His Darling

His Darling | 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

I did not know what to expect. If I felt hopeless before, nothing compared to the utter emptiness and distance I felt inside my chest. With Xander, I had something to cling to. He knew of my parents. I knew what to expect from him...for the most part. But this. It was like being kidnapped all over again.

My nerves and something else inside of me twisted. I refused to accept the fact that we were in some type of castle or old church when I looked around the humongous living room. Its brick walls were gray and dying. I clutched the knife hidden in my thigh, under my dress, for a quick second.

I could slit my own throat, I thought. or wrists, or pierce my heart. I could--

"Come," the pale man pulled my arm roughly and eagerly. I didn't like it. I didn't like anything about this.

My parents clogged my thoughts--my mother's round, brown face and short, curly hair. Her chocolate eyes and soothing voice. She always knew what to say, even when she was tired of my behavior. Even when I hurt her feelings and slammed the door in her face.

And dad. Tall and serious. His complexion was slightly lighter than mom's, only because of his dad's side of the family. He always talked about how I was meant to be a boy.

My two closest friends. Max and Melanie. I loved and hated them with a passion, because a part of me blamed them all for everything, but I didn't care.

Then Xander.

Lord...

As much as I despised him, I wanted his arms around me. One last time, before coming here. I don't know why. For reassurance maybe.

I had thought about it back in the road. Running back to him after I'd realize the strange man had come to pick me up, but I couldn't possibly do that. The man would've noticed and probably killed Xander. And I didn't want that...right?

Right?

But what if the plan backfired? What if Cole already knew of my intentions--their intentions? What if he could sense the knife hidden somewhere in me, ready to taste his blood?

I drew in a shaky breath, noticing we had stopped walking and now we were in front of a tall dark door. The man squeezed my arm and I looked at him, longing to peel his hand away and break it.

"You should smile, he likes that." He said, smiling.

And I care because?

I stared at him, unresponsive.

He seemed unbothered and turned to knock on the door. He didn't wait for a response to open it, pulling me inside with him.

How did I know this was Cole's chamber--Study? I just knew. I could sense it. All of it. Like a ton of bricks falling from the sky. This was his space.

I tensed up immediately. The man pulled me harder when I fought his grip until I was in the middle of the room. Then finally let go of me.

Then I saw him.

His back was facing me. He was looking out the window.

"Thank you, Moses." He said without looking back. "You can leave now."

I looked at the man, who went by Moses. No. Don't leave me.

My eyes followed as he left without a sound.

A cold washed over me.

I stole a glance at his desk. The were maps and drawings all scattered around. Books, large and old were piled in a corner. I caught sight of a folder with a picture of me sticking out the side.