31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

-Jared-

Alison's darkness mirrored my own, yet she was ill-suited for my world. Her actions were sluggish, lacking the confidence and force I repeatedly urged her to embody in her punches, kicks, and attempts to free herself. Despite my instructions, she remained passive, her efforts feeble compared to her proficiency with a gun.

I held her close, my arm securing her waist, and her arms ensnared in my grip. But instead of responding to my guidance, she remained slumped against me, making no real effort.

"Alison, this isn't a game!" I insisted.

"I know," she murmured.

"Then do as I say!" I commanded.

She attempted to squirm, but her efforts lacked conviction.

"Do you want to end up enslaved again?" I growled.

She glanced over her shoulder, a flicker of dark determination igniting in her eyes at the mention of her past. This time, she struggled harder, and I tightened my hold. Yet, even with newfound determination, she failed to heed my instructions. She seemed more resentful of my reminders of her painful past than focused on her own safety. I understood revisiting those memories was agonizing for her, but she needed to take this seriously. The risk of reverting to her previous captivity was very real.

"This is absurd!" she exclaimed.

"No, you're making it so," I snapped.

"No, it's just pointless! Let's face it, if they capture me, I'm as good as dead!"

An icy fear gripped me, and I pulled Alison closer. The thought of her death choked me, emphasizing my desperate need for her. No one was permitted to take her from me. That's why it was crucial she learned how to extricate herself from danger.

"Alison, if that's all you think about, then that's what will happen," I said softly, caressing the collar I now kept around her neck. However, I noticed her hands held slightly away from her body, as much as she could manage within my grasp. I knew where her gaze was fixed—the ring. Seeing it over her shoulder filled my heart with joy.

"Jared, I'm not a fighter. I'm not cut out for this," she whispered. "Even when I was taken, I didn't fight. I just let it happen. Just like I let Kyle do whatever he wanted with me, and I let them kill the people I loved. I'm just weak."

So that was what troubled her. I understood that feeling all too well, and I pulled her closer, ensuring she felt my presence fully.

"I slept with a knife under my pillow even in my father's house. Whenever he came looking for me, I would reach for that knife, yearning to plunge it into him over and over… but I never did," I confessed, feeling Alison tense against me before she slowly turned her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Why not?" she whispered.

"Why didn't you tell anyone about Kyle?" I countered.

"No one would have believed me. Everyone knew your dad was horrible."

"And did they do anything about it?" I retorted, observing her eyes widen. "Do you think they wouldn't have sent me to juvie? Do you believe any court would have thought, ‘poor kid, let's give him a second chance'? No, they would have seen me as an extension of my father. I was nothing in their eyes, and they wouldn't have cared where I ended up. Just like no one would have believed that an outstanding guy like Kyle could ever force himself on his beautiful and perfect girlfriend."

Alison continued to look at me, as if finding hope and determination in my eyes, and I relished that gaze. I had never had anyone depend on me like that, and it made me feel stronger.

"I hate that question: ‘why didn't you fight?' The real question should be: ‘why didn't you save me?' Or ‘why didn't you listen to me?' Why do we have to do all the work when we're the ones being punished, tortured, though we never asked for it? You're not weak for not fighting back. Fighting back might have meant an even greater risk of destruction. What you did was survive, and that's why I need you to adopt that mindset again, Alison. I need you to strive to survive. It's not about fighting your way to freedom. It's about finding any possible way to get there. So bite me, scratch me, do whatever you can. It doesn't matter if they overpower you in the end. Just ensure you don't die."

She continued to gaze at me with those wide eyes, rendering her utterly adorable. All I desired in that moment was to kiss her, yet I refrained, curious to see if she could extricate herself from this situation. Her eyes grew slightly teary, but she turned away from me, nodding with newfound determination.

Of course, I still possessed the physical advantage. Even if I had lacked fighting skills, being a man inherently made me stronger than her. Nevertheless, I admired her efforts, and she seemed to gain confidence, tilting her head back in an attempt to strike me and testing if she could free one of her arms. She persisted in struggling against my grip until suddenly, she turned her head to glance up at me, a smile gracing her lips. I found it perplexing why she ceased her resistance and opted to smile instead.

In one fluid motion, she rose up and planted a peck on my lips, igniting a desire for more. I pressed my lips fervently against hers, reaching up to caress her cheek. However, the moment I released my hold on her, she slipped away, darting to the other side of the mat. Her best strategy was to evade and not engage in a futile struggle.

When she reached the end of the mat, she turned, extending her arms wide with an even broader smile. "Does this mean I win?" she queried.

I chuckled softly. "That's not quite how I envision you overcoming an attacker," I confessed.

"Maybe I don't need to be able to fight," she proposed, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded in acknowledgment, recognizing the potential value of strategic thinking. However, I still hoped she would learn some basic self-defense techniques, and I communicated this to her.

"Fair enough, but I did emerge victorious in this round. So, where's my prize?" she teased.

"Prize?" I echoed, momentarily perplexed. "Your life?" I hazarded a guess.

"No, in a competition, the victor receives a prize," she clarified, a playful tone coloring her words. However, my confusion persisted.

"Have you never won a prize before?" she asked, her expression tinged with pity.

"My life," I responded matter-of-factly, observing her roll her eyes.

"Did Vince never reward you for your accomplishments?"

"Like a treat?" I ventured, prompting a sigh from her.

"You've never received a reward," she concluded, her tone sympathetic.

I shrugged, failing to grasp the significance of being rewarded. Having survived all those years with my sanity and body somewhat intact, I considered that reward enough. However, Alison didn't share my sentiment. She gestured for me to come closer. Unsure if it was another ploy, I cautiously approached, yet her smile remained unwavering.

"You're still furious with me," I noted.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she countered.

"Because being angry with me is futile. So I aimed to ruin you, but it doesn't change the fact that I ended up keeping you," I taunted.

Her eyes flickered with a blend of anger and desire.

"And you were more than willing to run away with me when I offered," I added.

"I didn't know you planned to hurt me," she protested.

"I always planned to hurt you. I just never specified to what extent."

"You lied. The contract—"

"Did it ever say that I wouldn't reveal your secrets later?" I interjected, noting the surprise on her face as she reconsidered the terms of the contract. I offered a dark smile before meeting her furious gaze once more.

She crossed her arms, glaring at me, and I took another step forward, stopping just short of her.

"Still want me to come closer?" I inquired.

"I'm not sure what I want," she murmured. However, the sigh she released conveyed a realization that the contents of the contract were inconsequential. Despite my intentions, I hadn't ruined her life as I had planned, and she remained here with me.

"I'm going to be angry for a long time," she declared, lowering her arms.

"But will that prevent us from being near each other? From spending our lives together?" I asked, gesturing to the ring.

She glanced down at it, then reached out to touch it with her other hand, giving it a slight twist before slowly shaking her head. I anticipated that response. There was no other she could give. She could be furious, even channel it into her training, but if she thought I would let that hinder me from being close to her, she was mistaken.

Approaching her, I stopped in front of her, and she seemed to snap out of her reverie, gazing up at me.

"Now, what did you want from me?" I inquired, intrigued by her request for closeness.

She took a deep breath, setting aside her anger for the moment. Her sweet smile returned, and she wrapped her arms around my neck, drawing me nearer. Uncertain of her intentions, I refrained from reciprocating, waiting to see what she had in mind.

"Tell me about an achievement," she prompted.

"An achievement?" I echoed, puzzled.

"Yes, share with me something you've succeeded at," she clarified.

I still didn't quite grasp the purpose of this exchange, but if she wanted me to think of something, then so be it. However, I couldn't come up with anything, so I shrugged.

"Come now, you have succeeded in many things," she said.

"Define succeed," I replied, and she rolled her eyes, pulling me closer with her arms.

"How about… surviving everything that was done to you?" she suggested.

"I'm not sure if I would call that—" She cut me off with a kiss. It was gentler than our usual ones, but I relished it nonetheless, returning it before she drew back, leaving only inches between us.

"You did well," she murmured in a deep, flirtatious tone, sending a shiver down my spine. Yet, I still couldn't quite comprehend her actions.

"You're also very talented at drawing," she added.

"But is that really—" Once again, she silenced me with a kiss, this time deeper, eliciting a groan from me as her arms tightened around me. My hands found their way to her hips, but she pulled away rather swiftly.

"You did well," she praised once more, and I started to grasp her subtle strategy. Yet, could I even label it as such? It mirrored the way she sought to bring ‘normalcy' into my life on our final day. Was this my... reward? It certainly didn't feel like a punishment, and as she gently rested our foreheads together, a peculiar sense of peace enveloped me.

"You also saved me," she whispered.

"After putting you in danger. That's not an achievement."

"No? Didn't you sacrifice yourself for me? Didn't you kill for me?" she countered.

I nodded. "But that would never have happened if I had ensured your protection sooner. In that regard, I failed."

"Fine, then you succeeded in changing me," she said.

"Not in the way—" Once again, she interrupted me with a passionate kiss, pressing me against her this time, heightening the tension between us as our hands roamed over each other. I reached down to grip her ass firmly, pulling her closer, and her sweet moan reverberated through me, igniting my desire for her and momentarily causing me to forget about our training.

However, I reminded myself that she had only just been cleared of bedrest, and she had panicked the last time we played. Reluctantly, I ended the kiss, watching her follow me a little, her gaze confused as she looked up at me.

"We aren't finished with our training," I informed her.

"It can wait until tomorrow," she insisted.

I shook my head, but before I could suggest we resume, the door opened and in walked Astrid. In an instant, I pulled Alison closer to me, shielding her slightly. Astrid noticed the movement, her smile turning smug as she approached. Alison watched her, a look of surprise on her face.

"Well, well, look who's out of bed," Astrid taunted.