Chapter 24: Don’t Want to Be Messed With by Me?
Frederick stood up and walked over, slightly lowering his head to lean close to Claire’s car, his lips curling into a cold smile. His voice was low and deep, like a soul-stealing demon from the depths of hell. "Pervert?"
Claire looked up. Frederick’s deep gaze made her recall the nightmarish rumors about Eclipse Nightclub—a den of Kingstown’s darkest evils toward women. She couldn’t imagine the tortures she might face. Claire felt as if fear had stripped her of her senses, leaving her frozen in place, mouth agape, unable to utter a word.
It wasn’t until Frederick grabbed her arm to pull her away that she snapped back to reality. Instinctively, her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. “Frederick, please, don’t do this! I’ll do anything you want, just don’t send me to those perverts!” she begged, crawling on the ground and clutching at his pant leg.
This reaction was a reflex to protect herself, but her mind was a chaotic whirlwind, buzzing with confusion. “Claire, this is your own doing. You chose to follow me to Eclipse Nightclub. Is kneeling all you know how to do?”
“Is that all you learned in four years in prison? Get up! You don’t have the right to refuse!”
Frederick glanced at Claire on the floor, then crouched down, gripping her chin tightly before releasing her and dragging her out of the private room. He led her through a maze of corridors, leaving Claire disoriented. She lost track of how long they walked or where they were going, her mind racing with panic. She had only one thought in her mind. She no longer recognized the path ahead, and if she needed to run later, she wouldn’t be able to escape.
Finally, they arrived at another private room. “No, I don’t want to go in! Frederick, please! Let me go! I beg you!” Claire instinctively stepped back, desperately pleading as she refused to enter. She had no idea what awaited her inside, but Frederick didn’t give her a chance to refuse. Before she could finish her sentence, he yanked her inside.
“Ah!” Claire cried out in fear. But once inside, she was taken aback to find the room completely empty. She spun around, inspecting every corner, unable to believe her eyes. Wasn’t Frederick supposed to hand her over to the perverts? A shocking thought crossed her mind. Could Frederick be planning something for himself instead?
Fear surged through her at the idea, but looking at Frederick reignited the long-buried desire she had for him. He was the man she had always dreamed of. She knew he wouldn’t kill her; he needed her to protect Caroline. Other men were different, and being in Frederick’s hands was far better than falling into someone else’s grasp.
“Frederick, I… I…” Claire stammered, torn between fear and nervousness, unable to form a complete sentence.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want me?” Frederick studied her, as if he could read her thoughts. His eyes narrowed, and a smirk crept onto his lips as he stepped closer, brushing his fingers through her hair and cradling her face. Their faces were so close that their noses almost touched.
Chapter 25: Dark Green