I moved to stand up and Louis did as well, but he kept me from dashing forward saying, "Stupid imbeciles keep thinking they can sneak onto my property unnoticed."
"Let's go see who it is." I spoke up urgently, tugging on his wrist.
"No, my men will handle this. Though I should make sure they take care of it properly this time." He answered and started hurrying in the direction of the shouting.
I hastened to match his quick pace and wondered if perhaps someone from the palace had come for me. If they had, I doubted there would be only one person. Maybe more were coming. Maybe they knew where I was now and it wouldn't be long until I was rescued.
As we left the thicker part of the gardens and started across the neat lawn with the mansion in view, I caught sight of the ruckus. Louis continued to pull me toward the house, but I wanted to see who was trespassing.
As I craned my neck, I noticed countless men with guns running across the lawn to our right, chasing one lone man. He was booking it across the grass straight toward Louis and I. I squinted hard and my mouth opened.
No...it couldn't be.
It was—I'd recognize my muscular black bodyguard anywhere. He was taller than all of the other guards and had a body built for excessive exercise. I gasped out loud and shouted frantically. "Felix!"
Louis wrapped his free arm around my waist and started to drag me away.
"No! Let me go! It's Felix, he's alive! They're going to shoot him!" I screamed as I hit Louis with my fist.
"Aria, stop! Leave it be and come inside." Louis demanded.
"No! Don't let them hurt him! Please, Louis!" I begged as I wiggled out of his grip and yanked on the cuffs even though it hurt excruciatingly.
Louis' men had converged on Felix by this time and he was on his knees with their guns pointed at his head. He clearly had heard me scream and was looking my way.
"Dammit, Aria." Louis growled.
"Don't hurt him!" I screamed out. "Please I'll do anything! Don't let them shoot him..."
Louis grabbed me, forcing my back into his chest and he clapped a hand over my mouth. "Hold your fire!"
The men all turned to look at us and Felix looked entirely concerned for me. Louis walked us forward until we were close enough to speak normally. Felix searched my body for injuries.
"Princess, I meant to rescue you." He spoke up, but one of the guards slammed the butt of his gun into his head.
"No, don't!" I cried and Louis had to hold me back.
"Lock him up. Do not kill him. I will be down in a while." Louis ordered.
"I thought you were dead." I burst out, tears of relief pouring from my eyes.
Felix weakly lifted his head and nodded. "I made a vow to protect you, my lady."
When the same man moved to hit him again, I lashed out. "If you dare hurt him again you'll be sorry!"
The guard simply snorted and rolled his eyes, hitting Felix anyway and Louis started to pull me away.
"Please tell them not to hurt him." I begged Louis.
"He's a trespasser. Usually I shoot them where they stand, but thanks to you, I had to appear weak and keep him alive. So I can't stop them from hurting him." He replied bluntly and forced me to walk with him back to the house.
"I hate you." I hissed through gritted teeth.
"But you will do anything for me." He returned.
"No, I won't." I said.
"You said you'd do anything if I kept him alive." Louis reminded me as we arrived at one of the back doors.
My heart dropped and I stopped struggling. Oh no. What have I done?
•••
It was later that evening when Louis finally allowed me to pay a visit to my bodyguard. He insisted that he be there with me and refused to unlock the handcuffs. He took me down to the basement; a cold dark place that was nothing like upstairs. It was frightening to say the least, but I was going to see Felix no matter what.
Louis led me through an area where a few cells were. There were several men standing around one in the middle and as we approached, I spotted Felix kneeling on the floor of the cell with his hands behind his back.
"Felix..." I whispered in dismay, seeing his bloodied face and torn clothes.
"Leave us for a moment." Louis ordered and the men nodded.
"Don't expect to hear anything from him. We put a shock collar around his neck so he can't talk unless he wants to be electrocuted." One guy laughed in amusement.
My mouth opened in horror. What kind of barbarians would do something like that? I tried opening the door, but it was locked.
"You're not getting in. Say what you want and that's it." Louis told me, standing by my side.
I loathed having my wrist attached to his and Felix was eyeing the cuffs suspiciously.
"I thought you were dead..." I spoke up finally.
Felix nodded and looked up at me in concern.
"I'm okay. Don't worry. I'm just worried about you. Do my parents know where I am?" I asked.
Felix shook his head.
"Oh...you came alone?" I asked in disappointment.
He nodded sadly.
"But...why?" I asked, but then remembered that he couldn't answer. "Well I hope someone else knows. But if they don't...I'm okay."
He nodded at our wrists.
"It's nothing...Louis just wants to force me to be around him all the time." I muttered.
He looked worried, but I didn't know how to convince him that I was alright...mostly.
"I'm fine, Felix. Honestly. He hasn't really hurt me and claims he doesn't plan to. Right Louis?" I turned to my captor.
Louis nodded and shrugged. "I won't hurt her if she's a good girl and does what I tell her."
"Louis." I grumbled, knowing his words would only worry Felix more.
He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again in frustration. He would be shocked if he spoke.
"Can't you take the collar off?" I asked Louis.
"No. It'll stay on for the remainder of his stay here." Louis shook his head.
I glared at him and held onto the bars of the cell, staring at my loyal bodyguard. "I won't let him hurt you. We'll get out of here eventually."
"I wouldn't count on it." Louis put in under his breath.
"Will you stop?" I snapped, turning to Louis in frustration.
"I think this is the end of visiting hours." Louis spoke up and started pulling me away.
"Wait! I have more to ask him." I pleaded.
"Too bad."
I groaned in annoyance and waved to Felix as he moved toward the bars to watch me go. Louis and I left the basement and he brought me upstairs to the second floor. I thought he was taking me to my room because it was pretty late, but then he turned a different way.
"Why wouldn't you let me talk to him?" I asked finally.
He slowed down in the hallway and then stopped, turning to look at me. "I don't know really...you were being disrespectful and I didn't want him to think that I will tolerate that kind of behavior."
"It doesn't matter what he thinks of you." I shrugged.
"It does now that he'll be staying here for the rest of his life." He pointed out.
I frowned, staring at him in confusion. "What? Why would he stay here forever?"
"I assumed I would kill him, so I let him see my face." Louis answered like that explained everything. When I only stared at him with a blank expression, he explained. "The only people I allow to see my face are my own loyal followers, and people I kill. And you. I could never let him go now that he knows what I look like."
Shocked, I shook my head. "But..."
"My decision is final. I want to be able to walk around anywhere without people trying to arrest me." He told me seriously.
Growing sad, I decided not to argue with him, because that didn't seem to get me anywhere and instead continued walking. He stopped me however.
"We're here."
"Where?" I asked, but then he opened the door.
I couldn't stop from letting out a small gasp at the sight of his bedroom. Was he going to make me sleep with him? There was no way I was going to let that happen.
"I'm not sleeping with you." I said quickly, pulling away.
He simply pulled me inside and shut the door. "Our twenty-four hours isn't up yet."
"But...but Louis. You said you wouldn't-"
"I said I wouldn't ràpe you. And I promise I won't. We're just sleeping, okay?" He lifted his free hand and lightly touched my chin.
I pulled away from him. "I...don't feel comfortable with this."
Louis watched me curiously. "I just can't do anything right."
"Normal people don't force someone to sleep with them." I said.
He led me to the bed where he sat down and started untying his shoes. I was worried yes, but I felt that he would keep his promise to not ràpe me. But even with that small comfort, I didn't want to sleep any where near this killer.
"Louis?" I whispered as he stood up, moving his fingers to the buttons of his pants. I quickly reached out and grasped his hands to stop him. He looked at me funny and I took my hands away. "Don't...undress please."
"I want to be comfortable." He shrugged.
"So do I." I tried crossing my arms, but it didn't work with him being cuffed to me.
"So you want to sleep in our clothes?" He chuckled.
"Yes." I nodded.
"Very well." He moved toward me and picked me up and tossed me onto the bed before climbing on beside me.
"Wait..."
"Wait for what? Princess, you don't have to be scared." Louis assured me, loosening his belt.
"But I am..." I murmured quietly, curling into a ball and closing my eyes.
After a few moments I felt him touch my hair, and then I felt him fiddling with my handcuff. I peeked out and saw him unlocking it with a bobby pin. He tossed the cuffs aside and then took my wrist, rubbing it to soothe the irritated skin. I watched how careful he was with my wrist, which was quite sore. He was laying so close to me.
He looked up then and caught me staring at him. His eyes, twinkling from the moonlight outside, were so blue and clear that I was momentarily fascinated by them. But the intensity in which he stared back caused me to quickly look away.
"I won't touch you tonight, if that's what you want." He spoke gently.
I bit my lip and nodded, taking my wrist from his grasp and holding my arms close to me. "Please."
"Very well. I promise not to, unless I touch you in my sleep. Sorry if I do. I tend to flail around." Louis grinned and moved away from me.
"Thank you." I replied and got under the covers.
I wasn't wearing panties because he hadn't let me, but now that I was under the covers, it would be easy for my dress to slide up in my sleep. If he were to remove the covers... I prayed he wouldn't see anything.
After some time of simply lying there, Louis spoke up again. "Aria...?"
"Hm." I responded, listening to the footsteps of the night patrolman in the hall.
"Do you think...do you think you'll ever love me? Or even...like me?" He asked, slightly unsure of himself.
"You're a murderer." Was all I said.
"But what if you've misjudged me. What if I'm not as bad as you think I am?"
"Are you?" I turned to look at him.
He simply frowned. "Just give me a chance. Maybe I'll surprise you. Despite the fact that I've kidnapped you and am making you marry me, I'm not as bad as you think I am."
"I'm sorry but I don't believe you. You're the terror of my kingdom, the worst enemy we've had in centuries. You've even made it into school books. We've been fighting against you and your minions for decades." I said.
"I'm not that old, Aria."
"But you're behind all of the crimes. You're the man behind the mask, making all the calls and telling everyone what to do." I claimed.
"It's not always me." He defended.
"You're the leader aren't you?"
"Yes but...ugh. Never mind. Just go to sleep." He sighed and turned over, pulling the blankets up to his chin.
I wondered if maybe there was some truth to his words. I doubted it, but what if he wasn't behind every horrible thing that's happened in my kingdom? His blue mask was always present at the most terrible of crimes, but perhaps Louis wasn't always behind it.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
In case anyone forgot who Felix is (I don't blame you it's been so long lol) he is Aria's bodyguard whom she thought died trying to save her when she was kidnapped.
By the way, updates won't be as frequent as Predicaments of a Schoolgirl because those chapters were already written and these aren't! So, be patient, I'll do my best to update as often as I can! :)