Chapter 6. Sinful fantasy

Back to Adeleine's POV

No words escaped my mouth as I gazed at the man in front of me incredulously. 

It was the man that Courtney had been torturing ever since he decreed Oliver to assist me. I was just curious to see him, but I never expected it was the man who once abused me.

I don't remember his surname, but I am perfectly certain his first name is Fredrin. Aside from my husband, this man is one of the evils who wrecked me, and I will never forget his face.

"How could you manage to be so elusive?!" I yelled until our eyes met. My mind couldn't process the view that I was seeing. "I know my husband helped you escape. Admit it!"

My hands quivered in both pain and rage as I glared at him with so much abhor. The memories of those hell nights were still vivid in my mind, and it was so depressing that I could still feel them on my skin. 

He looked terrible, badly injured by a couple of bullets and all the physical abuse he'd gone through. His clothes were covered in blood, and his hair was disheveled as if he hadn't gotten a decent rest and a proper wash for weeks. 

"Answer me, asshole!" I hollered, letting my outburst of anger fuel it even more. "How the hell did you get away? You should be dead!"

"Stop yelling, will you?" He gave me an unbothered look before he closed his eyes. "I don't even know who the fuck you are." 

With those words he articulated, the pain inside me died away, and the anger took over." So you don't remember me?!"

He didn't respond.

"You, fucking moron!" I shouted before my feet dragged me into the long table's right corner. And without reluctance, I took one knife out of its case, which was already open. 

I walked faster toward his direction with the knife held high while my mind began going wild, wondering what I could do to him. All that mattered at this moment was hurting that scum. He deserved it for everything he put me through.

Soon, I found myself standing before him until he opened his eyes in stupefaction. "What the fuck is your problem?" 

"Make you remember me!"

My hand moved forward without thinking before I stabbed him right through his chest.

That's when I lost myself; the knife slipped out of my hands before I sank to my knees with my whole weight resting on my arms. I stayed like that for a minute, trembling in fear.

Every touch and every hit that Fredrin had given me, every tear and every scream, came rushing back to me again. Those scars that he inflicted upon me were engraved deep into my soul and would never leave. Even if they were from three years ago, that didn't obliterate them, and nothing could change them. 

"Adeleine?"

A voice pulled me back to reality just in time, and I looked up to see Courtney staring at me with concerned eyes. But as soon as his gaze diverted to Fredrin's dead body on the chair while bleeding, the worry turned to shock. 

Did I really kill him?

It's not me.

It's not.

Courtney glanced back at me.

"I-I-m sorry... Courtney. I—"

He walked faster toward me and dropped his knees to embrace me tightly. Those intended words I wanted to convey died in my throat, and with his warm arms around mine, I let my tears fall freely.

*****

Courtney had been waiting for my explanation. We're currently inside his room, sitting next to each other in silence as I gather my thoughts to formulate an answer.

A bottle of champagne is on the table with two empty glasses beside it. Different dishes were also served on the table. The first bottle is nearly half gone, while our glasses are about half full. We've been drinking since we got here at 11 pm, and I'm the one who insisted that this way could help me disclose the truth.

"I know him," I finally said. I was so ashamed even to look at him, but what I had done earlier was punishable. I killed that man with no hesitation, and that cannot be undone. "Three years ago, my husband introduced him to me. They were close friends until one night while Blaine was not around..." I gasped, then continued, "Fredrin came to my room and raped me. And that's not just one night because he raped me four times, hit and strangled me a few times as well."

"Have you tried to fight?" he queried.

I glanced at him and nodded. "But I was too weak, and he used his strength against me, and it worked every single time."

His expression became more distressed as I continued talking. He then put both of his hands inside his pockets. "What did you do after that?" 

"It took a week before I told my husband everything, and he promised to send him to jail, but... I just realized he did nothing 'cause look, he's here." I laughed bitterly, realizing how stupid I was to believe my husband, considering he has no heart for me. "Funny how I ended up here, knowing you and I have the same enemy. Small world, right?"

He put his two hands over my trembling ones and squeezed them reassuringly. "About the kiss earlier, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't trigger your past." His eyes flickered with regret, but that kiss didn't bother me at all. I loved it. I loved how our tongues intertwined, though I don't understand myself for being this way. 

"I know you fret too much about what you did, but I've got everything covered, okay?" He added, interrupting me from brooding.

"I'm sorry." I looked down, embarrassed and afraid, specifically when I thought about the possible outcome of my action. "I'm sure my husband will never stop searching for me. He will surely beat me to death once he finds out I killed one of his friends."

He shook his head with so much conviction that it reminded me how I trusted him in the first place. "You're really innocent." He smiled hotly, and all the negative sentiments in my heart vanished this time. 

"What do you mean?" One of my brows furrowed in perplexity.

"From the moment you entered my house, you allowed me to become your executioner." A smirk appeared on his lips. And I swear to God, that smile was so addictive that I found myself staring at his lips.

However, I have to conceal my stupid fantasy 'cause I don't want to be addressed "floozy" by his men again. 

"What?" I asked, unable to decipher what he said because I was too occupied admiring him. 

"You know what I mean." He poured another glass of champagne and drank it in one gulp. "Not once did you show any remorse for that moment. No regrets whatsoever."

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"That your husband was a coward. 'Cause I swear, I'm gonna pull the trigger if he defies my words. But he did not. Those kinds of men always believe they are superior because they have fucking moolah and position to save their ass," He stated those words so seriously, making me realize he was right. 

Blaine has the power to do anything he desires, depending too much on his wealth. 

Our eyes suddenly met. It's frankly too hot to handle. Something in his gaze seemed so intense that I had to avert my eyes from it. This is not me. The worry I felt about what had transpired earlier suddenly turned into dust because of him.

Why do I feel so damn attractive to him?

I cleared my throat to distract myself and took a sip from my champagne. "Thank you for helping me, Courtney."

He shook his head, and I glimpsed a hint of sadness in his eyes that I couldn't fathom. "Adeleine, I understand your pain. I know it's traumatizing, and the more you try to forget everything, the more it will be engraved into your subconscious forever. You must keep reminding yourself that it's not the end."

I smiled. "You're right."

The dizziness began to settle in, and I could feel my head begin to spin as I tried to keep the focus on Courtney's words.

"Are you okay?" He asked when he noticed the way I swayed slightly to the side. "You're drunk, Adeleine. You need to rest now."

He was about to stand, but then I grabbed his wrist lightly. He swiveled around, and I didn't hesitate to kiss him. I was stunned when he reacted immediately in a way that I'd never been before - a soft moan escaped his throat, and his hand tightened almost painfully around my waist. He runs his tongue over the seam of my lips. It wasn't long before we were both out of breath and slowly pulled away. 

"Nobody ever made me feel this way like you do," I courageously said.

He didn't respond; instead, he quickly brought me to the table and kissed me back fervently. When I came up for air, his eyes were filled with hunger as though he would have devoured me already if given the chance. We stared at each other intensely, heavily breathing until he let go of my hands, leaving me sitting still.

Oh my god!

Did I really kiss him?