Chapter 88: Confused and Bewildered
The sickly sweet air was mixed with the smell of blood. I instinctively frowned and covered my nose and mouth.
"They're inside." Cole walked ahead and had already seen what was in the room.
I quickened my pace. The first thing that caught my eye was a large bed covered with wine-red sheets.
Lucas sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. One hand was locked to the bed rail with silver handcuffs, while the other gripped his waistband tightly, his knuckles white from the force.
Beside the bed, Amelia lay motionless on the floor.
Cole turned to search the bathroom, closet, and other places where someone might hide. After confirming it was safe, I walked toward the bed.
Amelia was unconscious. She wore a white silk lingerie set that seemed to cover the key areas, but a closer look revealed her pink nipples and pubic area.
A large bleeding bump swelled on her forehead, and a big footprint marked the white fabric at her waist.
I followed the footprint to Lucas's foot, then looked up. My gaze paused for a second on Lucas's bulging crotch before settling on his face.
His face was flushed and an unhealthy red, his forehead covered in fine beads of cold sweat, his eyes unfocused. The drug had already eaten away at his rationality.
Cole said, "Ms. Sorelli, Adrian says those reporters were all invited by Amelia. Her purpose is unclear, but she asked them to arrive at room 1508 at 2 AM."
I instinctively checked the time. It was now 1:55 AM.
Cole said, "Adrian says the reporters have entered the hotel! I told him to find a way to stall them."
I nodded and walked to the bedside to check on Lucas. His body temperature was alarmingly hot, his expression blank, as if he were unconscious with his eyes open.
My touch made him react. He instinctively turned his head away from my hand. "Get lost."
His consciousness wasn't fully clear yet. His eyes were full of confused hostility as he croaked, "Get lost, don't touch me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he kicked at me. His other unrestrained hand still gripped his waistband tightly, covering his crotch.
I'd worked so hard all night, and this was Lucas's attitude toward me?
I glared at Lucas angrily, but seeing him clutching his crotch to protect his virtue, I almost wanted to laugh.
Alfred, who had been searching upstairs, rushed over. Before he could see clearly what was happening in the room, he heard Lucas scolding me and couldn't help defending me. "Mr. Valeri, Ms. Sorelli has been running around all night looking for you!"
I waved at Alfred. "Forget it, he's delirious right now. He probably can't recognize anyone."
I had Cole and Alfred quickly search the room for the handcuff key, while I pulled out my phone and took a few embarrassing photos of Lucas first.
I couldn't pass up this chance!
Then I casually took a few shots of Amelia, too.
Cole called out urgently, "This is bad, Adrian says those reporters are splitting up, and some are coming up right now!"
I frowned and stopped wasting time. "Let's get Lucas out of here first!"
Unfortunately, Amelia had hidden the handcuff key somewhere, so we had to use a gun to break the iron rail at the headboard.
To prevent Lucas from being accidentally injured while struggling, Alfred held down Lucas's legs while I restrained his free hand. But whenever I got close, Lucas tried to attack me.
Even with his hands and feet immobilized, he still had his teeth. I quickly retreated, nearly getting bitten on the neck!
"Ms. Sorelli!"
"Ms. Sorelli!"
Cole and Alfred were also startled, looking at me with concern.
"I'm fine." I raised my hand and slapped Lucas. "Can you wake up a bit? Look clearly at who I am!"
Lucas showed a weak response. I noticed an ice bucket on the nightstand with an opened bottle of red wine inside.
I lifted the wine out and set it aside, then grabbed the ice bucket and dumped all the ice onto Lucas's burning body.
Lucas shuddered violently, his gaze focusing on my face. He stared at me for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Bella?"
"It's me."
Lucas's tense body instantly relaxed. The hand gripping his waistband also let go, and he even reached out to grab my hand and place it on his crotch!
Cole and Alfred exchanged glances and turned around in unison.
I felt my face must have turned completely red. I yanked my hand back and slapped Lucas again.
Lucas, still unclear whether he was truly conscious, called my name softly, his eyes showing some confusion and grievance.
"You two, turn around!" I ordered Alfred and Cole to quickly break the iron rail at the headboard. Alfred volunteered to carry Lucas on his back. Cole pointed at Amelia and asked me, "What do we do with her?"
I glanced at Amelia's sexy nightwear. "Leave her. Just let her lie there."
What those reporters would do after seeing her had nothing to do with me.
We had just left room 1508 when Adrian's urgent voice came through Cole's walkie-talkie: "Those reporters are on the 14th floor!"
Cole walked into the stairwell. Without needing to look, he could hear the footsteps and heavy breathing of two reporters.
The stairwell door couldn't be locked, and waiting for the elevator would take too long. I quickly had Cole use the master keycard to open any random room. Luckily, room 1501 was unoccupied, and our group of ten quickly hid inside.
Cole assigned four people to guard the door, then quickly took two others to check the room. After confirming it was safe, he stayed by the door to monitor the situation outside. I directed Alfred to move Lucas to the bathroom.
Until those reporters left, a cold shower was the only temporary way to ease the drug's effects on Lucas.
Lucas's body swayed unsteadily. After soaking in cold water for a while, he hadn't regained much rationality. I was somewhat worried that besides inhaling the aphrodisiac, he'd been given other drugs too.
I leaned in to check his pupils and pulse. Cole called me from outside. I responded and turned to leave, but behind me came the sound of water. An arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me forcefully backward.
My back pressed against a wet chest, its rising and falling muscles transmitting his heartbeat to me.
The water was cold, and the soaked clothes were cold, but Lucas's body was hot.
Thick, desire-laden breath sprayed on my neck, making me shiver involuntarily.
Lucas's right hand still wore the handcuff, and the other half had accidentally hooked onto the faucet. He struggled twice but couldn't break free, so he just held me with one arm, urgently using his teeth to pull down the zipper on the back of my clothes.
"Let go of me!"
Lucas thrust his hips hard, his bulging crotch rubbing against my butt.
I pushed his hand away forcefully, but his strength wasn't something I could resist.
Cole was reporting the reporters' movements outside. Alfred had prepared a glass of water and was about to bring it over for Lucas to drink.
As Alfred's footsteps grew closer, Lucas's hand had already unhooked my bra clasp.
"The door's still open!" I twisted my head back and hissed.
Lucas stepped out of the bathtub, embracing me as he walked forward a step.
A burning kiss landed on my left shoulder blade. I stretched out my arm and closed the bathroom door just one second before Alfred arrived.
The door was locked.
Only Lucas and I remained in the bathroom.