32

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
GABRIELLE
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The next morning, I got my cellphone. Anya had presented it to me as Lucian had promised. He hadn't come to my room last night until it was very late and had disappeared before I woke up.

The only person I called was mother, hearing the sound of her voice gave me slight reassurance, we talked for some minutes, she made mention of father and Phoebe who had resumed her private dance classes, I could only listen quietly. Don't get me wrong, I was still very much mad at both of them for my present situation, but I could hear the loneliness in my mother's voice, for that, I was willing to listen to anything she wanted to talk about.
The moment the call ended, I exited the room.
I was feeling very uneasy. The feeling had been there ever since Lucian made mention of the cameras.
I had checked around yesterday and even but didn't find any. Maybe they were just too tiny or very well hidden to be seen?
What if he was watching me even at this moment?
The thought made me shudder inwardly. I tried my hardest to push off the thought, it would only make the task I was about to perform much difficult.
After failing to search for clues in his bedroom yesterday, today I decided that his study would be the best place to search for hints considering that he spends most of his time there.
I inhaled deeply, my heart resumed at a faster rate as I raised my hand to knock on the door.
There was a pause, I drew in another long breath, trying to steady my nerves that all seemed to be elevated.
I started to knock again when the response came.
"Come inside." His forbidden masculine voice rang out.
I had the deep feeling in my stomach that I was about to enter into the devil's chamber, it also didn't skip my notice that he never bothered to ask who it was.
I turned the handle of the door which also had fingerprint security.
I entered inside slowly.
He sat behind a huge desk containing files, staring straight at me, he didn't seem the slightest surprised to see me.
He wasn't alone in the room.
It was the same man from the other day, Lucian had called him Devin.
It seemed my appearance had halted whatever they were discussing, I was uncomfortable being the center of attention.
"Is there something you need, wife?"

I met his stare uneasily, it wasn't that I could just tell him that my sole purpose of coming here was to find clues about Derek's whereabouts.
That would be if he was still alive...A voice in my head whispered.
I tried to shove the negative thoughts, he was still alive, if he was dead, I would have known, I would have felt it.

"Um...Nothing, I just..." I shifted my stare to Devin.
"Devin you can go, I will call you when I need you."
Devin gave a curt nod and left quietly after placing a white file on Lucian's desk, the moment the door shut closed, I was consumed by anxiety.
The corners of Lucian's lips curved into the semblance of a smile.
"Come here!" He patted one of his knees and my heart skipped with a quick intake of breath.
I was reminded of my first time in this office, he had spoken those same words.
He watched me, I felt as though his eyes were boring deep into my soul.
My apprehension grew with each timid step I took towards him.
When I was within arms reach, his hands moved lightning fast, a gasp broke out from my mouth as I suddenly found myself pulled against his thighs.
I barely managed to stop myself in time from struggling against him. I was breathing too heavily, my whole senses was very conscious of how intimate we were in this position with his arms wound around my shoulders, keeping me in place.

His finger dug into my hair and I heard his sharp inhale before he murmured.
"Beautiful, I like their natural color. It suits you better."
"Thank you" I managed to force a smile.

Now that I was here, I needed to find a way to distract him out of here, so that I'll get the chance to search for what I came for.
"I thought you didn't have lunch, you've been in here all day, so I thought that..."
I hoped that suddenly inviting him for lunch wasn't overdoing it. I didn't want to do anything that would earn his suspicions.

"Are you are caring about me? Hmm?"
His eyes kept mine captive and I jumped slightly when his hand traveled down the side of my body, until he gripped the edge of my gown, slowly inching it up.
My heart missed a beat at the touch of his calloused hand against the inside of my thigh.
The ring of his cell phone saved me from where his cruel fingers were headed.
He picked the cellphone and stared at it for some seconds before directing his eyes at me.
I suddenly felt as though the call was related to me... Or maybe Derek!
My suspicions grew when he supported me to my feet and stood up as well.
My eyes followed him as he walked out the second door which led to a balcony.
He never for once spared me a glance as he spoke in low voices to whoever was on the phone.
I couldn't hear what he was saying, but he looked pleased which made me guess that he just received some good news.
Now, his back was faced to me.
There was no time to waste, I had to search for whatever I could.
My eyes located the numerous files on the desk, and at the same time, my fingers tightened around my cellphone.
The first three files contained nothing of importance to me, I peeked a glance at him, he was still discussing on the phone.
I picked up another document, it was the same one Devin had left on the desk before leaving.
My heart gave a heavy slam.
I instantly recognized the male in the photo even before I read the name beneath.
Derek Konstantin.
I was confused for some seconds, Konstantin was not Derek's surname, but there was no mistaking the picture.
I couldn't go throw all of the documents now. Casting another glance in Lucian's direction whose back was still faced to me, I flipped the pages and clicked the camera quickly.
The next files contained some diagrams and layout of, ....was it...?
There was no time to go through them so I just captured it on my phone.
Wait...
What if there were cameras in his room as well?
My body shook with panic at the thought but there was nothing I would be able to do about it.
If there were cameras, he wouldn't go through them now, right?
I should leave now and at least try to figure out something with Anya.
I turned off the cellphone and started to approach Lucian with the intent of telling him that I was leaving.
"Good. I'll be in the warehouse in a few days. Keep a hold of him until then" A whiff of his words reached my ears, he spoke so low but I knew that I couldn't have heard wrong.
Who was he keeping hold of? What warehouse?
Derek?
He ended the call then and slid the phone into his pocket.
He turned around swiftly to meet my stare.
My heart jumped at the sudden flash of emotion in his eyes.
He was staring at me so intently and I had the disturbing feeling that something was wrong.
I grew even confused when his lips curved in a half-smile.
If that wasn't anger that I saw in his eyes just now, then what was it?
"Let's have lunch, shall we?"
I could only follow him as he took my hand in his, leading us out of his study.
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