His collateral

Chapter 17

"Hurry up. Lu has been waiting in the car for almost thirty minutes. He might change his mind if we waste any more time." Sara said, slipping her arm through Elena's. "You look stunning by the way." She complimented. "I'm glad you agreed to come. I promise we'll have a good time."

"A good time." Elena whispered, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. That was the least of her reasons for agreeing to this outing. The opportunity she had been waiting for had finally arrived when she least expected it, and she intended to seize it.

After leaving Lucien's room that morning she had returned to her own, spending the rest of the day wallowing in regret and reprimanding herself for being too empathetic and soft hearted toward a man who should be her enemy.

Then Sara had appeared at her door. "Lu's taking me shopping this weekend. Do you want to come?" She asked, poking her head inside.

"No." Elena had answered without thinking, pulling the sheets over her head.

"Okay." Sara whispered, closing the door carefully behind her. Though even through the sheets Elena heard the disappointment in her voice.

Only after Sara left did Elena realize what she had just turned down. A chance at freedom. An opportunity to leave this prison.

She had almost fallen out of bed, chasing Sara all the way downstairs to her room.

"I'll go." Elena said, slightly breathless, gripping Sara's arm.

Luckily Sara hadn't been offended by the earlier rejection. She shrieked with happiness instead.

Elena had looked forward to this day ever since, preparing herself mentally. She woke up early and asked Anne to serve her a large breakfast to conserve her energy. She tied her hair up, wore loose sweatpants and a comfortable top, and even put on the sneakers she had bought for jogging but never had the chance to use. Everything was carefully planned.

"After shopping we're going to the spa for a massage, then the salon to get our hair and nails done." Sara said excitedly as they entered the underground garage. "And lastly, dinner at Venus."

"Venus? Where's that?" Elena asked, her eyes sweeping across the garage.

They widened at the rows of luxury cars parked in neat lines. Her gaze settled on a pink G-Wagon, the latest model. It was her dream car, though she had always preferred it in black.

"You don't know Venus? The most popular skyline restaurant in the city?" Sara's question cut through her thoughts.

"I haven't heard of it." Elena replied absently, still admiring the car.

"Seriously, they serve the juiciest steak and—" Sara paused, noticing Elena wasn't paying attention. She followed her gaze and a smile lit up her face. "You like Tera?"

"Who's Tera?"

"My car. You seem taken with her."

"That's your car?" Elena asked, surprised.

"Yes." Sara beamed. "Lu got her for my birthday two months ago. Gorgeous isn't she?"

"She is. I always wanted one." Elena smiled.

"I can let you ride her sometime." Sara's voice dropped low. "We could go for a drive whenever Lu's away."

"Sure." Elena chuckled, her heart softening at Sara's warmth.

She would have loved to get to know Sara better. Unfortunately this might be her last day here.

A blaring horn cut through the air, causing them both to turn. A black sports SUV sat at the garage exit, its headlights flashing rhythmically.

"Let's go." Sara said, pulling Elena toward it.

The car door opened automatically.

"Go in. I'll sit with James up front." Sara said.

"What? Wait—" Elena protested, but Sara had already slipped into the front passenger seat and pulled the door shut.

Elena exhaled sharply, eyes closing briefly. Why did she have to be the one sitting beside him? She had spent days convincing herself she was over the embarrassment of that morning. But standing here now, a few metres from the car, the feeling returned tenfold.

The front window slid down and Sara poked her head out. "What's wrong, Elena? We'll be late."

"Can we switch seats?"

"You'll be more comfortable back there. Besides, I want to connect my phone to the Bluetooth speaker. If I sit in the back this will be a silent boring trip and I refuse to allow that." She explained, pouting. "Please."

"Fine." Elena whispered, not wanting to drag it out any further.

If this was the price of her freedom she would gladly pay it.

She drew in one slow breath before stepping inside. A musky and minty cologne hit her senses immediately. Her eyes found Lucien at the other end of the seat, attention fixed on the tablet in his hands.

He wore a black suit, the first few buttons of his shirt undone at the chest. The same cold aura lingered around him, the one she remembered from the night they first met. He didn’t even acknowledge her presence.

The engine roared to life and the car rolled out of the garage, soft music filling the air as Sara hummed along contentedly.

Elena shifted in her seat, unsettled by the heaviness beside her. She turned her attention to the window instead. The tall trees lining the estate driveway. The manicured grounds. The beauty of a place she had spent weeks resenting.

As they approached the gates Elena's heart thudded loudly against her chest. She was so close. She was finally free.

"I can see you're eager to leave the estate." Lucien's voice cut through her quiet triumph. "How does it feel to finally see the outside world?" He asked, eyes still on the tablet.

Elena's hand curled into a fist at her side, but she offered no response.

"I'm surprised you agreed to come. From what I've observed you aren't someone who accepts favors easily, Mrs. Dalton." He added, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

Elena held it firmly. She could sense exactly what he was doing. Probing. Testing. Waiting for her to reveal something.

A slow smile spread across her lips. "Mr. Black." She started calmly. “I was told this outing was just to thank me for looking after you that night. I’m not sure what you’re implying.”

Lucien studied her for a moment. A smirk curved at his lips. "Forgive me, Mrs. Dalton. I suppose I read too much into it."

"Apology accepted." She replied, holding his gaze a beat longer before looking away.

The drive continued in silence. Elena focused on the road ahead, quietly satisfied.

After a long ride the car pulled slowly into the parking lot of a large mall. The door opened and as she moved to step out his voice stopped her.

"Don't mistake being here for an opportunity to escape." He said quietly. "I'll be watching your every move."

Elena's chest tightened, but she said nothing, stepping out of the car. Her legs trembled slightly as her feet met the ground and she almost stumbled. Sara's hand caught her before she could.

"Careful." Sara said, steadying her.

Elena nodded, following her toward the mall entrance. Her stomach curled with the distinct feeling of Lucien's eyes trailing behind her every step.