Chapter 34

-Alison-

I felt the bed shift behind me, and in my groggy state, I thought it was Warren, momentarily forgetting that he slept in the guest room these days. I ran my hand over the arm that slung around my waist and hummed in delight, too tired to remove it.

"Fine, just until I have to get up," I murmured, noticing that the room had brightened considerably, indicating it was early morning.

"Don't worry, I'm not staying for long."

That voice...I thought to myself as I opened my eyes, only to turn around and see Jared behind me, the curtain waving softly in the morning breeze.

"Jared?" I whispered, glancing around the room in confusion. He was fully dressed, except for his shoes, and he had his eyes closed, lying behind me with his arm around me.

"It's early. Go back to sleep," he insisted.

"I-I," I began stammering, not understanding why he was in my bed. He wasn't even trying to engage in any intimate activity or dominating me.

I grabbed his arm, attempting to remove it. "Jared, you can't sleep here!"

He groaned and then pushed up from the bed, only to put his entire weight on me, crushing me into the mattress and burying his face in my neck. I tried to shift him, but he wasn't budging.

"Jared!" I hissed lowly. "You have a bed!"

"Yes, one right here," he countered.

"No, I meant at home."

"I don't want to go home."

"You've been out all night?" I asked incredulously.

He shook his head against me, and I sighed, feeling defeated. I wasn't going to get him off me. He was too heavy, and since it was still early and a Saturday, I let him stay. My fingers slid through his hair, and he let out a deep sigh of relief, his arms tightening around me. I felt that something wasn't quite right, but I didn't inquire. I let my eyes fall closed, feeling content being smothered by his body.

"Tell me how long you have wanted me," he demanded, mumbling into my ear.

"What? Now?"

"Yes," he replied.

"But you already know."

"Tell me again," he urged.

"Why?" I inquired.

"Say it."

"Okay, I have always wanted you," I admitted.

"Say it more convincingly. Like you're confessing it to me again," he whispered before kissing the side of my neck.

"I have always wanted you. I have just been so scared to tell you. To tell anyone, but I want you. Even now," I admitted, continuing to slide my fingers through his short strands and grasping it a little so he felt a slight pull before releasing it and repeating the motion. It made his body slump even more, pressing me harder into the bed.

Did it make him feel relieved to know, or was it the caressing that turned him into this? I wondered. I didn't ask, more curious about something else.

"How long are you staying?" I asked.

He mumbled something, but I couldn't hear him.

"Jared, I didn't quite catch that."

He shook his head, pressing his face closer to my neck.

"You're crushing me a little," I informed him, but he tightened his arms around me in response, indicating he wasn't planning on moving anytime soon. "Jared?"

He sighed again, and I sensed his breathing changing. Was he falling asleep?

"Jared?" I called out once more.

He groaned in displeasure, leaving me feeling stunned and unsure of what to do. My eyes closed again, allowing myself to accept my possibly impending fate of being smothered to death by his body. Strangely, I found it wasn't such a bad way to go. Sleep quickly enveloped me beneath his weight.

When I woke up about two hours later, Jared was nowhere to be found. The window had been closed almost all the way. I had always enjoyed sleeping with it cracked, but now I didn't do it for the slight breeze. It was my subtle way of indicating that he could come in any time he wanted to. Yet, he was gone again.

I pushed away the covers, checking the bedroom and then later the house to make sure he wasn't there, but it was as if he had never been. I wondered if I had dreamed it. It wouldn't be unusual if I had, but I went to check on Warren next, who was still asleep. Jared wasn't standing over him with a knife poised, and as I approached, I could see Warren was breathing peacefully, and the sheets weren't stained with blood.

So either I had dreamed Jared's presence, or something had occurred that led to his enigmatic visit. It was all very perplexing, but I proceeded downstairs to prepare some breakfast. I checked the door as well, finding it locked. I opened it, peeking outside to see if his car was there, but it wasn't. Closing the door, I made my way to the kitchen.

The aroma of breakfast must have roused Warren because he came downstairs not long after, clad in nothing but sleeping pants, looking like he was on the hunt for something.

"Morning," he greeted.

"Morning," I replied, serving him some breakfast.

He sat down, and I took a seat beside him at the dining table, yet I didn't feel very hungry. I was preoccupied with thoughts about Jared's visit. Was he all right? Why would he come early in the morning just to fall asleep in my arms? It left me in a daze, which Warren seemed to notice.

"Are you all right, Alison?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

I shook my head and gave him a small smile. "Yes, just fine."

He didn't seem convinced. "You and Jared seemed quite close last night," he pointed out, taking a bite of his food, and I rolled my eyes.

"And what if we were? We are old friends, after all."

"You keep insisting you weren't friends, and from what I know about your mother, I can't see her accepting someone from a lower class to be friends with her daughter."

"You're right, but things have changed," I reminded him. "We were merely catching up."

"I see," he murmured, and I shook my head in disbelief.

"So you can be involved with various women, but I can't reconnect with an old acquaintance?"

"So you are involved with him?" Warren snapped.

"No!" I exclaimed.

"Are you sure?"

"It doesn't matter if I was! You have no right to dictate who I can sleep with or not. You lost that privilege after being with all those women!" I shouted.

"If we are to make this marriage work, neither of us can be with anyone else anymore."

"Oh, suddenly you want to adhere to our vows?" I snarled.

"I can. Can you?" he challenged.

I opened my mouth, ready to assert my loyalty in this relationship. At least, I used to be loyal. But as I contemplated the effort required to salvage our marriage, I grew weary. Exhaustion washed over me at the thought of continually investing energy into a charade, especially now, with Jared's unexpected visit weighing on my mind.

"I'm not sure," I confessed, observing Warren's widening eyes.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"I'm not sure I want this marriage to work. Not anymore."

"Are you serious? Are you asking for a divorce?" he snapped.

"I… I don't know."

"Alison, you need to think carefully about this. Do you realize what you're throwing away?" he implored, his tone laden with frustration, and I shot him a glare.

"You mean a disloyal husband?"

"There's more to this than that, and you know it," he countered.

"I think I need some time to think," I explained.

"Time to think?" he echoed incredulously, seemingly unable to accept my words.

I nodded. That was precisely what I needed. After Jared's intervention during the dinner with my mother, I felt emboldened. If she could hold something over my head, then I could do the same to her. Perhaps I could find a way out of this after all.

"Unbelievable," Warren muttered angrily, pushing away his plate and rising from his chair. He paused before passing me. "I've been making an effort, Alison, and you don't seem to acknowledge it."

"Bare minimum," I muttered under my breath.

"What?" he asked, not catching my words, prompting me to meet his gaze directly.

"I said bare minimum. If you think maintaining basic decency and feigning the husband you once were for a brief period will win me over, then you've severely underestimated me. I must seem incredibly easy to manipulate if that's what you believe it takes to earn my forgiveness."

"Then tell me what it will take," he demanded.

"Time."

He emitted a frustrated sigh and ascended the stairs. Shortly afterward, I heard the front door slam shut. If I were fortunate, he had opted to stay elsewhere for a while. This time, however, I didn't feel frightened. I felt liberated.