The billionaire's sweet editor
Chapter 96: Iris: Hectic night

Chapter 96: Iris: Hectic night

HECTIC. THE only way to describe how my day has been so far is just that one word.

From the stranger I had to face this morning to us running to Lucas’ car because someone made a live stream of us in the gym earlier and now we have a crowd tailing us wanting to get autographs from him.

I know he’s hot but come on, how can he be hot enough to draw such a large group of ladies out at night like this? I can’t imagine what the A-list celebrities face on a daily basis when Lucas who just became famous last week is suddenly getting so much attention.

Lucas pulls me to a secluded corner on the edge of the parkade that looks like a storage space for a janitor’s equipment. Making sure I don’t hit the wall, he places me on his chest and hides us from the group that was following us a while ago whilst I close my eyes and let myself feel him for once after barely touching him for an hour now.

Oh, how I missed his chest.

"I’m sure I saw him running this way," says one of them whilst the others let out disapproving grunts and sulk about how much they wanted Lucas’ autograph.

"Let me check this side," a familiar voice calls out from the chaotic women outside. Her footsteps echo on the slab as she covers the distance separating her from the room we are and I open my eyes from sheer terror, only to worsen my condition the moment I take our surroundings in.

Nothing is visible in this small space and yet I know it’s small as fuck. Something is scrapping my ass but that is the least of my concerns at the moment. The darkness. It’s like a void space in here, hell-bent darkness that won’t let me see even the man who is holding me in place.

It starts with my hands. They won’t stop trembling no matter how much I try to suppress them. After them, my whole body goes into a frenzy like enzymes on the loose. Lucas notices the change and clasps my shoulders.

"Iris?"

"L-lets go..." I can’t even finish what I want to say without almost biting my tongue.

"Ah fuck. I forgot about that, tsk." He holds the small door he had closed so we don’t get caught and opens it. A small crack of light filters in the moment he pushes it, but it’s still not enough.

"Lucas is that you? Come out, I just want to see you."

As if a switch has been flipped inside my head, the memories flood inside my brain, filling it to the brim with their unpleasantness. I shudder when the voice I had almost forgotten comes haunting me like a ghost in this enclosed dark space.

"Iris, come out and meet Daddy. Let’s get out of here and go somewhere beautiful."

I don’t remember his face, but the voice is another matter. Aside from that raspy tone only a drunkard can achieve after years of drinking and those grey eyes that unfortunately got bestowed to me, I only know that he was a white man. Everything else is blurry—except the nights when he haunted me.

"Ah!" I scream out, letting go of Lucas and hitting something behind me that sends a clutter of metals clinking on the ground as they make noise loud enough to make my ears go numb. I cover them and my eyes, sitting on the ground as tears threaten to come out.

This feels too familiar. It’s like deja vu, but I know it happened.

It’s just like that day when my mom finally decided to leave with me. Yes, I destroyed her entire wedding collection of pots and plates after trying to climb into the kitchen unit and making it topple over.

"Iris. Are you hurt?"

He said that too. He tried to open the door but failed because Mom had locked it.

"Iris. Let’s get out of here."

Oh my god. Even Lucas is using the same dialogue as him!

"I’m scared."

"I know. Let me get you out of here."

"What are you doing there? That area is restricted and anyone who trespasses is bound by the law and made to pay a fine." Chloe’s sharp rebuking tone jerks me back to reality.

"Ah, sorry. I thought I heard someone scream inside," comes that familiar voice again. I feel large hands go under my legs and behind my back before they raise me and carry me out of the room.

Opening my eyes, I’m not shocked to see Lucas holding me, but his pale face tells me everything I need to know. I had another nyctophobia attack whilst he watched.

"There they are. I told you he was in here," the girl who tried to make Lucas sign her bottle beams to herself and points at Lucas. However, she too goes silent when she sees the look on his face.

"As you can see, he is exhausted. Please let him go back home and rest as someone who supports him and wants the best for him. He can’t pass autographs and have his photos taken whilst looking like that."

Before she even replies, the girl disappears from our sight and rushes back to the crowd from earlier. I can’t hear what she tells them, but we soon hear grunts and curses before they all disperse and go back to their gym sessions.

"I’m sorry about that. I thought I had managed to distract them, but it seems they even know what your back looks like," Clara apologizes.

"We’re changing our session to private ones," Lucas tells her and begins strutting towards his car with me still wrapped in his arms. My head is lying on his chest and I’m still shaking from the aftermath of what just happened.

"Noted, sir. Please contact me and let me know when you’d like to get started."

I don’t know if Lucas heard her but he keeps walking until we’re in his car. He places me in my seat gently before removing his jacket and wrapping it around me.

"I’m not cold."

"Just let me take care of you." I can’t fight with him when he uses that gentle tone with me. Even my body eases on the shaking as if it knows we’re being protected.

After giving me three kisses on the forehead, he enters the car and takes out his phone to send a message.

"I just told your grandparents not to worry about you because you’re with me. You’re sleeping at my place today."

"Thank you," is all I say before closing my eyes.

But even then, the peace I want won’t come to me, for in sleep lies the strangest and scariest power humanity has.

Nightmares.

★★★★★