How the Mighty Fall (The Sinner #1)

SIN 17

Kairos

My wife is lying on the bed, unconscious. The sight intensified my craving for bloodshed. I promised this woman that she'll be protected as long as she's my wife, but today, I broke that promise.

She looks so peaceful and fragile when asleep. Nakasuot siya ng kanyang puting nightgown, her hair splayed on the soft pillow, and she's breathing on a relaxed pace. Very contradictory to her earlier state.

All these attacks are getting to her head. This is the third time she had a fucking panic attack and I still don't know the nature of her trauma. I can't expect her to function during attacks when she's immobilized like this in such situations.

The soldiers are disposing the dead bodies, including Marquez's

I got his wife out of the dungeon. They're staying in the room beside ours. The child needs her mother after witnessing how her father was killed.

Fuck! I was so blinded earlier. When I saw a gun pointed at Vivendel's chest, all I saw was red. I didn't care who was in the room, I just wanted him to die for even getting close to her. He has no right to her life, because it is I who holds her life in my hands. No one but me decides when her life ends.

How did he even catch her when she's in the panic room?

Atlas.

Images of Vivendel's bloody and dead body in my arms flashed in my mind and it fueled my anger even more. I feel like I've known that woman for so long. I saw her smile, cry, angry, blush, and get shy. It was... a foreign feeling knowing I could've not seen it anymore if we didn't get here on time.

I stood and stormed out the bedroom into the common area. Atlas drank wine. Nakapatong ang kanyang paa sa mesa katabi ng dalawang pizza boxes.

"I'm gonna kill you," kinwelyuhan ko si Atlas, dahilan kung bakit nabitawan niya ang wine glass at nabasag.

"Kairos!" Vashka appeared. But I'm not listening to any of it. He tried to drag me away from a confused looking Atlas.

"Kairos. What the fuck?" Atlas exclaimed.

Binitawan ko siya dahil naiinis ako sa pagpigil sa akin ni Vashka kaya siya ang pinagbuntunan ko ng galit. I landed one strong punch in his face because he didn't anticipate the attack. But the next, he was able to block and dodge.

"Ano bang problema mo?!" tinapatan ni Vashka ang inis ko. "Atlas is fucking injured from protecting your wife and now you're threatening to kill him! Kung tutuusin ay pabigat lang ang asawa mo sa amin. She's not really important. Maybe we should just let them kill he-"

HIndi niya na natapos ang kanyang sinabi dahil itinulak ko na siya. His back hit the wall and I grabbed him by the neck.

"No one touches my wife," I growled. "Try sacrificing her life, Vashka..."

"Or what?" he smirked. "I thought she'll just be one of the many others you've killed?"

My eyes twitched, not liking what he's insinuating. I'm not denying my possessive behavior. But I hate how they're perceiving this as a deeper emotion. She's my possession, not the fucking love of my life.

Lips twisting, I say, "I just don't like others sampling my goods. She's under my mercy, Vashka. No one else's. Kung gusto mo, humanap ka ng sa'yo."

I let go of him. He fixed the neckline of his shirt and massaged his neck. I looked at Atlas.

"Paano nakalapit si Marquez kay Vivendel?"

Atlas was silent for a while. Nagtaas ako ng kilay upang ipakita na hindi na ako makapaghintay.