Fractured by N.O Darling

Chapter 2

For the next few hours, | watch the clock in the small room they havelocked in. I'd drank my small paper cup

of water hours ago and I've counted every tiny crack | can find in the plastered walls at least ten times. Just

when I'm at the point of driving myself completely insane by mentally replaying what happened with Jenna over

and over again, the door opens. The male officer that I'd seen in my dorm room earlier walks in and takes the

seat oppositeat the table.

“Sorry to keep you waiting Miss Banks,” he says, laying a paper folder out on the table. He opens it and begins to

read through it in silence. The seconds tick by and | start to get fidgety in my seat at the uncomfortable silence.

Just as | open my mouth to break the silence the door opens again and a tall man wearing an expensive-looking

suit walks in holding a briefcase. The man looks down atin an assessing way. He is extremely good-looking

and exudes dominance in a way that makes him hard to look at.

“Is this her?” he says in an almost snort, jerking his chin in my direction.

“Yes, Sir,” the police officer nods, motioning for the newcomer to sit next to him. He takes his seat and reads

through the paperwork the officer hands to him. | study his face as he reads. He's one of those ageless guys. His

serious, no-bullshit demeanour makes him seem like he’s much older, but his face is young. My guess is he could

be anywhere between twenty and forty. He must feellooking at him as his eyes flick up to mine over the

paper and he holds my gaze. Everything inscreams atto look away, to break the eye contact, but | don’t.

| won't be bullied by sstuck-up detective. His eyes grow intense and then | swear | see the flash of a smirk

before he slams his hand down on the table, makingjump back in fright.

“Are you trying to challengeMiss Banks?” he asks in a deeper voice than he’d used with the other officer.

“Challenge you?” | snort and raise an eyebrow, trying to use my attitude to mask how much he had scared me.

“I suggest you learn to submit, and quickly, because at the place you are going, the people won't be as tolerant

as | am,” he says, closing the folder and putting it into his briefcase before turning to the officer and nodding. My

heart pounds in my chest and panic gripsas | watch the two men shake hands. “I'll take her from here,” the

stuck-up detective tells the officer.

“No,” | manage to rasp out. “Please, | didn’t mean to hurt her. | can’t go to prison. | can’t!... Don’t | get a

solicitor?... A phone call?” | plead with the officer as he leaves the room. | turn my attention back to the suited

man. “Please sir, it was an accident,” | sob.

“Not so tough now are we?” he smirks at me. “Let's go, Miss Banks, | have a very busy schedule and don’t have

tfor your tears,” he sighs and heads towards the door. | remain seated, frozen in fear and shock. “You have

two seconds to follow me, otherwise | will leave you here and let the police throw you in prison,” he snaps.

“Wait, what?” | gasp and turn to look at him. He gestures to the open doorway he is standing in and without too

much thought | scramble to my feet and rush to his side.

“That's what | thought,” | hear him remark under his breath. He walks down the corridor with large strides that |

struggle to keep up with.

“Where are we going?” | whisper to him as we pass police officers who don’t seem to pay any attention to us. He

ignoreslike the rude asshole that he is and doesn’t even look atuntil we reach the elevator. He presses

the button and turns to facewhilst we wait for the doors to open.

“Tell me, Miss Banks, are you prone to panic attacks?” He asks.

“Huh?” | respond, a little taken aback at this whole situation.

“Your file says you passed out from a suspected panic attack at the scene, and you seem to be on the brink of

another panic attack now. So what | am asking, little girl, is if I'm going to have to hold your hand through our

journey?” He snarks. Anger flares inat his words.

“Well I'm sorry Mr Perfect, I've had a hell of a day so do excuseif I'm a little upset!” | hiss at him, crossing

my arms to let him know how much of a badass | am. He givesanother of his barely there smirks and a nod

in what seems like approval. The elevator dings at that moment, signalling the doors opening and he steps

forward without another word. | follow the smarmy asshole in and stand beside him. | watch as the doors close,

with a strange sense that they're closing on my old life.

“Collins,” he says, snappingout of my strange thoughts I turn to give him a questioning look. “It's Mr

Collins,” he says in a barely there whisper as he steps dangerously close and looks down at me. So close that

when | take a breath my chest touches his. The air suddenly feels charged as | stare up into Mr Collins’ eyes. The

arm holding the briefcase snakes around my back and he pullsflush against his chest, causingto gasp.

Holy shit balls this man is hot. He brings up his other hand and gently strokes my cheek with a secret smile, then

in a flash he grips my chin hard. “Sleep,” he demands, his eyes flashing blue as he speaks. My last thought

before my body shuts down is that I'm going to knee this jerk in the balls as soon as | get the opportunity.

word

word

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