Repressed (Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter 24

(Adrian’s POV)

The lashes I had gotten were painfully throbbing, I moaned softly. Never in my life had I imagined Milla could do this. The first lash was okay, but the ones that came after that had me hissing and cringing. Milla could be a monstrosity…I realized for the first time that she wasn’t exactly the tamed puppy I thought she was. She had a darker side, a side caused due to me and I knew for a fact that I would never be forgiven, ever. And now, I probably would never forgive her for what she had done. I noticed my BlackBerry vibrating, I reached for it and pulled back as the skin on my chest stretched. I steeled myself for the sharp pain as I reached for the phone and answered it.

“Hello?” My voice was uncertain as I had not bothered to check the caller ID before picking up the phone.

“Addy, it’s Shane.” His voice came cool and calm. If only he knew what that little conniving minx had been up to, he’d probably flay her alive.

“Did you do as planned?” I asked expectantly.

“Yes, I convinced her that I would help her out and that you were my best friend and my boss as you had hired me to ‘spot’ her in the hotel…and yadda yadda ya.” Shane’s voice was mocking. I gritted my teeth in pain, and whispered, “Did she really, truly believe it?”

“I think so, yes. She did, Addy, I could see it in her eyes. The hope that was radiating…Oh God! It was so much fun to play around. Now do I get my million pounds?” Shane whined and replied.

“Yes, it’ll be wired tomorrow. But I still need you in town, there’s shit yet unfinished.”

“Aw, man! Come on, I had to go to Seville for a football match!” Shane whined again and I asked him, “Which team?”

“Real Madrid and Barca. It’s gonna’ be fuckin’ bombastic! Why’d you need me anyway? My part in the story is done.”

I unintentionally slapped my forehead, “No you twit, you have to help her escape and bring her to that dingy old warehouse where we had planned your amusement…God! Could you be anymore dafter than what you already are!”

“Ooooh, that. I had completely forgotten, right then! I will cancel my flight, you are refunding the cash, by the way…see you tomorrow in the office.” And with that Shane hung up.

I flung the BlackBerry across the bed just as Milania entered the room, “Are you okay?” She whispered. Her eyes were large and puffy, her nose red and I could hear her sniffing. She had been crying.

I fake cleared my throat, “Yes, I am okay. I need to take a bath now, so…” I slowly got up, the pain was something I wasn’t faking. I was in immense pain but I had to be strong in front of her, I had to convince her that I wasn’t as hurt as she thought I was. I staggered towards the bathroom, “Milla, get me my clothes please?” I requested her. She smiled weakly at me and hopped to my wardrobe, she pulled out a loose shirt and a pair of pajamas. She handed it to me, “Will you be going to sleep after taking bath?”

“Yes, I will. You?”

She nodded at me as I turned and entered the bathroom.

*

I knew what I was about to do was wrong but I didn’t care, it was the least I could do for Adrian, I pulled off my clothes and walked to the bathroom dressed in nothing but my underwear. I paused at the door waiting for the shower to be turned on, once it did, I took it as my signal to enter. Adrian never locked his bathroom door, even when we were dating the door might have been closed but it was never locked. I softly turned the knob and entered, his back was to me I could see the droplets of water cascading down his back. I left the door partially open and walked to him but abruptly stopped when he laughed, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you to knock before you entered?”