Page 60 of Corruption
“Well, that was rather pathetic,” he remarked as I slumped back against the plush pillow.
“This is entirely your fault,” I countered.
“I’ll proudly accept that blame,” he responded, his demeanor exuding an air of satisfaction, which only served to make me scowl. I crossed my arms, growing increasingly frustrated, and my stomach chose that moment to remind me of its emptiness. It rumbled loudly, and when I turned to look at Jared, his grin widened.
“I’ll fetch you some food,” he assured me. “Once I’m finished here. Damn it!”
The cotton he’d been using to clean his wound slipped from his grasp.
“So, it appears I will die from starvation,” I teased.
This time, he shot me a glare, but then a spark of an idea seemed to light up in his eyes. He rose from the couch and approached me. In one fluid motion, he leaned down, sliding one arm beneath my legs and the other beneath my back.
“Wait, what are you doing?” I cried out, although his intentions were quite clear. He effortlessly lifted me and carried me back to the couch. Once seated, he arranged me so that I straddled his lap. He reached for the disinfectant and a clean bandage, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer against him for support.
“Now, you can tend to it,” he instructed.
I blinked, somewhat surprised by his change in demeanor. He looked up at me expectantly, so I reached for the disinfectant. With his support, I managed to raise myself higher, leaning over him. I applied the stinging liquid to his wound, hearing him hiss in response. Despite the discomfort, it was healing nicely, and I continued to dab it carefully. However, in the midst of my ministrations, Jared let out a sigh and rested his head against the upper part of my stomach and chest. I froze, half-expecting him to tease my body or perhaps even suck on my nipples, but he remained still, merely pressing the side of his head and face against my skin. It was rather peculiar, but I refrained from commenting on it as I continued cleaning the wound. Then I picked up the bandage with my free hand and began unwrapping it. However, I froze once again when Jared began to speak.
“What is it like to be married?” he asked.
“W-What?” I stammered, unsure if I had heard him correctly.
“Did you feel forced when you stood at the altar?” he asked.
“Um...” The unexpected questions momentarily rendered me speechless. I shook off the shock and resumed tending to his wound, carefully placing the bandage over it. “No, I didn’t feel forced. I loved Warren.”
“Loved...”
“Love,” I corrected. “Saying ‘yes’ was easy. I know you believe everything in my life is a façade, but we were head over heels for each other.”
“So, it grew dull over time?” he probed, and I gazed down at him. I had thought that, now that I had finished caring for his wound, he would release me. However, he continued to keep me in this slightly elevated position, asking me these perplexing questions.
“Is this some kind of game?” I asked.
“Just asking,” he replied.
“Um, yes, but as I said, it didn’t grow dull. Every marriage faces challenges, and ours encountered a significant one that we couldn’t overcome. I understand that both of our families expected us to have children, as is customary. I know why Warren distanced himself from me, but things were good in the beginning. There was love, romance, and, well, a lot of incredible sex,” I explained. “So, being married was good.”
“But now you’re trapped,” he murmured.
I sighed, feeling somewhat defeated as he vocalized the truth that I was already aware of.Yes, now I was indeed trapped, I thought to myself.
“What if it had been bad from the start?” he mused.
“Then I probably wouldn’t have married him.”
“What if you discovered just how bad it was after you got married?”
“I think we both know why I’m trapped. I’ve been with Warren for too long. If it had happened earlier, maybe I could have freed myself. Now, we’re the kind of married couple that people are supposed to look up to,” I whispered.
“But it’s all a lie,” he reminded me.
“Is there anything genuine in this world? Even love can be feigned,” I sighed.
“Fake it until you make it.”
I nodded, and I felt Jared draw closer, his fingers gripping me tightly, not painfully so, but there was a subtle pressure. My skin still burned from the flogging, bites, and restraints, so there was a sharp edge to the sensation. However, I barely noticed the pain. It was Jared’s unusual mood that perplexed me. Why was he holding me like a teddy bear? Or had he fallen asleep? I poked his shoulder.
