Ghost Perfume | ✔

Chapter 11: Take Care of Me (Part 2)

His hands were immovable, one on my waist, the other on my neck. I wanted them off.

I couldn't breathe. He groaned and opened his mouth wider. Disgusting, disgusting.

What was that noise?

There was knocking at the door downstairs.

Alexander. It had to be Alexander.

I writhed and bucked harder against him. He slowly eased off my mouth, blinking dazed eyes. I sucked in a huge breath.

"Baby ...''

"My boyfriend is here,'' I told him in a hard voice - no, my voice was weak, breathy - why did it sound like that? "Get off.''

Some awareness came back to his face. He must have finally registered the relentless knocking.

His hand slammed over my mouth.

"Mmmmpphf!''

He pushed at me and my head knocked into the wall.

"Quiet,'' he hissed.

The knocking stopped. Silence rang in the house. His hand was moist against me. I couldn't breathe.

The knocking didn't come back.

Alexander is leaving, I thought frantically. He's leaving and I can't -

Stupid, stupid me, I remembered the watch that could call to them.

I moved my right hand to press it, but Colin instantly detained my arm, as if he thought I was going to push at him again.

His attention wasn't quite on me; he was listening.

I bit his hand as hard as I could and bucked violently.

"Son of a -''

I escaped from between the wall and him, falling forward in my haste. My palms burned from my impact with the rug. I pressed the watch face as hard as I could. Then I scrambled in a total panic towards the stairs, like an animal.

Colin's hand encircled my ankle and jerked me to a stop.

We were on the floor. He was above me, pinning me down.

"I know you're a good girl,'' he laughed, breathless himself. "Be a good girl for me ...''

I opened my mouth to scream with all the steel in my persuasion, and his mouth descended on mine again, hot and wet. I trembled. I was small and stupid and mute.

There was a crashing noise downstairs.

Colin raised his head. "What the fuck?''

Cracking noises. A terrific crashing sound. Something heavy falling over.

"What the fuck!''

It was Alexander's bellow.

"Rose!'' he roared.

"Alexander!'' I shouted, no, I didn't shout, I whispered, what was wrong with me?

Suddenly Colin pushed off me. I glimpsed his white face. I thought he wanted to run. There was a confusion of movement above me. I flinched, closing my eyes instinctively and covering my face.

A sickening sound like a watermelon getting crushed. Colin screamed, high-pitched and horrifying.

I jerked myself to sit up and almost fell down the stairs.

"Rose,'' Alexander said. He knelt before me. There was blood on his hands. "Are you hurt?''

"Motherfucker!'' Colin howled.