Criminal

Chapter 26

What am I doing? What am I doing? I've lost my mind. I think I should go back. 

I fought with myself as I walked down the stairs. I should go back to bed. No. I stopped walking as I fought with myself. Then I continued walking and then out the door I went. I walked in slippers across the street and stared at the house. Yes, the house. Damian's house. 

I contemplated whether on not to ring the bell or to just walk away. It's like something drew me to the house. Also, because I wanted to know who that man was inside the house, he was staring at me through the window. I just have this itching curiosity to know. What if it is Damian, what if he escaped?

I rang the bell and immediately heard footsteps coming towards the door. The door opened slowly and my heart was beating even faster. 

"Nadia." 

"Ryan?" I slouched and was a bit disheartened. I really thought that it was Damian. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked. 

"I thought I saw Damian in here." I said. 

"Here, come in." He said. I sat down in the living room and he sat across me. "I saw you inside your house." He said. 

"Yah, I know. I saw you too. I thought it was...him. I came here to meet him." I said sadly. 

"Nadia, you need to stop this." He said seriously. "You love Evan." 

"I know. I love Evan. But Damian was also one of my lovers and I loved him back. He is part of my past now but I can't help but care for him." I said. 

"I understand, but you can't keep coming to look for him." He said. 

After five minutes of silence, "Any word from Damian?" I asked with a guilty look. 

"Nadia." He said in a warning tone. 

"Please, I need to know." I said. 

"The lawyers think that his sentence could be shortened to only 10 years or so. And maybe even shorter if he behaves in prison." Ryan explained. 

I let out a sigh in relief. "But can I still see him?" I asked. 

I want to see him, just thinking about him again gives me butterflies. He's so addictive, and I know that it's bad for me. But my greedy heart just wants more. 

"I think it's best if you don't." When Ryan said these words, I gave him a look of disgust. 

"What do you mean it's best if I don't? I only asked you because you're his brother and I respect you. Clearly you don't care for my feelings." I raised my voice and both of us stood up simultaneously. 

"I do care for you! I care enough to save you from someone that can potentially ruin you." He was speaking in this harsh tone that I had never heard before and I started to back away. This caused him to walk too close to me and he held me by my shoulders. "You don't know him like I do Nadia." He  looked into my eyes, trying to make me understand his side, "I know the love you two shared was sweet, passionate, and innocent but you really don't know what he can be like when he's mad."

That's when I got angry, really angry. What does he mean I don't know what he's like when he's mad?! "Half the time I spent with him was when he was mad! I know what he's like when he's mad." I justified. 

"Oh really?" He questioned me, he let go of my shoulders but still stood close, towering over me. 

He knew what I was thinking, I knew very well what happens when he gets mad. 

"He kills." Ryan said. 

I took in a sharp breath. I gave Ryan one last look before I left. I ran back to my home where I was safe from Ryan's incessant banter about how bad Damian is. I didn't care. For some stupid reason I just didn't want to admit how bad he was for me. 

Somehow I fell asleep as I thought about Damian and what he was going through. I just wanted him to have another chance to make it right.