God of Strength (Light of Obsession #1)

Chapter 14

Vaughn

    King caught us about two weeks ago, My Alicia has calmed down a lot since then. Actually, they've been spending even more time giggling and talking about something or other.

No, I'm not jealous, that would be stupid. He's her cousin, there's nothing to be jealous of. I just hate how much time they spend together, how long he's known her.

Okay, I'm jealous. Sue me.

The late afternoon sunlight poured through the window, casting warm rays across the worn wooden floor of Alicia's small dorm room. I reclined against the wall, keeping a watchful eye on her as she flitted about, restlessly tidying the stacks of books cluttering her coffee table—Shakespeare, Murakami, the occasional poetry collection. Each piece absorbed her attention, drawing her into worlds that seemed so far removed from the one we existed in.

     Alicia had that quality about her, the kind of quiet strength that belied her shyness; it drew me in like a moth to a flame. I knew I likely came off as cold to everyone, but around Alicia, my demeanor softened. She had this way of unraveling the jagged edges of my existence, exposing a gentler side I didn't quite know I had. Yes, my protectiveness bordered on obsession, and I couldn't help but feel that I needed to be there, a silent guardian to her gentle spirit.

     It was one of those fleeting moments when I caught her gaze through the veil of her long hair—a storm of emotions hidden behind her doe-like eyes. In that instant, the atmosphere shifted, and I felt it; an undercurrent of vulnerability that she had yet to voice. I leaned forward, my heart racing. "You alright?"

      She hesitated, a tiny frown creasing her brow. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, but I wasn't convinced. Her voice had a tremor, a tension that hung in the air between us. I could see her thinking, weighing something heavy in the silence.

     "Hey," I said softly, trying to bridge the chasm that had formed. "If there's something on your mind... you know you can talk to me, right?" My words were tentative; I was treading on delicate ground, but my instincts screamed that this moment could be pivotal.

     Alicia set down the book she'd been holding and slowly crossed the room, taking a seat next to me on the couch. Our knees brushed against each other, and the warmth of her skin amplified the electricity in the air. I felt her presence circling me, a potent mix of anxiety and a need for connection.

     After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I don't know how to talk about this, Vaughn."

    I kept my expression neutral, my heart hammering in anticipation. I run my hands through her hair delicately. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you."

     She glanced down, her fingers twisting in her lap as if they were searching for some thread of courage. "It was a few years ago, during a movie I was filming." She took a shaky breath. "I... I was assaulted by the director."

     My body went rigid as I absorbed her words. The quiet admission felt like an unearthly scream that shattered the room's tranquility; I wanted to burn the world down and split it in two.

     I take a deep breath, my anger isn't what My Alicia needs right now. "Kukolka," I said, my voice barely above a murmur. "I'm so sorry you went through that."

     She met my gaze—those shimmering grey eyes now heavy with unshed tears. "It was someone I trusted. I thought he was helping me, but it turned into something else entirely." The tremor in her voice swelled, and a couple tears traversed the contour of her cheek.

     Every sense in my body ignited with anger, directed toward the man who dared to harm her. "You didn't deserve that. None of it is your fault," I said, struggling to contain the rage boiling within me. It felt so hopeless, like trying to bottle a storm.

     "I thought I could handle it. I kept telling myself it was my fault, that I could have somehow stopped it if I had just been stronger. It's why I can't stand alcohol, his breath..." Her breath hitched, and I felt a pang in my chest as though she had driven the knife into my own heart. "I told my family... a-and daddy didn't rest until that man was taken down. His reputation was ruined and he... ended up taking his own life."

     I fight back a manic smile at the thought. He's dead. I have a feeling Aiden King wouldn't let that man kill himself, no, he'd do it with his own hands. I doubt my Alicia knows that though. A small bit of relief flows through me knowing he can't hurt her again, although, it does rob me of the satisfaction of killing him myself. 

     "It happened exactly a week from now, five years ago. May 8th... it's my worst day. I just lie in bed... unable to do anything. Usually, daddy stays with me the whole day. Now, since I'm here, I assume he's assigned Eli and Creigh to the job." She continues.

     I reached for her hand, gently taking it in mine; I could feel the warmth pulse beneath her skin, a remote beacon of hope in this dark confession. "You're stronger than you know," I urged, my voice firm yet tender. "You are not defined by what happened to you. You are kind, intelligent, and que—"

     "I don't feel that way," she interrupted, her voice laced with turmoil. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm still in that room... like the shadows of what happened won't ever leave me. My nightmares... they don't stop. This stupid eidetic memory- I remember every little detail and it's torture."

     I turned to fully face her, our knees pressing together now. "You're not alone in this, Alicia. I promise you, I'll be here for you every step of the way. You can lean on me—let me share that burden." There was a fierce protectiveness within me; I wanted to shield her from every wound, real and imagined.

     She looked at me—really looked—as if trying to decipher whether my resolve was genuine. "Vaughn... I don't want to burden you."

     "What did I tell you? You're not a burden," I replied, my voice steady. "You being honest with me is a gift, and I want to know you—the real you."

     The moment hung between us, heavy yet comforting, and for the first time, I sensed that she was beginning to chip away at the armor she wore around her heart. We were both sheltered in the fragility of that moment—a hush, the calm before the inevitable storm.

     As I watched the light in her eyes shift from shadow to cautious hope, I felt the air around us change. Alicia was more than just a girl I watched from afar; she was a flame—one that had flickered but not extinguished. And I would do everything in my power to help her find that spark again

     "Could you hold me...? Please, it doesn't hurt when you touch me." She murmurs. I hold her close to me, laying us down on her bed as I bring her close to my chest.

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A/N:
and there you go, you know what happened with Alicia. This was such a hard chapter to write, I've grown to love her sm and akhhh it was so sad.
Big things are happening in the next two chapters so stay tuneddd!!!
Thank you for all the support!!
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