The digital clock on the suite’s microwave shifted to 11:45 PM.
The heavy rain outside had finally slowed to a steady, quiet drizzle, tapping rhythmically against the thick glass windows of Suite 402.
Harry sat on the edge of the plush leather sofa, his elbows resting on his knees, his face buried in his hands.
Every muscle in his upper body felt like it was on fire.
The painkillers Lucas had given him earlier had completely worn off, and the frantic trip to his family’s estate had pushed his physical limits to the absolute brink.
Lucas stepped out of his own bedroom, wearing a plain gray t-shirt and holding a glass of water.
He stopped, looking down at Harry’s miserable posture and then scoffed.
“Well, aren’t you going to bed?, Andrew and Lolly must be waiting for you in bed,” Lucas said quietly, keeping his voice down so he wouldn’t wake the child.
“And Andrew clearly told you that you’re sleeping together as a family for the sake of the lost time. So you need to get off that couch and actually let your ribs heal, Harry.”
Harry dropped his hands, his silver eyes flashing with stubborn defiance in the dim light of the kitchen lamps.
“I’d rather sleep on the couch for the night than share a bed with Andrew,” Harry muttered, his voice raspy and bitter.
“I’m not moving an inch.”
Lucas let out a dry, annoyed sigh, taking a sip from his glass.
“Don’t be a child, Harry. How hard can it be to entertain his whims for one night?, My old master bed is massive. You don’t even have to look at him. If you stay on this couch, you’re going to wake up completely paralyzed tomorrow morning.”
And besides, didn’t you sign the contract that you would do anything that Andrew tells you to?”
“I don’t care,” Harry snapped, then winced as the sudden movement pulled at his side.
He leaned back against the cushions, staring toward the long hallway that led to the bedrooms, still reluctant to move.
Lucas shook his head, completely done arguing with him.
“Fine. Suit yourself. If you want to ruin your spine out of pride, go ahead. Just don’t make any noise. I’m going to sleep now.”
Lucas turned around and walked back into his room, shutting his door with a soft, final click.
Left entirely alone in the dark living room, Harry’s stubborn expression immediately crumbled into deep anxiety.
He stared blankly at the hallway, his thoughts spinning out of control.
‘But Lolleta…my child.’
His heart did a painful, heavy thud against his ribs. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
‘Is it truly safe to leave her alone in that room with him?’ Harry thought, his fingers gripping the edge of the couch cushion.
‘Andrew is technically a complete stranger to her.
He’s a monster to me, and she’s just a toddler.
What if she wakes up in the middle of the night?
She’s going to be terrified if she opens her eyes and sees his face on her side instead of mine.
She might cry, and Andrew doesn’t have a single ounce of patience for a crying child.’
Harry’s jaw tightened in frustration.
He felt incredibly helpless.
He had managed to drag his daughter out of Lloyd’s reach, but now he had placed her right into the den of the academy’s most dangerous predator.
‘Urgh!
Lucas should have kicked him out!’
Harry thought angrily, kicking the bottom of the coffee table with his shoe.
‘This is supposed to be a shared student suite.
Lucas shouldn’t just let Andrew act like he owns every square inch of the air we breathe here.’
But Harry knew that was a useless thought.
Nobody kicked Andrew Mayfair out of anywhere.
More especially in St Jude’s.
Unable to stop the frantic turning in his mind, Harry painfully pushed himself up from the couch.
He didn’t use his sunglasses now; the dim shadows of the suite hid his bruised face as he crept silently down the carpeted hallway.
His bare feet made no sound.
He reached the cracked-open door of the bedroom.
He held his breath, leaning closer to peek through the small gap.
Lolleta was tucked under a small, soft blanket, her black hair spilling across the pillow.
She was sleeping peacefully, her thumb tucked slightly near her mouth.
And standing right beside her, completely still, was Andrew.
He had removed his uniform jacket, wearing only his black silk shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
He wasn’t doing anything malicious.
He was just simply standing there in the dark, looking down at the little girl with a completely unreadable expression.
As if sensing Harry’s presence, Andrew slowly turned his head toward the door.
His dark eyes locked directly onto Harry through the crack.
He didn’t look startled at all.
Andrew walked over to the door and slid it open a few inches more, stepping out into the hallway with perfectly silent, predator-like steps.
He closed the door behind him halfway, leaning his shoulder against the wall.
“You’re making a lot of noise for someone who is supposed to be resting on the couch, Harry,” Andrew whispered, his voice low and incredibly smooth.
“I was checking on my daughter,” Harry whispered back fiercely, his fists clenching at his sides.
“Get away from this room, in fact you should leave now you will see her again tomorrow. I don’t want you near her when she wakes up. She doesn’t know you.”
Andrew let out a very quiet, amused chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes and then shrugged.
“She knows me well enough to sleep through the night under my protection. If she wakes up and cries, I will simply have Bob bring up some warm milk. I am not an amateur, Harry come on now.”
“She doesn’t want Bob, and she doesn’t want you. She wants me,” Harry hissed, stepping closer despite the pain in his chest.
Andrew leaned in a bit, his gaze dropping to the deep bruise around Harry’s eye.
“Then you should come inside and take the spot in the bedroom like I told you to. If you are so terrified of leaving her alone with the ‘devil,’ then you should be sleeping exactly where you can keep an eye on the devil. Your anxiety is boring me.”
Harry stared at him, his throat tight.
He hated how easily Andrew could read his panic and turn it into a game.
“Go back to the couch or come inside room and sleep, Harry,” Andrew murmured, turning back inside.
“But stop pacing the halls. You’ll wake the child.”
‘fuck….what should I do?’