Enraptured

Chapter 21

Stopped at a red light, I glanced over to my passenger passed out on side of my car. Miss Arabelle was completely tuckered out after our date, falling asleep almost instantly the moment I started driving.

She had spent the last couple of hours exploring the bookshelves at the café and telling me all about her favorite books and pointing out the ones she had a home. She was so excited by the collection of rare books and new up-and-coming ones that she barely even sat down to take a single sip of water.

She dragged me from one shelf to another without any resistance. Leaning against me as she reached for certain paperbacks on the higher shelves. Talking to me with barely any stutter.

It was almost as if she had forgotten her fear of being around men.

It was the complete opposite of her usual timid demeanor.

It was like I saw her for the first time, the real Miss Arabelle beneath all her protective walls.

However, our time was cut short when she realized that it was already 3 PM in the afternoon, the time that she was supposed to pick up Theo from robotics class. She freaked out when she realized what time it was and nearly ran out of the shop by herself, even though I was the one who drove her there.

I managed to reassure her that it would be alright and told her that I would drive her straight to Theo's class such that she wouldn't have to waste any time going home to get her car first. Luckily, his robotics lecture was at a conference hall near my apartment, less than 20 minutes drive from our location.

But by the time I pulled up in front of the building, Arabelle was still sleeping soundly in the car.

She didn't seem like she would wake up anytime soon, completely tuckered out from her time at the special café/bookshop. So, I left her in the car with a cracked window and messaged my guards, who were always tailing me, to watch her.

I walk up the stairs to the front entrance of the building. I followed the outflowing crowd of what appeared to be university students, searching for any sort of lecture hall. I ignored their whispers as I looked around for a certain five-year-old boy.

Was he really here? Attending such a high college-level robotics course?

My questions were soon answered by a little figure standing stiffly next to the opening of the lecture hall... with a frat boy next to him? I didn't realize what was happening until I got closer to them.

"Are you waiting for your mother, Einstein? You escaped me last week again before I could see that cute little mother of yours, but you're going to introduce me this time, right?"

Theo's grip tightened around his tablet, trying to avoid the towering boy. He muttered lowly, "You shouldn't bother a married woman."

He snickered at the comment and sneered, "Come on kiddo. I know that you don't have a father. He probably left your poor mother alone because of how much of a freak you are, so why don't you let me comfort her in his stead?"

I frowned at his words. What the hell was wrong with him? How could he have the audacity to say such disgusting things to a five-year-old?

Theo obviously felt the same way by the way his eyes burned into his upperclassman.

Right before that bastard could try to shove Theo aside, I brushed passed him, practically knocking him over onto the ground, and swiftly scooped Theo up into my arms, protectively holding him against my chest. Theo's eyes widened in surprise when he saw me, but he remained silent as the idiotic boy pushed himself back up with a huff.

"Who the hell do you think you..."

His words trailed off as his eyes drifted up along my body until he finally met my eyes with his neck basically arching to look up at me. Even though he was probably at least 6' tall, I still towered a good half a foot over him. I was well aware that my stature was seen as intimidating to others and had no problem using it against revolting people such as himself.