Chapter 1300
Audrey sat in Jerome's room, a fragile sense of safety warring with a deep unease. She didn't trust Jerome, didn't believe he could protect her for long, and the uncertainty gnawed at her.
She needed to escape, but as a woman, she knew she was no match for Quentin, let alone his two menacing companions. A reckless attempt could land her in even greater danger.
The door creaked open, and a slight, young man entered. Audrey tensed, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you? Don't come any closer."
"Hey, Audrey, relax. Ronald sent me some food. I figured you might be hungry." He set a tray on the table and lifted the lid, revealing a piece of bread and two strips of bacon. "Sorry, it's not much. Things are… a little rough around here."
Audrey hadn't eaten dinner. The gnawing hunger, combined with the stress, made the simple offering irresistible. Forgetting her usual decorum, she grabbed the bread and devoured it. The plain loaf tasted like a feast.
Watching her rosy lips move, occasionally licking crumbs from the corners of her mouth, the young man spoke. "Whoa there, Audrey. Slow down."
Audrey flushed, setting the bread down. "Do… do you know me?"
"Sure do. You're the hot teacher from Sunset Valley High." He sounded a bit starstruck. "I went there, too, but… you weren't teaching back then. Bummer."
Audrey's curiosity piqued. "What's your name? And how do you know Ronald?"
"Lachlan Everest. Just Lachlan's fine. I dropped out of high school, couldn't find a job, been kinda… drifting. My dad used to work for Ronald. Got killed in a brawl a while back. Ronald helped us out with the funeral expenses. He tracked me down recently and asked me to join up. I wasn't thinking straight, just… went along with it."
"Lachlan, you seem like a good kid." Audrey's words tumbled out. "Listen, as a teacher, I have to tell you… there are other options. I don't know why you dropped out, but there are other paths you can take. This life… it's a dead end. Look at these thugs. It never ends well. People might fear them, but nobody respects them. You're young. You have a future. You can go back to school and get a decent job. Don't throw your life away."
"But Ronald's been good to me. I gave him my word. Can't just back out now." Lachlan looked conflicted. "Besides, I don't think I can do anything else."
"How do you know if you don't try? You have to believe in yourself." Audrey's voice was urgent. "Help me get out of here, and I'll help you find a job. I promise."
She wasn't lying. As the homeroom teacher for Class 57, she had connections. Ivan's father was the County Treasurer. Albert's father was the County Planning Director. Any number of parents would be happy to help. It was one of the perks of her position.
Lachlan shook his head. "I can't, Audrey. Not that I don't want to… but the rules here are strict. If Ronald finds out I let you go, I'm a dead man. I… I gotta go."
Desperate, Audrey grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. The force of her grip strained her shirt buttons, popping them open, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of smooth cleavage and the pink tips of her nipples. She wasn't wearing a bra.
Lachlan's eyes widened. He had been admiring Audrey's figure discreetly, too shy to stare openly. Now, confronted with the sight of her full, swaying breasts, he was speechless, his mouth dry. Despite being in his twenties, his inexperience with women made him vulnerable to the potent allure of Audrey's mature sensuality.
Audrey gasped and quickly released his arm, clutching her shirt, her face burning. She hadn't intended to… seduce him, yet she couldn't deny its effectiveness.
For a moment, only the sound of their ragged breathing filled the room. Lachlan, feeling a fire ignite within him, licked his dry lips. "Audrey, I… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay," Audrey mumbled, turning sideways, her face still flushed, her hand covering her chest. The half-concealed view was somehow even more enticing, and she felt a confusing mix of shame and… something else.
After a beat, Lachlan blurted out, "Audrey, I can get you out of here."
"Really?" Audrey whirled around with hope flaring in her eyes. She instinctively grabbed his shoulders, her breasts heaving against the torn fabric of her T-shirt.
"But… I… I have a condition," he stammered, his face feeling hot.
"Anything. Anything at all. Just name it," Audrey said, desperate to escape the suffocating fear. After Quentin's earlier violence, every second felt like an eternity.
"I want… I want to touch your breasts," Lachlan finally managed, the words rushing out in a desperate plea.
Audrey realized, with a jolt, that she had, once again, exposed herself. She recoiled, clutching her shirt, her face a mixture of shame and anger. "Lachlan, absolutely not! You're taking advantage of me. I'm not that kind of woman. You're young. Don't… don't learn these things from those men."
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have given someone like Lachlan a second glance. Despite his apparent gentleness, he was still part of a criminal gang. But now, he was her only hope, so she tempered her anger.
However, Audrey's softer approach only fueled Lachlan's desire. He had seen the beautiful teacher before. A woman like Audrey was a rare sight in Harmony County. The first time he'd seen her, he'd been captivated. Her beauty, her figure, had instantly snared his attention.
He'd often followed her after school, admiring her from afar, his desire a burning ember within him. But he was timid and felt unworthy. A high school teacher like Audrey would never be interested in a dropout like him. At night, he'd fantasize about her, about her breasts, pleasuring himself until he found release.
He knew the gulf between them was vast. Even if she weren't married, she would never look at him. But now, here she was, and those perfect breasts he'd dreamed of were inches from his face. In a moment of desperate longing, he'd spoken his deepest desire.
Audrey's rejection brought a wave of shame. He slapped himself hard, twice, his cheeks stinging. "Audrey, I'm so sorry. I'm a horrible person. I deserve to…"
Seeing his reddened cheeks, Audrey felt a flicker of pity. Lachlan was her only way out. She needed to motivate him and give him some incentive. She hesitated, then sighed. "Alright, fine. Look, but don't touch. And then you must get me out of here. Understood?" She began to unbutton her shirt.
"Audrey…" Lachlan's face lit up as he watched her slowly reveal her skin, the torn T-shirt underneath clinging to her curves. As her shirt came off completely, his breath caught in his throat. Through the rip in her T-shirt, he saw the full swell of her breasts, the rosy nipples like jewels against her pale skin.
The sight of her breasts, so close, so real, was overwhelming. He felt a rush of heat as if standing before a towering mountain range, about to be swallowed whole.
He'd seen plenty of large-breasted women on porn sites, but pictures were no substitute for reality. Here, less than two feet away, were the breasts of his fantasies. He could see the delicate blue veins, the subtle folds of her areolas.
Her breasts rose and fell with each breath as if they had a life of their own. The nipples seemed to stare at him, and with every movement, his heart hammered against his ribs. His blood roared in his ears, his head swam with a dizzying lack of oxygen. His cock, without his conscious awareness, had hardened, straining painfully against his pants.