The Emperor

05

ADELINE

I probably shouldn't have accepted Kaiser's ride to Dawn's home.

But honestly, I didn't feel like leaving him alone after whatever his brother told him on the phone.

He's so tense I believe he might explode and take me with him. He hasn't said a word since we got into his car, a freaking black Ferrari 488 which leads me to wonder how much money this man has? He's barely into his twenties, and while his eldest brother slowly reaches his thirties — thanking Dawn for this information, I don't see how they could be loaded enough to buy such an expensive car. Perhaps inheritance? Or maybe the lottery? She did say that Alexander, the oldest of them, is a genius.

I don't know.
And that frustrates me.

I know things, a lot of things, more than most people, and yet. This man driving like a madman is a complete mystery to me.

I hear things about him, things painting a dark color on him.
I hear things about him, things making my brain hyper aware of his presence.
I hear things about him, things he never confirmed, things he never denied

And I might be as insane as those rumors for not looking away from him.

How can I? My eyes are glued to his side, to his jaw so sharp it might be able to slice my throat, to the hairs growing on his face, to his long and thick black lashes brushing against his cheeks when he blinks, to his pink full lips in a thin line due to his annoyed traits, to his deep forest green eyes. So deep I may lose myself in those if I don't distract my brain soon enough.

Kaiser is undeniably gorgeous.

Perhaps this is what makes him so very dangerous?

"Perhaps you should slow down?" I say as loud as I can through the excitement — mostly to shake myself out of the spell he had me on a few seconds ago, I've never drove that fast, nor has Dawn. And even if I'm asking him to slow down for safety, that's the least of what I want him to do. I scratch my arm.

He doesn't answer and hits the gas pedal harder, he's going to kill his car, and us on the way.

But that's not what I'm worried about.
I'm worried about the darkness in his eyes, about the way his right eye hasn't stopped twitching since his brother called, about his knuckles turning white from how hard he's holding on the wheel.

I've watched Kaiser multiple times, every time I did all I could stare at was complete blankness or fake emotions. I've never seen him express so much.

"Are you okay?" I slowly reach out to drop my hand on his arm, he doesn't seem okay. All I was able to hear is that someone is missing and it cut really short to our first lesson. The second my palm touches his leather covered arm, he hits the brakes and thanks God for my seatbelt. My chest hurts with the strength of the polyester holding my body from crashing against the dashboard.

"God! What is wrong with you?!" I yell out of breath, he doesn't even acknowledge me. He just looks at the road ahead of us and glances at the window on my side, as if he didn't just almost give me a heart attack.

"We're here, angel." He shrugs. I'm about to yell at his madness some more when my door is suddenly wide open. I meet a worried Dawn with her blond hair flying around her beautiful face, she throws a dark look at Kaiser and it's like they're having a silent understanding, one I don't understand.