His Heart's Key | nalu

24. Unwanted Beats Wanted

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"What the hell." Natsu said, eyes narrowed as if he wanted to start something.

I was finally brave enough to look at him, and he didn't change one bit. Dark, red hair, and a neatly pressed suit adorned him. He was tall, and lean figured, a good three years older than us.

So Jude made it official. I laughed almost bitterly inside my head, of course he did. He was probably waiting for this day, the day where he could finally sell out his daughter, although when I ran away he was making serious plans with Dan, a day for the wedding and more. It was a business alliance, but so much more to me. It was my fathers ultimate betrayal, and my ultimate doom.

Now, as I stood in front of the guy who was the reason why I, a princess living in a castle who was so heavily protected by a dragon, finally ran from it. Because when my supposed knight came, he wasn't in shining armour and heroic acts of slaying the dragon. Instead, he went through cheaper ways in "rescuing" the princess—making deals with the dragon who had imprisoned her. So of course she fled.

Everything made so much more sense now— those people I saw watching me and Natsu at the store, the slinking feeling I had that someone was always near me, they were. Maybe I should have trusted my instincts, maybe if I had done so, I wouldn't have been in this mess.

"Why now?" I said, my voice trembled a little and that infuriated me. I didn't want to sound weak. "You've been watching this whole time and you've chose to finally show yourself now." I laughed bitterly.

Natsu looked at me as if I was crazy, we had sprung apart and the distance made me feel more vulnerable. He looked at me with wide eyes as Dan smirked. "Lucy, are you actually fucking engaged?"

"No," I protested weakly. "I didn't know of it."

"It didn't sound like that." He said, slightly accusatory.

I looked at Natsu, feeling betrayed.

Dan rolled his eyes. "Lucy, your father has permitted your stay here."

"Wait. He knows?" And just like that, I was so, so scared.

"Obviously. Do you honestly think he wouldn't sweep everything and anything he could find after you left? We had an agreement." His fists clenched in slight anger. "You were supposed to be mine after I signed that contract with him, making him a shareholder of the company my father spent so much time on building, a union between Knightly and Heartfelia Konzern. But then you ran away and ruined it all."

"It's funny how this union between you and my father included giving me away, when no one asked for my consent." I laughed humourlessly. "And it doesn't matter if he knows I'm here, I'll just leave again. I don't care, I'm not going back." I said firmly, looking him hard in the eye. Just hoping he'd understand a little.

"No Lucy," he laughed, as if he genuinely found this amusing. "We've let you play this little 'game' of yours," he said, tilting his head over to Natsu, "but it's gotten too far. It's done, and now I'm here to make sure it doesn't go anywhere further. Honestly, it was sickening." And Dan finally made his move, grabbing a hold of my wrist and tugging me forward with him.

"No, Lucy!" Natsu called almost desperately, quickly latched his hand onto my other wrist, making it almost seem like a tug of war between the two. Dan rolled his eyes and said something lowly into his earpiece, as two men from outside came barging in, pinning Natsu to the side of the wall.

My eyes widened as Natsu flinched painfully. I didn't want him to get involved in the messed up life I tried running away from, it wasn't fair to him. He was my home, my safety and comfort, to see him go through this because of me was just as painful for me.

I turned to Dan, dread filling my features. "If you don't do anything to him, I'll come with you willingly. Please." Eyes wide, I pleaded with him.

His face softened a little, I suppose he did have a disturbing soft spot for me. He nodded to the men, and they dropped Natsu and his body crumpled. And then, almost challengingly, he let go of my wrist and put out a hand for me.

Looking back at Natsu one more time, I accepted. I could feel the tears at the back of my eyes, but for once I was strong enough to not let them out.

Dan smiled, although I could only see it as an evil one as he led me to his car.

"We didn't have time to see much of each other before Lucy, but I've missed you." He murmured. And that was the moment when I realized that Dan didn't like me, only for some reason he was utterly obsessed with me.

I stayed silent as we were seated, all my tiredness from work gone. Dans hand lay limply in my lap, despite me letting it go way before.

It was a dull ride; his driver was lax. I stared outside as we drove a little more to the centre of town, where lay the richer parts. We finally parked outside a nice looking hotel, and I stared out at it, wondering what was to come.

Dan was watching me intently, his eyes dropping as he gave me a one-over. "I don't want to ever force you into anything Lucy, but I've really missed you." He said, as I faced him and he leaned in and kissed me.

I didn't enjoy it at all. Maybe it was because I was heartbroken, or because there was no chemistry. Whatever I wasn't feeling, Dan was. His hand went to rest on my tight as I sat there motionless. He moved away after a few seconds, getting out to open my door. I almost didn't seem like walking out of the car and into the hotel, because that would make everything seem realer than it already was to me.

But I did.

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[A/N: I feel incredibly evil for having fun while writing this. I should start seeing someone. Xx

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