Chapter 13
Alexander’s footsteps echoed loudly through the marble hallway as he walked towards his destination. People in his vicinity nervously darted out of his way at the sight of his dark facial expression. Some had the guts to whisper amongst each other, but upon meeting his steel blue eyes, they quickly scampered off.
Alexander took the elevator to the fiftieth floor without meeting another person. Something told him that upon his arrival, everyone was noticed of his presence in the building, which meant that Lucien Valentino would too.
When the silver elevator doors opened, Alexander immediately strode to the non-transparent glass office and knocked on it. He didn’t wait for an answer before he entered the room.
It was as desolate as the last time Alexander was there. The only furnishings in the spacious room included a large office table at the far end of the room, coupled with a few chairs and two matching bookshelves. However, it was not the lack of interior decoration that he was concerned with, it was with the man sitting behind the desk.
Alexander walked forward. “You did this on purpose,” he stated impassively as he tossed the photograph of target onto the mahogany table. “Why?”
The man dressed in the black suit swivelled his chair around and steepled his fingers. He gave the boy a once over before chuckling darkly. “Careful Nightshade. I would not suggest you do that. One would think you have feelings for her.”
Alexander clenched his hands together and looked down on the floor. “On the contrary, I do not.”
Lucien chuckled again before he picked up a steel blade from his table and examined it in the sun’s rays. “You would do well to know where your place is. I do not tolerate such lack of respect, especially to those who barge into my office like this and demand questions from me,” he growled, turning his cold grey-blue eyes to Alexander. “Now I will ask you this—is she a hinder to you?”
Alexander met Lucien’s eyes to show he had nothing to hide from him, “No sir, not at all.”
“Then I would suggest you go back and take care what needs to be done.” He paused and twirled the blade in his hand. “Unless you are incapable of that...”
Without warning, the blade shot through the air and aimed directly at Alexander. He did not blink. With cat like reflexes, he swiftly pivoted to the side and caught it inches away from his face. Alexander lowered his hand down, his face devoid of emotions. “You underestimate me sir. I never failed an assignment, nor do I plan on it. However, I do not understand why you gave me such an easy target.”
The man’s dark eyes glinted with malice as he smiled devilishly at the boy. “Then I expect it to be completed soon—with the data and key in hand. The journey to becoming a master warrior will challenge you both on a physical and emotional level. If and only when she is removed, can you proceed with your final training and be deemed a master— one worthy of commanding hundreds.” Lucien leaned forward on the table, never breaking eye contact with Alexander. “I know who she is Nightshade, and I know that you know who she is. Now the only question remains is can you sever the link to your past?”
“Of course,” cut in Alexander curtly. “She is nothing to me.”
“Very well, time is ticking.”
***
Adrianna checked the time on her phone and scowled. Her hazel eyes darted around the public library. The only sign of life was the grey haired librarian pushing a cart of books down the non-fiction isle. She muttered a few curses at Alexander and began to angrily shove her things into her bag.
It was one freaking thirty and that boy was still not here. He was an hour and a half late for their meet up, which meant that he probably wasn’t going to show up at all. She should have known this was going to happen. Maybe it was partially her fault for not getting down his number, but he could have had the decency to call her if he couldn’t make it.
And just like that, Alexander managed to piss her off without even having to be in the same room as her.
Adrianna swung her bag onto her shoulder and was about to leave, when her eyes met the last person she wanted to see. Her heart hammered in her chest and her hands grew clammy. She bit the bottom of her lips as a flood of memories and emotions threatened to break free.
Just as Adrianna was about to make a dash for it, the boy’s green eyes connected with hers and he instantly headed her way. Her eyes shifted around the library, anxiously trying to find an escape route. She ran into the closet isle of bookshelves and zigzagged her way around the towering shelves to the exit.
Adrianna was about to take a step out from the library when a hand clamped down on her wrist. She jumped a foot in the air and tried to yank it away. “D...don’t touch me or I swear I will neuter you!”
“Whoa! Well that’s one way to threaten a guy, but unfortunately, I’m not a guy. So I believe you have to spray a female to prevent them from procreating,” laughed the female voice.
Adrianna turned around so fast that her head started to spin. Her eyes immediately brightened when she distinguish who was there. She sighed in relief. “Katie! Boy am I glad to see you here!” she exclaimed in a strained voice while glancing around to see if there were any signs of Gregory. “Now let’s go out please...”
Katie scrunched her eyebrows together as Adrianna held her in a death grip and dragged her outside. “Hey hold on, did I miss the memo on something? Who are you avoiding—”
“Long story, I’ll explain later but please take me out of here.”
Before Adrianna could take another step forward, a hand grasped her shoulder, causing her to flinch.
“Hey Adrianna, about yesterday’s incident...I’m really—”
“No shut up! I don’t want to hear it you pigheaded jerk!” she screamed, her eye’s sparking with anger. “You...” She breathed heavily in and out, trying not to cry. “You don’t sexually harass a girl and think you can make it up with an apology.”
Gregory reached to grab Adrianna’s arm, but she dodged out of the way. “Don’t touch me or I swear by tomorrow, you’re either going to have a nice restraining order or a comfy place in jail.”
At her words, Gregory tilted his head back and laughed mockingly. “Is that suppose to be a challenge? Because I like challenges.”
Katie glanced between Adrianna’s ashen face and towards Gregory’s half smirk before she started to realize what may have occurred in a short time span. Immediately, she stepped in front of Gregory and shoved him hard in the chest. “Back off before I call the cops for harassment,” she snarled, holding her arms out defensively.
“Well aren’t you a feisty—”
Without thinking, Katie kneed him in the groin. For a few seconds, she watched as he doubled over in pain, cursing every word in the English dictionary. “Take that you son of a gun!” she laughed gleefully before grabbing Adrianna’s hand and making a run for it.
“Thanks for that,” said Adrianna quietly as she followed Katie to her silver car. “I wouldn’t have known what to do if you weren’t here—well besides kick him in the balls.”
Katie chuckled and waved her hand. “It’s nothing. We girls are supposed to stick together. I got your back and you got mine. I’m sure that one of these days, when my ass is on the line, I can count on you to save my butt,” she joked.
Adrianna laughed weakly, “Yeah of course.”
Katie shoved her key into the car and was about to slide into the driver’s seat when she was stopped by another voice.
“Where are you taking my lab partner?”
Adrianna’s eyes immediately darted to the direction of where the familiar voice was coming from—the one she knew and hated all too well. There sauntering her way was the tall, dark and impassive looking Alexander. She pursued her lips in dismay at the sight of him.
Katie glanced back and forth between the two and noted the strange tension hovering above them. She immediately rolled her eyes. “Clearly away from all the testosterone,” she replied before nodding towards Gregory on the sidewalk. “Now I would suggest you back away before this gets ugly and there is another repeat of the knee to groin maneuver.”
Alexander glanced across the parking lot and at the crumbled male heap that was Gregory. His nostrils immediately flared out in anger. How dare that bastard approach Adrianna. He clenched his fists together, ready to make good on his promise, when a soft warm hand grasped his arm. Alexander blazing eyes turned to Adrianna whose gaze matched his unwaveringly.
They stared at each other for a long time. In those silent moments, Alexander observed her. Despite the strength Adrianna exuded with her stance, her eyes told a different story. It swirled with a mix of hurt, anger and pain, one that threatened to swallow her whole.
Finally Adrianna spoke. “No stop it. He’s not worth going to jail for.”
Alexander chuckled darkly at her naive statement. Sweetheart, you have no idea of the things I’ve done. A jail cell isn’t going to hold me in. “No he isn’t worth going to prison for...” he stated before pausing to choose his next words carefully. “But you are.”
Adrianna opened her mouth to swear at him, but closed it when her brain registered what he just said. Her heart immediately did a summersault in her chest before it was followed by an uneasy pang in her gut. His words repeated in her mind like a broken record-player. No he isn’t worth going to prison for. But you are. She closed her eyes and the next thing that came out of her mouth was the first thing that popped into her brain. “I don’t believe you.”
Alexander’s eyes rose up in confusion. “What?”
Adrianna steeled her gaze at him. “I said I don’t believe you,” she repeated. “Are you even listening to yourself speak? I mean we hardly know each other, and the times we do end up talking, something always seems to go wrong. We fight like a god-damn married couple when that’s the exact opposite of where we stand. Besides, if you really cared about me, you wouldn’t have shown up more than an hour late for our project without letting me know by a text or call!” she snapped.
Alexander pressed his lips into a thin line. Maybe eliminating his childhood friend would be easier then he thought. She had gotten even more irritating then before. “Well I don’t care if you believe me or not. However, the last thing you accused me of is blown out of proportion. First I was held up by unpredicted circumstances with a dead phone, so unfortunately I could not call you. Second, you said to meet at one, which means I am a little more than half an hour late.”
Adrianna crossed her arms. Sometimes she wanted to grab a hammer and whack this boy silly. “No I said to meet at noon.”
Alexander rolled his eyes at how childish she was. “Well regardless of that, we still have a project to complete, do we not?”
“Actually I’m almost done it since you didn’t bother to show up on time,” countered Adrianna.
“Then I will look over the work you did.”
“Well I’m not going back to the library.”
Alexander breathed in and slowly let his breath out. He could feel his nerves being pulled out, but he had to control his emotions. He had to keep it locked away. “Okay, let’s go to your house instead.”
Adrianna sputtered at his words. “What? No way!”
Alexander raised an eyebrow and his lips curved in a smirk. He had her cornered. “Why not?”
Adrianna desperately glanced to Katie for help but she merely shrugged. So much for getting each other’s backs. She huffed in annoyance while yanking the passenger side door open. “Because you keep being an ass to me, that’s why!” she retorted. “Katie, take me anywhere that isn’t here.”
“What? No please or thank you?” muttered Katie under her breath as she slid into the driver’s seat. She started up the car and watched Alexander leave. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “I’m surprised he let you leave so easily.”
“Yeah he’s smart enough to know when to call it a day,” grumbled Adrianna under her breath.
“So where do you want to go?” asked Katie.
“My house, I’ll give you the directions.” Adrianna paused before an idea came into her mind. “Why don’t you come over as well and I’ll give Lilly a call. That way we can have a girl’s day or something.”
Katie shook her head. “No not today, there are a few things I was planning to do actually. Maybe tomorrow?”
“Yeah sure that works,” Agreed Adrianna before she heaved a sigh and turned to watch the buildings pass by. It was a few minutes later that she noticed a black motorcycle in the rear view mirror turning exactly when they turned. She instantly sat up in her seat. “What the hell?”
Katie glanced at Adrianna before looking ahead. She frowned at her friend’s expression. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s fucking trailing us.”
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A/N: Hey guys! Here's the update that you have been waiting for. Not too much drama yet, but there will be soon. The next update would probabyly be in two weeks after my exams are done. Tell me what you think of it! Again, every one of you readers are amazing and make my day, especially with comments and critiques.