NIRELLE - Chapter 51: Chapter 51

As I enter the living room, I see Lucien already waiting there. I was going to sit alone for a few seconds, staring at the moving images on the television, before I headed up to his study to tell him what had happened. His trust had included not reaching out to the bodyguards to ask about me, and from the way his eyebrows were knitted together, I could tell that he had been able to hold up his end of the bargain.
He rushed to me and began to check my body gently; it was almost as if he wanted to find a bruise, maybe an excuse to send an attack on Cassian, or maybe he really did care about me, and this was his weird way of showing it. Why would he care, and why would I try to delude myself that he did?
“Lucien… What are you looking for?" I asked, stiffened like a statue.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Did that bastard touch you?" He is nudging me, so I can't see his expression, but I can imagine his jaws clenched so tightly.
"He did not touch me; he did not need to touch me," I say, and I hear him release a sigh that sounds like he was relieved.
"I was worried about sending you out there by yourself," he says, coming to stand in front of me.
"Why?" I ask, crossing my hands over my body. Why did what he said affect me, and why did I want to pick a fight with him? I know I should be doing this, but I can't help myself. "You don't think I can handle myself because I am a girl?" I ask, and I can see confusion climb his face.
"You know that is not what this is about. I was just worried that he would try something with you," he responds, and it causes me to be a little startled by it. I did not expect him to answer so truthfully. I clear my throat and walk to the sofa, plopping down on it. I have now concluded that mental work is as tiring as physical work. I had never done any mental work in my entire life, which led me to believe I was the one doing all the heavy lifting.
"So what happened with him?" He was seated close to me, not close enough to reach him, but close enough that my entire nose was engulfed with his cologne. I almost tell him how I like how he smells, but I push out the thoughts before they can make their way out.
"He acted like a sly one and tried to pin everything that happened on someone else," I say, and he acts as if it is something he expected. "How can someone so cruel not have a single bad thing about him said online? Strangely, he is being painted a saint when in reality it's obvious that he isn't," I add.
"His family has mastered the art of doing it, and they would keep doing it until someone takes them down."
I clear my throat and shift in my chair. "Are you going to take them down as well?" I ask because I want his answer to be yes; that is what I need.
"I have to, or else we would be left with him as our saviour shortly." I nod because I agree with him. He looks at me, his gaze lingering for a moment. I expect it to make me uncomfortable, but it does not. He clears his throat and then stands up, shuffling from foot to foot.
"I have to go," he said, really awkward, as if someone opened up a portal to a mystery land I know nothing about.
"Where are you going? I thought we were having a conversation? I still have something to tell you."
"Can it wait?" I see his hands clenched by his side. Did I do or say something that could have offended him? Why was he holding back so much? I could barely understand anything happening right now, and before I could open my mouth to speak, he was already out of the room, leaving me alone.
I am not about to go to sleep on the message my mom gave me, so I follow him out. "Mr. Vexley?" I call the words slipping out and surprising me as well. I thought I was now comfortable calling him by his first name already. What could have happened in such a short time, and how did it happen?
I see his back clench a bit, but he does not stop; he climbs up and walks so fast it is almost as if he is running away, but I am not ready to stop or go back, so I follow, climbing each step with as much strength as I can gather. I finally stopped at the door to his room, which was shut in my face. I raise my hand to knock once before I open it, and I shake my head at him. If he was fleeing from me, then he should have locked the door from inside.
I stand with my back to the door and my breath wheezing in and out of my nose and mouth with full pressure. "What was that?" I ask when I can put two words together.
"What was what?" He is standing at the far end of the room, and I am even more confused.
"Why did you make me sprint after you?"
"I thought we were done talking."
"If we were, then why on earth would I follow you up here?" I ask, still trying to catch my breath.
"You still have something to say?" he asked, and I walked to the couch, plopping down on it.
"Of course I do; my mom called today, and she wanted you to help take Cory's name out of the news so he does not go to jail."
"Do you want me to?" he asked, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
Cory going to jail was going to make me a bit happy, but the truth was that it was not going to solve any of the problems we had now. He would go in and spend a few months, or worse, they could get a scapegoat to stand in for him, and then nothing would have changed.
"Well..." He sounded uncomfortable and as if I needed to speak.
"I think you should take it out, and we can focus on the big plan," even though I am not aware of what the big plan is.
"Okay, then," he said with a nod, and I could see his lips twitching; he wanted to say something, but I was not done yet, so I ignored it and leaned in while still seated.
"My mom said to seduce you." Once the words fell out of my mouth, I could see how tense he became, almost as if the atmosphere in the room changed, and it did not help my thoughts that I saw him walking towards me.