Chapter 508: Scotch

{𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟏𝟖+}

{𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈}

Willow was sitting on a chair in a storage room. Jeremy had followed her around all night, and he was still hovering over her despite her clearly agitated state. She asked him to leave her alone several times, but he refused to go away until they had a chance to have a full conversation. Willow agreed, and now she was listening to the man admit to everything he had done while they were a couple, and all that occurred in between.

Some of the things were easy for Willow to ignore because they happened during one of her disappearances, others, were not. She was only just finding out that Jeremy had been dating Claire long before she showed up, and something told her that woman would still be there long after. She massaged her face, trying to take in all the things that the man was telling her. There were so many women that she felt sick; some of which she knew and had even considered 'friends.' Willow found herself sympathizing with Lisa Anders, her enemy by default.

"I don't know why you couldn't wait until after the event to tell me this," she said while tugging on her hair. Jeremy removed her hands and kneeled in front of her, looking deep into her eyes.

"Because I know you and I know that the moment this party is over, you'll get on a flight and I will not see you again for months." It was true what Jeremy said, but not because she was hiding anymore, but because she had things to do for Mina. "You don't look good babe," Jeremy added as he handed Willow a drink. She swallowed the liquid and winced at how disgusting it was. "You never did like scotch," he said with a light chuckle.

The pair stayed in silence for a long time, with Jeremy sitting on the floor in front of Willow gently and lovingly stroking her leg. Every now and then he looked up at her and asked for forgiveness, but she just kept her head rested in her hands as if she was too overwhelmed to reply. Willow suddenly felt dizzy, she slouched forward, ready to fall, but Jeremy caught her.

"What was in that drink?" She asked in a whisper; Jeremy kissed her in response. First gently and then more passionately. He laid her down, standing up to make sure the hall was clear, but it was filled with people, and he did not want to get caught carrying her out of the venue. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he was desperate. Going back to Willow, Jeremy pulled a table cover off a nearby chair and laid it on the ground. "What are you doing?" Willow asked with a slur that she knew was not from drunkenness.

"Shh, I know this isn't the ideal place, but after we are together once, the next time will be easier." Willow panicked and tried to stand but her depth perception was off, and she stumbled forward. "Don't hurt yourself Hun. I promise I will not do anything you won't like."

"Why?" she whimpered out, and Jeremy closed the distance between them, kissing her lips while gently removing her dress.

"Because I love you and I came too close to losing you."

"If you do this; you will lose me." Willow tried to add strength into her whisper, but a burning sensation hit her midsection stealing her voice away. She intuitively knew it was because of whatever drug she was given.

"When we are done, I will take you back to my place and we can try again."

"Try?" Willow asked, hoping that the man was still willing to give her a choice to say no. She couldn't even swat his hands away as he gingerly removed her clothing, moving as if he were doing something romantic. She wanted to scream, but she could barely even speak.

"I want us to have a baby," Jeremy said into her ear, and Willow felt her chest spasm as tears fell from her eyes. "Don't cry. This is hard for me too, I wanted to take you home first, but I don't want to do this while you are sleeping. Trust me please." Willow opened her mouth, and Jeremy's tongue entered. She felt herself gag and the man pulled away with a hurt expression. "Don't you want me?"

----

President Lee's words kept ringing in Mina's ears repeatedly. She had been scared, which was why she allowed Willow and Cylus to act on her behalf, but President Cameron knew what they were doing, and his bestowing of the Mark of Achievement was like a smack in the face. He was telling her that it did not matter how famous she was, or how many connections she tried to make, he was watching her and the moment she slipped up, he would be there to 'catch' her.

Mina felt sick, and she wanted to leave, but Willow had yet to return, and it distracted her enough to keep her in place. She wondered if President Cameron had taken the woman to prove a point, or had President Lee taken her because she went against him? She found her feet moving toward Cylus, Oric, and Connor, who were having a conversation with Ash and Mills.

"Has anyone seen Willow? I am worried." Oric stared at Mina because he could see the untold stress in her eyes.

"I saw her talking to a tall man. They went that way," Mills said as she pointed. Ash and Mina's eyes met and both women scurried in the direction where Willow was last seen; with Connor and Mills close behind. Oric did not follow them, and he and Cylus went straight to the school chancellor asking if there was remote access to the school security system. The man nodded, handing his mobile phone to the men, who scanned the footage until they saw Willow and Jeremy disappear toward the storage area.

Oric was the first to run in that direction, while Cylus scanned the venue for Olivia, who he had not seen much of through the night. He spotted her near Peter Twan, but whatever conversation they were having was brief; and she walked away from the man, who turned back to his friend. Cylus quickly went to follow Oric, and the school chancellor followed behind him, worried that someone important may have been offended.

Cylus found Oric pounding on a storage room door, which had been locked. The chancellor used a small radio on his hip to get a staff member to unlock the room, and Oric was the first to scramble inside. He shut the door behind him, and Cylus knew it was for a reason. Cylus refused to let anyone follow, because whatever it was that Oric had seen, had made the man's face grow dark with rage, and if someone died in that room, Cylus would make sure there were no witnesses.

Mina and her group quickly made it to the room, where they could hear tables and chairs being pushed around and men shouting, but Cylus didn't budge. Ash, who read the situation clearly, took the arm of the school chancellor and walked him away from the door reminding him of how much the school's reputation would grow now that a student had been awarded the Mark of Achievement. The man was not an idiot, and he allowed himself to be pulled away, not wanting to be an accomplice to whatever was happening.

The sounds of men fighting died down, and Mina started to shake nervously, but Mills steadied her. The door opened, and Oric's bloody appearance peaked out. Mina gasped before nearly fainting into Connor's waiting arms. He had foreseen it; he knew that her mind was all over the place, and the sight was too much for her, almost a little too much for him. Seeing that Mina was struggling to breathe, Oric asked Mills to enter the room, without saying much else.