Devil on the Rooftop [Book 1]

Chapter 43 - Arisa

I don't know how long it took to get to Loyal's house, but when we arrived, I was overwhelmed by the size of the property. It had its own gate and a winding driveway leading past a freshly mowed lawn to an impressive manor. A set of mahogany doors welcomed me into the foyer, where Tomasia and Matilda stood. They greeted me with concerned smiles and open arms; I couldn't do anything but thank than for letting me stay over. A house keeper appeared from the left hand side corridor and guided me up the regal staircase to take a bath—in the fanciest tub I had ever seen. I was offered a pair of silk pyjamas and then taken to the the guest bedroom on the same floor. My bruised body felt very rejuvenated.

I slipped into the expensive bedsheets and tucked myself in the queen sized mattress. The room was suited for a princess with its curtained bed frame, thick purple drapes working to block out the moonlight, and the quaint vanity showcasing the cutest Victorian dollhouse I had ever seen. If I wasn't so exhausted, I would have stupidly pointed it out to Matilda—who probably already knew about it. Seeing her eased my worries from this afternoon; thank goodness she was safe and sound. I tried to apologize to her for what happened but she shut that conversation down pretty quickly. I could see that she felt guilty for leaving me behind. I could tell that she was trying not to cry in front of me. Matilda urged me to get lots of rest before leaving the guest room. It was easier said than done but once I had some water and a sandwich delivered to me by a different housekeeper, my eyes began to drift off on their own.

When I woke up, it was already morning, at least I thought it was. I searched for my phone under the pillow out of habit and then remembered Khaleel was keeping it hostage. I couldn't make out anything in the room until my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. A lean arm suddenly moved under my neck and held me by the waist. My eyes widened in surprise. Any normal person would scream in my situation but I forced myself to stay calm. This arm—who's was it? Khaleel? My heart jolted. No. Of course it wasn't. Why would it be him? I turned my head to find Loyal soundly sleeping behind me. I felt the fabric of his t-shirt as the silk top began to slide up my back. How did we end up like this? Did I invite him while talking in my sleep or did he climb in on his own? I couldn't stick around to ask those questions. I carefully got up and kept a look-out for my things. My bag was resting on the armchair by the window, and to my surprise, my phone was set on top of it.

"Thank god," I sighed, clutching it.

I looked back at Loyal and watched him cuddle into the sheets and move diagonally across the mattress. I had so many questions for Matilda. At what point did she decide to leave me with the human lie detector? Did something else happen that my mind was filtering out? Hopefully, it wasn't anything embarrassing. I tip-toed to the door and made my exit. I made sure the handle was properly locked in before stepping away. Now, all I had to do was find a quiet place to call my mom. "Oh no," I gasped, remembering I hadn't reached out to her yesterday like the rooftop losers had suggested. What if she was out looking for me? What if she filed a missing persons report? I had to get home. Now.

As I turned on my heel, I bumped into something tall and hard. My head jolted up and found Khaleel looming, bare chested and beautifully damaged. Goosebumps claimed my arms and legs as I noticed the injuries he had obtained over the years covering his stomach, ribs, and chest. There were too many to count but they didn't take away from his appeal. No, the delinquent could easily win hearts with that stature and physique. I blinked, hoping to turn away, but I couldn't. Some of the marks, they looked like slashes from a blade or a whip. Who could have done that to him?

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Huh?" I breathed, instantly regretting making eye-contact. His dark eyes looked brighter today, more dangerous for a girl who shouldn't be looking at him like that. Our stare off lasted a couple seconds before I dropped my head to stare at the floor. "Fine, I'm fine. I just, um, need to call my mom and let her know where I am."

"Pretty sure Matilda took care of that for you," Khaleel's reply was surprising.

"What?" I asked, looking at him again. "When?"

"While you were sleeping."

Honestly, it was impossible to concentrate on anything when he was topless. Without giving any warning, I turned on my heel to head anywhere else. Before I could make my quick exit, the door to the guest room swung open, and Loyal walked out with a bed head. An adorable bed head that made my toes curl. He caught my anxious gaze and held it for a moment. "What are you doing out here?" he asked me, and then shot a look over my shoulder at his friend.

"Um," I struggled to answer. I whipped back to look at Khaleel, who was still standing behind me. I felt trapped. Sandwiched between two believably attractive and intimidating boys who were stirring me up in very different ways.