Chasing Secrets✓

62.

Lucien

I pace back and forth in my spot as I stare blankly at my phone in hand. I glance over to Amara who was completely knocked out on my bed. I was so worried today. I should've never let her go to work knowing Brad has his eyes on her but regardless of my wishes, I still wanted her to be able to be independent and to not live in fear.

Her being here in my presence gave me a sense of tranquility. Brad was a dead man for sure.

My phone light flashed across my eyes and on the second ring I answered a colleague of mine who works as a PI.

"Lucien, I just received intel on Brad Sullivan. After his disappearance from last night's assault to Ms. Belle, I have been doing everything I can to track his location. I've collected information from all airports, harbours and county lines. Turns out he has never left the country or the state so my conclusion is that he is in hiding," Keenen informed me, "though San Francisco International Airport confirmed of a Brad Sullivan trying to board an airplane without a ticket. When security tried to stop him, he fled. He's been on the run all night."

"And his pass has been cancelled?" I inquire, furrowing my eyebrows in thought.

"I made sure of it sir." I knew I had chosen the best employees to work for me.

"Good. Thank you, Keenen," I wipe my face and pass my fingers through my hair.

"Good night Lucien," he ends and hangs up. I look over to Amara again and noticed her stirring. I walk over and sat on the edge a little bit away from her. As soon as her big brown eyes opened and she spotted me, the tears welled up and she crawled closer to me, engulfing me straight into a hug.

"Whoa. Someone is a little full of emotion tonight," I say playfully, rubbing her back to soothe her. All I wanted was for her is to feel comfortable and secure.

"I should've listened when you told me not to go to work. I-I-I I didn't know that Brad would be like this," she starts to ramble but I put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"None is for you to worry about, okay? He's gonna pay don't you worry," I say, cushioning her under me as we laid back onto the pillows, my feet dangling off the bed.

"Was he about to rape you?" She only nods and bury herself under me in embarrassment.

"H-H-He was talking badly about you, talking dirty, saying he could please me better than you can. He said that he wanted to get rid of you so he can have me all to himself, that he'll kill anyone standing in his way of having me all to himself. Please don't let me continue," she whimpers.

"I'm not forcing you princess. It disgusts me to think that he could put me out of power and that he'll ever be with you. He's pathetic and doesn't care about others so what makes him think he could take care of you without hurting you more than you have ever been?"

"Please don't fire Jasper. It wasn't his fault that I was alone. I made him leave me for a moment but I didn't know all of this was going to happen. He's an amazing bodyguard and he doesn't deserve to be let go. Please, don't fire or remove him from his postion of being my bodyguard," as she pleads I noticed a glint in her eyes, a sign that she was on the verge of tearing up again. I'm happy that she's comfortable with him, that's all I ever wanted.

"I wasn't going to. I was just going to shake him up a bit, maybe even threaten him," I joke, kissing her forehead.

She arose from beneath me and stares at me, worry flashed across her pretty face.

I arch my head to the side. "What's wrong?"

"Uh," she gulps but proceeded, "when you left and...mom and I flew back to California the day after, he came up to me on campus and started acting really strange, like he was trying to get me. I don't know, he was friendly and willing to do everything for me and that creeped me out. I decided to let it slide and just wanted to keep the peace. I didn't realise I was giving him access if you could put it that way," she confronts and I nod.

"I just have one question," I say, sitting up.

"Anything."

"Are you still going to work at the gallery?" I knew the subject would make her uneasy but I had to know in order to put things in place. Since before but as of this very moment, her safety is 100% the most important thing in my life. She's also her own woman who can make her own decisions, without or without my approval.

I trust that she will do the right thing, always.

"Lucien you know I love working. You can't keep me locked up in your house," she retorts, but behind her eyes it seems as though she was withholding something from me. I could've sensed that she wanted to tell me that she was thinking of selling the art gallery and moving on to becoming a writer, but didn't. I didn't to overwhelm or push her into getting whatever it is off her chest, instead, I wanted to give her the opportunity to give her explanation without the force.

A bright idea suddenly clicks in my head. It was sudden, but I knew I had to act fast.

"What if I gave you a key? I mean, what if you had a key, and you kept some of your stuff here? and you slept, you know...not at your parents'?" I try as best as I could to ease it onto her, knowing what she's going through is enough to think about.

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" she squints her eyes at me, grinning slightly. Wait, she's grinning?

"Yes I am," I smile.

"Are you sure?" she asks hesitantly.

"Yes. I want you here all the time," I responded.

She drops her shoulders and tilted her head sideways. "Well that's just one of the many things that we can discuss over breakfast."

"Sure. Once you're happy and safe. That's my top priority."

***

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