“Why do you have guards then?”
Before I can try to think of another lie, a group of girls block our way. “She’s dating Julian Reyes.”
Oh shit. I don’t know which rumor would be worse for CRC.
“I’m not dating Julian,” I quickly deny.
A girl with black hair steps a little forward, and lifting her chin, she says, “I saw the two of you together near the music center a couple of times.”
I can’t hide the irritation in my voice when I explain, “He’s a friend of my family.”
“No need to be defensive. We’re just trying to get to know you better,” the girl says, and when she tries to stand next to me and take hold of my arm, I pull away from her.
I can see where this is going. They think hanging out with me will give them a boost in status.
“I’m late for class.” Pushing by them, the girls scatter to the side so Hayden and Max can pass.
“The two of you are going to have to hold me back, so I don’t throat punch someone today,” I mumble at them.
“Just keep your thumb on the outside of your fist,” Max says, which has me chuckling.
I’m so annoyed by all the whispers and everyone staring at me. When I’m done attending all my classes, I decide to go for a jog before I start with an assignment.
I have a truckload of work to catch up on.
Hayden and Max left me with the two other guards, Joseph and Brian, and I can see they’re not happy about jogging with me, but right now, I couldn’t care less. I need the exercise, so I can unwind before my piano lesson tonight with Julian.
I can think of other ways to unwind, but…
I let out a frustrated sigh as I take the path into the woods to the left of the campus.
I don’t feel as comfortable with Joseph and Brian as I do with Hayden and Max, so I only jog two miles before turning around and heading back in the direction of Trinity.
When I reach the suite, I go to my room and shower quickly before dressing in a pair of skinny jeans and a loose-fitting top that hangs off my left shoulder. Opting for boots, I forego my favorite pair of sneakers, and when I look at my reflection in the mirror, I grin.
I wonder if Julian’s going to remember this outfit from the first night we met.
I walk out into the living room and sit on the sofa opposite Layla. She glances up from her laptop, then wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Someone looks good.”
“Thank you.”
A knock at the door has me jumping up. When I open it, my eyes go to Julian’s face, and I watch for his reaction.
His gaze slowly moves down my body, and then the corner of his mouth lifts. “This outfit looks familiar.”
“Yeah?”
He leans down and presses a kiss to my mouth before glancing over my head. “Hi, Layla.”
“Hey, enjoy the lesson.”
As we walk down the hallway, Julian takes hold of my hand and interlinks our fingers. Stepping into the elevator, I remember the incident from earlier. “People are starting to talk about us.”
“Oh?” He lifts an eyebrow at me.
“Yeah, I told them you’re a family friend, but if you hold my hand on campus, the lie’s not going to stick.”
“Why didn’t you tell them the truth?”
We step out into the lobby, and the guards fall in behind us as we leave the dorm.
“I didn’t know whether you were ready to go public.”
Julian doesn’t let go of my hand as we walk up the path to the music center, and it makes a warm feeling spread through my chest.
“Let’s make it public,” he murmurs as a group of students approach us.
“You sure? There’s still time to back out,” I tease, but I tighten my grip on his hand.
“I’ve never been surer.”
The students give us a wide berth, but I notice how they look at our joined hands.
“Well, at least they’ll have something new to talk about tomorrow,” I say once they’re out of earshot.
“What’s the topic of gossip for today?” he asks while the guard goes into the building to check it.
“Whether there’s a murderer loose on campus.” A worried look flashes across Julian’s features, which has me saying, “But that’s old gossip. The way news spreads around here, I’m sure everyone knows by now that we were holding hands.”
“I should probably give them something else to talk about.” Julian lifts his other hand to the back of my neck and pulls me closer. His mouth presses softly against mine in a sweet kiss.
When he pulls back, I grin up at him, feeling happy about how things are progressing between us.
We finally get to go in, and this time, I sit down at the piano with the full intention of actually learning something tonight.
Julian takes a seat beside me, and when I begin to practice the keys he already taught me, his phone starts to ring.
“You can take the call,” I say, my eyes not leaving the piano.
“I’ll be right back.” I hear him answer the phone as he walks out of the studio for some privacy.
I keep practicing, and every time I make a mistake, I mumble, “Shoot.”
Minutes later, Julian comes back in, and sitting down again, he says, “You have to end with C and C.”
“Which keys are those again?”
He places his hands on mine and starts from the beginning of the tune.
When we reach the end, I realize my mistake. “Ahh… that’s why it sounded weird. Got it now.”
I begin to practice again, trying to play faster, so it doesn’t sound so choppy.
Julian’s phone rings for a second time, which has me pausing to say, “You’re a busy man tonight.”
“Sorry,” he apologizes as he gets up. “I’m busy with an international deal, and there’s a time difference with the company being in Australia. I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t worry.” When he hesitates, I gesture for him to hurry along before his phone stops ringing. Julian walks out of the studio, leaving the door open behind him.
I keep practicing, and a smile grows on my face when it starts to sound better.
“Miss Truman?”
I glance up, and seeing one of the janitors standing in the doorway, I frown.
“There’s a gas leak on campus. We’ve been asked to evacuate.”
“Crap, are you serious?” I get up from the bench and walk toward him.
“Yes.” He gestures toward the emergency exit at the back. “This way, please.”
“What about Mr. Reyes?” I glance up the hallway and not seeing Julian, I begin to worry.
“He’s already being escorted off-campus. We need to hurry.”
He left without me?
Julian wouldn’t leave me behind.
I stop before the emergency exit at the back of the building as a cold chill spreads over my body. My eyes dart to the janitor, and as I take a breath, he lunges for me. I don’t have time to react as the back of my head is slammed against the wall, and a wave of darkness engulfs me
Chapter 26
That’s right, walk away.
Julian
“We’ve included the exchange rate for today, but it will obviously be adjusted on the day we sign the contract,” I say to the CEO of Lineage International. If we can close this deal, we’ll have a foot in the import and export industry.
Standing right outside the main entrance, something sounds off, and it has me saying, “Please hold for a moment, Ms. Van Acker.”
I pull the phone away from my ear and listen. When I don’t hear Jamie playing the piano, I walk back inside the building.
Looking into the studio, I don’t see her and glance up and down the hallway, as I call, “Jamie.”
When she doesn’t answer, I walk toward the back exit seeing as I was standing at the front the entire time I was on the call.
A glimpse of red on the wall up ahead catches my eye, and moving closer, I see blood. The sight sets off an e
xplosion of emotions in my chest.
Cutting the call I’m on, I dial Hayden’s number as I run the short distance to the back exit.
As I push through the door, Hayden answers his phone.
“He has Jamie!” Glancing around, I see Brian, lying unconscious outside the building. I quickly move to him and kneeling down, I check for his pulse. “Brian is down but alive. Jamie can’t be far, though. I was only gone three minutes at the most.”
“You left her alone?” I hear the anger in Hayden’s voice, and it makes guilt weigh down on my shoulders.
I stood right by the front entrance of the music center.
How did I not hear anything?
Jamie would’ve put up a fight, she would’ve screamed.
“Get all the guards to help search for her,” Hayden snaps just as I see him running up ahead.
I make the call to campus security while I run to catch up with him.
Noticing that we’re heading toward the woods, I ask, “Do you really think he’d head this way with her?”
“Max is searching in the other direction in case he tries to leave the campus with her.” Pointing a finger at me, he snaps, “You wait for the guards. Have them form a wide perimeter when they search. I’m going ahead.”
I stop and watch as Hayden disappears into the trees, then glance back to see where the guards are.
Every inch of my skin feels like it’s prickling. The realization of what happened begins to form around me like a dark cloud.
I left Jamie alone, and it only took three minutes for the bastard to grab her.
What the fuck have I done?
No deal was worth her safety. No amount of money can justify the fact that I left her unprotected.
I dart forward to search for her when Joseph calls out, “Mr. Reyes.”
Noticing campus security right behind him, I don’t stop running as I shout back, “Search for Jamie Truman!”
Running into the trees, I begin to shout her name over and over. “Jamie!”
My jacket gets snagged by a branch, and I quickly yank it off, dropping it on the ground as I keep moving.
“Jamie!”
Fear makes me push harder.
I have to find her.
Jamie
Coming to, the world spins while it feels like my head is going to explode.
I hear leaves crunching near my head, and the sound makes my pulse speed up until my blood is rushing through my veins. My mind clears a little as my thoughts begin to race.
The janitor.
Oh, God.
My eyes snap open, and with blurring vision, all I can make out is a hulking black mass looming over me, and it has panic and dread bleeding into my soul. I push up and try to move away, but the janitor lunges forward, and wrapping his hands around my neck, he slams the back of my head against the ground until stars explode behind my eyes.
I try to fight the dizzying haze enveloping me. Knowing I can’t pass out, I fight the woozy feeling and blink faster so my eyes can adjust to the night.
I’ve never felt fear like this before. It paralyzes my body for a precious moment. With my vision fading, I fight to focus on the man in front of me, and in horror, I watch as he smiles down at me.
I’ve greeted this man.
I’ve seen him around campus multiple times.
My skin crawls at the realization, and my mind freezes in absolute terror as he tightens his grip around my neck. I gasp for breath as my eyes bore into his.
He looks different from what I thought he would.
He comes across as a normal man in his mid-thirties, and his smile almost looks loving.
I shake my head to rid myself of the shock that’s prickling over my skin like tiny thorns. Everything begins to slow down around me until it’s hard to focus on the reality. It’s hard to make sense of what’s happening. All I can hear is my thundering heart.
I manage to throw my body to the side, and it has him letting go of my neck. Feeling unsteady, I crawl backward to get away from him. I struggle to my feet even though my legs feel numb from the dread soaking into my skin.
He comes at me again, and I lunge to my right to avoid contact, but his hands wrap viciously around my neck, and he shoves me back down, slamming my head repeatedly against the ground. The brutal force steals my vision.
I hear a groan, but it sounds like it’s miles away. Slipping in and out of consciousness as I fight not to pass out, his hands tighten their grip on my neck.
Fight, Jamie.
You have to fight.
Feeling out of it, I struggle to lift my arms but finally manage to grab hold of his hands.
I dig my feet into the ground and try to lift my body so I can throw him off of me again. His fingers slacken, and it gives me a moment’s reprieve. Digging my nails into his skin, I scratch at him, but it only makes him tighten his hold on my neck again.
The sound of me gagging brings some clarity to my frazzled mind.
This man is going to kill me.
An isolated feeling wraps around me, making me cold as shivers rush over my body. My mind begins to race, searching for a way to free myself from this nightmarish moment.
“Jamie!” I hear Hayden’s voice.
Hayden.
Hope floods through me, lending strength to my body.
“Hayden,” I choke.
Digging my nails deeper into his skin, I yank against his hands and manage to scream, “Hayden!”
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” the janitor begins to repeat over and over. He bashes my head against the ground again, causing a blinding pain to shudder through me.
“Jamie!”
Julian.
Hearing his horror-filled shout makes strength return to my body, and I yank harder against the janitor’s hold.
“I’m here!” I scream as loud as I can.
They’re here.
I’m going to be okay.
Fight, Jamie.
I keep yanking, and suddenly he lets go of me. I suck in desperate breaths as I watch him dart to my left as he runs deeper into the woods.
Feeling drained, I sob, “I’m here!” I struggle into the sitting position, my hand gently wrapping around my bruised neck.
Someone places a hand on my shoulder, making my head snap up.
“Which way did he go, Jamie?” Hayden asks.
It feels like I’m stuck in a trance as I glance up at Hayden, but I manage to point toward the left.
Someone drops down beside me, and when arms envelop me, I know it’s Julian. The relief of having him with me makes my body sag into his.
All I hear is myself gasping for air as my heart pounds in my chest.
Chapter 27
Julian
Sitting next to the hospital bed, I can’t tear my eyes away from Jamie. The nursing staff just brought her back from doing a CT scan.
Every couple of seconds, Jamie shivers while a nurse picks leaves and sticks out of her hair, placing them in a bag. Another nurse is tending to the gashes on the back of Jamie’s head while a police officer hovers nearby to ensure the evidence is preserved.
I tighten my hold on her hand.
All it took was three minutes, and I almost lost her.
I’ll never forgive myself.
I’m so fucking sorry.
Unable to say the words to her, I swallow the bitter taste of them down.
Throughout the entire time, the nursing staff is tending to her, Jamie doesn’t say anything.
One of the nurses places a hospital gown at the foot of the bed, and says, “Miss Truman, we need to undress you, and then we’ll put on the gown. Your clothes will go in this bag as evidence.”
When Jamie doesn’t move, I give her hand a squeeze, and ask, “Do you want me to stay?”
She barely moves as she nods.
Worried, I glance at the nurse.
“She’s in shock. The sedative we gave her will help,” she assures me, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.
> My eyes go to the police officer, and I ask, “Can we have some privacy?” I can see he’s going to argue, and it makes me glare at him. “You can wait right outside the room, but I insist on privacy while my girlfriend changes.”
Reluctantly, he says, “I want to talk to Miss Truman as soon as she’s changed into the hospital gown.”
I wait for the man to leave before I get up and bending over Jamie, I help her to stand. Once I’m sure she’s not going to fall down, I step to the side so the nurse can undress Jamie.
Before the nurse helps Jamie into the hospital gown, I quickly scan over her body, needing to know she’s not hurt anywhere else.
The moment the nurse steps away to open the door for the officer, I take hold of Jamie and help her back on the bed.
I steal a moment to press a kiss to her forehead and closing my eyes, I whisper, “I’m so fucking sorry I left you alone.”
The words sound… futile.
Sometimes it’s just too late to apologize. The damage has been done, leaving me with the devastating consequences of my actions.
“You can come back in,” I hear the nurse say, which has me taking hold of her hand with both of mine to lend her strength while the officer questions her.
“Miss Truman, I need to ask you questions. Every little detail is important. Can you tell me in your own words what happened?”
Jamie swallows a couple of times, then murmurs in a toneless voice, “The janitor…”
“Henry Little?” Glancing at me, the officer confirms, “Little is employed as a janitor at Trinity Academy?”
“Yes, I’ve already handed his personnel file over to another officer.”
Nodding, he turns his attention back to Jamie. “You were saying, Miss Truman.”
“The janitor… Henry Little…” Jamie seems to drift off for a moment before she continues with a hoarse but stronger voice, “He told me there was a gas leak. We had to evacuate. He banged my head against the wall.”
“Can we go back to before Henry Little approached you. What were you busy doing?”
“I was busy with a piano lesson.”
The questioning continues, and it guts me to hear her repeat her answers over and over again, but I know it needs to be done to help the police catch the bastard.
Julian (Trinity Academy Book 4) Page 13
