Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 7-6

I looked up and stared at William. He was watching me, trying to probe my thoughts, and I his. We were not from the same world. However, without being able to say why, I felt close to him. I assessed the situation. Faïz's last call was about twenty minutes ago, so I didn't have much time left before he arrived in Elora to check if everything was fine. I had to leave before he arrived for fear of not being more able to leave him when he was there.

— "Do you have time to drop me off in Venice?"

— "I could do that," William replied, visibly relieved by my request.

I suspected that he didn't really want to leave me, and neither did I. We looked at each other for a moment without a word and I smiled at him before pulling him by the arm out of the room.

— "Great, we must leave quickly," I confided to him.

I grabbed a jean jacket on the fly, and William held the door of my room wide open and waited for me to be ready. He had been in a good mood all day. It was a change from Faïz's mood swings. My phone rang. I was relieved to see Lexy's name appear.

— "Hi."

— "You're kidding me! where are you?" Lexy was mooing to cover the sound of the music.

— "Uh... I'm on my way. I'm coming."

I heard Asarys's loud voice screaming behind Lexy.

— "Ask her where is she on the road! I know she's lying!"

— "Asarys asks where, exactly?"

— "I'm coming!" I smothered a little laugh before hanging up unexpectedly.

I shook my head vigorously. Asarys knew me well.

— "Here we go," I told William, who let me pass in front of him.

I rushed down the stairs, in a hurry to leave the villa.

— "Victoria, Lily, we're leaving," I called by the front door.

Voices from the terrace wished us both a good evening. I grabbed my keys and we got out of there.

**

Outside, William followed me to open the door of his sedan for me. I settled down and we left for Venice. In the streets of the city, I noticed that there was a crowd on this Saturday evening. It didn't surprise me. Los Angeles never slept, and even less on game days. Many wore a blue and white top with the Dodgers' names on it. After a few months in this city, I now knew that baseball, American football, or basketball, were real religions here. The cafes and restaurants were packed, the subway mouths looked like real anthills. Everyone was dressed the same, in the colors of their team. A good-natured atmosphere flooded the streets of the city with songs, screams, and firecracker noises. In the distance, in the heights of Los Angeles, we could see Dodger Stadium. Indeed, the stadium's spotlights were visible for several kilometers around.

— "Where are your friends?"

William's question made me look away from him.

— "Towards the roller-skate area, near the basketball court, I think."

He nodded, and I turned around again to watch him secretly through the reflection of my window. I was not indifferent to his charisma, and I didn't want to leave him now. What's the matter with you, Zoe? I came back to him and opened my mouth to talk to him, but closed it immediately. Come on, stop being a child, it's pathetic.

— "Stay with me tonight," I insisted in a shy voice.

My request surprised even me. William, on the other hand, seemed just as shocked as I was. Disoriented, his gaze wandered back and forth between me and the road several times, then he leaned his elbow against the edge of the window and carried his free hand to his chin. For the first time that day, his self-confidence seemed to be slipping away, his eyes darkening.

— "All right, I'll stay tonight if that's what you want," he finally answered after several seconds that seemed endless to me.

I quietly breathed a sigh of relief, happy with his decision.

— "For that smile, I could sell my soul, Zoe," he added.

I pinched my lips to hide the effect of pleasure that his words gave me.