Future Dynasty

Lecture Twenty - Two

Intelligence Is The Ability To Adapt To Change

My body ached all over as I stood in the shower, my hands pressed against the cool wall as the water ran down my back.

Every time I twisted the wrong way, pain would run up my left leg and arm causing me to hiss in pain. Glancing down at my badly bruised and scratched arm I sighed in annoyance. I didn't care that I was in pain, I cared because it was only going to get in my way.

Slowly I turned off the shower and got out, wrapping a towel around me before stepping into my room. A shadow caught my attention sitting by my desk, spinning around I gasped in shock before bringing my hand to my chest trying to calm my racing heart.

Don't think my adrenaline could take much more of this day.

"River, fucking hell you gave me a heart attack."

At first he looked amused when he spun around before he fully took me in his deep emerald eyes landing on my bruises instantly.

"What the hell, Layla."

Layla.

He only calls me Layla when he's pissed or worried.

"I'm fine." My voice was almost child like as he crossed the room and stood in front of me in a mere second. There was very few people I let fuss over me but River was one of them. We grew up together we knew each other's weaknesses better than we knew ourselves.

He lifted my left arm gently and traced his finger along one of the bruises making me winch and hiss in pain. His eyes darkened as they snapped up to met mine, rage now taking over his worry.

"Who did this?" His touch was still gentle but I knew his body was tense just from the way his jaw clenched. "And tell me they're still breathing because I'm going to be the one to kill them."

"Technically I did it to myself."

Slipping my arm out of his grip I walked past him grabbing some things off my desk before sitting down on my bed. Opening one of the bottles I lifted I started to tend to the scratches on my arm first.

"Kennedy."

"Ummm." I asked not even glancing his way as I rubbed the cream onto my arm biting my lip to hide the pain.

A shiver ran down my spine when his left hand grabbed my jaw turning my head to face him. His body was pressed close to mine as my legs sat between his with his left knee resting on the bed, his face was mere inches away from my own.

His eyes glanced down at my lips as he trailed his thumb over them making me release it. Our breathing fell in sync with each other and my ears could hear nothing but the beating of my own heart.

River grip on my jaw was tight and I knew it was dangerous to be in the position that we were in right now.

This wasn't one of our drunken encounters.

In fact I've never been so sober in all my life.

"I know it was the Italians." His voice was low, the sound coming from deep in his chest.

My whole body was on edge just from the sound of it and for the first time I was fully aware that I was just wearing a towel. It was something that I would never have given a second thought about before but something was shifting between me and River. Something that told me there is a world of chaos about to take off.

"So you might as well tell me."

There was a moment of silence between us before I remembered who I was.