Page 75 of Obsession (Dark Revenge)
“How could anyone survive what both you and he put me through? I gave up, but it was a good thing I did, because it brought me somewhere else. You prepared me for this world Vince lives in and brought me into. The torture I endured, both at school and at home, made me strong enough to handle this.”
Her eyes went completely wild with emotions, and I knew she had no idea what to say or even do. She was so blindsided by this confession that she remained like a statue.
“I wish he hadn’t drowned himself in his alcoholism. He is the only one I never had a chance to pay back, but at least he isn’t here anymore. That, in itself, is a blessing.”
Alison seemed to struggle even swallowing and just kept staring at me with these huge blue eyes.
“What? You wanted a secret, right?” I taunted. “Well, there you have it. Do with it as you want. It doesn’t matter anyway. You can’t hurt me anymore, Alison.”
I pushed away from her and walked inside. There wasn’t much else to say about the matter. What happened had happened,and I couldn’t turn back time to save my younger self from everything he endured. But at least it had made me into the person I was today, and that, I did not regret.
-Alison-
I remained outside, gazing at the sun lowering in the sky as I thought about what Jared had just revealed. I had warmed up after the shower, but now I felt cold, both from the chill in the air and the shock of his confession. All this time, I had been unaware. All this time, while I had made his life hell in school, he had been suffering at home. His father, a monster who could do such unspeakable things to his own child, had escaped my notice. How had I not known? How had no one known? But as Jared had pointed out, would anyone have believed him if he had told them? Would they have cared? His father’s alcoholism should have been a red flag, but it seemed that no one had paid attention to the dangers it posed.
I couldn’t fathom the true extent of the torture Jared had gone through, and it filled me with a profound sense of guilt. No wonder he had never let go of his past, and no wonder he thought I deserved so much more punishment. The tears stung in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Crying wouldn’t change anything now. Jared had survived the most horrific experiences a child could endure, and it had fundamentally shaped him.
I leaned my hands on the railing, tormented by the thought that I could have known. If I had just not told Jared to get out of the car that day, if I had offered him shelter, maybe I could have given him a night of peace. Instead, I had sent him right back into the lion’s den.
I turned to look over my shoulder, seeing Jared pass by, heading toward the bed. It was clear that he intended to sleep now, and I would have to join him soon. But as I watched him, my heart ached terribly. I thought my own experiences hadalready crushed it, but they couldn’t compare to what Jared had been put through.
I could have helped him…
Had I not sworn that no one but me touched him? Had I not made it clear to all my friends that any harm befalling doggy had to go through me first? And yet, I had failed to keep him safe from the real monster. I had sent him back to endure even more torment. No month of selling myself could ever make up for what I did. I would forever be in debt to him.
“Slave!” I heard him call, signaling that our time was up.
I glanced at the darkened sky before returning inside, where Jared was sitting on the bed, half-covered by the sheets. He held the cuffs between his fingers, ready for me to join him in bed.
“Can I go get ready?” I whispered.
“Be fast,” he replied.
I turned and walked to the bathroom to prepare for bed and finally relieve myself. After brushing my teeth, I joined Jared in bed, extending my hand for him to slide on the cuff. As he did, I watched him closely, unable to stop myself. It felt as if I were seeing him in a completely new light.
I had always viewed him as someone beneath me, someone I could control and manipulate at will. However, with the revelation of his dark secret, everything about him seemed to have changed in my eyes. There had been a reason I couldn’t leave him alone when we were kids, and now I wondered if, secretly, something had drawn me to him that I hadn’t realized. Perhaps, I had seen something in him that mirrored my own pain, something I had failed to notice until now.
Jared had just locked the cuff around my wrist when he noticed my intense gaze. He turned to me, a confused frown on his face.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I whispered, but I didn’t lower my eyes.
He turned away and locked his own wrist to mine, but I continued to watch him. It seemed to annoy him, so he turned to me again.
“What are you doing?” he questioned.
“Nothing,” I replied once more.
“You’re staring.”
“I know.”
“Are you planning something?”
I shook my head.
“I don’t believe you,” he stated, moving closer to me and resting his free hand on the bed.
