Page 48 of Guarded By the Phantom

What if she decided to ship me off to that institution for even the slightest dissent? My aunt had told me there was no way out of there. You only got out when your parents were happy with yourprogress.

“Phantom?” I asked, my voice suddenly small. “Could you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Well, if I… If my mother… If she decides to send me away, will you save me?”

He shot to his feet in a sudden leap, balancing perfectly on the branch. He crouched and jumped, flying through the air until he smashed into the wall, his hands clutching my windowsill.

“Ow,” came his muffled voice.

“Oh my God,” I gasped, opening the window wider. “Are you all right?”

“Move back, doll.”

I hastened away from the window. There was a grunt, a muffled curse, and Phantom heaved himself up with the sheer strength of his arms. He hopped onto the floor with a heavy thud of his combat boots and looked nonchalantly around.

“You know, normal people use doors to visit others,” I said, looking him up and down in search of injuries.

“You hit the nail on the head. I’m not normal. I’m an abomination,” he said with a proud grin. “Now, back to our conversation. Yes, I will save you. If they drug you and ship you off, I will either get you in transit and slaughter everyone who lays their hands on you, or if I’m too late, I’ll storm the asylum and get you out, then burn it to the ground. Do you understand? No one will lock you up. Not on my watch.”

My eyes felt hot. He had delivered that speech in such a measured, cool voice, I had no doubt he meant every word. He also seemed to have given it some thought, seeing how his plan was already formed.

It was overkill, too, but I didn’t protest. I didn’t truly think I would be sent away. It was just that deep fear that paralyzed me whenever I wanted to do something forbidden.

“Thank you,” I whispered, pushing my emotions down my tight throat.

“You’re welcome, doll. So rebel all you want, okay? I won’t let them hurt you.”

I wanted to hug him again, but I remembered how it had ended. It wasn’t even my intent to grind on him then, and yet, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind it wasn’t coincidental. I felt attracted to him, but it would be stupid to act on it.

So instead, I offered him my hand. “Thank you. I’ll do everything in my power to help you, too, should you ever need it.”

He took my hand, shook it, and then bowed over it, pressing his teeth to my knuckles.

“I kind of feel like a knight offering allegiance to a princess,” he said with a grin. “By the way, are you done with my book yet?”

“Oh.” I looked away, my hand still in his. “Well, no. I got… stuck.”

He let go of my hand with a mean little laugh. “You don’t like the porn, eh?”

“You don’t even know at which part I stopped,” I said defensively.

“Nah, I know. It’s the porn. Goodnight, my lady.”

The next day, Norma, who was serving breakfast when I came in, told me my mother was gone for the day and wouldn’t get home before the gala. I was to take the limousine and behave.

“Sounds like good news,” Phantom said, coming in just a moment after Norma left. “Mmm, fresh steak. You know, even if you were a total nuisance, I’d love this assignment for the food alone.”

“Glad you see the positives in my situation,” I said gravely, studying the food laid out on the sideboard. “You know, with me becoming a laughingstock and almost dying.”

Phantom served himself a juicy cut of raw steak dripping with blood and set the coffee machine to make him two double espressos.

“You’re not a laughingstock,” he said, bumping his hip into mine on his way to the table. “Haven’t you seen the news? You’re a martyr! Someone leaked the info about the murder attempt. Your father is basking in glory, and you’re the brave, strong victim. Everyone is so outraged about the way you’ve been treated after the video.”

I straightened, the news a total shock. “Who leaked it?” I asked, spinning in place.

“Beats me,” Phantom shrugged. “Looking at the results, my bet is on your father’s PR team. Anyway, you’re a heroine! Everyone will be thrilled to shake hands with you tonight.”

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