Challenging a Cold Heart

Chapter 44: Jitters

Vincent's POV

I glanced around the place once again. With Luc beside me as a benign, protective force rather than the hostile person he was before, I felt safe to look around the place without fear.

"Why is this place so close to your home?" I asked him.

"It's a part of my home. There are two annexes connected to my home. One is this place and the other is the armoury which I took you into earlier. The one Lorraine broke into." Luc explained.

"Then what about the home next to the council hall?" I asked him.

"Oh! That one's my second home in case I have important gang events and I can't come here. Lately, that's where I've been living while I only come here when I get sick and want a break." He told me.

I looked around the place and shuddered as I looked at the net in which I got entangled the night I came here previously. Walking further in, I saw cupboards made of glass. I hadn't noticed that before.

We heard the sound of rain just then and the pitter patter of rain was quite musical and comforting to the ears.

"How are we hearing the rain so clearly?" I asked Luc.

"Look up!" He said and I looked up at the corrugated steel roof above.

"Oh! That's what's making the sound." I said in awe.

"The roofing is cheap but I like it because when it rains, it makes that sound which makes you feel like you are in the rain." He said.

Smiling I walked around more comfortably. I was closest to the whips. I asked Luc about the types of whips there and Luc explained the ones that would hurt the most and least, letting me feel them in my hands.

"If you like, I can let you learn how most of them feel like on skin." He told me.

I glanced at him.

"Most of them?" I asked him.

"Well the ones that wouldn't mar your skin." He told me. I looked at him curiously, recalling my dream of whipping him. I shook my head. I was still not sure what was exciting about that dream. Was it whipping Luc or the thought of treating those injuries by licking them? I didn't dare ask him though to let me test it. I wondered if he would. It's not like I even knew how to use them.

"You said you don't like whips. Then why do you have such a huge collection of it?" I asked him. I knew I asked him the same question in Azure but he deflected it quite expertly that time.

"I feel connected to it." He said simply.

"Why?" I prodded and he glanced at me.

"They are very familiar to me in many ways." He said vaguely.

"Like how?" I pressed and he gave me a peeved look.

"Why are you pressing on this?" He asked me directly. I made a face.

"Is there any way it serves as enjoyment to you?" I asked him and he blinked in surprise.

"I don't know." He said vaguely again.

I looked at him in surprise. I thought he'd know why he keeps such things in a place that was a safe haven to him.

"Did you ever enjoy whipping people?" I asked him.

"No." He said almost immediately and then paused.

"Actually, maybe. If I intend to kill them later." He said with a shrug.

"You've never associated it with sex?" I asked him and he gave me a dubious look.

"Hm..I have. But saying I enjoy it is a bit excessive." He said.