Chapter 135
Chapter 135:
“You were in the neighborhood?” she asked, buckling her seat belt. “Elias, your neighborhood is a fortress twenty blocks away p>
Elias didn’t answer. He put the car in drive. He handed her the thermos.
“Here p>
Aurora took it. It was warm. “What is this p>
“Soy milk. Freshly pressed. Warm. Low sugar p>
Aurora unscrewed the cap. Steam curled up, smelling of earthy beans. It was exactly how she liked it.
“How did you know?” she asked softly.
“My chef made extra,” Elias said, staring straight ahead at the traffic light. “It seemed wasteful to discard it p>
Aurora took a sip. The warmth spread through her chest, chasing away the morning chill. She looked at his profile—the sharp jawline, the intense focus on the road.
“Thank you,” she said.
They drove in comfortable silence for a few blocks. Elias navigated the morning rush with aggressive competence, weaving through yellow cabs and delivery trucks.
In the adjacent lane, a dark SUV with heavily tinted windows was inching along. It drifted slightly into their lane, aggressive and clumsy.
Elias glanced to the left. He saw the driver holding a phone up, the lens pointed directly at the Audi. It wasn’t Xander this time; it looked like a professional paparazzo, or perhaps a corporate spy.
Threat detected to privacy.
Elias didn’t hesitate. He slammed on the accelerator. The Audi surged forward with a growl of the engine, cutting off a taxi with inches to spare. He swerved into the left lane, ran a yellow light that was definitely turning red, and disappeared around a corner, leaving the SUV trapped behind a delivery truck.
𝘾𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚:
“Whoa,” Aurora said, gripping the handle. “Are we in a chase scene p>
“Just avoiding traffic,” Elias said calmly.
He pulled up to the gates of Columbia University. The campus was bustling with students and faculty. He knew she wouldn’t want a scene.
“Here is acceptable?” he asked.
“Perfect,” Aurora said. She clutched the thermos. “Really, Elias. Thanks. For the ride. And the… extra soy milk p>
“Go,” he said. “You’ll be late for your seminar p>
She opened the door and stepped out. She leaned back in for a second.
“You’re a terrible liar, by the way,” she smiled. “But the soy milk is delicious p>
She shut the door and walked away, her ponytail swinging.
Elias watched her go until she turned the corner toward Schermerhorn Hall. He felt a strange tightness in his chest. It wasn’t anxiety. It wasn’t indigestion.
It was satisfaction.
He put the car in gear and drove away, ignoring the fact that he had just broken four traffic laws and lied to a woman he respected, all because a pink book told him to.
Columbia University was a monolith of intellect and ambition. The buildings were Beaux-Arts masterpieces, covered in ivy that had seen generations of geniuses rise and fall.