Scarlett, and I’m sure she was the one that incriminated Stella, or at least had a say in it.”

The day of Scarlett’s visit still weighed heavily on my mind, especially considering that the sisters had a father who on more than one occasion has threatened to end my career. I couldn't shake off the worry gnawing at me.

"How badly do you think they might retaliate? Stella's family, I mean," I asked, glancing at Timothy.

He sighed, looking pensive. "Well, if we’re lucky, Mr. Fitzgerald will just cut ties with my family and be done with it.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “And if we’re not so lucky?

“Stella's father holds a lot of influence,” he continued on. “It's not guaranteed that she'll be arrested, especially if her family intervenes, but they’ll still be a problem."

My heart sank at his words. The thought of Stella escaping justice due to her family's power made me feel helpless. "Do you think they’d do something to hurt us in return?"

Timothy's expression darkened, a furrow forming between his brows. "I won't let anything happen to you, Evie. I promise. We'll figure this out together."

As we sat in the dimly lit living room, a sense of unease settled over us. The night stretched on, each passing minute weighed down by the weight of the unknown. I found it difficult to relax, my mind plagued by thoughts of what might unfold in the coming days.

Timothy glanced at me, concern etched on his face. "Hey, we’ll be okay. Come here."

I smiled weakly, snuggling into him. I wanted to believe him. I really did.