The bright sunlight compelled me to squint my eyes open in the early morning. It was hot from the burning sun. Reece was sleeping face down with his arms on either side. I slowly traced my hands on his back. The ink looked like a tiger about to pounce and on his plank, there was a distinct tattoo, the one I had never seen. Despite his huge back being covered in tattoos, I could see signs of scars beneath the ink.
Scars? But how? He never had so many.
His hair was long enough to reach his long eyelashes. I stroked his hair gently. As I stroked his hair, I noticed a little scar behind his ear which I had never noticed before.
He looked at me from the corner of his eyes. "What happened-" I asked.
"It looks good on you." He smirked, looking at my bare body. I covered my body with the bedsheet.
"What do you mean-" I stopped midway when my eyes fell on a long wall mirror right in front of me. Bite marks on my shoulder and my neck. I slowly pulled down the bed sheet to see another mark on my left cleavage. I walked out of the sheet but I felt pain traveling between my legs. Through the pain, I walked towards the mirror to see more bite marks on my inner thigh and one on my calf.
"Like what you see." He said in a low growl. His voice was raspy, especially since it was morning. He rolled over on his back and clasped his hands on the back of his neck, proudly as if he had just achieved something.
"You are a beast," I commented, glancing at him through the mirror. I returned my attention back to the marks.
He stood up and walked up to me. He wrapped his hand around my waist and placed his chin on my shoulder. Placing a kiss on the crook of my neck, he dug his face further. "I couldn't bear the thought of you fucking someone while I burned for you. Not that you have any complaints?"
I gently turned my attention toward him. "Reece.."
"Hmm?" He answered, stroking my neck with his nose.
"You've got new scars, the ones I've never seen before-" I said. His firm grip loosened around me but he didn't lift his head.
"And here I thought you had something important to say."
"No, but it looks fresh. They were not there when we dated-"
"We're already late for work." He said, removing his hands and walking towards the bathroom. "We don't wanna get late, can we?" He glanced in the bathroom and then at me.
He smirked but it didn't reach his eyes, as if he was only trying to distract me. I knew him more than his fallacious nature. A year wouldn't be enough to understand someone, but to understand someone in their most vulnerable state, you wouldn't even need a few minutes. Unlike before, his vulnerability was fading- he was completely shut.
He was hiding something.
***
"Looking at you, it seems like winter is around the corner," Theodore commented, looking at me from top to down.
"It's cold," I replied as I was printing the files. In fact, it was pretty hot, and yet here I was wearing a full-sleeved nude high neck and a stocking inside a formal brown skirt.
"Hmm..." He stood behind me as I was taking out the printed papers. I was startled when I turned around to see him right behind me.
"Could you move?" I snapped.
The only thing that I was reminding myself of was how I couldn't trust this person in front of me.
He placed his hand behind my head and slowly slithered it down inside the high neck. He slightly lifted the fabric and smirked. "I assume you had a rough night?" I yanked his hands away promptly and proceeded to stack the papers.
"I don't think it's any of your business, Mr. Kingston," I remarked.
He trapped me in between his arms while facing away. My back was close enough to touch his torso. "Getting a little feisty, I see." He chuckled, "It was expected of Reece." His breath was close to my skin as he was scanning the mark on my neck.
How did he know it was him?
"We're in the office and I believe this is not the best way to interact with an employee," I said.
"Well...?" He said, standing straight and tilting his head. His broad frame hovered over me. "I'm the second in charge when Reece is busy."
I turned towards him and looked him in the eyes. "I don't understand you, Mr. Kingston." I clenched my jaw. "One minute you're going against Reece and the next you're planning with him."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise which soon turned into a sly smile. "You are not as naive as you look." He adjusted my glasses.
"So is this all a game to you, Mr. Kingston?-"
He chuckled. "I should be asking you the same thing, Ms. Ruby-" I clutched the papers tightly. "And as for your question, it's common sense that we have to work together."
"No." I closed my eyes and inhaled. "Your interactions last night didn't seem like it was for this company or anything related to it."
"Oh?" He leaned in close, looking into my eyes. "What do you think it was?"
"A threat." I gulped.
"Curiosity kills the cat, Ms. Gunn." His playful demeanor faded. His gaze was intimidating. "But good for you we have a deal." He smiled.
He placed his hands in his pocket and was about to exit the room. He turned his head slightly, looking at me from the corner of his eyes. "Learn to stay loyal, Ms. Gunn. Despite the circumstances, it is what will keep you alive."
What have I got myself into?
***
My phone started ringing in my pocket for the hundredth time. The same unknown number was calling me for about two hours now. A little suspicious that it was going to be a long call with another debt collector, I refused to pick it up.
I rolled my eyes and picked up the call. "Hello."
"Hello, this is Medicare clinic. Is this Ms. Ruby Gunn?"
"Yeah," I said hesitantly.
"Your father Robert Gunn seems to be in a critical state and wants to reach out to you. The visiting day is on Monday next week." My breathing started getting unsteady as well as my hands as I held the phone.
"Wh-where is he?" I stuttered.
"Our location is in the northeast countryside, Medicare clinic." The lady replied.
"Can- can I speak with him?" I stuttered. My hands were shaking on their own and I could feel my phone slip from the sweat.
"Sir-" the lady paused for a moment and mumbled but then said, "No, ma'am. He isn't in the best conditions to talk."
"Thank you." With that, I quickly hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket.
Where were you all this time dad?
***
YOU ARE READING
The Grand Viper
Misterio / Suspenso"I will kill him and make sure it isn't an easy death." She said to herself. Ruby Gunn's seemingly normal life shattered into pieces the day her mother died in front of her own eyes. Life hasn't been the same for her since then. Believing that her...
