Blazes of Temptation- Book 2

Chapter Twenty Eight

I stand there. Body and mind frozen, I stand there. Andrew barely a few feet away. Seconds pass. Minutes pass. And God, I hope hours and days pass too, but no, time seems stuck between the seconds and minutes. Isn't life based on seconds and minutes? It takes days and hours to create something, only a second can break it.

Andrew stands there. His eyes look red. All of a sudden he seems tired. I apprehend he's waiting for my outburst, but none is coming out of me. Slowly making my way to the nearest sofa, I sit down, waiting.

Andrew takes the hint, walks toward where I'm sitting, and takes his seat only in front of me, wise enough not to touch me. God knows I may break any second now.

"It was seven years ago." Andrew breaks the deadly silence for once. I keep looking outside. I can't bear to look at the man before and believe that I have been deceived by him. It's like I don't him anymore. "It was a regular night," he continues, "I was twenty-two then, only three years after I joined the mob. Five years after I'd left home with Crystal. A year before she was killed.

"I went to the bar and met with the members. It was going to be a tough night, I could tell. We played a bit. I wasn't keeping track of who was winning and who was losing, but I can tell, I was winning handsomely. The leader, we used to call him Pete, though everyone knew it wasn't his real name. He called the game off for a break. I thought it unusual. He never did that. I walked out of the dungeon, where we used to play. I later realize he was a criminal mastermind, a drug dealer. I walked to the bar, ordered a drink and looked around. It was when I saw her,"

I close my eyes and swallow audibly. A single tear runs down my cheek.

"She was the beautiful thing I had ever seen. She was dancing with some friends. Her look caught me. I start feeling warmth in my chest. And I considered myself emotionless human. The opportunity came that her friends left her. I walked to her, she looked up. I wanted to have her all to myself. I wanted her no matter what. But she looked so young and innocent. I could tell she was underage. 'Hi,' she said, in a sweet voice that stole my consciousness.

"I talked to her. Got to know her as Lauren, no last name. I asked her if she wants to go out with me. I would have taken her away from everyone. With myself and save her. But she said no. I asked her if she would there if I came back later, she said yes. I wanted to kiss her but decided not to. She was a minor and taking advantage of her was the least I wanted. But I wanted her to leave. I wanted her to be safe. How could a girl like she ended up in there?"

For the first time, I dare to take a glance at him. Shoulders lurched forward, hair distraught and face scorned, Andrew is sitting in discomfort. Any other time I would have pitied him, comfort him, but this time, right now, I can't feel anything for myself, let alone for him.

"I left the bar and went back to our table game. We played for a bit. Pete called it an end to the night. I knew something was coming. But before I could leave and go back to her. He stopped me. He said he had a surprise for me. The few players of the night, mostly his minions, followed him into one of the backrooms. There, I saw her, lying on the bed, unconscious. I felt my blood boiling in my body. I wanted to punch him, I surged forward, but his men took me and held me. He said he was told by some f*cking guy, that I had been snitching to the police, which was biased and he knew it. He accused me of betraying, which I wished I had done. He said the price one has to pay is heavy but this time he's chosen her as an example. Then he ordered one of his men... to rape her, in front of me. So I could watch and learn the consequences of lying to them. He wanted me to punish me for something I hadn't done. I struggle against them, I shout at him as his sick f*cking bastard abused her. I couldn't do anything. I watched and I couldn't do anything. At some point, I couldn't take it anymore, so I turned away my head,