He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134

(Daisy’s POV)

I stared at DeLuca’s door while my heart continued behaving like it had anatomical issues.

Okay.

Breathe.

Just breathe.

This was fine.

People talked after arguments all the time. Mature people did it constantly. Mature people communicated and solved things instead of spiraling and drinking alcohol that we don’t like.

I could do this.

Probably.

Suddenly, the door swung open for which I flinched, because there he was.

Tall.

Cold.

Unfairly good-looking.

He stepped out wearing dark jeans, a fitted black shirt beneath a leather jacket, and clean sneakers.

For a second, I just stared.

Because DeLuca had changed.

Not completely.

The dangerous part of him was still there. That calmness. That coldness. That feeling that he could either kiss you or destroy an entire building and

somehow maintain the same facial expression through both.

But since joining Westbridge, something about him had evolved.

When he first arrived, he looked rougher around the edges. Sharper. Less blended into normal life.

Now?

Now he looked like he belonged here.

Like he had adapted perfectly while still remaining terrifying underneath.

Which honestly felt manipulative of him.

My mouth opened quickly then.

“DeLuca, I-”

“Move it to eleven,” he said flatly.

I stopped. Then realized he wasn’t speaking to me.

AirPods.

A call.

Right.

He walked cleanly past me toward the living room and I stood there for a second before following after him anyway.

Because no.

No, I had not suffered through emotional destruction, kidnapping trauma, alcohol poisoning, and zero sleep just to lose courage now.

Absolutely not.

He moved around the living room calmly, gathering a few things from the table and placing them into a black bag while the person on the call continued speaking.

I waited awkwardly nearby.

Trying to look normal.

Which was difficult because internally I felt like a hostage negotiation.

The pauses between his responses became slower after a moment and I foolishly assumed the call was ending.

“DeLuca, we should-

“Tell them I’ll handle it personally.”

I shut my mouth immediately, then realized something else.

He had fully put on both AirPods. Meaning he could ignore me efficiently now.

I folded my arms and waited again while he zipped the bag closed. Then just like that, he walked toward the front door.

He paused briefly there. Looked at me once.

“I’m heading out.” He said and left.

The door shut softly behind him.

Meanwhile I remained standing there like someone whate. Wi H had connected mid thought

I stared at the door for teveral seconds a bit hurt

Okay.

So maybe he is genuinely busy

Maybe this wasn’t avoidance.

Maybe I was overthinking things because my emotional tate currently resembled scrambled eggs

Yes.

That had to be it.

I would talk to him at school instead.

That was smarter.

Less intense. Less terrifying.

With that decision, I turned and rushed to get ready.

By the time I reached campus, I was sweating aggressively.

Because apparently i had forgotten one very important detail: DeLuca leaving early meant no ride.

And since my bike still behaved like a dead relative refusing resurrection, I had been forced to walk.

Worse still, the sun had chosen violence today.

The heat pressed against my skin mercilessly as I stepped deeper into campus grounds now exhaling heavily.

“This is hateful behavior,” I muttered toward the sky.

The sky didn’t respond.

I wiped my forehead now and pulled out my phone while walking

There was nothing

No messages from Aria.

Which was strange because based on her personality, I had expected dramatic updates by sunrise Plus she had promised to do sa

I hesitated briefly before finally texting first

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