In Between (Tale of 3 Hearts)

Chapter 9

After that uneventful morning, Allison got a pile of work to finish on a deadline, that was why when Antonio came to drag her out for lunch break, she didn't comply, but promised to make it up to her later. Soon, she went back to typing out documents required in an upcoming conference meeting.

Her phone beeped and she reached out to grab it from the desk.

Just as she opened her phone, the notification she saw made her blood freeze. Her phone fell instantly from her hand and her hands started trembling. Allison felt lightheaded, ready to black out. She had to hold onto the armchair to steady herself. Blinking multiple times didn't even help to stir off the dizziness that overwhelmed her. As news from her phone sank in, her heart started racing fast and her breathing became heavy.

"Damien has been released."

Goosebumps sprouted all over her skin at the thought of recalling the last time she saw Damien.

"Ally, my sweet little Ally." Damien said meekly as he caressed her puffed tear stained face, nevertheless it didn't smitten Allison, instead she shivered at his touch.

He merely smirked and slowly straightened up.

He was a fine piece of creation, endowed with charming looks, with jade mesmerizing eyes, jet black eyes and quite a good physique. He wore black long sleeve with black jeans.

After taking a moment to look at Allison, Damien asked his question.

"Are you afraid of me?"

But poor Allison was already sobbing convulsively. She felt like an unsteady tower crumbling as her heart kept beating unusually fast, more that when she went for morning runs. Her eyes were heavy and blurry but she refused to sink into the abyss of blackout. Moreover she had more important things to worry about. Like Damien, her ex- boyfriend.

"Fine! Another question?" He barked out and it made Allison to give out a sharp piercing squeal . His voice wasn't like it used to be; tender, soft, comforting and reassuring. It was now deadly.

"Why did you run? I give you one minute, just one minute to answer. No more Mr. nice guy."

The iron door cracked and two of his gang members came into view. Mason and Leonardo. She knew them, any friend of her boyfriend is a friend of hers. That's what she thought after all, until Mason tried to rape her.

Before Mason's real color surfaced, he was nice to her, friendly,jovial and cracks jokes unlike Leonardo who preferred to cling to his phone and keep to himself.

Mason was one of those handsome, blue eyed, natural blonde hair and a strong physique with every girl at his summit. Leonard? Attractive enough, had brown shimmering eyes, with matching chestnut brown hair and an athletic figure.

From the way Mason was staring at Allison, she was convinced he was trying to tell her to keep her mouth shut. Before she could react or respond, Damien intervened.

"Time's up." He took a piece of glass on the floor near a broken window Allison smashed while trying to escape.

"You've been a naughty girl, a bad one and you know that's not tolerated here, right?  You ought to do what's expected of you, but you don't. You are so difficult! Now I am going to teach you a lesson. When I am done, you will be my sweet little good girl again."

"No,no, wait, please!" Allison shouted when she realized what Damien was about to do.

  He ripped her shirt off and started to prick words on her back with the sharp pointy glass. She screamed in pain, struggling effortlessly to run away from the torture to safety but was tied up to a chair. Blood oozed from her back from the ugly scar of D that was designed on her back.

Once he was done, he heaved a sigh, brought out a handkerchief and wiped off the blood that stained his hands.

He turned to his members, "Put her to sleep."

"That's enough". It was calm but bold, coming from Leonardo.

"What did you say?" Damien walked close to him, daring him to repeat.

"I said it's enough," he repeated louder, looking eye to eye with his leader.

"Leo, shut up and get out now." Mason spoke uneasily, touching Leonard's shoulder.

"No. Let him talk." Damien raised his hands to silence Mason."Let him say his mind."

After sharing looks with Mason, he finally spoke, " Allison was trying to escape, yes. But when Mason caught up to her, he, uhm... he tried to rape her."

"What!" He shouted . With blood shot eyes, he snapped his neck to Mason, who was behind Leonardo. He even confirmed the truth by avoiding eye contact.

"How sure are you?"

"I don't talk much with her, but that doesn't mean I don't like her."

As quick as a hell hound, Damien drew out his silver gun and pointed it at Mason. Leonardo had to move out of the way, whereas Mason started taking steps back in fright.

"Why?"

"She was going to snitch on us, and I thought she was going to be disposed soon. I'm sorry D." He looked at Damien with an imploring look.

"Wrong answer." He pulled the trigger, and bam! Mason's lifeless body slumped on the floor.

Allison had never witnessed a killing, so with the sight to see, she was too terrified to shout. What's the use anyway? It was a sound proofed room.

"You shouldn't have D."

"He shouldn't have touched my property." He glanced from Allison to Mason's body. "Dispose him."

It was at this moment that Miss May's office door opened and Ryan came out, adjusting his shirt with a grin plastered on his face. He brought out his phone, typed into it before nodding.

"Hey, I am expecting an order from a food delivery guy, could you inform me when he arrives?" He said to Allison, still standing at the door. Because he didn't get a reply from her, he went closer to her desk to repeat his statement.

"Silver?" He called out to her but it seemed her mind wasn't in the present, so he tried again, this time with a calm tone. "Sliver, are you ok?"

Allison slowly turned to him, aghast, and for some reasons, the beads of tears she held back decided to let loose, drip down and damp her red cheeks.

"No. No. No." He bent down in front of her and wiped her tears away. "Don't cry, I am sorry, ok? I am sorry I've been unfair to you. I will stop, just quit crying," he said, not knowing what else to do or say. From the looks of it, he wasn't good at comforting people in distress.

"I have an order for Miss May," the delivery man said, as he walked towards Allison's desk.

"Oh no. Not now," Ryan murmured, ruffling his hair. He stood up quickly to face the man. "Just drop it on the desk and leave," he said, seriousness dripping from his tone.

"That's no way to treat your brother," Bryan replied, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Tsk."

Bryan went close to drop the takeaway food on the desk, at the same time, he and Allison's eyes collided, and it took him a moment to realize the lady was crying.

"Allison?" Bryan called out in surprise.

His shop was called for a delivery at Fashion Fay and meaning to meet Allison, after a long time, he offered to deliver it personal since it was lunch break.

"Bryan?" She managed to say with a cracking voice.

Ryan felt covetous because he has been trying to get her to talk to him, all to no avail, but she called his brother's name the minute he walked in.

"What did you do?" Bryan asked sternly without taking his eyes off Allison.