Chapter 12
She and Kieran were left in the room. Her heart skipped a beat. At that moment, she realized there was a conspiracy. She turned around to see the door slam shut, leaving the room in silence. She didn’t have time to see Kieran’s reaction and rushed to the door, desperately twisting the doorknob. But after a few attempts, the doorknob came off in her hand. It was broken again, just like before. Alarieka’s heart raced.
Behind her, Kieran’s breathing grew heavier. Roschelle’s timing was perfect. The drug was starting to affect Kieran. Alarieka was relieved that she had clarified things and thrown up the juice earlier. She turned and leaned against the door, eyeing Kieran warily. Kieran sat on the edge of the bed, hands on his forehead, ears bright red. His breathing grew heavier as he tried to control himself. Alarieka pursed her lips tightly, clutching the doorknob.
If Kieran lunged at her, she planned to hit him hard with it. “Kieran, the door is broken. Someone will open it later. Just calm down.”
Kieran was panting, looking up at her with furrowed brows. His charming eyes were bloodshot, and his thin lips were pressed tight. He croaked, “You know I was drugged?”
The doubt in Kieran’s eyes was so obvious that it annoyed Alarieka. “Instead of suspecting me, why don’t you suspect Roschelle, who gave you the juice?”
Kieran stared at her, eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead like a beast about to lose control. Alarieka’s heart pounded, her hands clenching tighter.
After a long while, Kieran lowered his head, his palms slipping into his hair, veins on the back of his hands barely contained, bulging. Alarieka was on edge. She knew the drug was potent. No matter how hard Kieran tried to control it, he would lose his mind under its influence. She could only hope Roschelle would bring people over soon.
As the seconds ticked by, Kieran stayed still for a long while. Alarieka breathed a sigh of relief and cleared her throat softly. The sound was especially loud in the quiet room. The next second, Kieran rose from the bed. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at her like a predator eyeing its prey, striding closer step by step.
Alarieka’s eyes widened, and she raised the doorknob in her hand. In the next second, Kieran grabbed her wrist, tightly gripping the muscles inside. The intense pain forced her to drop the doorknob. In the blink of an eye, he hoisted her over his shoulder and threw her onto the bed. Alarieka quickly crawled up and threw a pillow at Kieran’s face as he lunged at her. Alarieka shouted, “Kieran, calm down. It’s me, Alarieka!”
Kieran lunged at her, grabbed her wrists, and pressed her down. His confused, bloodshot eyes were strikingly clear in the dark. He panted, lowering his head to seal her lips with his. His hot tongue forced her lips open. Alarieka’s mind screamed. She clenched her teeth, raised her leg, and kicked Kieran’s stomach hard.
Kieran winced in pain. Alarieka slipped out from under him and bolted toward the bathroom. Just as she touched the doorknob, Kieran lunged again, pinning her firmly against the door. Feeling Kieran’s hands on her waist, she gritted her teeth and snapped, “Kieran, calm down!”
Kieran’s voice was rough and low, his hot breath hitting her cheek as he pinned her waist with his hands. “Why are you running away?”
Alarieka said in a trembling voice, “Kieran, do you know who I am? I’m not Roschelle. Snap out of it!”
Chapter 13