"Thank you so much for the lift, Stephen," I said gratefully to Chbosky, who drove Tobias and me bae when Roger was unreachable for quite some time.

  "Think nothing of it," he smiled at me genially. "It is a bitch to get a cab in LA unless you've booked in advaake care, yeah?"

  "I will. Thanks again," I got up from the window to let him pull away from the driveway.

  "Roger is very irresponsible," Tobias pined loudly as we stood together at the spot. "Who does that? He's meant to provide you security, not go off to do whatever imaginary errands he had."

  " you let the matter be?" I threw him an irritated look. "It's happened already, we 't do anything about it now."

  Uanding that I was not in the mood, Tobias did not broach the matter again as we walked to the main house. That was a little thing I didn't like about these huge-ass homes—the walking distaween the driveway and the door. Our old apartment in Santa Monica didn't have this problem. As I looked up at the sky, I realized that the sun had gone down a lot, and the sky was almost dusky.

  "I have a party to go to," Tobias spoke suddenly as we ehe house.

  "Right now?" I asked incredulously. "We just got home."

  "Yeah," he shrugged. "I nning to take the car, but since Roger has it, I'll call one of my friends to pick me up. If you want, you e along as well. People will love having you there."

  "Is it a house party?" I asked.

  "Of course," he nodded. "I would never ask you to e to a club iates until you're 21."

  The idea was tempting. While I had no iion to drink right now, it would be o socialize beyond work for a ge. The only problem was that I was knackered. I'm a little surprised that Tobias has the energy to do this when I don't. So I shook my head, "Nah, I'll just stay here. We have that big meeting at Universal tomorrow. Don't pull the same disappearing move you did the st time. This is important."

  "Don't worry," he waved off my s. "We didn't have anything phat day. You sprung the meeting o moment. But now that I know, I'll be prepared."

  "Gd to know," I remarked while walking over to the fridge.

  "So you're sleeping?" he asked suddenly.

  "Nht now. I'll take a shower first and then dinner. atty made meatballs and spaghetti. My favorite." I grinned as I closed the fridge behind me. Patty was the y parents had hired for the few days I'd be staying here.

  "Of course she did," he muttered. "Yesterday when I asked her to make me sagna, she behaved as if I had asked her for the moon."

  I ughed at the thought. "You deserve it, though. Leaving this poor boy alone in this huge house."

  He rolled his eyes. "You and poor? By that definition, I shouldn't be able to afford a single meal." He paused for a moment before saying, "If you really want, I stay behind with you. At least until Roger es back."

  "No," I shook my head. "Have fun. Our security system here is good, and if anything goes awry, I know where Dad keeps his gun."

  "Do you even know how to shoot a gun?" he asked skeptically.

  "No," I admitted. "Hopefully, I won't have to."

  As Tobias went to his room to get ready, I walked over to my now fully-grown Loki, who was fast asleep in his bed. I petted him gently, and he groaned in his sleep. Seeing the empty food and water bowls nearby, I deduced that Patty must have fed and walked him. Yet, it was strahat he didn't e running up to me as soon as I opehe door. Seeing his slowly rising and falling chest, I let the matter be. I khat if I called out his name, he would wake up, and I didn't want him to at this moment. Ever since we have e here, he has been ag very lethargic. If this behavior of his tiomorrow, I'll take him to a vet.

  I walked up to my room and filled the bathtub before unbuttoning my shirt. It had been a long day of work, and I desperately needed something to rex, and a bath sounded just abht. I was down to my birthday suit when my phone beeped loudly. I'd reize that sound anywhere.

  Em: Save me, my Prince Charming! I'd die of boredom in that school of mine.

  I chuckled at her antics. Emma had tried hard to follow in my footsteps to graduate early from school and had asked her parents to let her take accelerated csses as well. An idea her parents had shot down quickly. I lowered myself into the warm water before texting my girlfriend.

  Me: What are you still doing up? It's 3 AM in the UK!

  Em: Couldn't sleep. Thought u would be awake, so I'll talk to u. Did you know I just finalized my tract with your dad for the remaining [Harry Potter] films as well? I think he gave me and Jamie the same tract for four more films.

  I didn't know that he'd be doing it right now whehe third film hasn't been released. Maybe that's why Dad had to fly back to London from our vacation. At least this was better than the inal timeline where Emma had felt isoted and alone o, so much so that she wao leave the franchise after the fourth film. Dad had made an off-handed ent once about renewing a few cast tracts for three more films when I had suggested making it into four films instead. My logic was simple—if we ended up splitting one of the future books into two movies, it would be much easier for us.

  Usually I wouldn't care because it was a matter for Warner, but seeing the success of the first two films, Dad had ied substantially in the series from the third film onwards and had set up a produ house named Kloves Eai. With him iing 50% of the budget, the remaining 50% was by Warner.

  Me: Enough shop talk. What are you doing at the moment?

  Em: In my bed, trying to sleep. Everyone else is. Mum said she will take me shopping tomorrow for the new school year. I'm already dreading it.

  Em: I didn't tell this to anyone, but I don't like this fame part at all. People treat me differently. My friends, at least who I thought were my friends, act as if I'm a different person. Then there's this whole media frenzy. You know what happened with Nancy.

  I wi that reminder. Nancy was Emma's former friend who had decided that passing on information about her to the media was easy money. I could only thank my lucky stars that the info she leaked was insequential and that Emma didn't tell any of her friends about us, or the situation would be beyond trol.

  Me: It will be fine, love. It's better you found ht now and cut her loose. She was never your friend. Besides, you'll always have me.

  Em: Why did you five Evan for doing the same thing? How is that different from Nancy?

  That question stumped me. I hadn't thought about it in years. I had told Emma, obviously, but other than that, I had even fotten about that time.

  Me: I don't know. Because he apologized early, for ohen there was also the fact that I didn't have that many friends. So the one I had, I tched onto tightly. Also–

  Before I could tiyping the reply, I saw a shadow ier in front of me. I paused to firm what I was seeing. The location of the tub ihroom was such that the lightbulb was behind my head, so my head was already creating a small shadow ier. But now, this shadow had elongated a lot, and it was moving.

  I wish I could say that I pulled some great martial tactics to leave the spectator behiunned, but this wasn't an aovie, and I wasn't some a hero. So, I simply turned, only to find a girl standing behind me. She was older than me, around 18-20, beautiful, and was covered from head to toe in dark clothes. In her left hand istol that she ointing at me.

  Before I could so much as shout or do anything at all, she shot forward and punched me hard across the cheek. I let out a yelp unsciously as my head bounced against the bathtub. The blow was severe because I felt a little dizzy after that. Yet, I couldn't rex. I khis moment could end my life if anythi even slightly wrong.

  "Don't do this," I pleaded. "You have whatever you want. Just put the gun down, and we talk."

  "Do you think I'm stupid?" she spoke for the first time, her voice trembling with fear. "Get out of the tub. And keep your hands where I see them."

  All the while, the gun ointed in my face. This girl was clearly inexperienced, or she'd realize that I was buaked. It didn't matter if she could see my hands or not. Yet, arguing with her wouldn't do me any good, so I did as I was told and slowly got out of the tub, making sure my hands were in her clear view.

  "What now?" I asked.

  "Move." She motioned with her head toward my bedroom, and I followed her cue slowly. Immediately, I felt the barrel press into the bay head. "Faster."

  I did as I was told.

  "Now sit down here." She poi a chair in my room.

  I did, and soon she brought forth a rope from under my bed. Holy shit! This girl had phis from the beginning. But I wouldn't let her do as she pleased.

  "That's not necessary," I pleaded again. "Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you. Do you want money? Just say it, and I'll give you enough that you won't have to work a single day in your life."

  A flicker of doubt appeared on her face, but she didn't lower the gun aimed at me. At least she didn't tie me yet, so I'll take that as a win.

  "Some money would be nice," she said softly. "But before that, I need something much more important. I need your semen."

  What the fuck!? What the fuck did she just say!? I opened and closed my mouth a few times, uo process her request.

  "Why?" I asked after a few moments.

  "Isn't that obvious?" she asked.

  Internally, I had to agree, it was obvious. But I o keep her talking, so I said, "No it's not. Listen, dy, I'm a virgin. I don't know much about sex at all. So please tell me."

  "I want a baby," she said bluntly. "I ted my days, and I'm lucky because I'm ovuting today. I thought it would be best if I got the fi sample in the world. Not only are you handsome and talented, but as you just said, you're loaded. So I know you'll take care of the kid if I 't. And once I'm pregnant, we marry and then happily live together, forever."

  It's final—this girl has lost her marbles. First, she wanted my semen, and now she wants to have my kid and then marry me. Does she think anyone will marry her after all this?

  "What's your name?" I asked, not expeg her to answer.

  "Gia," she said.

  "Gia, you're so beautiful, I would have given you a baby if you'd just asked. Heck, any boy my age would. I've wao lose my V-card for so long."

  "Really?" she asked hopefully. Then her gaze lowered as she said, "You don't seem excited."

  "That's because you have a gun in my face," I asserted. "e here and give me a kiss so I prove to you how much I want this."

  She had lowered the gun from my fay abdomen and seemed to be pting for a few moments before shaking her head. "No. I will tie you to the chair, and then we tinue."

  "e on, Gia," I tried to use my charm. "Don't you trust me? Give me a kiss first, and then you do whatever you want with me." I could see her resolve wavering, so I tinued, "Are you into bondage? Is that why you want to tie me? I'll fuck you hard either way whether you tie me or not. All you o do is ask."

  She blushed visibly, but my words seemed to be w because she lowered the gun pletely and stepped toward me. She hesitantly moved her face closer. Her lips were just inches away from mine when I struck.

  I backed my forehead a little, appearing coy, before smashing it against her h my full might.

  sch

  A loud soued from her now-broken nose, followed by a loud yelp from her. Before she could point the gun at me again, I brought forth my Krav Maga training and attacked her hand, which was holding the pistol. We wrestled for trol of the gun, but with a broken o care for and simir strength to me, I was able to push the gun away from her hand. Before she could pick it up, I kicked it further away from us and threun her face.

  She ducked and growled, "You lied to me, you asshole! I'll kill you." With that, she lu me. I didn't see that ing aumbling to the floor, with Gia on top of me, raining blows on my face. I retaliated, but she was fighting with a ferocity I had never seen before. Truthfully, I hadn't been in a life-or-death fight ever, and this was quickly turning in that dire. Everything was happening so fast that it was hard to even think properly, yet I tried my best.

  I khat by now Tobias would have left the house, and Roger was also not here to begin with. So the only person—or rather being—who could help me was my loyal dog.

  "LOKI!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "HELP ME, LOKI!" I couldn't tinue shouting because Gia punched me hard in the chest, knog the air out of me.

  Now I regret not tinuing my martial arts csses. If I e out of this alive, that will be the first thing I remedy.

  As I was regaining my breath, Gia got off me and scrambled toward the gun lying a few feet away from us. I realized betedly, that while we were struggling on the floor, we had gotten quite close to it. Knowing what would happen if she got it, I pulled her leg toward me to keep her from reag it. Her hand was just inches away from the gun, and it felt like my life was teetering on the edge of the tallest building in the world. If she got the gun, everything would be over.

  And right at that moment, something magical happened. Loki came charging into the room. I rexed unsciously. I knew I could handle her now. All I needed was for Loki to bite her once, and then—

  BANG

  I froze in pce.

  She shot Loki. When I rexed, she must have gotten hold of the gun, and the motherfug bitch shot him.

  For a moment, everything seemed to pause.

  Then I saw red.

  I tackled the bitch to the ground with strength I didn't have moments ago. Startled, she dropped the gun again, and I started raining punches on her face. This time, I didn't stop. I didn't want to stop. I didn't care if my hands bled or whatever. I just wahis bitch dead. The gun was lying within my reach, and I picked it up. I got to my feet, in all my naked glory, aiming the gun at her face.

  "Please," she begged pathetically. Her bloodied face had lost all its beauty withi few minutes.

  "You deserve it," I said coldly.

  Just as I was about to blow her brains out, a man walked in through the door.

  "Don't do it, Troy," Roger called out, leveling his gun toward the girl. "Step back. I'll take care of it."

  That's the problem. I didn't want him to. He was too te now. I wanted revenge for my poor darling Loki.

  _____________________________________

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