Chapter 53 Special Elites
Chapter 53 Special Elites
His eyes were looking at her intensely, the kind that made her shiver. They were cold and stoic. Lyla held her breath, waiting, and felt like it hitched, preventing her from breathing properly. The name sent her back to that dreadful moment, the most painful and horrific part of her life. The longer she hung, the more her body reacted, it started shaking lightly.
Knock… Knock.
They heard it, the knock that Zeno could identify the person, Blec. Zeno quietly turned about to leave her. But Lyla quickly grabbed the end of his shirt. Couldn’t he see that she was shaking? He wouldn’t just leave her like this, would he?
“I’m scared,” she whispered timidly, clenching his shirt tightly. She didn’t let him go, and her eyes couldn’t meet his anymore. Whisper voices filled her head, and faded memories jumped in and out.
Zeno watched her, every change in her expression. The contorted facial, the body language. He sensed it, something was about to go wrong in a careful way.
“Scared of who?” he asked.
“Daddy.” Zeno was startled and froze completely. So, this was how it started? How it triggered her and how it was affecting her, taking over her mind.
Zeno put his hand on top of her head, caressing it slowly, like petting her. He was giving her comfort, the kind he was familiar with.
“Alaister,” Blec called out his name from the door. A few minutes passed, and he thought something must have happened. He called him back and said he was already at the hotel, and the car he drove was at the parking spot. So, where was he? Why was he not coming out?
Knock… Knock.
Just in case, Blec knocked again. He placed his ear against the door to hear something, to indicate a life. He was trained to do anything and under any circumstances. Being Zeno's trusted man, standing by his side, Blec had undergone many tests. Tests for his loyalty, bravery, and involvement in those lines involved.
He listened carefully, as low as the sound was heard, Blec could sense it. And when he could hear some low voice and heavy breathing, he knew they were in there. So, Blec waited outside their hotel room.
“Lie down.” Zeno pushed her body down, but she refused. Her body went rigid, so he didn’t force her. He held her hand and squeezed it, which made her look up. He told her to lie down because he didn’t know how to approach this right now. His mind went blank at the sudden force. He watched it with his own eyes how Lyla turned, mentally. He was not ready to face it, truth be told.
“Daddy?” There was no excitement as she had first called it. Because right now, he felt overwhelmed.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“Daddy,” Lyla replied, then suddenly, she rested her head on his stomach and her arms wrapped around his waist.
“You said you wanted to go out, let’s go,” Zeno said, asking her to go out of the room. Fresh air was needed for him to take care of her.
“Okay.” She nodded and agreed to go out with him.
He took her and walked out of the room. He found Blec still waiting outside. He approached them and asked Lyla about the wound and if there was something uncomfortable.
“Uh?” Lyla looked at Blec with those innocent eyes. Blec blinked his eyes a few times before turning to his boss in confusion.
“Lyla has left the body,” Zeno told him nonchalantly and looked away. Zeno couldn’t handle her now, he needed to recharge. “Drive us to the coffee shop,” he ordered, and Blec only nodded before leading them to the basement.
“You can’t call me Daddy unless we’re inside our privacy, remember?” Zeno reminded her before they got out of the car. Silence filled the whole ride because Zeno decided to rest and closed his eyes for a moment.
“Why?”
“Because… it’s not an appropriate name to call me in public. Call me Zeno.” She turned wistful when Zeno disallowed her to call him by her fond name.
“Okay.” Her tone was low and sounded sad, but she accepted it because she didn’t want Daddy to be disappointed. She cast her head down, feeling down.
“We will buy some books after I get some coffee. Don’t be sad.” Zeno caressed her cheek with his thumb. His arm clung over her shoulder, keeping her close even when he put some distance.
“How did she go back again, Alaister?” Blec asked quietly as they waited for their coffee to be served. Blec sat on his left while Lyla sat on his right, so there was a chance for Blec to talk without bothering Lyla.
“I think Marco’s name brings her memory back. I was asking about the kidnapping, and she started hyperventilating. Then, she came back to that state.” Zeno shrugged his shoulders, couldn’t understand the situation either.
“Then, why did you call me back. I was still investigating,” Blec said, asking about the reason for his withdrawal. Zeno wouldn’t take back his men when he sent them on a mission.
“There’s no reason for you to dig the information there. She didn’t go to Houston Archery Academy, but Texas State.”
“Texas State Academy? That’s a private institution, it doesn’t open to the public. It’s a government protection agency and special elites,” Blec explained with a frown. His crossed arms came undone when the waitress brought their coffees and put them on the table.
“Yes, that’s why I suspect her archery skill came from. But why did she go to the archery academy? Since when? Do you see the lines here?” Zeno glanced at Blec, forcing him to see what he saw in her case.
“Then. Why don’t we ask her right now? She’s mentally fifteen years old, Alaister. That’s when she got kidnapped,” Blec suggested eagerly, glancing towards her, who was busy reading on her phone. “She came at the right time,” he whispered, afraid she would hear and offend his feelings. Because Blec knew this side of her was a sensitive part of Lyla.
“Lyla,” Zeno called, taking her attention from the phone.
“Yes, Daddy?” Lyla pouted when Zeno gave her a warning look, those scary eyes, but sexy.