"You must have something to say."
“Alaric.”
Arianne’s voice rang out sweetly from behind the door.
Alaric stiffened.
But he didn’t leave. He stayed there, eyes fixed on me, waiting for an answer.
I glanced toward the door, saw the tension flicker across Arianne’s face.
Then, slowly, I reached into a drawer and pulled out a box of Durex condoms.
“Don’t forget this,” I said coolly.
His eyes darkened. He let out a low, bitter laugh and flung the box at me. It bounced off my chest and landed on the floor.
Without another word, he stormed off.
Arianne gave a satisfied smirk as she stepped back in and gently shut the door behind her.
The click echoed like a gunshot.
I clenched the fabric at my chest and leaned against the wall, knees still raw, cheek stinging.
No... not yet.
Just a little longer.
I searched the entire manor before I finally found a dusty first aid kit tucked away in a forgotten cabinet. My wounds were clumsy and hastily treated, but they stopped bleeding.
Alaric didn’t return for a full month.
Then one day, the front door burst open with a bang.