Game of Desire

Chapter 10 - Lia

"I'll explain everything, but you have to Listen to me Lia."

I shake my head, moving backwards toward the door handle. I need to get out of here, away from Rafe. Did he bring me here to kill me? Why wouldn't he? I'm a liability. He'll never trust my word. Sheriff Peterkin was probably a witness too... 

My hands begin to shake as I reach for the handle. Rafe starts toward me and as i turn the hand, he presses his hands on either side of my head, keeping the door closed. I can't look at him. My bottom lip begins to tremble. 

"You open that door and we're both dead, you got that?" his snarls in a hushed voice. His hot breath caresses my forehead and I look up at his eyes.

If he see's the fear in my eyes, he chooses to ignore it. I'm not sure if he knows my fear is more directed at him than the two druggies in the other room. 

Rafe slowly turns the lock on the door and there's a small click. With the same hand, he then slides it around my waist pulling me towards him.

"Get away from the door Lia. I'm not locking you in, I'm keeping them out."

But I'm frozen up against him. My hands are still shaking behind my back, reminding me I'm still useless. 

"Untie my arms then. If it comes down to it, I should be able to at least fight for myself." I say through gritted teeth.

He sighs, but obliges. He turns me around and I stare at the white wooden door in front of me. The tugging of the rope stings, but the second it comes off I feel a sense of relief. I move my arms to my sides and shake them out. There's huge tension throughout my shoulders from being in that position for so long. 

"Go on, explain." I urge him to keep his promise. 

Turning to face him, I cross my arms.

He sucks on his front teeth, nodding. 

"Okay," He mutters, while taking a seat on the double bed. "but you can't interrupt me. I'm going to start from the very beginning."

I tilt my head to the side, studying him. "Okay."

*****

 Any noises coming from outside the bedroom are gone now. It's safe to say that Rafe and I are the only ones left in the building. Oh, and the mice, can't forget them. 

"So now you can see why I went and beat him up. Barry stabbed me in the back." he rages.

He on his feet, brushing his finger through his hair in frustration. Clearly worked up just at the reminder of everything that's happened over the past year. 

Rafe went on, "Everyone always backstabs me and thinks they can get away with it. My father is the only one who's had my back through all of this. One day I'm gonna be a better man, one day I'll be like him."

"You expect me to believe your Dad found the gold of the Royal Merchant? And that Kiara and her crew are trying to steal it from your dad?" I huff, "You're delusional. Pogues are a lot of things, but greedy thieves? No. We were taught to earn our riches. Why would Sarah take the Pogues side if she would get the gold either way? I think your dad's been lying to you Rafe."

"My father is not a liar! Don't you ever talk about him that way." He stormed around the room, but I can see he doesn't believe his own words. 

He wants to believe he did right by his father so bad. He doesn't want to come to terms with the fact that he murdered someone good. He wants to believe his dad was the good guy and he was protecting him.

"You... You don't know what you're talking about. Of course you don't. What did I expect? You're a Pogue, you're just like Kiara." he mumbles on, "Sometimes you have to make the hard choice Lia. You people fail to understand that."