Beyond Good and Evil

Chapter 5: Tortured Soul

A buzzing sound awakened Alicia from her slumber. Moaning groggily, she rolled onto her stomach, lousily raising her hand to feel the cool wood surface of the bedside drawers.

Once her fingers enclosed around the wide, long rectangular shape, she slid the screen up, pressing answer. "Hello?"

"Alicia!" Jody's screech cut through the receiver. Alicia's ears rang. She winced, clenching her eyes shut. "Where the heck are you?! You didn't leave a note, or a text! Nothing!"

Beside her, Robert stirred in his sleep, rolling onto his back and draping an arm around Alicia. She hadn't recalled falling asleep. He looked peaceful sleeping - his lashes elegantly flickering against the hollows of his eyes, his mouth pressed into a soft line, his brown-blonde hair standing in tufts.

Alicia sighed, reverting her attention back to the phone. "Mum, I'm at Elsa's. We're studying for the upcoming exams."

Jody fell silent on the other end of the line. For a split second, Alicia thought that she was going to pick holes in her story. Eventually, she answered. "Well, okay. You could have left a note, at least."

"I'm sorry, mum," she smiled weakly against the smooth, cold screen. "I'll see you soon."

Without another word, she hung up. In hindsight, she should have left a note, but her mind had been elsewhere. Every thought that crossed through her mind was of Robert, or of what she wanted to do to him; what he wanted to do her.

She shuddered, her mind involuntarily recalling her earlier scenario. Blood, thick and crimson, snaked down her forearms in ribbons. Robert stood at the foot of the bed, watching her, his face impassive and guarded.

"What's wrong?"

Alicia started into a sitting position, struggling to control her breathing. Robert was laying extremely close to her, his eyes still peacefully closed.

"Alicia, what's wrong?" he mumbled, his deep voice heavy with sleep.

She blinked rapidly, attempting to piece together her surroundings. If she said no, would he punish her? Would he kick her out? Would he understand?

"I don't want you to hurt me," she whispered. Realising she had thought aloud, she attempted to change the subject. "I -

Robert sat up beside her, cocking his head to one side as if confused by her statement. "What makes you think I'm going to hurt you?"

She sighed, recalling his earlier words. "You said you're into BDSM. Part of that is hurting me, right?" she turned her gaze to him, searching his face for any emotion whatsoever. He was like a closed book.

After a beat or two, Robert leaned back on his palm, dark eyes skimming over her. "I'm going to hurt you in order for you to feel pleasure, Alicia."

She ran a hand through her hair, exhaling a tense sigh. Meeting Robert had been the best thing in her life, but now she was beginning to question why. She had expected him to be sweet, friendly, charismatic and down-to-earth. It was how he had been in interviews. Yet, up this close and personal, he was a completely different person.

"If you don't like it, leave," Robert snapped, rising from he mattress, draping the sheets around himself. "It's my lifestyle, Alicia. I'm not going to give it up just because you don't like it."

There was a brief flash of warning in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it had come. Alicia bit her lip, attempting to think of something appropriate to say. What could she say? Please don't hurt me?

Rising from the bed, she slid her phone into her bra which she had slept in, thankful that she at least had some sort of pocket. Wordlessly, she retrieved her fallen singlet from the bedroom floor, pulling it over her lean frame. Robert watched her the entire time. It put her on edge.