EXCEPTION

Chapter 12. Safe in his arms

Back to Adeleine's POV

I am walking in the hallway with Oliver. He told me to follow him and said we would meet Courtney, but he did not mention where that was going, so I assumed it would be somewhere outside of the building.

"Did he mention where we were going?" I asked while surveying every corner that we passed.

He swiveled around. "He didn't. But don't worry, you can ask him later."

He let out a short smile before turning around again and walking down another hallway.

This isn't like the first time we met. The previous meetings were awkward, with both of us being strangers trying to get along with one another. The truth is I prefer being alone with Courtney than with him. I just couldn't explain it, but his eyes gave me the creeps. They looked cold and calculating, making me feel like a lab rat. I couldn't open this matter to Courtney because I didn't want him to worry about me.

To divert my attention from these thoughts, I decided to take my phone out of my pocket. I was surprised to see a lot of missed calls and messages from Courtney. I wondered why his message sounded urgent and what could be wrong. The last two messages made my entire being freeze over.

"Go away from Oliver."

"Call me once you read it."

"Hey, Oliver!" I halted from a distance until he spun around. "I need to go to the bathroom first. Just wait for me here."

Doubt and hesitance clouded his eyes, but he nodded at me nonetheless. But then I was startled when he stepped forward, a wicked grin slowly spreading across his lips until he closed in on my personal space. When I backed off instinctively, he took advantage of the situation by placing his hand on my shoulder and leaning in.

"W-What are you doing?"

My heart rate increased drastically because he suddenly laughed. A kind of laugh that sent goosebumps up my skin. "You're lying. I know you'll run."

I shoved him away. "I don't know what your plan is. But I'm not going with you!"

I didn't hesitate for even a millisecond to run, but he caught me before I got far. The only thing that kept me in place was his hand around my wrist. His fingers dug deep into the flesh of my arm as I struggled to break free. I felt a sharp sting and realized after I had lost track of myself that the pain came from his nails.

"What do you want from me?!" I screamed, pushing as hard as possible against his chest, but his hold only tightened.

"It's not me who needs you! Just come with me and stop making things complicated!" He was shouting now, too.

His grip loosened. I tried to wrench my body out of his grasp, but he still had a firm hold of me.

"Bastard! Get your hands off me!" I growled as I twisted myself away from him. I attempted to kick him off balance, but it seemed to make things worse because he grabbed my right leg, causing me to fall on the floor. He dragged me further down the hallway toward the bathroom as he continued to yell obscenities.

With all my courage, I was able to lift my knee and kick him in the groin, causing him to release my legs. I quickly dashed into the nearest room and shut the door behind me. I went straight to the bathroom and sat on the toilet. I began to hyperventilate as images of being raped and beaten filled my mind. All of my unfortunate memories came back to me in full force.

I took a deep breath.

My lungs screamed for air, and my head spun from the exertion. My hands trembled, and I desperately needed to steady them by gripping something, so I embraced myself tightly.

I was about to dial Courtney's number, but then his name flashed on my screen. It was him.

I answered the call, breathing heavily.

"Adeleine? Can you hear me?"

His voice brought tears to my eyes. No words could ever describe how relieved I was hearing it. Very soothing and warm. And right at the moment I wanted nothing more than for those arms wrapped around me to hug me close. To tell me everything was going to be alright. To see those blue piercing eyes that had a way of melting all my worries into mush.

But before I could utter a word, I heard footsteps approaching. It came from outside of this room.

"Stop hiding, Adeleine! You can't escape!" His voice resonated through the hallway. I was shaking so badly that the noise seemed like a thousand gunshots echoing in my ear.

"I can hear you breathing, Adeleine. Don't speak so you won't make any noise," Courtney ordered over the phone. He probably heard Oliver. "I need you to calm down and listen."

I took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before releasing it. My throat still ached but somehow, it felt better than earlier.

"Get out of that room and go to the main entrance. I'm coming, Adeleine." His voice was laced with urgency and a hint of reassurance. "I know you're brave. Now, count one to five and run as fast as you can."

Without any further ado, I obeyed his instructions. I sprinted as fast as I could, leaving Oliver, who was now chasing me, screaming for me to return.

I maximized my phone volume, hoping to hear Courtney from the other line. But then all I heard was Oliver getting closer and closer to me.

"I can hardly hear you!" I shouted over the phone, though I couldn't hear his response.

After many more minutes of running, I reached the main entrance. I stopped, trying to catch my breath.

"Courtney? Where are you?!" I panicked, scanning the area anxiously. There were no people around me.

My apprehension accelerated when I heard Oliver shouting my name.

Shit!

"Courtney, please..." I mumbled over the phone, shaking uncontrollably.

But before the sound of Oliver's voice could reach me, I finally heard Courtney. "I'm here."

I turned around only to be confronted by him. His right hand held the phone, slowly putting it back into his pocket while the left gripped his pistol. He's wearing a black suit with long coat that perfectly accented his broad shoulders and lean build. His gaze is piercing, and his expression is one of utter calm. I couldn't help myself but stare at him.

How can you always manage to be so damn attractive in a cold way?

He immediately walked toward my direction, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"Don't look," He muttered in a husky voice. He put his right hand around me, catching the back of my head with so much care until a gunshot rang out, followed by a pained yelp from Oliver.

I didn't bother to look around. Instead, I savored the feeling of his arms around me. This felt so great I never wanted to let go. The warmth and security were invigorating. How good his smell and touch felt against mine. And just like that, all of my fears disappeared. I hugged him even tighter and buried my face in his chest.

"It's okay. You're safe now."

I've been deprived of affection and love for so long, but I think I found my second home.