He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59

I walked toward the door now, already frowning, already preparing a speech about boundaries, sleep, and basic human decency.

The knock came again just as I reached for the handle. Persistent!

“Could you just” I muttered angrily under my breath, pulling the door open to address that persistence- and then I immediately

covered my eyes.

“What are you doing?!”

DeLuca stood in front of me, completely unbothered- completely shirtless.

“I’m standing in front of you,” he said flatly. “You opened the door.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I said, turning my face away while keeping my hand firmly over my eyes. “Put on a shirt!”

“I’m not cold.”

I lowered my hand just enough to glare at him, then quickly raised it again because that had been a mistake.

“That is not the point,” I said, my voice tightening. “It’s inappropriate. You don’t just walk around like that.”

There was a pause. Then he said, almost thoughtfully, “So you still react this way.”

I froze for a second, then narrowed my eyes behind my hand. He was referring to the instance back at his mansion where I walked in

on him shirtless and reacted… this way.

“This is not about that,” I said, though it very clearly was, which led to me instantly changing the topic.

“Why are you here? I didn’t realize acting as my alarm was part of the perks.” I said tauntingly but then he ignored me.

“It’s five in the morning,” he replied. “We should be preparing to leave. I have those student things to attend to.”

I blinked.

“At five? Student things?” I repeated, lowering my hand now out of sheer confusion.

“Yes.”

I stared at him.

Then I exhaled slowly. “For your information, normal people do not wake up at five to start preparing for anything. I wake up at a reasonable time, and I will continue to do that.”

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I pointed behind me.

“Look at Lillian. She’s still asleep. That is what is supposed to be happening right now.”

He glanced past me briefly, then returned his gaze to me. “In that case,” he said, “I’ll get ready. You can join me when you’re done.”

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away, and in that moment, I didn’t mean to look.

I really didn’t.

But I did.

For that second, my eyes followed him, taking in the broad line of his shoulders, the compact muscles of his back. His washboard

abs and toned waist…

His entire body and muscles moved like.. perfection and I was reminded that I was staring when he got to a distance so that I

snapped out of it and shut the door.

Hard.

“What am I doing?” I muttered to myself.

I turned back toward the bed, shaking my head. “I’m going back to sleep. I have to sleep that off.”

And I did.

Or at least, I tried.

When I woke up again, it was at my time. The correct time. The time that made sense.

I stretched as I stepped out of the room, yawning, my body still a little sore but significantly more functional.

Then I jumped.

DeLuca was already in the living area, seated, dressed, composed. I was still adjusting to the fact that he was here so I hadn’t

expected to see him.

He looked like he had been waiting for hours.

I stared at him now. He stared back so I straightened immediately, pretending I had not just flinched.

“You’re already ready.” I said and he didn’t respond, but gave me a look that referred to the answer being obvious.

I nodded once. “Okay. I’ll just… get ready…” I said slowly, not knowing why myself.

He gave a small nod, and I turned quickly, heading back into the room.

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Chapter 59

The next few minutes moved faster than they should have. I bathed, dressed, and struggled briefly with my hair before settling it into something manageable. By the time I stepped out again, I felt presentable, though slightly rushed.

Lillian was awake now.

She was sitting across from DeLuca, leaning forward slightly, clearly mid-conversation.

“So how long are you staying?” she was asking.

“It depends,” DeLuca replied.

“Like more than two weeks, right?”

He glanced at me briefly before looking back at her.

“Preferably not.”

I didn’t know how I felt about that answer.

“I’m ready,” I said then and he rose to his feet immediately, his height filling the space in a way that felt unnecessarily noticeable.

Lillian stood too. “Bye, Adrian. I’ll see you at school,” she said brightly.

He turned to her but didn’t respond. He simply walked past us and headed out.

Mollowed.

Outside, I hesitated for a second as I didn’t know what we would be using to get to school- until I spotted it at a distance to my

left. My mouth went gaping a little.

Of course.

To keep it short and simple, the car sitting across the street looked like it belonged in a showroom, not on our road.

“Okay,” I said quietly, mostly to myself, and continued walking.

Fritzo randomly stepped out of the car as we approached, greeting DeLuca briefly before turning to leave.

“Get me an inventory list upon getting to base,” DeLuca told him.

“Yes, boss.” He nodded promptly and turned toward me as he passed.

“I’m glad I don’t have to deal with you anymore,” he said.

I smiled lightly, feeling the need to prickle him. “You shouldn’t be so sure.”

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Chapter 59

He scowled and kept walking since he didn’t have the leisure of speech in this moment.

“Get in,” DeLuca said now. I rolled my eyes but opened the door anyway and slid into the passenger seat.

The car started smoothly, moving almost too quietly as we pulled away. I looked out the window for a moment, then leaned back.

This was happening.

I was on my way to school.

In a car. With him.

The most talked-about figure in the city today; the same person who was and is still holding me captive.

Now he was just sitting beside me like this was normal.

I exhaled slowly, staring ahead.

If this was the calm part of my day, I wasn’t sure I wanted to see what came next.

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