Chapter 142 TAKEN
SLOANE’S POINT OF VIEW.
EXACTLY THREE WEEKS LATER.
I released a sigh of relief, in hopes of calming my racing nerves as I patted my hands over my school’s skirt. For some weird reason, I’d been having a strange sense that something would go horribly wrong today. I’d had the strange feeling for hours, even as I studied for today’s final papers. I had the perfect GPA to choose any college I wanted, and apply for any scholarship….
Oh wait.
I chuckled nervously, a reminder hitting me right in the heart that I didn’t have to do scholarships anymore…I didn’t have to worry about money or if I would ever have a shot at something meant for either the rich, highly connected, or the most talented. I actually had a shot at a better life, and without having to break my back for it, just so I could meet up with the ridiculous standards they had for me.
“Why are you pacing?” Lucien asked, his voice lazy as he lay on the bench in his special wing of the school.
“It’s finals, Lucien,” I said, still pacing as my mind reverted to the fact that I hadn’t read as much as I felt I should have. My fear and heart palpitations barely let me concentrate to the point that I couldn’t even read past the first line.
“So?” He asked, shrugging his shoulders, his textbook draped over his face to shield him from the blazing sun. Come to think of it….does my boyfriend study, like ever?
“So?” I mimicked, working my voice to the perfect deep tempo so it would sound exactly like his. “Lucien, I could barely comprehend anything I studied in the middle of the night!” I groaned, stomping my feet until I stopped in front of him.
“Babe, everything will be okay.” He said, his voice still maintained that lazy drawl as he maintained his nonchalant aura. “I got you.”
“Lucien, I don’t cheat.” I groaned, plopping my ass on his thighs even as he lay down.
“I didn’t mean cheat, I meant.” He stopped, sitting up as he removed the textbook from his face, and flashed me a dirty grin. “Focus on this face, and you’ll get all the answers.”
“Lucien!” I groaned and smacked his hand before folding my arms under my breasts. He hissed playfully at the burn, his eyes following in the soft jiggle of my breasts with the action. I groaned again and rubbed my hands on my face. “You are irredeemable!”
“Relax, babe.” He said, a chuckle escaping his lips, as he pulled me closer to him, his delicious scent wafting in my nostrils, the sound of his heartbeat steadying me as he pulled something from behind him. “Close your eyes, baby.” He growled lowly in my ear; the sound sent my heart into a frenzy, and a fierce blush coated my cheeks.
“No,” I said stubbornly, although I wanted to do as he wanted, but where’s the fun in doing exactly what your boyfriend wants?
If I don’t rile him up, who the hell would?
“Come on, baby.” He whispered, his hands rubbing slowly on my hips. “Be a good girl for me.”
I smiled secretly, before dropping it so he wouldn't see it. With a shrug, I did as he said.
“Now, open it.” He said, after all I heard was the sound of shuffling. By the time my eyes fluttered open, I caught sight of something in a small black bag.
“What is it?” I frowned as I took it from him and peeled it open.
“Lucien!” I gasped, the smell of the fried egg balls filling my nostrils, and making my belly growl with hunger.
“I know you haven’t felt okay ever since what Edric said at the overnor’s mansion. You tried to hide it, but I notice everything about you, and I know it's why you were unable to read or understand anything you tried to read.” I stared into his blue eyes, the perfect orbs which resembled the prettiest blue ocean I’d ever seen. I felt like it had the power to trap me inside it every damn time. “I promise you, Sloane. I will give my all to protect you, even if I have to throw someone else under the bus for it. But Eldric will not get anywhere close to you. I swore to you on my mother’s grave, and now I swear to you on my life. That bastard will not lay a finger on you.”
My eyes welled with tears, as the weight of my terror finally settled in me……”I was just so scared that he would, you know..” I stopped, as my body shivered. All I’d been thinking about was the fact that my life had been threatened by that man, and ever since then, we hadn’t heard anything about him.
That day at Lucien’s grandparents, he’d got a call that sent me down this dark hole.
Eldric was not in prison.
Matter of fact, was the police convoy tailing him on the day of the arrest?
The car was found a week ago, filled with the dead bodies of the cops inside it. They’d been burned to a crisp, to the point where their families had to identify them by their teeth. Ever since then, I’d suffered from a deeply crushing sense of guilt.
For some reason, I thought it was my fault that it had happened.
And I would give anything to absolve, but I couldn’t help but think, if Eldric had done that, what would he do to me?
I opened my mouth to speak, but the shrill sound of the bell ringing stopped me, as the principal said, “Will all students move to the examination halls with immediate effect? The exams shall commence now.”
I released a deep sigh, a pout forming on my lips as I glanced at my boyfriend.” Judgement starts.”
His response was a chuckle, before he kissed my neck and whispered. “You’ll kill that exam, and you know it.”
Before I could respond, he lifted me in his arms smoothly and moved out of the garden. Even as my mind raced with different possibilities of Eldric getting to me, I had to convince myself of one thing;
That Lucien would protect me, no matter what.
But as I tried to reassure myself, my subconscious didn’t lose that sense of fear.
THREE HOURS LATER.
I groaned as I marched out of the hall with my questions in hand. My brain felt fried; no, it was burnt. Seraphina and Amara walked on either side of me, and I could see the deep amusement in their eyes as they stared at me like I was some bunny munching on carrots.
“What?” I shrugged.
“You look like you’ve been through hell.”
“Well, those questions feel like they came from the devil’s butthole.” I snapped dramatically and turned so I could hit my head against the locker repeatedly.
“Oh, don’t be such a baby,” Amara said, sounding amused. We both know you killed that exam. We will be right here when the results are announced, and you come out second after Lucien, or maybe you’ll be first, and he will be second this time around.” She said, a thoughtful expression on her face, as she wiggled her eyebrows at me.
I closed my eyes and released a dramatic sigh again. “I’m so doomed!” I cried out, letting my body slide against the locker and onto the floor.
“I know what you need, and it’s your favourite chocolate cookie milkshake,” Amara said, but before I could tell her that only smart girls deserved a treat, she’d bolted off the the cafeteria.
I glared at my sister and slouched even more, so I resembled a couch potato. “Do not look at me. I’m a failure!”
“Oh, don’t be such a drama queen.” She said, standing over me with her hands in her pockets.
“You know it's true,” I said, waiting for her to lie to me that everything would be okay, but before she could speak, a janitor crashed into her, his cart hitting her hip so hard, she fell to the floor with a thud, hissing in pain.
“What the hell?” I yelled as I grabbed onto her instantly. She writhed in pain and shock, as we both stared at the janitor. “Who the fuck are you? Are you fucking blink?”
To our added surprise, he dipped his hand into his pocket and removed a small gun. My eyes widened as my blood ran cold at the sight of the weapon of death.
“You two are going to come with me, and you will not make a fucking sound. If you do, you’re dead.”