Pain And Pleasure 18+✓

Twenty-five

"It was earlier today after my return from college," I start, taking a comfortable posture in my chair. Mister Castle lends me his full, undivided attention, eyes on me. "I went to my landlady to pay the house rent, but surprisingly she told me that it's already paid."

"Oh?" Mister Castle frowns a bit, seemingly disturbed by this.

"I don't know why, but immediately I thought it was you," I tell him frankly.

He throws me a slandered look, narrowing his exotic eyes. "I'd never do that, Arabella. Meddling with your responsibilities is something I can only do when I feel like you need me to," he says curtly.

I don't doubt his words.

And I hate it when someone snatches my rights to be a responsible sister to my siblings, yet I feel like what I'm doing is never going to be enough for them. Thinking of Jake's accusations builds a wall of doubts, and it kills me softly.

"Did you find out who paid?" Mister Castle asks urgently.

"I did," I answer with a feeble, nervous sigh. "It was my brother."

"Your brother? The young one?" He's as surprised as I expected him to be.

"Yeah, him," I breathe. Momentarily I cast a glance at the singing lady, her voice high-pitched with extreme emotions, easily reminding me of the late Whitney Houston. Back to Mister Caster I add, "He paid the rent. And to top it all, I found a lot of cash in his room and I can't stop wondering where he got it."

Mister Castle frowns, worry patent in his eyes. "Cash? How much?" he asks.

"Around two thousand?" I stifle a pathetic laugh, still flabbergasted by the fact. "How could he make that amount, huh? He's still a minor, for God's sake! What is it that he's involved with? I... I think it drives me crazy trying to figure it out! I mean... how? How am I supposed to take this?"

Silence engulfs our personal space as I catch my breath, holding my head in my hand contemplatively.

"Did you speak to him about it?" asks Mister Castle.

"Of course." I glance up at him. "And it turned out ugly. Apparently, he thinks I'm selling my body for money, and that's why he assumed the responsibility of paying rent on my behalf so that I don't have to keep fucking different men for money." I laugh painfully, and tears burn my eyes imagining the picture he gets wherever he looks at me.

A whore. I'm nothing but a slutty sister of his.

A warm hand palms mine on the table, and a gentle squeeze follows. I gaze at it, and then at its owner's face, and it surprises me that he's being rather tender and friendly right now.

"Do you want me to look into it?" he asks.

"Huh?" I don't think I quite understood his question.

"Never mind," he retracts by freeing my hand, leaving me void of comfort. "I think you should have another talk with him. He wasn't at his best when you approached him today, and maybe that's why. Talk to him calmly and let him explain everything without being reproachful," he suggests.

"What if he doesn't tell me the truth? What if he refuses to talk about it? I feel so challenged, honestly speaking." I edge myself back and sigh. "He's a boy and I don't understand what's going on in his head. Sometimes I'm scared I may be a bad example to them and—"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey... that's not true," he whispers while leaning forward toward the table. "Look at me," he demands quietly, and I comply. He looks deeply into my eyes and says, "You're not a bad example to them, Arabella. I've seen it. You're a great sister and they are lucky to have you."