CHAPTER 11
The ride to the mansion was torturous with his protective grip on her thigh as he drove with one handonthesteeringwheel.Amaracouldfeelhimseethingunderneaththecoldmaskofhis expressions. She swallowed hard, feeling scared for some reason. She was scared cause she didn’t knew what would happen to Martha, but other than that, Amara was strangely calm.
Throughout the ride, her thoughts now and then moved to Martha. Was she alright? Her eyes widened as she gulped fidgeting with her fingers on her lap. Kaelith's grip on her upper thigh loosened slightly as he absent-mindedly caressed the skin. His platinum ring shone under the moonlight as his long fingers glided over her flesh.
The action was so intimate and lingering that it made her wonder if Kaelith was doing it intentionally or was it just a gesture of his possessiveness.
It took him more than an hour to reach the mansion. As they neared, her heart did backflips. From the distance, the mansion seemed quite–calm before the storm.
Kaelith steered the car through the gates and pulled in the driveway. It was already past six and the bright sky was replaced with darkness of night.
She averted her eyes and turned her head away.
"Amara." She heard his monotonous voice. Ignoring him, she quickly opened the car and tried to jump down when sherealized her legs were trembling. Looking down at herself, she felt tears stinging her eyes. How pathetic was she. Not even able to walk on her own feet.
Kaelith felt his anger subsiding a bit, as he circled the car and licked her up effortlessly. She was so light and barely weighted more than hundred and twenty pounds. Amara hid her face in his neck, but he could feel her sniffing. He knew he scared her, but his reasons were valid, at least in her eyes.
She seemed taken aback as he opened the door and gasped. For a second she had forgotten the situation she was in. Kaelith walked to the couch with his long legs and placed her down gently. "Now tell me, what were you doing out?" Crossing his arms across his wide chest, he asked. His darkgreyeyesweredarkerthanusualashelookeddownatherandahardlookonhisface. Coldness. That's all she felt the way he glared at her.
"Mr Luca, it's my fault. I forced her!" Her eyes moved from his to the side. Martha was held by the guard, her arm twisted behind her back as the brooding man behind her looked at Kaelith. No matter how tough Martha tried to look, the guard could easily overpower her with his thick muscles.
She could see pleading in her voice and that broke her heart. What had she done?
"I'm asking something, Amara." Kaelith took a threatening step closer and simultaneously. His eyes bore into hers as he growled out. "Where. Were. Her?"
"I-I wanted ice cream." She stumbled upon her words. There was no point in lying. That wouldonly create more problems. She gulped as her saw him narrowing his eyes infinitesimally.
"DidIgiveyoupermission?"Sheloweredherhead."Didsheaskforone?"Hisvoicebecame louder and deep. He was mad. Fuming.
"I'm sorry."
She heard Kaelith letting out a humorless chuckle.
"Now you’re sorry?" He clenched his fists and he took another step forward. "Why is it so hard, Amara, every fucking time I am trying to protect you, do you even realize what could have happened?”
Just when he was less than an arm's distance, Kaelith leaned down.
"Was I too lenient with you?" Kaelith asked she shook her head and her eyes started to burn with unshed tears. She fisted the sleeves of the dress and roughly rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Kaelith immediately felt guilt yelling at her, but he needed to make her understand.
"I'm sorry..." she mumbled. Kaelith averted his gaze from her teary face. He couldn't afford to see her like this, but this was necessary.
Martha called his name once again and he felt irritation. What was she? So stupid knowing what business he runs and despite that took Amara out without his permission?
"Take her to the basement." He growled. She gulped and shook her head as she instinctively clutched his hand.
"What? No! Please!" Kaelith looked down at her and the place where her grabbed his hand. More rage bubbled. Her hands were cold.
"Now." He coldly said and guard looked unsurely between Kaelith and her.
"Don't hurt her please, she did not force me!" She shook him slightly to get his attention. Kaelithgrabbed her hand with his free hand and glided it over her wrist as he shackled it in a tight grip. The guard dragged Martha into the basement.
"That's absurd! You’re a barbarian! You cannot do this!” Amara sniffled glancing at him through her lashes.
Amara clenched her jaw. Jerking her wrist from Kaelith's grip with all her strength, she raised her eyes to meet his sharp glare. Amara thought he really cared for her, but now she was questioning if she imagines his sympathy as something else. Kaelith pitied a nameless, homeless girl like her and took her in, feed her, and took care of her. And what she did? Disappointed him. She did not deserve his kindness. It was better if she died in whatever accident she had.
Kaelith felt the strings of his heart pulling apart. The sight of her tear-stained face tightened his heart as he felt his heart sinking.
"Punish me." She mumbled. "I'm the one at fault. Not her."
