Elara's POV,
"I'm so old-fashioned?" He raises a brow, and I roll my eyes, then narrow them at his hand holding the popsicle.
"What's that?" I ask, and he shrugs. I place a hand on my waist. "Yes?"
"It's Asher's." He looks around, and suddenly his face turns white. "Where is he?"
My eyes twitch. "Um, what?!"
"He said he was going to use the restroom." He drops the popsicle to the floor and spins around. "He didn't come back, so I assumed he was with you." His voice dropped, and so did his eyes.
I march up to him.
"Lucien." My voice comes out like acid. "Tell me my son went with one of your bodyguards."
He didn't reply, and I grabbed him by his collar. "Tell me this is a fucking prank, and my son is in the car!" I yell, ignoring the passersbys, and Lucien hisses.
"Elara." He holds my hands, clenching his shirt. "Let's calm down. We can ask a teacher."
I don't wait for him. I just run. I run inside the building and burst open every door, looking for Asher. My mind flashes angrily as wild thoughts run through my head. They can't have found me, right? They can't have found my son. If any hair on his head is harmed, I'll burn the world. Lucien keeps calling me, but I don't give a fuck.
I open the last door.
"Asher!!!!!!" I yell out. It was late. Only the cleaners remained in the school, but I still hadn't found him. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and my eyes burn red. I spin around and push him.
"You!" I point at him, bellowing. "Every single time I want you and your bodyguards to lay off, you don't." I lunge at him to push him again, but he just firmly grabs my hand.
"The one time…" I say. "Just the one time, I need you to act like a father, and you don't."
"Don't you fucking say that." He grits out. "You can't have me suffocating my son."
"But you think it's perfectly alright to suffocate me?" I yell out. "You just keep destroying my life!"
He runs a hand through his hair. "Here we fucking go again. Always making it about you."
My face turns ugly, and I glare at him, "How dare you…"
"He's my son too." He steps closer towards me, with cold fire in his eyes. "Don't make it seem like I wanted him gone from the start."
He walks closer and closer and closer until…my back slams on the wall. That's when I realized I was walking backwards to avoid him. He looms in till I'm covered in his scent.
"I'm not asking you to trust me, Solis." He says, quietly, "But it wouldn't hurt a hair on your head if you believe I see Asher as my son, not an investment."
I can't speak yet. I'm too crowded by him. So, I inhale deeply and say firmly, "I'll never. I'll never see you as Asher's father. You are everything wrong for him. So, never. I'll keep looking over my shoulder, waiting for the perfect moment to escape."
I smirk, grab his collar, and pull him closer till our lips are almost touching. "And when I do, you'd go to hell before you find me. Asher only needs one dangerous parent at a time."
His eyes darken, and he brings his face even closer. "Why? What are you so afraid of?"
I open my mouth to reply that I'm not afraid, just careful when,
"Mummy! Daddy! Aunt Noemi has been looking for you both!"
We both freeze and turn to see Asher sitting on Noemi's shoulder and Camille coming behind them. I don't act fast enough because my friends already see the position we're in, and while Noemi smirks, Camille's mouth drops open.
I push Lucien off me and walk towards them with a fake and wide smile. "Asher! We looked everywhere!"
Noemi brings him down with a grunt, then grins widely, "We were just passing by and saw the school still open."
"We thought we could come in and see if Asher was still around." Camille blows at her nails, and I frown, bending down to hug Asher.
"So you found him. " I squeeze my baby. "And took him where?"
Before they can speak, Asher raises his head. "We looked for you!"
"How? I kept yelling your name." I say through my teeth, glaring at Noemi and Camille.
Noemi shrugs, while Camille whistles.
"You took him out with the guise of looking for me?" I raise a brow, and after a few beats of silence, Noemi exhales.
"Fine." Then, she puts on puppy eyes. "I missed Asher so much; I just wanted to spend time with him. Is that so bad?"
I slowly stand up. "I almost had a panic attack because of you two." I pinch the bridge of my nose.
"But you didn't," Camille smirks, then looks behind me. "So it was your boss we saw that day."
I look at Lucien for a beat, then look back at her. "What do you mean? You've met him before?"
"Yes." Camille licks her lips. "I'm surprised he doesn't recognize me."
Lucien's deep voice comes from behind me. "Sorry, I'm not good with faces."
"Come on." She laughs, covering her mouth. "I have such a memorable face." She slurs out, and Noemi whispers, "I think Camille's flirting with your husband."
"Shut up."
"I'm sorry, but I don't." Lucien insists, and I step up to stand next to him, with a wide smile on my face.
"Camille," I say. "What are you talking about?"
Camille grunts, then pats Asher's head. "Asher? Why didn't you tell your mother this was the man who bought the cake for you that day?"
What? Lucien has met Asher before? I look up at him, but he is avoiding my eyes. The motherfu…