Chapter 8
1182 Words
Standing in the closet, I shuffle the swimsuit options around try to find one I'll be comfortable
in.
I'm not sure what style if like, considering I've never worn one or even been swimming.
I haven't had time with highschool, college, and fighting in courts for emancipation.
Chaol promised he'd teach me tonight though.
After a while, I finally pick a suit
Deciding on color rather than style seemed to be the way to go. These options so closely
resemble underwear, I'm not sure I could've picked otherwise.
Slipping it on quickly, I walk to the elevator to meet Chaol on the first floor where he said he'd
be waiting outside the indoor pool.
The door open immediatley, showing he was thoughtful enough to send the elevator back up.
He's going to be a wonderful daddy.
I step on and close my eyes as the box descends. I hate elevators. I'm not afraid I'll get stuck, the
movement just messes with my head.
When it jolts to a stop, I open my eyes and bounce on my toes in excitement.
"Open, open, op-"
I stop my chanting when the door opens and I realize this isn't the first floor.
Looking to the dial, I see we are only on the 20th floor and we've stopped to pick up a handsome
man.
I stop bouncing quickly and meet the man's surprised eyes.
It's the outfit isn't it?
I should have worn a cover up.
"Are you headed to the pool?"
The man seems to have lightened up realizing it's swimwear and not underwear.
Stepping in, he glances at the buttons, but doesn't hit one. Seems like he's going to the first floor
too.
"Yep. I'm going to learn how to swim!"
He chuckles a bit. Though his hair is almost blond, his eyebrows are a dark and they accentuate
when he raises them.
"Are you the reason the boss skipped out on our meeting? I thought when we were told 'he's
going to the pool' it was code for something."
I shake my head shuffle on my bare feet.
"It's not code. He's teaching me and I guess he thought it was more interesting than a meeting."
The man agrees and the doors open with a ding.
"Here we are. How about I show you were the pool is?"
I remember Chaol said to specifically ask Margo at the desk for directions, but there's no need to
disturb her if this man wants to help.
"Sure. Who are you though?"
"How did I forget my manners! I'm a gentleman, I swear. I'm Lukas my beautiful lady, and you
are?"
We begin walking down hallways I never bothered to explore.
"I'm Ellie."
Lukas smiles warmly and shakes my hand. Turning the corner, the glass surrounding the indoor
pool is in sight and I can see the outline of Chaol.
"What do you do here Ellie? You look a bit young to work at a law firm."
Deciding not to give him my life story about already graduating college, I say, "I'm Chaol's
personal assistant. I'm seventeen."
Lukas widens his eyes and stops walking.
"So many... He let's you call him Chaol? I've worked with him for eight years and I'm not
allowed to call him that! Not to mention you're seventeen!"
He squints his eyes at me as his features harden a bit.
"He's teaching his seventeen year old assistant to swim..."
I don't like the way he says it and his angry judgemental stare does nothing to ease my nerves.
"I should go meet Chaol, he's waiting."
I try to turn around, but my shoulders are grabbed roughly.
Lukas looks down at me with alarmed eyes and he almost looks a bit crazy.
"He's hurting you isn't he? What's he doing to make you his assistant? What does he have on
you?"
I look at the man in confusion, but before I can ask what he's talking about, the man's hands are
knocked off my body with a harsh karate chop and once again, I find myself flung in the air,
landing to rest on my boss's hip.
"Don't you know it's against regulation to touch, let alone manhandle women," Chaol growls at
his employee.
My brows furrow at the irony and I look to the space in the ground I once occupied.
It's different I suppose, since I will be his soon.
Lukas crosses his arms over his suit clad chest in attempt at bravery. His eyes however, betray
his fear.
"Boss... You know she's seventeen?"
Chaol nods and listens expectantly.
"I think it's highly inappropriate," he says looking to where Chaol's body presses mine to his
form distastefully.
"To be doing such activities and handling her in such a way."
How is this his business? If I want to hang out with the man who is going to become my
boyfriend then I will!
"What I think is inappropriate is questioning your boss," Chaol grounds out with frustration.
"Especially when it comes to his woman and has nothing to do with you. If you'll excuse me and
go back to work, MY GIRLFRIEND and I are going for a swim."
Chaol turns and begins walking us to into the pool area, but over his shoulder, Lukas does not
look happy.
He glares at his boss and gives me a newly dark, but determined look.
What is his problem?
Chaol sets me down on one of the chairs that line the edges of the pool and I cross my legs
comfortably.
"Why was he here? Did he follow you?"
I hesitate for a moment. Kinda.
Maybe.
I just shrug in response before answering.
"He wanted to show me where the pool was."
Chail does not look happy and he expressed it bluntly.
"Didn't I tell you to ask Margo for help getting here?"
I nod.
"But then I would have had to decline the offer Lukas gave me, only to ask the same favor from
Margo. Lukas probably would have overheard me asking what he had already offered too, and
that would make him feel bad," I say solemnly.
My boss sighs and shakes his head.
"You're too sweet baby," he says gruffly while sitting next to me and pulling me onto his lap.
"My sweet baby girl."
I wiggle as I remember something he said.
"You told him I was your girlfriend?"
Chaol nods and runs his hand along my cheek.
"You are. I was fooling myself into thinking I could wait before claiming you as mine. Perhaps
we just won't do an interview with the press to announce this until you're eighteen."
So we're dating now. It's sort of official. I'm still hesitant about telling people on a large-scale
interview in a couple weeks, but that's not my biggest fear.
What if I go on television and she sees? What if she recognizes me and knows exactly where to
find me? As if the court telling my mother what city I was in wasn't enough, she would know
which building too.
Then, she would try to finish what she started.
- Writer
