Natalie, Let’s Run

Clara James POV

We started walking toward the crime scene. I leaned on Natalie for support because my foot was injured, and both my head and feet were bandaged.

As we approached the crowd, there were so many police cars, reporters, and ambulances.

When we reached the scene, yellow police tape formed a square around the crime area. Natalie gripped my hand tightly, hiding behind me. I laughed at her reaction.

"Clara, damn your adventure, I’m scared."

I took a step closer to the body, but froze when I saw Adrian Cole.

"You need to hold it together, my dear."

He rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing his veined arms. He looked tempting, wearing gloves and a mask, kneeling over the victim on the ground.

"Check for semen inside the girl," he ordered the man beside him. He opened his mouth to speak again, but I caught the anger in his furrowed brows.

I quickly pulled down my hat, turning my face away. "Natalie, let’s run."

Adrian looked at me in surprise.

Natalie’s eyes shifted between mine. "What’s wrong?"

I grabbed her hand, ready to run, but his deep, commanding voice froze me in place.

"Stop."

Natalie looked at Adrian. I stayed still, my back to his face.

"Turn around."

My body shivered at the sharpness of his voice. I slowly turned my head. He had removed his mask, revealing his cold, unreadable features.

I tapped his hand lightly, pretending to joke, though fear churned inside me. "Oh, Mr. Cole, you’re here."

His gaze moved between me and Natalie, his tone angry. "What are you doing here?"

Natalie stammered, then spun and ran away. She didn’t even give me a chance to speak with her, the traitor. "Clara, I’ll go now. Take care of yourself. I’ll contact you."

I stammered in fear to the man in front of me. He looked at me as if he could kill me with a single thought.

"Mr. Cole, I couldn’t stop myself from going out. I couldn’t miss this."

I grumbled, shaking his shoulder lightly. I pulled my hands back when he glared at me threateningly, raising them in surrender. "I won’t do it again."

He spoke sharply, filled with anger. "Go home now."

I answered stubbornly. "I won’t go."

"Clara, go before I use my special way with you!" he shouted in my face. Everyone around us turned and started whispering.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I pressed my lower lip tightly to stop myself from crying. Adrian Cole rubbed his brows impatiently.

"Damn…" he muttered through his labored breath.

He stepped closer, but I moved back as I tried to speak.

My eyes went to the body behind him. The wind had blown away the sheet. I looked at the girl in fear. She was covered in blood, stabbed across her bare chest, and there was a hole in her head. I trembled. The sight reminded me of my mother’s accident.

My strength gave out. I fell to the ground, holding my head. Adrian Cole knelt beside me, looking surprised. "What happened to you?"

I pressed my hands over my ears and cried hard. My whole body shook violently. Reporters started taking pictures.

He held my hands against my ears. "Clara, are you okay?"

I shook my head violently. I begged, gasping, "Mom… save my mom, please…"

Adrian looked at me with eyes I couldn’t read, dark as midnight. "Clara, calm down. You’re not alone."

He placed his hands on my sides, holding my head gently.

Between sobs, I grabbed his hands, pleading. "Please, Mr. Cole, please save my mom."

He closed his eyes and sighed weakly. He came closer and pulled me against his chest in front of everyone. He carried me in his arms to a corner away from the crowd. Only a few police officers were there, not paying attention to us.

Adrian Cole sat in a chair holding me, drawing me close, wrapping his arms around me.

"It’s okay," he said, patting my back to calm me. I lifted my head from his chest and looked into his eyes, still crying.

"Everyone looks down on me because my mom is dead…" I sobbed, looking at him.

He placed his hand on my cheek, wiping my tears. My heart fluttered. Not like the same man who had harassed me and kissed me forcefully.

I collapsed, crying again, hugging him tightly. "Why does this keep happening to me…" I buried my face in his chest, crying painfully.

Adrian Cole wrapped his large hands around my waist, pulling me closer. "Calm down, everything will be fine."

He drew soothing circles on my back. I felt warmth and safety in his arms. I stayed there for a while, crying. Slowly, my sobs began to fade.

I felt embarrassed lifting my head to look into his eyes. He gently released me and raised my head to meet his gaze.

"Time to go back home," he said calmly, looking at my wet eyes.

The man standing beside us spoke. I quickly stepped out of Adrian’s arms. "Mr. Cole, we found fingerprints on the victim."

He straightened, speaking coldly. "I’ll handle it."

He looked at the man, who nodded and left. Adrian then grabbed my hand, pulling me behind him. I struggled to keep up. "Let me take you home."

I whimpered to the man beside me. "Mr. Cole, stop, I can’t walk."

He approached and picked me up swiftly, walking quickly as if in a rush. I rested my head on his chest, instinctively listening to his heartbeat with my eyes closed.

I heard him open the door. We arrived fast. He rushed to my room, opened it with the key he had hidden in his pocket, and laid me on the bed carefully. He walked to the open window.

"Naughty girl…" he muttered as he closed it.

He headed toward the door, then spoke firmly before leaving. "Stay here. Don’t go out. Sleep well."

He almost slammed the door until my voice stopped him. "Adrian…"

His head peeked from the door, looking at me with admiration, raising an eyebrow.

I blushed nervously, smiling softly at my last words. He muttered and closed the door behind him. "I mean, Mr. Cole, thank you."

I shouted after him to be heard. "Good night, old man."

When I heard his footsteps fade, I knew he was gone. I laid my head on the pillow, recalling the events.

"Oh my God, how could you hug him and burst into tears in front of his face…"

I muttered, lightly hitting my cheek. "Dear Clara, you will get through this…"