COLLATERAL DESIRE

Lance ran down the halls of his college, books slipping out of his bag. He checked his watch and groaned.

As he turned the corner into his class, he paused. All eyes were on him, especially Mrs. Lawson. She was an old, wrinkly woman Lance often described as a witch.

“You’re late, Mr. Walton,” she said, her words slow and dragged out.

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly with a smirk. “Well, you know… traffic and all.”

She looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “You can’t keep doing this. I will have to give a puni—”

Before she could finish, Lance pulled out a rose from his bag and handed it to her, flashing her his most charming smile.

“I saw this rose and decided my beautiful teacher needed it. It suits your gorgeous hair,” he said with a charming smile.

Mrs. Lawson blushed and looked away before clearing her throat.

“Well… I can pardon you for today but if you do this again I will report you to the dean of students affairs”

“Thank you, You're the best Mrs Law” he smirked before walking to his seat.

That was just one of the many things Lance managed to get away with.

What else would you expect from the top basketball player at Bradford University, with a smile that could make any girl’s knees weak?

But Lance only had eyes for one girl, Ylva, his girlfriend of a year.

He used to be known for his playboy nature. He had never committed to anyone or anything before her.

After class, he was walking down the hallway when he saw her looking through her locker. He walked over and leaned against the locker beside hers.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low with a smirk.

She turned to him with a small smile. Her green eyes glowed, and her long black hair fell over her face. “Hey you”

“Did you miss me?" He said moving close to her.

She looked up at him with a smirk, “Maybe"

He placed his hands on either side of her, trapping her against the lockers, his voice going into a deep rumble, “Do you want me to make up for that?"

"Do you?”.

“Mhmm” His face was just inches from hers when they heard someone clear their throat from behind.

“Get a room" some random guy said as he laughed.

Lance's jaw tightened in mock frustration and Ylva just chuckled.

He slowly took a step back, shoving his hand into his pocket.

“Do you want to get lunch together?” he asked.

She nodded.

They both walked to the cafeteria, ordered food and began eating but he could see the tension on her face

“Is everything okay?" He asked, concern etched on his face.

She sighed “Well it's about my dad"

Lance's blood ran cold at that, his eyes widened “What about him".

“He wants to meet you Lance" she said with a nervous smile

"What?, I can't meet your dad, he's, well you dad, oh crap “ he ran a hand through his hair as a nervous habit.

"He wants to know the person I'm with, and if not he will get suspicious and tell us to break up” Ylva responded as she placed a comforting hand over his.

Lance sighed, he refused to let himself look like a coward in front of Ylva, so with all the courage he had in him, he spoke “Fine I'll meet your dad”

Ylva grinned and hugged him " Oh thank you thank you”.

He hugged her back but there was absolute fear in his eyes.

Before Lance got with Ylva, he knew the rumors about her, daughter to Ragnar, head of the Russian Mafia.

Lance at that time wanted every means to avoid her but God she was beautiful,his resolve broke immediately she looked at him.

He thought maybe her father would be too busy with other things to meet his daughter's partner but he thought wrong.

Weeks later he was trying to fix up the stupid tie, but it was not Co operating. Ylva who was on his bed saw his turmoil and walked up to him, slapping his hand away and helped him with the tie..

“You're a big baby you know that?" She said as she helped with the final touches of his tie.

“Well I'm happy you're here to help me" he smiled as his arms wrapped around her waist then his face went blank again “Crap I'm meeting your dad".

She chuckled, “He can be scary sometimes but he honestly isn't bad, he can be nice when he needs to".

“After he has killed his victim maybe" Lance mumbled.

Hours later and they got to her place, it was like a palace, it was bigger than anything he had ever seen in his life.

His jaw dropped " I knew you were rich but I didn't know you were… “ immediately, he felt a pang of self consciousness.

He gently took his hand and led him in, inside was even more luxurious, it had gold-plated pillars, and several works of arts, and he swore he had seen some in museums before.

She led him to a long dining table where food was already placed out, it was enough food to feed a whole high school.

As they settled into their seats, a man in a butlers uniform approached them.

“The master is currently in his room, he will be with you shortly".

Lance was still trying to adjust his suit, his nerves were all over the place.

Several minutes passed and there was no sign of Ragnar, Lance sighed thinking maybe he canceled at the last minute but then his blood ran cold when he heard footsteps coming from behind him.

The air in the room felt like it dropped drastically and every hair on his body stood, he didn't know what this feeling was but he didn't like it, at all.

"So this is him? “.

A deep voice said from behind