Page 63 of Corruption
“Good girl,” he praised making my stomach do a strange flip from his words.
I shook my head to dismiss the feeling and began reading from the beginning. Jared suddenly grabbed my hand as I read and placed it in the short strands of his hair. At first, I was unsure of what he wanted me to do. Then, it dawned on me. Slowly, I began to trace my nails over his scalp, running my fingers through his hair. This was so different from last night when he had only wanted my screams and pleas. Today, he seemed to need comfort, a sense of solace. I was the one who had endured flogging, stuffing, biting, cutting, teasing, and had cried from explosive orgasms. Yet, for some reason, Jared was the one seeking respite and tranquility. What was going on with him? I wanted to ask, but a voice told me that asking wouldn’t yield any answers. He still wouldn’t tell me anything. So, I continued to read.
Chapter 28
-Alison-
I had dozed off in the middle of reading, and as the book slid from my lap to the floor, it jolted me awake. I looked around, disoriented by the unexpected nap. Night had almost fallen, indicating that several hours had passed. I couldn’t recall when I had drifted off, but as I surveyed the room, I detected a stronger chill and a faint scent of smoke. Turning my head, I noticed a glass door ajar, allowing the wind to sweep inside. Still clad only in a towel, I quietly made my way to the closet. I knew Jared hadn’t granted me permission to wear clothing, but the cold was starting to get to me. I was willing to endure a spanking if it meant I could wear pants and a shirt for a while. I dressed quickly before sneaking over to the open door. As expected, Jared was outside, but what surprised me was the sight of smoke curling from his lips as he savored the sunset.
“Can I have one of those?” I asked, my hand extended toward him.
Jared spun around, clearly taken aback by my sudden appearance, then looked at the cigarette he held between his fingers.
“You don’t smoke,” he pointed out.
“You don’t smoke,” I countered.
“Clearly, I do,” he replied, holding up the cigarette.
“So is that a no?”
Jared pondered it for a moment, then pulled a pack from his back pocket and handed me a cigarette along with a lighter. I lit mine and settled beside him, gazing out at the expansive backyard. It truly was a beautiful place, marred only by the darkness that seemed to hang around it, sending shivers down my spine. In the hands of different owners, this place could have had a wonderful energy, but here, only murderers resided. Or so I had gathered.
“You do know smoking can lead to infertility among other problems,” he said, glancing at me, a small smile playing on his lips.
“I guess I don’t have to worry in that regard,” I replied, my lips curving into a faint smile as well.
“You didn’t smoke when we last saw each other.”
“I started in college. I had a roommate who smoked daily.”
“You lived in a dorm?” he asked, his tone incredulous.
“An apartment near campus. I shared it with a friend.”
“Of course,” he sighed. “Wouldn’t want to be too close to those of lower status.”
“I still attended classes there,” I reminded him.
He offered no response, merely placing the cigarette between his lips and inhaling.
“Why did you start?” he asked.
I shrugged. “At first, it was just something that happened at parties. Then later, when my mother caught a whiff of it on my clothes, she went berserk and demanded I quit this unladylike behavior. Mind you, this was coming from a woman who frequently got drunk.”
“But you did quit. I never saw you with one in your hand when I started following you,” he disclosed.
“It’s quite creepy that you’ve been following me, but yes, I did quit. It didn’t seem worth it when she threatened to cut off my financial support for the apartment.”
“Of course,” he chuckled, his tone betraying a hint of disbelief. I chose to ignore it and instead focused on him.
“What about you?” I asked. “Why did you start?”
“My dad used to smoke at least a pack a day. I detested the smell for so many years, but one day, I decided to buy a pack,” he revealed.
“Why?”
“I guess I wanted to see if it was similar to your vanilla scent. Would it fuel my anger? Or would it make me sick? Could I confront this thing that reminded me so much of the past?”
