I was stunned speechless of course, but that didn't take long when Erik rounded and slipped inside the driver's seat.
"The hell? You almost gave me a heart attack!" I punched his right arm as strong as I could for I couldn't keep my anger in check anymore. His methods of working with me are just downright unorthodox! Goodness! It would have been better if he had just dragged me out of the club than acting all psychopathic, murdery on me!
"Thank you for being obedient, Ms. Rosecraft." He produced a grin. He produced a sexy grin! He freaking produced a sexy grin! What the hell?
"Gods, Erik! Why did you do that? And why do you have a gun?!" I eyed the mentioned object peeking under his black jacket and pointed at it like it had herpes.
"I said I would get you out of that club remember?" he simply stated, then turned the car ignition on.
"By acting like a hostage taker?" I huffed in frustration. "You sure are weird. Is that gun—"
"The real thing?" he butted in, looking at me under his sunglasses, "Yes."
I arched a brow.
"Seriously, do you think that a gun is the only way for me to do your bidding?"
He smirked then, contemplating over something.
I instinctively pressed my stilettos hard on the floor as the car sped in great speed out of the parking space of Lotus Spade. After a minute of silence, he spoke but his eyes were still on the road, "I don't think so Daniella. There are far better and interesting ways to make you do what I want you to do. I am just bringing a gun for our protection."
"Protection?" I gave him wide, confused eyes.
He glanced at me briefly and released a sigh. "Do you know that I just seriously broke a protocol tonight because of you?"
Hmmm... he doesn't seem intimidating at all with his sunglasses on. Lucky for me.
"What are you talking about?" I say, but then I suddenly remembered something. "Oh God." I frantically searched for the car lock in my side but found none. "Stop the car Erik and open this door! I'm going out!"
I glanced at him with pleading eyes but I was only awarded with an insensitive face. "I'm afraid I can't do that Daniella."
"Hey, I just realized that my friends are still in the club! They will think that I am being kidnapped if they notice that I'm gone too long."
"They are already taken care of by my associates, " was his reply and that made me stop fretting. "They'll be kept in a safe house where they will be detoxified."
"Detoxified?" I echoed.
He released a sigh again, but one that looked heavy with responsibility and stated in a grim voice, "I'm going to think that you are asking that because you are innocent and not dumb, Daniella. Do you know that the blue liquor you have been drinking contains a serious illegal drug?"
My mouth dropped.
"Well, obviously I don't know, because if I did, I wouldn't have drunk it!"
"Now you know, " he lashed. The car increased its speed and brought us in the highway.
I suddenly felt very concerned, no, not because of his overspeeding, but because of those people I saw in the dance floor earlier. "Is that the reason why those people in there are acting strange?"
"Hmmm..." He released a pleased groan. "It's good that you are observant, milady. It relieves me to know that you are using your head."
I scowled at him. Yeah, go on ahead. This is definitely a great way to start an argument, Mr. President. Who could actually forget the barb in your mouth?
"Shit, " I face-palmed myself. "Are you kidding me?!"
"No, I'm not kidding you, " he answered, still looking at the road.
"I drank half of it in a cocktail glass!" I exclaimed, feeling suddenly puking inside his beautiful car.
"That's why you need detoxification too."
"Then drive me to where the safe house is. I want to be with my friends. They are under my care. My mom is going to be hysterical if she finds out we were drugged!"
And then it hit me again.
"Wait. Oh God. Ericka and Mason—"
"Are also in the safe house, " he informed.
"Then take me to them!"
In my desperation, I grabbed his shoulder with both hands. Since we were in the middle of a stop sign, he turned around to face me and although, I couldn't see his eyes, I could feel it burning through me. A respiratory pause he did but it is with difficulty. He pressed his lips and I found myself staring at the sinful curves like a child staring at a cake in a display window.
I don't know what hocus-pocus was in between us but I seriously feel like we were both in an attraction spell. Or at least that's what I felt. I couldn't read the expression on his face properly since he still had his damn sunglasses on.
But then his right hand touched my chin, tenderly. I could feel my lips quake in response. A lightning of delightful tingles shot through me with just that gesture alone and I froze.
This man couldn't possibly be capable of gentleness right? Right?
His lips parted and leaned slowly towards me. Dammit! I can't believe I am actually anticipating for his kiss!
A honk of a horn however interrupted us, luckily. I cleared my throat and shifted my head towards the side window just as he pulled himself away from me. He immediately drove the car again after seeing the green light.
"No, I will take you to the chateau, " was his reply to my earlier demand.
My heartbeat sped like the Ferrari I am inside. If whatever twisted spell surrounded us seconds ago, I earnestly hope that it would fade for good for I can't see myself getting mushy with a spawn of a devil.
"I am not a VIP you know. I need to make sure my friends are safe, " I expressed as I watched the road outside. Judging from the familiar signage on the stores, we were almost in the Beverly Hills district.
"They are safe Daniella, trust me, " he said in a low voice, "You will see them tomorrow morning. I give you my word as a president."
That seems fair enough.
So in the end, I surrendered.
"How is detoxifying me done anyway?" I questioned as I didn't have a clue what procedure I am to undergo later.
"Do you hate needles?" he asked straight-to-the-point.
"You're serious?" I blanched.
"I am."
"Oh God, " I face-palmed myself again. "What have I gotten myself into?"
I don't hate needles. I dread it. I have been subjected to endless needle pricking while I was in a hospital a year ago in Monaco, France, the birthplace of my mother. I was in a ventilator that time as I almost died due to a gunshot wound on my right upper abdomen. A part of my liver was damaged but luckily, my family doctors were able to salvage it through a long, grueling procedure. Numerous laboratory exams and a cocktail of intravenous drugs were introduced on me. Thank God, I was given a second life, but because of it, I came to fear needles — quite a lot more than with guns.
The detoxification process, unfortunately, uses a needle, and because I innocently ingested an illegal drug, I had to undergo the damn cleaning whether I like it or not.
"Vincent and I did warn you earlier right? We told you to leave the club but you didn't listen, " Erik pointed at me, but I was in no mood to argue with that. This time, he had the upper hand. I instead asked him a different thing.
"How did you know about the drug?"
I turned to look at his profile and saw him furrow his brows. "I prefer not to answer that question Daniella."
"Why?"
"Because it's a classified information."
Wow. I gaped. What is he an undercover spy or something?
Aware that this conversation wouldn't lead us to an understanding, I just shook my head and went back to watching the houses -errr- mansion that we passed outside. Since the chateauwas on top a hill, we had to pass by curved roads and numerous intersections.
I remained silent for the remainder of our drive. It was a good choice to make, since I began to feel woozy and lightheaded, and my eyelids were beginning to fall...
"Hey, " I jerked up when I heard Erik's voice.
"What?" Massaging my head, I glanced at him.
"You are starting to feel dizzy and sleepy."
He really didn't have to state the obvious.
"Yeah, I can feel that, " I said.
"Your fingers will soon shake uncontrollably too, " he glanced at them.
"Are you a part-time soothsayer, Mr. President?" I clasped my hands.
"No, but I know the effects of the drug when ingested. The amount you drank earlier is enough to give you some of its side effects."
My mouth formed an 'oh.' That made me anxious all the more.
"But don't worry, we're almost in the chateau. You will feel better in no time once I inject you the counter drug. Just close your eyes."
I don't know if I should feel at ease with what he said, but I guess his words were acceptable enough. I just shrugged my shoulders and for the first time ever, I did as he ordered with no coercion, no glaring blue-green hazel eyes and no gun at my back.
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