Redemption of a Soul

Chapter 11

Claire sits in the middle of her bed with her notes on her latest case. She picks up a sheet of paper and begins to read her synopsis out loud to herself. "The lady explained how she never bonded with her child even from birth. She told me how on his first birthday she was giving the child a bath and she was overcome with the urge to drown him. She told me vividly about how she sumberged the infant underneath the water but was caught by her husband who pushed her out of the way causing her to hit her head on the sink nearby. The father grabbed the child and screamed at her 'what the fuck is wrong with you?'. While the father comforted the baby she lunged for her child exclaiming 'we have to kill it!'. At that point the husband kicked her out of the house and she made her way to her drug dealers home."

Claire sighs with a heavy heart when she finishes reading the patients therapy record. Her mind drifts to Eli and his troubled past with his mother.

It has been three weeks since Claire has seen Eli. The last time being when they kissed. Honestly, her mind was relieved not to have her personal moral dilemma hanging around but her heart and body aches for him.

Claire's pain subsides when someone taps on her front door. The only person that would be visiting this late at night is Edith so without question she lays her reading glasses on the bedside table and sprints to open the door.

She is astonished to find Ryan on the other side of the door instead of her best friend. He has his palm resting against the frame with his other in his front pocket. "Miss me?," he asks sinisterly. Instinct takes over Claire and her feet start moving backwards. She can feel the heat rising from her core to her face as her heartbeats quickens. What is he doing here?

"You look frightened Claire...Is everything alright?" Ryan's face is plastered with an evil grin as he steps into her apartment.

"Quit backing away from me please I just want to show you something." He pulls his phone out of his pocket and points the screen towards Claire so she can see it. He taps the play button and it is evident to Claire that it is security footage of a parking lot.

Fear strikes her once again when she realizes that it's the footage from weeks ago when Eli was fighting Ryan after the attempted assault.

"I was looking through the security tapes at work and I found this gem and I've used my editing skills to touch it up a bit. Don't you like it?" Ryan asks.

Claire's finally musters some courage to speak. "What do you want Ryan?"

"Justice. I've been assaulted and I plan on taking this to the police as soon as possible."

"Why did you wait three weeks to report Eli then? Why would you come here to tell me? Just go to the cops." Claire stutters a little as she finishes her sentence.

"What do you mean three weeks? This happened today. Look at the date darling." He gives her is most sinister smile.

Claire's eyes widen with realization that the timestamp of the video has been altered to read today's date. " I don't understand Ryan.... why are you doing this?"

"Because Claire I think you and your "client" have spent enough time together. By this time tomorrow he will be in jail for physical assault and maybe robbery. Depends on how I'm feeling." He shrugs his shoulder and turns to leave

"Wait, why did you come to me first?" Claire exclaims

Ryan stops and he turns toward her. His face is emotionless as he strides back into car he apartment to stand in front of Claire. His callous eyes stare into hers and she is so repulsed that she turns her head away from him.

Suddenly Claire feels Ryan's rugged hand yank her chin back to face him. "Look at me."

When her eyes meet his putrid ones again his hand slides down her neck and lightly grips the base of her throat. Claire inhaled sharply at the contact, and her hands instantly push against his wrist.

"I know you don't want to see poor little Eli in jail so maybe there is something we can work out." Claire's skin begins to crawl when Ryan snakes his free arm around her waist. He forcefully slips his hand past the band of her sweatpants and into her panties to grope her.

Before Claire can move away from him, Ryan squeezes her whole body up against his. Claire gulped and looked up at him.

"L-like what?" Claire asked trying to wiggle from his grasp

"I don't know. Maybe something that involves less clothes." Ryan bites his bottom lip pushing her towards the bed.

"No. I'm not having sex with you." Claire says slapping him

Ryan rubs his cheek laughing at her "I guess he's going to jail. And I'll make sure he'll meet the welcome party. Broken bones and all"

"Ryan, you're going to lie to the police because Eli bruised your ego. By protecting me from you." Claire yells

"Oh baby, he didn't bruise anything. But all that work you put in for a druggie who doesn't care at all about anything. It'll be a shame if the cops found out about all those drugs he keeps in his home, this video tsk tsk tsk. Claire as his doctor I thought you would want to do what's best for your patient." Ryan flops on her couch scanning the apartment

"Eli isn't on-" Claire is cut off by Ryan

"And not to mention you losing your job, creditably and your License as a psychologist. But hey you know best Claire bear" he shrugs his shoulders

"What makes you think they would believe you?" Claire adds

"Trust me darling. Anything I say they'll believe. If I say you fucked Eli like a slut in your office during business hours they'll believe me." He flips through a magazine while
licking his lips

"All this because I won't fuck you or go on a date with you.." Claire sits on the edge of her bed looking at the floor

"Something like that. So two things can happen we could fuck and forget about all this or your pony boy can go to jail and die. Your choice..." Ryan stands from the couch walking in front of her. He takes two finger and lifts her head up to look at him.