The Devil Chose Me

Chapter6

Nowhere to Run.

Every ounce of blood in my body ran cold and my knee have out. They knew I was here.

The sentence echoed inside my head until everything else became a blur. My hands tightened around the file on Lucien's desk, crumpling the edges without realizing it. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Just hours ago, I had been worrying about getting home before midnight. Now strangers were watching the mansion because of me.

Lucien didn't look surprised.

He looked prepared.

"Did you capture him?"

His voice remained steady.

"Yes, Boss"

"Alive?"

"For now"

Lucien nodded once.

"Bring him to the basement"

"Yes, Boss"

The guard left, quietly closing the office door behind him.

I stared at Lucien, my stomach twisting into painful knots.

"What are you going to do to him?"

He met my gaze.

"What needs to be done"

The answer chilled me.

"I asked what you're going to do"

"And I answered"

I pushed myself to my feet, shaking my head.

"No no, that's not an answer."

"It is"

"You can't just"

"I can"

His tone wasn't harsh.

It was certain.

I suddenly realized something.

This was his world. A place where decisions were made without hesitation, where mercy wasn't expected, and where life seemed to mean very little. I had spent my entire life believing there was always another way, another solution, another chance. Lucien Moretti clearly didn't share that belief. I wrapped my arms around myself.

"I want to leave"

"No"

"You said I wasn't your prisoner"

"You're not"

"Then let me go"

"I won't"

The frustration inside me exploded.

"You keep saying the same thing!"

My voice echoed through the office.

"You tell me I'm free, but I can't leave. You tell me I'm safe, but people want to kill me. You tell me you don't want anything from me, yet you refuse to let me go. Do you even hear yourself?"

For a brief moment, neither of us spoke.

Lucien walked around the desk until he was standing directly in front of me.

He was close enough that I had to tilt my head to look up at him.

"If you leave this house tonight"

His voice was low.

"how will you protect yourself?"

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

"Do you know who's after you?"

I stayed silent.

"Do you know how many there are?"

I looked away.

"Do you know how to tell who can be trusted?"

"No"

The word escaped before I could stop it.

He nodded slowly.

"Exactly"

I hated that he was right.

I hated that I had no argument.

Because the truth was terrifying I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

He stepped back, giving me space again.

"I'm not asking you to trust me"

His eyes remained fixed on mine.

"I'm asking you to stay alive"

I looked at him for a long moment.

"How long?"

His expression didn't change.

"What?"

"How long do I have to stay here?"

"I don't know"

The answer crushed the small piece of hope I had been holding onto.

Days?

Weeks?

Months?

The thought made my chest tighten.

A knock interrupted the silence. Margaret entered carrying a tray with two cups of tea. She paused when she noticed my tear stained face.

"I hope I'm not interrupting"

"No"

Lucien stepped aside.

She placed the tray on the coffee table before looking at me with gentle concern.

"You haven't eaten since yesterday"

"I'm not hungry"

"You need your strength"

I almost laughed.

Strength?

I didn't even have the strength to understand what my life had become.

Margaret gave me a sympathetic smile.

"I made your favorite"

I frowned.

"My favorite?"

She uncovered one of the plates.

Vegetable soup.

Fresh bread.

And slices of apple.

My eyes widened.

"How did you know?"

She glanced at Lucien before quickly looking away.

"I was told"

I slowly turned toward him.

"You investigated me"

"I needed information"

"So you know everything about me?"

"I know enough"

The realization unsettled me more than I wanted to admit.

He knew where I lived.

Where I studied.

Who my family was.

What I liked to eat.

Meanwhile

I barely knew his name.

Before I could say another word, a loud alarm suddenly echoed through the mansion.

Its sharp sound filled every corridor.

Red lights began flashing outside the office windows.

Margaret gasped.

One of the guards burst through the door.

"Boss!"

Lucien turned immediately.

"What happened?"

"Someone breached the out

er wall"

The room fell silent.

The guard's next words made the blood drain from my face.

"They're coming for the girl"