2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

-Jared-

The dinner I ate was devoid of flavor, and my sleep was besieged by nightmares, with Alison wrapped in my usual torment, transported to the familiar but haunting place of my childhood home.

Amidst the creaking of the familiar door that always led to a realm of torture, I heard her voice calling out to me, echoing down the endless hallway bathed in distant light.

"Alison!" I cried out, my voice echoing in the empty corridor as I sprinted toward the source of her desperate pleas, knowing deep down that I would never bridge the gap between us.

"Jared!" Her voice pierced through the darkness, laden with the urgency of impending danger, compelling me to hasten my steps.

"Alison!" I called back, my heart pounding in my chest as I pushed my body to its limits, but the hallway remained interminable, stretching before me.

"Jared! Please!" Her cries tore through the silence, sending shivers down my spine and propelling me forward, a sense of dread gripping me as I clutched a gun in my trembling hand, the light receding further with each step.

"Alison! Alison!" I repeated, my voice reverberating off the walls, until I could run no further. Her screams echoed down the corridor, blending with haunting tones of my mother's anguish, a chilling reminder of past traumas that haunted my very soul.

Collapsing to my knees, I covered my ears in a futile attempt to drown out the cacophony of agonizing cries, the pain of knowing my inability to save them both gnawing at my insides. As the torment intensified, I pleaded for the screams to cease, but they persisted, a relentless assault on my senses.

Suddenly, hands seized me, wrenching me from the ground, as masked figures loomed over me, dragging me toward the door that had always remained just out of reach.

"What are you doing?" I snarled, grappling against the shadowy figures, their forms melding into a single, sinister entity.

"Jared! Jared!" Alison's desperate cries filled the air, fueling my resolve as I fought against the insidious forces that sought to tear us apart.

"Let me go!" I roared, my voice drowned out by the screams, as the creature pulled me further from the house, the door slamming shut with a resounding finality, leaving me stranded in the darkness as Alison's cries echoed into the night.

Drenched in sweat, I bolted upright in bed, the sheets clinging to me like a suffocating shroud. My heart raced erratically, its frenzied rhythm threatening to burst from my chest as I reached for the clock.

"Three hours," I muttered to myself.

Three hours of sleep felt like a break, a small victory amidst the relentless onslaught of nightmares. Determined to shake off the lingering echoes of fear, I rose from bed and made my way to the bathroom, craving the solace of warm water to wash away the remnants of the night's torment.

Under the soothing cascade of water, I stood with my thoughts, allowing the steam to envelop me as I sought refuge from the haunting memories that clung to my subconscious. The dream still lingered, leaving a hollow ache in its wake as I leaned against the shower wall.

Memories of my mother were scarce, shrouded in a haze of uncertainty. I could recall only fragments of her, such as the dark blond hair, but her eyes remained a mystery, as did the sound of her voice. It was as though she existed in the periphery of my consciousness, her presence overshadowed by the trauma of her abandonment. Yet, amidst the pain, I couldn't deny the fleeting moments of warmth she had once shown me, however brief they may have been.

As the water continued to run over me, a vivid recollection flashed through my mind—the image of a woman, her head adorned with a grievous wound. The memory was hazy, lacking clarity in its details, but the wound remained stark and vivid, sending a shiver down my spine. Why couldn't I recall the circumstances surrounding it? Was it a fragment of reality or a figment of my imagination?

Yet, amidst the confusion, a realization dawned upon me—a connection between this haunting image and my fear of water. Could this be the source of my apprehension, rooted in a past that threatened to resurface?

I knew water couldn't inflict a wound like the one haunting my memories, and I had no qualms about standing beneath the steady stream of a shower. Yet, perhaps it was the suffocating embrace of the water, surrounding me on all sides that ignited a sense of unease. It was a realization I hadn't previously entertained, but perhaps delving into it now was a form of self-inflicted torment. However, I needed a distraction from the relentless echoes of Alison's screams, her desperate pleas for help.

I shook my head, running my hands through my hair as the water warmed my body and rinsed me clean, aided by shampoo and soap. Though I couldn't linger in the shower indefinitely, I knew I needed to exercise patience today. Venturing out before nightfall was out of the question. The club would only come alive with its sinister activities under the cloak of darkness. Yet the fact that those bastards had kept the place operational filled me with a potent mix of anger and disgust. Even if they masked their deeds with paid companions, I wouldn't put it past them to harbor more nefarious intentions.

My resolve hardened as I envisioned burning down the establishment. If I encountered one of her cousins, they would pay dearly, never again seeing the light of day.

Stepping out of the shower, I reached for a towel, drying myself off before slipping into some comfortable clothes. It felt strange to have so much time on my hands, relinquishing the reins to Astrid and her capable hands. Yet, despite the semblance of calm, I could feel my nerves coiling in anticipation of what lay ahead.

In the kitchen, I rustled up some breakfast, though the tastelessness of it mirrored the emptiness I felt without Alison by my side. Every bite served as a grim reminder of her absence, triggering vivid images of the horrors she might be enduring. I couldn't shake the chilling thought that she was trapped in a distant place, subjected to the same atrocities suffered by countless trafficked women—drugged, beaten, and robbed of any semblance of choice.

I shook my head, dispelling the haunting images that lingered in my mind, and observed through the window as the world gradually brightened with the rising sun. Yet, despite the dawn's arrival, I felt like a vampire on the brink of entrapment. Only when dusk descended again would I be granted freedom. Nonetheless, the daylight hours provided ample time for planning, so I swiftly finished my meal before heading to the office.

Seating myself in the large chair, I pushed aside Astrid's laptop and retrieved a stack of paper, intent on sketching everything I could recall. Though I couldn't guarantee the accuracy of my drawings, I resolved to work with the information I had.

Lost in my task, I was interrupted by approaching footsteps outside the door. Astrid entered, holding a cup of tea, her complexion slightly pallid. She didn't appear well.

"Don't tell me you're sick," I remarked sharply, noting her surprise at finding me in her chair.

"No, I'm not sick," she responded. "Just anticipating what's to come."

"Morning sickness already?" I quipped.

"Not quite, but I'm certainly not feeling my best," she retorted. "Now, get out of my chair."

"I see the rumors are true," I teased.

"What rumors?"

"Pregnant women really are an impatient bunch," I jested, turning to face her.

"It's your little demon spawn that's causing this, and since we're both impatient, perhaps you shouldn't test me," she warned.

"Trust me, if I could undo this ‘little demon spawn', I would. Maybe you should consider—" I began.

"No," she cut in firmly.

Meeting her gaze, I reclined in the chair. "Why not?" I prodded. "You're not exactly thrilled about this either."

"I never said that," she countered.

"You did say we wouldn't make great parents."

"Yes, I did say that, but we can learn and grow, as you pointed out," she conceded.

"Come on, we both know this isn't exactly what you had in mind. Why not just take a pill and be done with it?" I suggested.

"Because I'm smart," she snarled. "This kid will have a vast empire to inherit."

I rolled my eyes. "So that's what it is. Just someone to pass everything on to."

"Of course."

"You just proved why you're a horrible choice as a mother."

"I can still care for the kid," she pointed out, but I felt a strange déjà vu, remembering what I had told Vince. Raising a kid couldn't be done without love.

"Now get out of my chair," she ordered when I didn't respond or move.

I sighed, grabbed my stack of papers, and we switched sides. I ended up in front of the desk, sitting down once more as she placed her tea down and pulled her laptop closer.

"What are you working on?" she asked.

"My plan."

"For what?"

"I'm going to the club tonight," I informed her.

"I thought we had already discussed that. You're not," she declared.

"I am."

"You're not."

"I thought we agreed that if I slept and ate, I could," I reminded her.

"No, I said we could talk about it then," she corrected.

"And?"

"And now we have talked about it, and it's still a no."

I snarled in annoyance, throwing the stack of papers in front of me. Astrid picked one up, turning the paper around and taking her sweet time to study it.

"Hm," she mused.

"What?" I asked. "Going to take a jab at my drawings?"

"No, they're actually really well done," she praised, turning to me, then grabbing another. "You drew this from memory?"

"Yes," I replied. "I used to do that a lot."

"Exceptional," she whispered before turning to me. "You wouldn't happen to be able to draw portraits as well, right?"

"If you're asking me to draw you, it will never happen. I would never be part of immortalizing you," I growled, and she chuckled.

"Oh, no, I was just thinking maybe you should hurry up and draw Alison, just so you have something to cling to for the rest of your lonely life," she mocked me, making me roll my eyes. We both knew she had herself in mind, but she didn't miss an opportunity to make my agony even worse.

I ignored her need for a verbal sparring match, returning my attention to something else. "I'm going to the club tonight."

"Jared!" she hissed, placing down the paper and gazing at me tiredly. "We talked about this."

"I know."

"Then listen!"

"No."

"Jared, you could ruin everything!"

"Or I could find the answers we need!" I yelled.

"Don't you see that if you attack that place, it's going to cause a ripple effect? Whoever has Alison right now might want to use her to send a message or send her further away to piss you off."

"Then they are idiots," I growled. "Because it will prolong their agony when I get my hands on them."

"Can you not just trust me?"

"Astrid, we don't trust each other, and I've been stuck here for two weeks just wandering and pacing the hallways, taking my anger out on a punching bag, when it's your cousins I should be stringing up and beating bloody and blue!" I shouted, rising from my chair only to pace around aimlessly.

"We both know that's not the only thing you've been working on. How's the room coming along?" she asked me, leaning back, and I met her eyes, reluctant to answer.

I had reserved a room in the house for when I found Alison. I knew she would probably need some time for herself, but my wife always seemed to know more than she should.

"Just don't infect the place with your touch and scent. It's off-limits to you," I snarled, and she laughed.

"You know it's almost like you're preparing to take a dog home."

"You wouldn't understand," I hissed.

"I think it's adorable. Alison put her claws in you long ago and never let go. Even now, after losing everything she held dear, you're still searching for her, and she was a monster to you."

"No worse than you," I spat.

"Well, does that mean you would come for me too?" she teased.

"No, I would probably be the reason you disappeared in the first place," I replied, making her smile.

"Good to know, but remember we are on the same team here," she reminded me. "Without me, you can't get Alison, and without you, I can't keep this seat."

"What is your plan exactly regarding the seat? I know you haven't only worked on finding Alison. You're working on establishing power. But you said you needed my face or at least my dick to keep the power," I pointed out.

"Yes, you're right, my focus has been a little divided, but before you tell me that we should be focusing on Alison, I can assure you my work will help us also get to Alison."

"Then explain to me how that is the case. Tell me how your divided attention isn't going to delay us!"

"Okay, Jared, sit," she instructed, and I complied, settling into the seat, intrigued by her demeanor.

Leaning forward, she partially closed her laptop, signaling the gravity of her words. "I'm sure you are aware that the moment we get Alison back, some things are going to shift in the family. They will know we have her immediately."

"Yes," I confirmed.

"That isn't really going to bring us together, but divide us even further. You and me, versus my father and your father," she elucidated.

"I expected as much, and I'm sure you know that the moment I have Alison, heads are going to roll," I stated matter-of-factly.

She smiled. "I'm fully aware."

I regarded her with a hint of confusion.

"Jared, my father has always treated me like the apple of his eye, his princess in his castle, being prouder of me for barely doing anything and constantly expected the world from my brother. I mean, it's no wonder he became an addict with the amount of pressure he was put under. I'm not excusing his behavior. I still feel it's his fault, but I understand his reasons. However, we both know why my father expected little from me."

"Because you're a woman," I concluded.

"Yes, and we both know the only expectation for me is…"

"To have a kid."

"Yes, to have a kid. I want to be more. I want to be respected and show women are more than capable of being the heirs to these sorts of things. Men underestimate us, but that is our strength. But sometimes they refuse to move with the times, and so they must be left in the past."

I frowned, taking a moment to decipher her cryptic message, and then it hit me.

"You want to kill your father," I concluded, and a wicked smile spread across her lips.

"Yes."

I tapped a finger against the armrest, realizing that working together with Astrid might yield more fruit than I expected. I had felt unsure about her reaction to my pursuit of the big wolf, whom she obviously cared for. But it seemed that being forced into a box she didn't want to fit into made Astrid feel no guilt about how her father would meet his end.

"And you have no regrets about killing him?"

She shrugged. "We all outlive our parents… Or we are meant to," she pointed out.

"You don't want a grandfather for your child?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "No, because he will want to impose the same expectations on this child. Meaning either I get a drug-addicted son or I get an overlooked girl."

"They could choose to be nonbinary," I taunted her, and she narrowed her eyes.

"Great, and then my father will tell me to put a bullet between their eyes unless they decide on a gender, or he would ask me to get pregnant again and make a child that ‘works'," she mocked.

"Not available for that," I quickly added, making her smile.

"You still owe me a night, though," she reminded me.

"Yes, but you haven't come to claim it. I know what you're waiting for."

Her smile turned sinister once more. "I'm sure we can expect Alison won't be up for sex right away. You will have needs that need to be taken care of."

"No, you have needs," I corrected her. "I just want Alison."

"Even if she never wants to be touched by you?"

"I would understand if she didn't. I didn't want to be touched after I escaped my father either," I admitted.

"But that didn't stop you?"

I sighed, sinking further into my seat. "My first real target wasn't so easy to reach when Vince finally let me go without supervision. He was a coward. His wife was the key to figuring out where he was."

"You slept with her?"

"Sex makes people docile," I reminded her, and she nodded in understanding.

"So all your sexual experiences after that have been targets? Work?"

"Some, but not all," I admitted.

"And why did you choose not to use it for work? If you found it so repelling?" she inquired.

"Is this a therapy session?"

"Come now, we're having a child, might as well tell me everything," she chuckled.

I shook my head, but she continued to gaze at me with intrigue.

"It's not like I can use it for anything. So what does it matter?" she asked.

"You have a certain way of twisting weaknesses around that I almost admire."

Her smile grew, looking more pleased as she heard me praise her.

"Why did you engage with those other women?" she inquired.

"Merely scratching a tiny itch or out of boredom," I explained.

"Or were you testing to see if you still found it disgusting?" she challenged.

I didn't answer her, averting my gaze.

"Does it feel the same with Alison?" she asked, her voice lacking its usual taunting tone.

I knew it felt different with her because something had always been out of the ordinary between me and Alison.

"I see it does. No wonder you want her back, or you might never have sex again," she teased me, making me roll my eyes and refocus on her.

"I don't care if I do. I just want her back."

"Yes, yes, you've said so, and I am working on it," she assured me.

"You're working on shifting power. You're playing a grand chess game with your father. How exactly is that working?" I queried.

"Because the more connections I have, the more power I steal from him, the closer I can get to dismantling those defenses he put around Alison."

"But there's no guarantee your father truly knows where she is, is there?" I pointed out.

"No, there isn't."

"So then why am I staying here?" I demanded.

"Tell me, despite Vince betraying you, if he stood right in front of you, could you kill him?" she inquired, and I found her question peculiar.

"Of course!"

"Jared," she scolded, gazing at me with a tired expression. "Think it through. Could you kill the man who saved you from that agonizing place you called home?"

I was transported back to the time I stood on that little bridge, ready to plunge into the water below to end my life. He had come out of nowhere, as if someone had finally heard my pleas for help. Suddenly, I felt uncertain. My anger had made me want only one thing, but when I pondered deeply, I was unsure if I could pull the trigger.

"See?" she pointed out.

"I'm not sure what I am supposed to see."

"Jared, you know Vince better than I do. You know how he operates, where he likes to frequent, his hiding places and workplaces. If it is Vince who still has her or knows where she is, you might be the only one who can find her."

"But I can't!" I shouted. "I cannot reach him, and I have already scoured all the places I thought I might find him. He is gone! The thing about Vince is that he never trusts anyone fully. He is paranoid, and he knows where to go to disappear. If he has Alison with him, then…"

Astrid comprehended where I was going with this and nodded slightly.

"Then maybe you really should let her go," she suggested. "Or prepare yourself to do so."

"No."

"Jared, what's the alternative? To spend your life chasing her? To perish in the pursuit?"

"Yes."

"You can't be serious!" she exclaimed. "Look at what you have here! What's growing inside me right now! Isn't that worth something?"

"No."

"Why not?" she inquired.

"Because it's her I want," I insisted.

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

"Jared, I understand obsession, but it's often a dangerous thing because no one can live up to a fantasy. Alison must be lacking in some way," she persisted.

"No, she isn't."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't fantasize about her. I know her true essence. I didn't fabricate some infatuation. I understand her deeply, and I'm the only one who truly does!" I declared.

"Your dedication is remarkable. I can't say she's worth it, but it's not me who will be staying with her for the rest of my life," she pointed out. "Because you do know, Jared, that if you get her back, you will be all she has. She won't let go of you again."

My heartbeat quickened with excitement as Astrid highlighted that Alison would never seek another. I would be her everything, exactly what I desired from the start, but this time, I didn't seek to destroy her. I aimed to possess her.

"Good."