Chapter 115 His crode clutches!

Chapter 115 His crode clutches!
|| Author POV ||

“Do you have somewhere safe to go? Will you go back to your aunt?”

Rosa blinked through wet lashes and glanced at the window. She softly shook her head.

She’ll leave today. Anywhere good as long as it would take her far from him.

Aria already knew something had happened before and that Rosa wouldn’t return to her aunt’s house.

“Then you can stay at my house. I won’t mind. You’ll be safe here. You can stay as long as you want. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

Rosa felt a pang in her chest. She didn’t want to be a burden again. Even now, with nowhere else to go, the thought of relying on someone else made her stomach twist.

But for the first time in days, she let herself imagine–just for a moment.. that maybe, just maybe, she could be safe.

“No. I’ll go.. somewhere.” Rosa mumbled, struggling to breathe properly.

“Somewhere? What do you mean? What if he comes and takes you back? What if he hurts you or worse– That bloody bastard! You don’t know how worried I’ve been for days. I consider you my best friend. I can’t leave you alone in danger. Where else would you go?”

Rosa’s tucked her lip inside her mouth. Aria understood her situation.

“Please, Rosa. I know what you might be thinking but don’t. You’re not burdening me or anything. I want to help you as your best friend. Don’t worry about a thing.”

“I don’t want to trouble anyone.”

Aria shook her head before placing a gentle hand over Rosa’s trembling ones. “You’re not a trouble, Rosa. I told you, You’re my friend. My best friend. I’ll take care of you, okay? I know you would do the same. That’s why I befriended you.”

Rosa blinked rapidly. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Her lips quivered as if she wanted to say more, but couldn’t.

“I’m saying again. Don’t worry about a thing. Just rest.”

Silence.

“Please?”

Rosa finally nodded in a small gesture of surrender. Still unsure and hesitant.

Aria smiled gently, though her eyes held sadness. “By the way, you didn’t tell me what happened to your knees. How did you get hurt? You were bleeding.”

Rosa’s gaze stayed fixed downward. She didn’t respond.

Aria pressed her lips together, softening her voice. “It’s okay. I won’t bother you with questions. I put some ointment on your wound, it’ll heal soon. You don’t have to go anywhere, just rest here. I’ll give you my things. Don’t worry, alright?” She tried her best to reassure her friend.

Rosa peeked up at her, then slowly gave a hesitant nod.

“Finish your food and then take the medicine.” Aria pointed at the tray with a gentle smile.

“Aria?” Rosa’s voice trembled.

Aria hummed in response. “Where is my phone?” Rosa’s words came out almost afraid.

“Oh, your phone. You left it on the couch last night. Also a little pouch. Thank god your phone was waterproof. I put it on charge.”

“If you feel a little better, come downstairs, okay?” Aria says.

Rosa didn’t answer, only tightened her arms around her knees. Aria lingered for a moment before leaving the room.

The doorbell rang not long after. She hurried to open it, already knowing who it was.

Noah was standing at the door. “Is everything alright, babe?”

Aria pressed her lips together. “Umm.. not really.”

They both stepped out of the house. The street ahead was calm after the storm.

“What exactly happened? Why did she come here so late at night and in that weather?”

Walking slowly down the straight path from her doorway to the road, Aria sighed. “Rosalie is in danger. She ran away.. She’s been through a lot. She was terrified. I told her to stay with me. I can’t leave my best friend like that. I don’t want to imagine how scared she might have felt in that storm. Under those scary thunder strikes.”

Noah’s brows furrowed. “Ran away?”

“Ah.. y-yeah, from her house.” Aria lied, keeping Rosa’s secret.

“What about her parents?” Noah inquired.

“They passed away when she was little.” Aria’s voice dropped.

“I see.”

“Rosa came injured. Her knees were scraped. I think she had a small accident on the way. The wound isn’t in great condition. She fell hard. I asked how it happened but she wouldn’t tell me. She’s too traumatized to even speak. I feel so bad for her.”

Noah’s frown deepened. “That sounds serious. Shouldn’t we take her to a doctor?”

Aria shook her head quickly. “I don’t think it’s safe for her to go out right now. I already gave her some medicine.”

Noah exhaled while running a hand through his hair. Walking beside his girl “Alright. Just be careful, babe. If she’s in danger, then you might be too.”

Aria nodded faintly. “I know. But I can’t abandon her. She’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Introvert but so kind and sensitive.”

Noah smiled “Take care of her. You know right my friend, Ivan likes her. Let her recover safely.”

Aria blinked, looking away for a moment, then nodded absentmindedly.

“And take care of yourself too. I don’t want to see you sad. She’ll will be alright.”

They reached the roadside, standing there for a moment. Noah pulled Aria into a hug and she wrapped her arms around him in return.

“Please, Aria, don’t get into any danger. Be safe. And if there’s any problem, call me immediately. I’ll be checking on you. You know I love you so much.”

Aria just hummed softly against his chest, feeling the comfort in his presence.

\---

|| At Night ||
France—Paris

The tall figure stepped out of the washroom. His bathrobe loosely tied and hair damp from the shower. Killian rubbed his hair with a soft towel.

He grabbed his phone from the bed, his fingers brushing the cold screen and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling glass wall of the luxurious hotel room.

Tapping on the screen absentmindedly, he tossed the towel aside. His eyes fixed on the phone as he checked the specific report from his men and the strange heavy feeling gnawed at his chest.

She had escaped–Just like he planned.

Killian lifted his gaze, staring out from the 22nd floor. The lights of the Eiffel tower twinkled in distance from the hotel. Yet, no matter how beautiful, the view did nothing to ease the strange weight pressing on his chest.

Killian grabbed the wine glass from the thin side-table. Exhaustion weighed on him from the long journey and the endless arrangements that had consumed him since arriving.

He lifted his phone, dialed a number and after a ring or two, the calm voice answered on the other end. Pressing the device to his ear.

Killian took a slow sip of the deep red wine, his gaze still fixed on the glittering Paris skyline.

“I heard you left for Paris.” Albert’s voice came through the line.

Killian swirled the wine in his glass. He exhaled slowly with a controlled chill in his tone.

“I let her go.”

Killian said detachedly. “Now stop sending your men after her.”

He heard Albert chuckle softly through the call.

“That’s my boy. I’m proud of you. Don’t worry about it. My men already informed me. She’s out of their watch. I knew you wouldn’t ruin the girl’s life. I knew you’d make the right decision. You did what needed to be done. Best of luck.”

Killian’s jaw tightened. A flicker of anger darkened his calm expression.

“No one should be around her. I let her go, that means completely out of every watch!”

Albert exhaled casually, replying on the other hand.

Killian ended the call with a low hum before tossing the device aside. He pressed his lips together, taking another slow sip.

A dark humourous chuckle escaped him but his teeth rattled beneath the calm facade.

“Let her go over my dead body!”

He hadn’t truly let her go. He never will.

He loved to play dangerous game. It was a wicked game he relished and he knew exactly how to claim what he wanted.

Killian’s glanced behind. He could still picture her on that soft bed, fiddling with her dress, waiting to be held.

A hollow pang twisted in his chest.

She was not here. She was far away from him. Still as his!

He refused to name it, to acknowledge it fully. Yet, no matter how he tried, he couldn’t erase the memory of that moment, her cough–the way his own body had trembled in relief when life returned to her body that day.

His soul had almost left his body the moment he saw her in that state. She was on the verge of dying.

Yet, even his so-called stone heart cracked, just a little, at the thought of how desperate she had been to do something so immature.

How painfully afraid and human she truly was!

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t know the reason behind the emptiness gnawing at him.

He missed her.
He wanted her.

Right now. Right here. Before his eyes, looking at him with that delicate innocence.

That’s what she was—His innocent rabbit.

But Killian held himself back. He couldn’t push any further. The damage was already deep and he couldn’t take another risk.

He would control himself as long as she remained bound to HIS CRODE CLUTCHES!

Nothing else mattered. Nothing!

He knew who he was–a devil. A clever one! He didn’t deserve her. But he didn’t care either.

Killian’s gaze swept over the blue sky, teeth biting down on his lip as it twisted into a dark sinister smirk.

He glanced down at the tiny skull hanging around his neck which glinted beneath the shadow of his robe. She was there with him, always--even when she wasn’t.

A menacing chuckle released. He knew her moves, her thoughts, her escapes. He knew exactly where she would go. And she had only proved him right.

“Don’t wander too far, rabbit. I’ll be there.”