Chapter Twelve
Luka
She eventually tells me who has tried to put distance between us. As soon as I have the names, I drop a kiss on her lips and take off for my office. I wasn’t exactly expecting her to be in my room when I came upstairs to strip my clothes off and grab a shower, but as soon as I saw her, all I could think about was getting close to her. Actually, what I wanted to do after finding her in my bedroom was throw her down on the bed and pull that frilly little skirt up over her ass, pull down her panties and sink my dick deep inside her.
After a deep dive looking for answers, I finally found a teacher who knew a little about what went down between her and her family. By the time we finished talking, I’d gone from angry to furious. Turns out my little elf befriended her roommate, who didn’t have any family. She took her home a couple of weekends and for fall break, only to have a bomb dropped on her. Not only had Kristy been banging her dad behind her back, but she wanted Lumi out of both their lives. Somehow, she had made Lumi’s father believe that Lumi wasn’t happy with the new union and hated Kristy.
By Thanksgiving, Lumi had been kicked out of her house and disowned by her father, who consequently stopped paying her tuition, causing her to drop out of school. The teacher had askedher why she was leaving, and Lumi broke down and told her all of it. The manipulation, the fights, and the final confrontation, where her own father told her she was dead to him. My heart bled for her even as my anger was stoked to a whole new level at her father and his witch of a wife.
Instead of taking care of the most important person in his life -and a woman who would never make someone choose between her and love- he kicked her out and turned his back on her. All at the word of a spoiled brat of a girl who ‘single-white-femaled’ her way into Lumi’s life. There is no way my little Christmas elf would have tried to split her father up, knowing he had found love. That’s just not who she is. And now her fucking boss is making her doubt herself and what we can have together.
It seems like people have tried to shit on her throughout her life, playing on her kindness and sweet nature, and she still has a smile for everyone and an open heart so full of love. All that is about to change, though, because Lumi is mine, and I always take care of what’s mine. I won’t let her be hurt just because she’s so caring and trusting. Or let anyone use her and discard her after they get what they want from her. That shit ends today!
Before I left her, I did tell her to grab one of the maids to help her. I don’t like the idea of her up on the ladder all by herself, even if it is just a stepladder. What if something happens to her and she falls? Especially while I’m not there to make sure she’s safe. I wouldn’t have left her if I didn’t absolutely have to in order to make sure I could keep her safe and happy. I don’t waste time either. I get right to work making sure my little elf’s life is easier and full of nothing but good things from now on.
It's late by the time I stop, and I am angry I didn’t get to tell her good night before she left. I’ve stopped saying goodbye sinceI don’t ever plan to leave her. By the time I hop on my bike and head over to her place, I’m so tense and upset with myself for not being there to give her kisses all day that it’s a wonder I don’t storm up to her apartment and demand she open the door. But if I did that and she did let me in, there would be no stopping me from going further than just kisses. A lot further.
So instead of pushing my holiday treat faster than she wants to go, I bide my time and sit outside on my bike watching her through her window. I didn’t get to do this last night, and it nearly killed me. All I could think about was her. How she was doing. What she was up to? Did she eat throughout the day?
I watch her brush past the curtains hanging in her bedroom. I know because I came here before she got home the night after we all had dinner together. I’d never planned to see the inside of her apartment, but the quiet certainty that she wasn’t as safe as she let on gnawed at me after she left my house. After that, there was no chance I was leaving her unprotected.
Now there are cameras on the elevator, both sides of the hallway, as well as one just inside. I stopped short of putting one in her bedroom because one day I’ll have to tell my little elf what I’ve done, and I don’t want her to be upset with me for spying on her in her bedroom.
Is it stalking? Not entirely. I prefer the title of protector over stalker, but then again, I don’t really care what someone else would call me. As long as my angel knows I’m doing it to keep her safe, I could give a fuck less what anyone else thinks about it.
Chapter Thirteen
Lumi
Ispend longer in the shower than I usually do. It’s easier to fall apart when the water is loud enough to hide it. Not that anyone is around to notice. By the time I step out, the spray has turned ice cold, and I’m shivering. I wrap my arms around myself and stand there anyway, letting the cold burn.
I got exactly what I needed to happen today, and it made me miserable. I needed space between me and Luka. Space to regroup, get myself under control, and to come to terms with us just being client and employee. When I got it, my heart felt like it was breaking piece by piece. He just kissed me and walked away like it was goodbye.
I hate myself for getting so attached to him the way I did. I hate myself for wanting it to be something other than what it is. He said we were friends, but I know once this whole elf thing is over, we won’t see each other again. We’ll never speak to one another again, unless he calls back next year. And what kind of friendship is it if I only ever see him once a year?
Not that I can say anything about knowing anything about friendship. The last friend I had turned out to be a psycho. She took my father from me, my chance at a better future, and half of my clothes. Not that I can blame only her. I was just as muchto blame for misreading her intentions. I thought she wanted a friend, someone she could turn to who would always be there for her. Even when I found out she had been with my father, I was happy for her. Shocked but happy for her and my dad.
Then she told my father I had called her a whore and that I hated the very idea of them being together. She told him I was intentionally cruel to her and was going around campus telling everyone she had fucked all her professors. He kicked me out and told me he wasn’t paying for anything for me and that I was dead to him. That was almost three weeks ago. Just before Thanksgiving, to be exact. I knew I would probably have to work two full-time jobs to finish my semester, so that was out of the question. It’s kind of hard to study when you don’t eat or have a roof over your head. I went from having a family, having a future, having hopes and dreams, to having nothing. All because someone lied.
I finally make my way over to the window and look out. Last night, the biker wasn’t here, and as pathetic as it is, I kind of missed him. He’s here tonight, sitting beside the dark SUV, doing whatever it is he does. Why did I miss him being there last night? Why does something in me feel so drawn to him? Is it just my crushing loneliness that has me building up fantasies and searching every stranger’s face to find some connection?
I haven’t been this alone since my mom died when I was twelve. That was one of the worst years of my life, but this one is quickly surpassing it. Now, I have nobody and nothing. At least then I had my father. A tear streaks down my face as I curl myself into my pillow and cry myself to sleep.
The very first thing I do in the morning is call Luka… that is, once I discover my car is not going to cooperate with meanymore. I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to tell my supervisor, whom I plan to call next, when he picks up.
“Hi, uh, Luka. I…I can’t come today.”
“What? Why?”
Is that anger I hear in his voice? Is he mad at me for not being able to make it?
“I…my car is…well, my car won’t start this morning, and I can’t really afford to call…,” It’s so embarrassing as hell to admit I can’t afford to pay for a ride to his house, let alone one back home at the end of the day, and my cheeks burn as I tell him.
“I’m sending someone to come pick you up. We’ll work at my office today.”
“Oh, um, alright. Okay. I guess I’ll see you then.”
It takes me a couple of minutes to realize he’s hung up before I could give him my address. When I call him back, he doesn’t answer this time, so I just text him the address and start getting ready. By the time I’ve cinched up the last ribbon, there’s a knock at my door.
