Collateral Damage

17

Audrey was silent, stewing in discontent.

"He wasn't even a threat to you," Audrey whispered. His house was quiet, and undisturbed except for the air around her. She was on her knees, her face crumpled, her eyes burning with anger.

Alexander grinned, leaning back on his white couch, one of his legs outstretched. His red tie dropped down the couch like blood, his shirt discarded. "I know," he rasped. "Of course he wasn't. I mean...he was just a kid. All he had to offer you was attention. And I give you...everything."

He stood, lifting her face roughly. "What? Did you care about him?"

Audrey scoffed, clenching her jaw. "You...dirty low down piece of shit."

"Hurtful," he murmured. "You know something? I take care of you, Audrey. I give you everything don't I? All I want in return is...your eyes."

Alexander grinned, squeezing her jaw. Audrey pulled away roughly, falling back on her hands. He stared down at her with narrowed eyes, the tension between them heavy. One of the tattoos on his chess was prayer have, with a rosary. She thought it interesting that he was so ungodly.

"I have to protect my investment," he informed her, with a small smile.

"But you won't love me will you? Even after all this? You getting rid of the one friend I had?"

He shook his head. "No. This isn't about something as fickle as love. What we have between us a little more concrete."

He kneeled down in front of her, adjusting his pants.

"And what's that?" She whispered.

He grinned. "A contract. We have a contract, Audrey. And neither of us are going to break it. You belong to me. And I take care of you. That is our agreement."

Audrey scoffed, sniffling. Tears stung at her eyes but she stubbornly refused to let them drop. She refused to give him the satisfaction.

"You relish in it don't you?" She said instead, standing, covering herself with her robe, walking away from her. He watched her hips switch, licking his lips.

"What's that?" He asked with a small smirk.

"Being your father," she mused, going into the kitchen. His eyes narrowed, but something about her familiarity with his home was...nice.

"I mean...you hardly saw him, so of course he became your idol and the loathing of your mother—well it makes sense why can't form an attachment you never got the first one every human needs: an attachment to your mother. So you despise her, and elevate him, all while hating him too."

He chuckled derisively. "I didn't know you were taking a psychology class. Please, diagnose me more from your Psych 101 class." He smirked.

She poured herself some tea. "Gladly. You've made your father something to envy? Which is why you imitate you, and in order to do it correctly, of course you need your mother. A woman to support and neglect, someone to lord over." She leaned against the wall. "And here I am. Young enough that you can excuse not fucking me old enough that you can excuse that you want to, and—what I think, gets you off the most," she whispered, walking about to him, looking up at him.

He stared down at her, his eye twitching.

"Is that just her you know I need you. And I think you take immense pleasure in fulfilling every need except the one I really want, and that gives you power."

He nodded, his dark hair wild and untamed. And then he grinned. "You know what I think?"

Audrey grinned. "Yeah. What do you think?"

Alexander stepped forward forcing her to step back. "I think you're regretting having sex with me because you've developed feelings that I can't return and you're kicking yourself because of it, and projecting that resent onto to me. I think that you didn't even like Dallas as a friend I think you liked him as toy."

She scoffed but didn't bother to deny it. She opened her mouth but stammered looking away.

"Oh? Did I hit the nail on the head? You liked to throw him in my fave because it was the only way I would look at you. And now? Now you have nothing." He sneered. "Nothing to make me give any attention."

Audrey's breath caught her back pressed against the wall.

"You are a self righteous, simpering devil, and I knew it the day I met you," she whispered. "You slut."

"Well I'm a respectful slut and that means you have to be too," he shot back. "So keep your hands and feelings to yourself. Got it?"

Audrey narrowed her eyes and smirked. "Oh...here's a little factoid Steel: if you're not fucking me someone will. Now get the hell out of my face," she scoffed.

He watched her storm off. "It's a cute threat, Audrey, and I applaud your effort. But I know where you go, and I pay for your life. If you can find someone to fuck, hey...you earned it kid."

He chuckled, walking into his room. She narrowed her eyes at his door.

"Fuck you, Steel!"
"Oh you wish."