6. The deal

"Levy?" The word came out of his mouth in astonishment.

"How did you know that? I hid my face." I asked stamping the book on my laps whilst gesticulating my face.

"By your hair." He abruptly said without any thought.

"Hair?"

By my hair? Really?

He ignored my question by asking his. "What are you doing here?"

I stood up, straightened the creases of my T-shirt and stretched my arm towards him.

"Hello, Mr. Loren Blake," I said in a calm voice.

He wrinkled his brows while looking at my hand.

Shake it already!!! Stop thinking.

He shook my hand and stared at me. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Levy Troustkey."

"Have your seat Mister and let's sign the deal," I said turning away from him to the table.

"Sorry I am not going to sign the deal with you." He shoved his hands in his trousers pockets and turned to leave.

What? Why? Don't you dare to leave it's my office, not your class!

I suddenly walked in front of him to stop him. "Why not?" I asked keeping my voice as calm as I could and looked straight into his eyes.

"I don't want to. That's it." He stepped aside to walk further.

I didn't move from my spot and spoke to his back. "You should have a valid reason to cancel this contract."

This made him turned and marched towards me, too close might I add. keeping only an inch distance between us, he spoke while lowering his eyes to meet mine. "I don't sign deals with kids."

What the hell!!

I am not a kid! You are not much older than me. Look more like a student rather than a lecturer and calling me a kid.

I controlled my mind by repeatedly asking myself to keep calm.

"That is not a valid reason," I said calmly. "There is nothing illegitimate about our contract." I supplied ignoring how close we were.

This made him stop and stand for a while.

"If you agree on something which I ask. I will accept this contract." He said, standing close and gazing into my eyes.

I have to agree, what if he says I am not legally mature to make contracts.

"What is it?" I asked, not breaking our eye contact.

"As I don't want a kid to be an equal partner of mine. Over the top, the one who is my student." He said, cold as always.

"But this is a 50-50 contract."

"I know." He bends a little to face me.

I inched back to avoid his closeness. I was able to move a little, then my shoes hit the bottom of the table.

"Call me sir." He demanded.

"What?" I heard it correct. Yet asked again to make sure did I heard correct?

"Don't your thick head get things at once?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows, without moving his gaze from mine.

No way I am going to call him sir. Thick head!. It's the second time he said that. What does he think of himself?

I cleared my throat and spoke.

"Firstly, I'm not going to call you sir. I'm not your slave to do so. And secondly, I don't have a thick head." I protested.

"Slave? Seeing a word by its abbreviation." He quirked a brow. "Your thick head has some knowledge in it."

This time he inched more while the corner of his perfect lips shifted to a smirk.

Move back, Mister.

"Yes, I do see a word by its meaning," I said, trying not to fall into his gaze.

(S.I.R = Slave - I - Remain)

He got closer and closer and stooped near my ear while keeping his hands on the table either side of me, where I could feel his lips brushed against my earlobe as he spoke in a low deep voice.

"If you don't, I'll cancel this deal."

No! I can't let this happen.

My heart started to race at our close proximity. I could feel his torso touching mine where his head remains on my shoulder waiting for an answer.

My hands automatically moved to his chest in protest to push him back. I could feel the warmth of this chest against my palms.

This is getting worse.

Move. Move. Move. 
I should answer him quickly.

"Fine! Whatever you say." I said while trying to push him away.

After listening to my answer he straightened and took a step back. I sighed heavily when he moved but was froze at my spot. What was that? Why did he act this way? Questions were popping into my mind.

He cleared his throat which brought me to the reality from my thinking state.

"Start your service from tomorrow, my slave." He spoke each word in a low seductive voice and marched out. His words cause the hair on my nape to raise.

My slave? I am not your slave!

I stood there for a while. My eyes surveyed uncle, but couldn't find him. Meanwhile, I saw two more doors in my cabin one leads to uncle's cabin and another was a washroom. I hit the table bell. Uncle entered as soon as the bell rang.

"Yes, Miss. Troustkey." He said while holding the door nob.

"Where were you?" I asked while walking towards him.

"I got a call." He said nonchalantly.

You shouldn't have left me alone.

"What happened to the deal?" He walked in and took a seat on the sofa.

His words prompted up everything which happened a while ago. I shook my head and answered him. "It went fine and tomorrow he is going to come for paperwork."

"That's good. Now go home it's already late, and dress well tomorrow." He stood up to leave as well.

I was home at 9:50. Lethargically, I walked into my room where Adam was already sitting on my bed.

"Had you talk with brother?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, I did." I laid on my bed heavily staring at the ceiling.

He crawled towards me, bend his head above my face and asked. "What did he say? Are you grounded?"

"Probably. college to work - work to home." I muttered, "and we're being watched from now onwards like an eagle's eye."

He laid beside me. we were quiet for a while until Adam's hand fall on my stomach.

"Ouch!" He slept already and I was wide awake, unable to sleep. The moment I shut my eyes, Loren's face was pictured in it.

Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. I need to sleep.

Time passed by, an hour after another, unable to sleep. I woke up to the sound of my phone, my hand searched for the phone with half-opened eyes to shut it.

It's a morning alarm.

When did I sleep?

After morning routine. I was in college, Jacob has been already in class. How?

"Early today?" I asked and sat beside him.

"Yes. To do physics work." He said looking at the book.

"Got anything?" I bend my head to look into his face.

"No." He turned towards me with puppy dog's eyes.

"Here." I handed him my book.

I did my work this morning.

He stretched his arms to hug me with a huge thank you smile. I hit his head with the book.

"Ouch! That hurts." He said while rubbing his head.

"Yes. Physics is heavy." I said with pitiful eyes.

"No. You hit hard."

My eyes shifted to the door as Loren entered and moved along with him. He stood behind the table and started teaching.

Don't look at him, Levy. Don't don't.

I looked at him during the whole class despite my inner voice. observing his every move, the way he explains writes and reads, everything. I shifted my gaze as soon as it met his.

After class Loren asked me to bring our books to his cabin. I protested by saying I am not class representative to do so while his response was "I am your sir. You have to obey me." This brought chill all over my body. His words were normal to everyone, but me.

What does he plan to do? Do I have to serve him?

I walked to his cabin lost in my thoughts, knocked and entered. I saw Afrodoid was asking some questions with Loren, coquettishly.

Woah!

I cleared my throat which made both of them to turned towards me.

"Come in, Miss. Troustkey." He said while explaining her.

I entered and kept the books on the table while Afrodoid was throwing daggers at me.

Oh! I ruined her little romance aura here.

Was Loren enjoying it?

Why am I even bothering about it?

I ignored and walked out. He didn't stop me.

He was normal today.

Classes went on as usual and lunch started. I called Lady Anna to remind her to pick Adam from the school. She was already there, much responsible than me.

While I was walking towards the class, I saw Jael. She waved her hand as soon as she saw me.

"Hey!" I said.

"Hi! Levy." She walked towards me with a huge smile on her face and asked. "Can we have lunch together?"

"Ok. As long as it's in class." I said without thinking that I am being rude.

"Oh!" She paused for a while then spoke. "Fine with me."

We had our lunch while she was speaking about herself and asked about me. She's the one who was talking and asking while I was listening and responding. I am not good at having conversations.

Jacob entered.

"Hey Jacob, meet Jael," I said while smirking at him.

"Hello." He said while stretching his arm towards her. Completely ignoring my smirk.

She smiled and shook his hand. 
The rest of the day went quickly.

College ends.

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H.LOCKHART.