Chapter 12

-Alison-

We arrived at my house, Jared unfortunately familiar with the code to gain entry. I chastised myself internally, realizing I needed to change it. Inviting someone with such a dark life into my home felt akin to welcoming an ax murderer. I pushed aside the nagging voice of reason and focused on bringing this night to a close.

As Jared pulled up to the house, I remained silent, unbuckling my seatbelt and reaching for the door, eager to retreat inside and cleanse myself of the evening's events. However, before I could exit, Jared swiftly reached over and slammed the door shut.

"What are you doing?" I asked, noting the sinister gleam in his eyes. I crossed my arms, sinking back into my seat with a sigh. "Is the punishment about to start?"

"No, I'll save it for a time when you least expect it. A punishment loses its impact if it's anticipated," he explained.

"I don't anticipate it," I replied flatly.

"No? Then why were you attempting to provoke me earlier in the car?" he challenged, and I averted my gaze. I had hoped for some release, an outlet for my pent-up frustration, but I should have known Jared wouldn't fall for my ploys so easily.

"I just wanted it to be over," I lied, stealing a glance at the house. "But you're not one to let me off the hook regardless."

"You're correct. I won't, but you can make your punishment less harsh if you please me now," he proposed.

Confusion clouded my thoughts as I turned to him, his smirk widening. He reached out, sliding his thumb over my lips, then pushing it inside, forcing my jaw open.

"Use your mouth on me, slave, and I'll go easy on you later," he promised.

I hesitated, feeling frozen in place as I tasted his skin, unsure of how to proceed. I knew Jared wouldn't let the night end without another humiliation, but was this truly a degradation? We were alone, Warren miles away, Jared's car boasting tinted windows. There was only us in this moment, with no chance of anyone ever discovering our actions. The tempting voice inside me grew stronger, urging me to seize this opportunity. There would be no guilt, no fear of exposure. For once, I could indulge in what I desired without reservation. Wasn't that what I had always yearned for?

I pressed my lips around his finger, sucking and swirling my tongue around it. His eyes darkened with desire, but the intensity of his gaze served as a stark reminder of the dangers of giving in. If I surrendered now, would I ever be able to resist him again? He had already taken advantage of me once today, risking exposing me to everyone. Why would I reward such audacity? I had to remain steadfast in my resolve, no matter how tempting this opportunity seemed.

Slipping off his finger, I anticipated his expectation for me to reach for his pants next. Instead, I seized his hand, turning it to raise his middle finger, silently conveying my defiance. His smile faltered as mine widened.

"Goodnight, Jared," I emphasized his name, relishing the freedom to say it without correction.

Stepping out of the car, I braced myself for the repercussions of my actions. He always found a way to surprise me, but this small act of rebellion felt like a fleeting victory before the inevitable battle. As I approached the front door, watching Jared drive away, I entered the house and made a beeline for the fridge, craving the numbing embrace of wine. Though I had already indulged plenty tonight, the encounter with Jared left me thirsting for more.

Pouring a generous amount of white wine into a glass, I downed it in one go, relishing the momentary escape. Placing the glass down, I leaned against the kitchen island, reflecting on the evening and the turmoil Jared invariably brought with him. Even if he hadn't appeared tonight, I would still feel hollow and drained, as if I had fought a war. Despite my fervent desire for Jared to leave me alone, his presence was but a minor tempest compared to the storms swirling through my life.

Perhaps Jared was the one thing that didn't completely unsettle me to my core. While he could be intimidating, always holding something over my head, he remained familiar, much like Warren with his friends. We fell into old roles with old acquaintances, making it easy to fall back into certain behaviors. But maybe that familiarity was also perilous. What if I became too comfortable around Jared? Would I forget about the other life demanding my attention, where I couldn't afford to let the fa?ade slip like I could with him?

I shook my head, rubbing my eyes and groaning audibly before giving myself a vigorous shake. Confusion clouded my thoughts. Why couldn't we just leave each other alone? Why did things have to be so complicated? Running my hands through my hair, I took deep breaths, trying to calm my mind.

"You have some time now for yourself. Relax. Take deep breaths," I coached myself, but with each inhale, I felt the urge to cry growing stronger. Despite my efforts to fix my life, everything seemed to be crumbling apart slowly. I knew Jared's sudden appearance wasn't the sole cause. The cracks had begun forming long before he entered the picture. I was just so tired!

However, I refused to let the tears fall. I pushed them back before heading upstairs to complete my nighttime routine. I brushed my teeth, removed my makeup, peeled off my clothes, shoes, and jewelry. I stowed away Warren's necklace in the large jewelry drawer, knowing I would never wear it again. It held no significance. Tonight had proven that, despite his temporary efforts, his heart wasn't truly in our marriage. It had been doomed from the day things didn't go according to his plan. How utterly sad, I thought to myself as I selected a fresh pair of panties to sleep in. I had no desire for anything else.

Slipping beneath the weight of the thick blankets, I closed my eyes, hoping that when I woke up, everything would magically return to normal. But I hadn't been asleep for long before I heard stumbling and heavy footsteps. I sighed, realizing Warren was home. I left the bedroom door almost closed, hoping he would take it as a hint to sleep elsewhere. However, in his intoxicated state, I doubted he would grasp the subtle message.

The door creaked open, and he stumbled inside. I sat up, observing the pitiful sight before me as his drunken gaze found mine. With a sloppy grin, he let his jacket drop and tossed away his tie.

"I'm home," he slurred.

"I see that. You know you still sleep in the guest room, right?" I reminded him.

"Come on, Alison!" he whined like a petulant child. "How long are we going to keep doing this?"

"Doing what? Arguing or pretending our marriage is fine?"

He shrugged, seemingly unsure himself.

"Just go to bed in the guest room," I instructed firmly.

"No, this is my bed, and you're my wife. I should be able to sleep here!" he protested, his voice rising.

"Warren, I'm not going to argue about this!" I exclaimed, unwilling to leave the comfort of my bed, nearly naked, to escort him to the other room.

"Why not? Let's argue! I'm ready."

"Well, I'm tired, so we can do this in the morning," I retorted, trying to diffuse the situation.

Ignoring my plea, Warren stumbled closer, and I let out a frustrated sigh as he plopped down on the edge of the bed, clumsily removing his shirt and shoes.

"Warren, I'm not kidding, go to the guest room!" I insisted, growing increasingly exasperated.

"You go to the guest room," he shot back.

"I'm not the one who royally screwed up this marriage. The one who messes up doesn't get to sleep in the master bedroom!"

"Oh, I'm the one who screwed up?" he retorted, turning to me with a spiteful glare as he flung his shirt to the ground. "Why couldn't you just be a normal woman and get pregnant?"

Though his words stung, I refused to let them wound me deeply. I had braced myself for such a blow. Instead of letting it devastate me, I forced a smile, masking the pain beneath a veneer of resilience.

"What?" he asked, confusion evident in his tone.

"A normal woman..." I trailed off, pondering. "I thought the reason you married me was because I wasn't like everyone else. Didn't you say that when you proposed to me? That I was special."

"I guess I didn't realize in what manner," he admitted.

"No, but then that's on you, Warren, for being such a terrible judge of character!"

He sighed, shaking his head. "Or maybe you should just try harder."

"Me? I'm not the one sleeping with every woman who smiles a little at me."

"I don't do that!" he protested defensively.

"Right, only half of the women you come across," I countered sarcastically.

Warren groaned loudly, his annoyance obvious as he shifted higher on the bed. I instinctively pushed him back, refusing to budge.

"No! We are not sleeping together!" I exclaimed firmly.

"This is my bed too, and I am sleeping in it. Now, we can either put this behind us, Alison—" he began.

"Put it behind us?" I interrupted, baffled.

"Exactly. Put it all behind us, or we can continue to argue and be miserable together," he suggested.

"Are those my options?" I snarled incredulously.

"Yes, those are your options," he confirmed, before abruptly yanking the blanket off me.

As he caught sight of my naked form, a smile tugged at his lips. I swiftly grabbed the blanket, pulling it back over me.

"I'm guessing when you say ‘put it behind us', it also means tonight we sleep together?"

"It's a good way to make up," he proposed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"It's a good way for you to have your cock bitten off," I retorted sharply. Despite my seriousness, he found me amusing, laughing at my threat. His intoxicated mind failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. This wasn't some flirtatious banter. I was genuinely angry with him.

"Warren, I'm not joking," I stated firmly, but he reached out, cupping my face, his alcoholic breath wafting into my nose, causing me to turn away.

"You're so hot when you're angry," he murmured, kissing my cheek and then my neck.

I placed a hand on his chest, keeping him at bay. "Warren, I said no. Go sleep somewhere else," I reiterated, but he paid no heed to my words, continuing to kiss his way further down. With a stronger shove, I pushed him away. "Warren!"

What began as a tense situation was swiftly escalating into discomfort. With another forceful shove, he tipped backward, falling flat on his back. When I glanced at him, I noticed his eyes were closed.

"Warren?" I called out, but he offered no response.

The fool had fallen asleep in the midst of attempting to coax me into bed with him. I rolled my eyes in exasperation, shaking my head. I couldn't muster the strength to lift his body. However, I refused to share the bed with him tonight. He could have it to himself purely because I couldn't be bothered with him any longer.

As I prepared to slip out of bed, something caught my attention behind the curtains. A shadow moved, causing me to freeze. Then came the sound of a sliding window followed by movement against the curtain. Why did I always keep the window slightly opened? I scolded myself.

My heart raced in my chest, anticipating the likelihood of a robbery, possibly even an assault. Nearly naked and with Warren offering no assistance, I felt utterly vulnerable. Though I wanted to react, I found myself immobilized, frozen in fear.

The curtains were drawn aside, and I felt a surge of relief wash over me as I recognized the figure.

"Oh God!" I gasped, my hand instinctively reaching for my heart.

"Good, then we've established I am your God," Jared taunted.

In a panic, I grabbed one of the large pillows, flinging it at him. It struck his chest, and he glanced down at the soft projectile, clearly puzzled by my choice of weapon.

"You scared the living shit out of me!" I hissed, my heart still racing from the surprise.

He smiled proudly. "I meant to."

"Jared, what the fuck are you doing here?" I demanded, incredulous at his audacity.

"I told you your punishment would come later," he stated matter-of-factly.

I gaped at him, struggling to comprehend that he had actually sneaked into my house in the dead of night. Didn't he have a wife to return to? A job to attend to? Was it truly so urgent to put me in my place?

"You can't be serious," I sighed, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Very much so."

"And Astrid is okay with you spending your night with me?" I taunted, a hint of bitterness in my tone.

A dark expression crossed his face. "Alison, don't ever fucking bring up her name in our conversations again. Do you understand?"

"Again, I can't believe you're serious. You married the woman. I see the ring!" I retorted, gesturing toward his hand, only to notice the absence of the silver band. "Wait, where's the ring?"

Jared smiled cryptically, then approached me. However, he hadn't noticed Warren sleeping beside me. Reacting instinctively, I jumped out of bed, forgetting my nudity, and placed my hands on Jared's chest to stop him from advancing.

"Wait, Warren is here," I informed him, and Jared turned to see Warren sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep.

"You slept with him after he abandoned you tonight?" Jared asked incredulously.

"No!"

"Then where are your clothes?" he questioned, his gaze trailing down my naked form. I quickly crossed my arms over my chest, feeling exposed, before meeting his eyes again. His smug expression had faded, replaced by a more serious demeanor.

"I took them off and decided to sleep like this. Sometimes the freedom of being without clothes is nice," I explained, though I could sense his skepticism.

"I didn't sleep with him, and why does it matter if I did? You sleep with Astrid," I countered, my voice edged with defiance.

His hand shot out, wrapping around my throat in an instant, though his grip was light.

"I told you not to talk about her," he growled, his eyes flashing with warning. I quickly pressed a hand over his mouth and gestured for him to keep his voice down.

"Not so loud!" I hissed urgently.

Jared glanced once more at Warren before releasing me and moving around the bed to Warren's side. He leaned in closer, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"He reeks," Jared observed.

"That's my husband," I murmured, feeling a mix of irritation and protectiveness toward Warren.

Without warning, Jared clapped his hands together loudly above Warren, making me flinch in fear and close my eyes reflexively. However, Warren merely grunted in his sleep, shifting slightly but remaining oblivious to the disturbance. Jared repeated the action, and I couldn't help but whisper-yell his name in protest, but Warren merely mumbled in response before settling back into sleep. Once satisfied that Warren wouldn't wake up, Jared's predatory gaze fixed on me, sending a shiver down my spine.

A voice in my head screamed at me to run. That look on Jared's face told me everything I needed to know—I wasn't safe. He was going to punish me right here, knowing my husband wouldn't wake up. Jared began circling the bed, and I held out a hand, slowly backing away.

"Jared," I warned, my voice trembling with apprehension.

"When we play, slut, you know what my name is," he chuckled darkly, his words dripping with menace.

"No, we are not playing! Are you crazy?" I hissed, finding myself suddenly pressed against the large window, the curtain still drawn, and its smooth surface cool against my back.

Jared came up in front of me, stopping with a tiny space between us, the tension so thick it might as well have pressed me into the glass. That was how much space he seemed to occupy.

"I think we can agree I might carry some traces of insanity," he agreed, his tone unnervingly calm. He reached out, his touch surprisingly gentle as he grasped my chin, tilting my head to get a better look before using his other hand to push my arm aside, revealing my breasts. I allowed it, not resisting, though my breathing grew deeper and faster.

"Jared, please, Warren is right there," I said, my words a feeble attempt at resistance, a last defense to make it seem like I didn't want this. But deep down, there wasn't a part of me that didn't desire what was about to happen. It felt too exciting, too forbidden. I shouldn't, but God, I wanted to.

"He won't hear a thing," Jared assured me, his thumb stroking over my chin. "He won't know that his wife is about to be filled by another man, right here where he sleeps beside her."

"Y-You're going to fuck me while he's in the room?"