Chapter 252
THERON
A tiny little snore, barely audible escaped from her parted lips. Her breath raised a lock plastered to her of her hair for a minute then settled back down.
Even in sleep her eyes were all puffy. Poor girl had cried her eyes out. I sighed and thought that more than anything, Willa really needed a break from all of this.
It was tearing her up. I didn't think she would be able to stand much more days like the bad three days she'd had.
I checked my watch. It was late. Really late.
We had come here to the bar more hour ago. Willa had started drinking slowly but then had picked up the pace. She had passed out after just a couple of bottles of the hard stuff.
"Willa," I said leaning forward. She didn't answer. Just gave another one of those light snores. I grasped her arm, shook it gently. She tried to tug it out if my grip but didn't quite make it. "Willa. Wake up. It's time to go back to the dorm. The bar's about to close."
Still no answer. I looked around.
Willa and I were almost the only ones left. The bartender was cleaning the last couple of dirty glasses and putting them away. Two of the patrons left their tables stumbled out into the night.
"Willa," I said again.
I shook her harder this time. She muttered something that sounded like a garbled version of 'leave me alone' and turned the other way, pillowed her head on her arm and went right back to sleep.
After counting out some money, plus a tip and leaving it on the table, I pulled Willa up. I half carried, half dragged her out of the bar.
Some of the patrons gave me- Willa especially- curious looks, but still made sure they weren't too obvious about it.
I was Prince Theron after all. People as a rule generally kept their noses out of my business.
The night air was cool and bracing. I stood outside the bar for a moment with my arm tightly wrapped around Willa's waist. She was swaying slightly on her feet.
I took in a very deep breath and only moved aside when another customer came out of the bar. One glance at Willa told me that the bracing night air had done nothing for her.
She was still dead to the world. I scooped her up in my arms. She was really a little thing, I thought as I carried her to where my car was parked, at a considerable distance from the bar in the parking lot.
The place had been almost crowded when Willa and I had gone in. Now it was empty except for a couple of cars.
During the drive back to Naomi's dorm, I kept the windows cranked open. Willa still didn't wake up.
I carried her in my arms to her room, pushed open the door with my elbow.
Her roommates didn't look like they had slept a wink all night even though it was going on for 1 am. They were sitting up in bed, talking. I had a pretty good idea of who or what was keeping them awake.
"...Stupid bitch. That's what she is," I heard Naomi say as I entered the room.
The girl with the dyed hair was saying at the same time, "Lucky for her he came when he did or else-"
She broke off when she saw me. Noami pursed her lips glared at Willa in my arms but wisely said nothing.
Willa stirred a little. She muttered something in her sleep.
I could feel the hatred like heat shooting out of Naomi's eyes. I turned my back on the girls, laid Willa down gently in her bed.
I pulled off her shoes. I took my time pulling the covers over her and tucking her in. All the time I could feel Willa's roommates glares boring into my back.
They continued talking but they were whispering now, low enough that I could barely hear them.
I could only catch the words "lesson... slut... a nobody."
Rocking back on my heels, I stared down at Willa. Under the bright lights in the room, the bruise on her cheek where Naomi had slapped her was still clearly visible.
Seeing this almost provoked me into saying something but I didn't. Finding a way to deal with her roommates and getting them to back off from Willa would have to come later.
At least for tonight I was pretty sure Willa was safe from her roommates. They wouldn't try anything for now since they knew I was aware of what they had done.
I closed the door softly so it wouldn't wake Willa up. She needed hours of uninterrupted sleep to relax her a little.
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