chapter FOURTY THREE

the chapter you've been waiting for forever.

Also.. I put in A LOT OF EFFORT IN WRITING THIS CHAPTER ONLY FOR YOU GUYS.

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Adam leaned against the wall, huffing out soft breaths and holding his ringing phone in his hands. He quickly put it on vibration mode.

"What the heck just happened?" He scrunched his face.

"I have no idea." Claire replied, a drunk Lucas clinging onto her neck.

"Wait, are you okay? Didn't you tell me that you tripped?"

"I am." Claire nodded.

"Then what is that?" Adam asked, pointing towards the cut on Claire's wrist, blood oozing out of it little by little.

"Uh.. it happened when I tripped."

"Do you think that's okay?"

"Yes."

Adam just sighed. He was almost done with this bullshit.

"You know what, I'll call Connor and ask him to take Lucas to their room, and meanwhile you should come with me." He spoke. "That cut looks like it'll bruise."

"No, it's okay. I'll show him the way." Claire whispered softly, surprising herself with the tone.

It was a wonder-struck to Adam as to how much Claire can go from a bitchy-boss-attitude to a pleasant and kind human. The thought was so scary, especially to Adam who had been there for her in every situation, but had never seen this side of her.

He took a step forward and pushed Lucas down to sit on a bar stool. Lucas obliged, even though he was frowning at the force Adam used on him.

"For a fact do I know that not only is he tired, but you are exhausted. For once, Claire, let me help you." Adam spoke ever so lightly, ignoring the buzzing phone in his hand. Instead, he lifted his other hand and took a hold of Claire's cold and frozen hands.

"I've told you a billion times, you need to help Lucas, not me. Help others, those who actually need you." Claire huffed knowing well that Adam was a stubborn ass person and he would not give up so easily.

But she also knew that she was the only person who could cut down his inflexible behaviour.

"You keep telling me to help others. When will you let me help you?" Adam pointed out, starting to comfortably rub her hands to the warmthness they deserved.

"I told you, I don't need your help!" Claire growled. "I brought him to the party. I'll take him back to his room, because he is my responsibility. And please answer your fucking phone."

With that, Adam let out an amused chuckle, totally satisfied with the pissed tone she used on him. He wasn't sure where everything right now was coming from, but he knew that something deep down snapped when she pulled her hands away from his rather harshly and grabbed Lucas.

He stared at his own palms, while Claire stormed off, practically dragging the poor guy with her.

"The least you can do is appreciating my gesture." He muttered bitterly, but he realised that there was no one else but him present there.

Something strange started sinking a tad bit inside him.

***

"Love, please get me a glass of water." Lucas slurred lightly, trying hard to turn into a state of soberness, but it didn't seem like it was working.

"'Love'?" Claire coughed, already walking away from Lucas to fetch him some water.

"Picked't up from ConCon." Lucas grinned charmingly, almost like his teeth were sparkling.

Claire rolled her eyes and brought him his drink, only for him to grab her wrist instead.

"What the-"

"Language.." Lucas said even before she could curse, his voice deep which practically made her legs wobble. "Please." He tried making it seem like he was requesting.

"Let go." Claire ordered.

Lucas bit his lip, letting her wrist loose. His fingers traced from her wrist, along to her cold skin and every move he made, only felt like a growing intimidation.

"Thank you." He whispered with a smirk, looking at her flustered face. She doubted that he would be able to do this after he sobers up. It was totally impossible for this side of him to show up after the alcohol had drained its effect on him.

He took the glass and chugged down the water as if he was taking shots, and he knew, that this trip had officially ruined him inside-out. He got drunk twice that week and at the same time Claire resisted any liquid at all.

Now, there were two people in a room, one with a sly dominating mind and another with an urge to pounce.

The heat rose up in the room, her cheeks turning pink and his delicate skin on his neck and ears turning red. They never looked away, his dark lust filled blue eyes staring into her golden-brown coloured challenging ones.

The door was closed and the game was on.

But the two were more than ready to play the game.

He placed the glass on the small polished table beside the couch he was sitting on and shot a smug smile at the one and only person he never knew he was attracted to. He also knew that it was all the alcohol making the moves.

If it wasn't for the drinks, he would have by now been dead, either by shooting himself from embarrassment or by digging a 10 feet deep hole into the ground and jumping into it.

"Cooper."

"Clark."

Claire stood her ground, watching every single move he made, trying to stay here longer and witness what the courageous Lucas could probably do. One wrong step and she was gonna lock him here until he would fall asleep.

He rose to his feet, closing the huge gap in between them, making Claire strain her neck to look up at him.

The senses of déjà vu hit her hard, from when he pulled this move back in the beach party on the second day of the trip, or let's say when he first got drunk. But this time, she had a change in her plans. She didn't move backwards. Not even an inch.

His face dipped dangerously close to hers, his breath fanning over her ears.

"Why is it that you tend to follow me wherever I go?" He whispered, making Claire's lips part involuntarily. "Why is it that you are everywhere I see? Everywhere I breathe? Every goddamn place I need you to be?"

Her breath hitched, losing her will and moving away from him.

"Because... You are the only person I feel related to. You have everything that I've ever wanted to protect. You're...You're like the person I would kill for."

"Do you really like me so much?"

"My liking for you is beyond belief."

"Then take the chance and make me yours, Claire." He sneaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close to himself.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I want to protect you, not possess you."

The grip on her waist tightened, and he felt himself lean in and place his head on her shoulders, breathing in her smoke filled scent which smelled like burning wood and it only made him purse his lips.

"Then why don't you stop." He muttered.

She clenched her fists and lowered her gaze. She didn't budge to even place her palms on his back, but just glared at the floor well knowing what was to come.

"Stop what?" She asked anyway.

"Stop being nice to me, you'll only end up breaking me and hurting yourself. I don't need protection; I need someone I can trust. Someone who wouldn't neglect my presence and who wouldn't force me into things."

Claire stiffened, listening to his words. It wasn't him talking. It was alcohol talking, and she had to stop him as fast as possible before he spilled something he would regret telling and she would regret listening tp.

"Lucas, you don't know what you're talking."

"I know fucking well what I'm talking. I know what I want. Do you?"

Her breath hitched listening to the sinful words rolling out from his mouth, her knuckles turning white from how hard she was clenching her fists.

"We'll have this conversation tomorrow." She informed, without sounding as if she was going hard on him. Or at least she tried.

But maybe it was too late.

It was as if a second heart snapped that day, and Lucas pulled away from his mere hug from Claire.

He didn't know why he was feeling this, but it was there. It was evident in his chest, and he was slowly realising what it actually was.

It was the edgy feeling of betrayal.

Claire saw red flash in Lucas' eyes because the next thing she knew, he reached over and deliberately threw the glass against the wall, the bits of glasses flying everywhere, but thankfully, they were out of reach.

"I knew it." He breathed. "You don't want this. You don't want to be with me, it was all a show, wasn't it?"

"Whoa, whoa, where is this coming from?" She held her hands up in air totally baffled.

"If all you had to do was break me apart, then why did you make me believe... make me believe in you?!" He roared, making her flinch ever so slightly.

She honestly didn't know what was going on and why he was so fucking close to having a break down, but she knew that if she stood here doing nothing, he would probably cry and fall apart. She would be here to hold him, but that would be painful to look at.

Sometimes, letting go is the option. For now, she's gonna pass on that one because it was getting ridiculous at 2 am at night.

"Lucas, calm down." She frowned, looking at him getting all worked up over nothing. He fidgeted with his hair a little before letting out a troubled noise.

She had to stop him. She had to distract him before he falls into that pit she didn't want him to enter.

So she pushed him against the nearest wall, her fingers gripping the back of his neck a palm on his chest, holding him firmly down.

In a minute, the scene changed from being drunk in sorrow to an intimidating moment.

"I would never break you." She howled, almost devouring his scent. She looked deep into his eyes. "And I swear I'll never let anyone break you."

Lucas blinked at her, his face free from any expression, as he studied her facial features from so close. They just stood there, face to face, almost being the same height as one another, and Claire pinning him firmly against the wall from moving.

Her eyes drifted from his' to his pink lips, which made it tempting for her to control her desires.

"Take me."

And that was all she needed to attack his lips with her own.

She swore that the whole melodrama was not required, when she felt him smile into the small kiss they shared, because really, all he had to do was ask her.

He had to just ask her, and she would have brought him the entire universe if she could. One word and she would have become his personal attention giver. She would have ruined him in every freaking way she could.

And at this moment, nothing ever felt so right that sharing an innocent kiss with the drunken bastard who was a snickering mess afterwards. It made her want to puke her guts out, but at the same time, she couldn't express what she was feeling in any way, even if she wanted to.

Later on after 15 minutes, Claire snuck out of the room, making sure that Lucas was sleeping tight in his bed.

He was safe, was all that mattered.