What Would You Do?

~ Joan ~

I rolled my eyes as soon as he left, placing my mug on the counter. Rhoda huffed out a laugh, as she leaned on the island, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

“He can be insufferable at times... But, he’s got a heart of gold,” Rhoda said, eyeing me from the corner of her eyes, as though daring me to disagree.

I said nothing. Because I wasn’t going to agree with her that Aaron had a heart of gold. Nope. I was convinced he doesn’t even have one to begin with. All I ever saw was his coldness, his need for control. How she could see past that, I didn’t know.

“You’re staying, right?” she asked, and I glanced at her as I rinsed the mug, the water slipping through my fingers as I tried to focus on something other than Aaron.

She shifted on her feet uncomfortably, sensing the weight of my silence, as I stared at her from under my lashes.

“I mean, he’ll be gone by the weekend... that’s just two days away,” she added, a little too quickly. “We could have the whole building to ourselves,” she gushed, her eyes silently imploring me to stay.

I swallowed nothing, dabbing my hands on a towel as I considered her offer. As much as I wanted to leave to avoid Aaron's suffocating presence, the idea of just Rhoda and me, with no one else, was tempting.

“Rhoda, I...”

“Please...” Rhoda pleaded, clasping both of her hands together and giving me her best puppy eyes. A tiny smile broke out on my face as hope lit up her eyes.

“I’ll be staying...” I said, watching her light up with relief. Her smile was so genuine it sent a pang through my heart. “Just because the asshole is leaving,” I added, and she nodded furiously, as if agreeing would make sure nothing could spoil our plans.

She tugged on my hair lightly before scurrying off to the room, muttering a few words as she left. I shook my head, picking up her mug and rinsing it off. As much as I adored her, Rhoda could be impulsive, living in her own world where everything works out. I, on the other hand, was always bracing for impact.

Rhoda was like family to me, and even though Aaron seemed bent on driving a wedge between us, we’d always been the kind of duo that bounced back, stronger than before. That’s why I’d stay. For her. Not for him.

Oh yeah, I’m staying. As much as the house was beautiful, its owner was still a dickhead.

---

We’d explored the city of Madrid, and just like in the papers, it was beautiful. But there was something about being there in person, with the energy of the city pulsing through the air, that took my breath away.

The clock tower was awe-inspiring, towering above us, and it explained why the citizens of Spain always flocked around it. There was a certain magic to this place that made me forget, even if just for a moment, about everything waiting back at the house.

By the time we’d finished going around, seeing the Plaza Mayor, the royal palace, the El Retiro Park... it was already getting dark.

“It’s 5 p.m.,” Rhoda muttered, glancing at her phone. I stood, staring at the park, my body sweaty and tingling with exhaustion, but the excitement still strummed in my veins.

“We should head back,” I said, wiping my brow, but when I glanced at her, Rhoda was smiling mischievously.

“What is it?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. There was something off about that grin. 

She looked down at her phone again, her excitement bubbling over, far beyond the thrill of sightseeing.

“Lucas is around. He asked me to meet him,” she said with a little laugh, like it was the most casual thing in the world.

I stared at her like she’d suddenly lost her mind. “You’re kidding, right?” 

I knew Rhoda had an ulterior motive when she picked Spain for our vacation. She’d been chatting with this stranger for the last two months, and I had a sinking feeling this trip had less to do with seeing Madrid and more to do with finally meeting him.

“It’s dangerous,” I said, my voice firmer now. Her smile faltered.

“He isn’t, Jo. He’s actually really friendly,” she muttered, but I rolled my eyes. It was always the friendly ones that turned out to be a psychopath.

“I’m coming with you then,” I said, digging into my bag and coming up with a pepper spray and a taser.

A few passersby gave us weird looks, but I didn’t care. Better safe than sorry.

“Jo, this isn’t New York. This is Spain, one of the safest places in the world,” she pointed out, eyeing the items in my hand. “You can’t come with me. It’s our first time meeting, and I want to make a good impression,” she insisted.

“Good impression that could lead to death? Hell no,” I snapped, shivers running down my spine as memories I’d pushed to the back of my mind tried to resurface.

“Jo...”

“I don’t want to seem like a third wheel between you and Lucas, but you barely know the man,” I said, trying to get her to see my point.

“Fine.” She huffed, and I sighed in relief—until she snatched the pepper spray from my hand. “But I’m still going prepared,” she smirked, stuffing the can into her handbag.

“No. You’re not doing this. We’ll go back home and replan—”

But she was already leaning in to press a kiss on my cheek. “Unfortunately, Jo, you don’t get to decide for me,” she muttered before sauntering off. Mumbling a 'see you at home'... And then, she was gone.

I didn’t follow after her. I just stood there, watching her disappear into the crowd, and realized she was right. I couldn’t decide for her. She was a grown-ass woman. Even if I had my fears and concerns, that was my burden to carry, not hers.

Still, the nagging sense of dread followed me all the way to the subway, the weight in my stomach growing heavier with every step. I boarded the bus that would take me back to Aaron’s house. I’d input the address into my GPS so I wouldn’t get lost, but now I kind of wished I had.

The compound was eerily quiet when I arrived, and I regretted not sticking with Rhoda. Being alone, especially here, suddenly didn’t seem like such a great idea.

I pushed the door open and entered. My breath caught in my throat. Aaron was home, leaning on the kitchen island with a glass of something dark in his hand.

His eyes, as black as the night outside, washed over me before moving behind me, searching for Rhoda.

I ignored the flutter in my chest, that stupid, traitorous pulse that sped up every time he looked at me, and headed toward my room.

“Where’s she?” His voice cut through the silence, sharp and cold, the words like a blade skimming the surface.

I could have pretended not to hear him, just walked into the room and closed the door behind me. But she was his sister. If anything happened to her, he needed to know.

“She went to meet the man she’s been chatting with for two months,” I said as dryly as I could, not even bothering to look at him.

His eyes flicked to me, darkening. 

“What do you mean by that?” There was a new edge to his voice now, one that made my skin prickle.

I rolled my eyes, tired of this. “Exactly what you heard.”

“She went to meet a stranger, and you couldn’t stop her or go with her?” His voice grew hard, his anger rippling just beneath the surface, and I could feel it creeping into me, waking the anger in my blood.

I straightened up, turning to face him with a dry, defiant look. 

“Rhoda is a grown woman. She decided to meet with someone she’s known for two months. Who am I to stop her?” I challenged.

He dropped his glass on the counter and straightened to his full height, stepping forward. The space between us wasn’t much, and I knew he could cross it in two strides if he wanted to.

“She isn’t a fucking grown woman who can just wander around a city she barely knows at night,” he growled, his voice low, vibrating with controlled fury.

I tilted my head to the side, a cold smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

“If you’re so worried about her, why don’t you call her?” I said lightly, acting as though the tension buzzing between us didn’t set every nerve in my body on fire.

Before I could process what was happening, he was on me, shoving me against the window, my back slamming into the glass as his hand wrapped around my throat—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to send a message.

His nose flared, the anger radiating off him in waves. And yet, beneath that, something else simmered, something darker, more dangerous. My pulse raced in my neck, and I knew he could feel it.

“I should’ve gotten rid of you when I had the chance,” he said, his voice thick and dripping with venom. His chest pressed into mine, his hips close enough that I could feel the heat of his body. “Maybe then, you wouldn’t have influenced her so badly.”

“Let go of me, Mr. Thompson,” I said, my voice cool. Not betraying the storm raging inside of me.

He smirked, it was sharper, dangerous. His grip around my neck tightened, before he suddenly released me and spun me around. I gasped as I my body hit the cold glass again, this time it was face first. My palms flattened against the window.

Aaron's chest pressed against my back, his body heat seeping into me. His hands slid down my arm, then my waist. I could feel his rough fingers against my hip. He was close, too close and worse... I wanted more.

“What would you do,” he whispered “If I took you right here, right now, against this window? Make you beg me to let you come?” 

My stomach tightened. Fear, anger and desire coursing through me. I should push him away, should tell him to get off me, but I didn't. I instead arched into him. 

“I'd like to see you try, Mr. Thompson,”