Page 6 of Corruption
I shook my head, my laughter gradually subsiding. “Oh, it really is.”
Alison huffed, crossed her arms, and turned away from me, but as I stole a glance at her bare legs, I noticed how much they trembled. They shook uncontrollably, and one thigh was stained more by blood than the other. I hadn’t hesitated for even a fraction of a second when I had entered my house and seen the man in front of Alison, aiming his weapon at her. I had fired without a second thought. However, her legs were marked more by blood than her face. There were blotches on her cheek, but the man’s bleeding head had landed directly in her lap. I wondered if she even realized it. I’d have to wait until we reached Vince’s place to assess the full extent of the damage. Yet, there was something I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“How long were they there?” I inquired.
Alison slowly turned back to me as I focused on the road ahead.
“Who?” she asked, her voice laced with confusion.
“The men. How long were they inside?”
“Do you think I invited them over for afternoon tea?” she retorted, obviously not comprehending why I was concerned about the duration of their presence.
“No, of course not!” I snapped. “That’s not why I’m asking!”
“Then why the hell are you asking? Why are you even bothered about how many minutes they spent inside your house? They’re dead now!”
“Did they touch you?” I shouted so vehemently that it left Alison momentarily speechless.
I couldn’t look at her as I focused on driving, and the silence between us weighed heavily.
“Alison!”
“What?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“Did they touch you before I arrived?” I pressed.
“They grabbed me...”
“You know what I’m asking!” I reminded her sternly.
“No...” Her soft response left a lingering silence between us as we continued our journey toward Vince’s house.
Chapter 4
-Jared-
I sensed Alison shifting in her seat as Vince’s imposing mansion loomed into view. She leaned forward slightly as the mansion grew larger, and we slowly parked in front of it, alongside Vince’s other cars. I remembered my own arrival here for the first time, feeling overwhelmed, just as I knew Alison did now. However, there was a stark contrast between us. I had come from humble beginnings, whereas Alison was accustomed to grandeur and luxury. She was familiar with way of the rich, while I had barely been aware that there were different forks for different meals or that a homemade meal could taste a thousand times better than something reheated in minutes.
“Is this your actual home?” she whispered, turning to me as I switched off the car’s engine and slowly faced her.
“I don’t have a home.”
Alison looked perplexed, but I didn’t bother elaborating. This night had been a nightmare for me too. Although I hadn’t had a gun pointed at my face, I had been stabbed, nearly witnessed Alison’s murder, and now I was introducing her to a part of my life that I would rather have kept her far away from. Not only was the darkness I truly belonged to incredibly dangerous, but revealing it felt like allowing the enemy to peer into my steel heart finding a vulnerable spot, and Alison was skilled at exploiting. Yet as long as she was forced to stay here with me, I was determined to keep her in the dark. The soul-sucking witch would undoubtedly attempt to use any information against me.
I exited the car, grabbed my bag, and opened Alison’s car door where she still sat. She looked uncertain about whether to step out. She was wearing nothing but my shirt, with no shoes, her hair in disarray, and blood covering her. However, with a subtle nod, she understood my unspoken command and slowly emerged from the car. I closed the door behind her, and she pressed herself against the vehicle, hugging her arms tightly around herself. Uncertainty and fear swirled in her eyes as she tried to make sense of our surroundings.
“While we’re here, there’s one rule you must follow, and do not even think of going against it. Do you understand?” I stated firmly.
“As if I haven’t already learned what happens when I defy you,” she mumbled, her words clear despite her low tone.
She cast her gaze to the ground, so I gently grasped her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Do not ask any questions.”
“How can I—”
“Ah, ah, that’s a question,” I interjected.
“But—”
