Chapter 43

-Jared-

I arrived at Alison's residence late in the night, burdened by numerous meetings with the wolves as we meticulously planned our impending strike on the club where our targets would gather soon. Vince had carefully analyzed the data, pinpointing the opportune moment when they would all be together.

Our objective was to burn the establishment to the ground. However, my mind was consumed by the recent conversation with Alison. If she decided to alert her father, our entire operation could be compromised. Yet, I refrained from divulging my concerns, hoping to resolve the situation before it escalated to the point where Alison needed to be eliminated as well.

Arriving at her house in the evening, I punched in the security code and parked outside. As expected, the door was locked, and the windows securely fastened. Alison was attempting to shut me out, but she underestimated my resourcefulness. Picking locks was a skill I had honed, and this obstacle posed no challenge.

With the tools from my car, I swiftly gained entry, silently ascending the staircase to her bedroom. To my dismay, I found her husband slumbering beside her. For a fleeting moment, I contemplated ending his life and spiriting Alison away, but I opted to approach her instead, vexed by the predicament she had created.

Hovering over her, I covered her mouth with my hand, rousing her from her sleep. She squirmed and screamed, but I subdued her, and recognition dawned in her eyes as she realized my identity. Yet the familiar relief that had once graced her gaze upon encountering me, even before our contract ended, was conspicuously absent. In its place, a seething fury emanated from her.

"I see you chose to disregard my warning," I murmured, my gaze flickering toward Warren. "He's not dead… yet. But if you confirm you've slept with him, he will die."

Alison pushed my hand away, and I complied, retracting it. She climbed out of bed, shooting a wary glance at her husband before slipping into a pair of sleeping shorts and a top. As she exited the room, I trailed behind her, descending the stairs together. Pausing by the entrance, she pivoted to face me.

"Go. Leave me alone," she demanded.

"No."

Advancing toward her, I attempted to reach out, but she swatted my hand aside.

"Go now!"

"No," I countered, drawing nearer and cornering her against the wall. Her resolve wavered slightly, evidently affected by my proximity.

"Jared, I'm not going to say it again," she snarled. "Go now!"

"No, I'm not leaving," I asserted. "Not until you agree to do as I said."

"And what was that?"

"I instructed you to prepare to leave," I reminded her, pressing a hand against the wall, effectively trapping her. Her breathing shifted, her gaze darting to my lips, and I felt a surge of satisfaction knowing she still harbored desire for me, despite my betrayal.

"I won't leave. I'm going to stay and I'm going to figure out what the fuck is going on," she informed me.

"Alison, that's not what you want to do," I reassured her.

"Then tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you aren't going to kill my father," she snarled.

I sighed, casting my gaze downward, and a soft, broken whimper escaped her lips.

"W-Why?" she whispered.

"I can't tell you, but I need you to trust me," I said.

"Trust you!" she exclaimed, glancing up the stairs to ensure her husband hadn't overheard. Finding him still asleep, she turned back to me, her eyes filled with frustration.

"Trusting you is what got me into this mess!" she snarled. "You promised to leave me alone!"

"I know. I couldn't keep that promise."

"Because you wanted my father dead and I was an easy access to him," she spat.

"No, Alison, you are not an access point to him. He doesn't care about you."

She gasped at the blunt assertion, but deep down, she knew its truth. Her father had never shown her genuine affection. The only warmth she would find was with me.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she growled.

"You said it yourself," I reminded her.

"He does care!"

"No, he doesn't. Not even a little bit. Haven't you noticed the way his friends look at you, like a piece of meat for the taking?"

She blinked rapidly, struggling to process my words. "They… what?"

"You haven't felt watched? Stalked?" I questioned.

"You stalk me."

"I'm not referring to myself," I clarified, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face.

"I know it's all confusing right now, and I will explain everything when I come for you," I assured her.

"You mean after you've killed him? Is my mother on that list too?" she snarled.

"No."

"Why not? Why not ruin my entire life?"

"Because it's not about you!" I hissed.

"Exactly!" she countered, crossing her arms. "It was never about me…"

"Alison… fuck!" I growled, feeling the frustration mounting. I wasn't sure how to convince her to trust me again. Revealing the truth wasn't an option—I knew she wouldn't believe me right away. If she ran to her father, it would ruin everything, and she'd become a target herself. I needed her to stay out of this until I was finished.

"Go, Jared, before I throw you out," she warned, attempting to pass me. But I grasped her, pinning her back against the wall. She gasped, fear in her eyes. "D-Don't touch me."

"You're going to listen to me," I demanded.

"Let me go!"

"No."

"Jared, I'm going to call the police."

"You're not going to do a thing. I need you to fucking hear me," I growled.

"Jared, if you touch me—"

"Then what?" I leaned in toward her. "We both know even now, as you detest me for what I'm about to do, you'd gladly spread your thighs for me to fuck all that anger away. We both know you can't resist."

"I hate you!" she hissed, her voice low.

"I know, but you love me nonetheless."

She looked away, embarrassment filling her eyes.

"Alison, I know I haven't allowed you to ask many questions about me, but I did that to protect you."

"Protect me?" she asked, turning to me. "You're going to kill my father!"

"I know, but I don't do what I do for meaningless reasons."

She blinked, a little stunned.

"None of it is meaningless, and I will tell you all about it, but not yet," I explained.

"When?" she asked.

I sighed, thinking it over. It couldn't wait until after I had killed her father. She wouldn't listen to me then. I would have been branded the killer for eternity.

"Before it happens. I will come here early, and I will tell you everything," I informed her.

"When does it happen?" she asked.

"Saturday night."

"But I don't have time that day. I am going to my mother's birthday."

"Then I will meet you there," I suggested.

"Jared…"

"Alison, I know it's a lot to ask you to trust me, but I vow to you right now, as the Jared you once knew, I'm going to tell you everything, but you must stay quiet."

"And if I don't?" she asked.

"Come on, Alison, you know the answer to that," I reminded her.

She let out a little gasp, but her anger had dissipated a little, and she looked around, trying to find a solution to the mess in front of her.

"I…"

I drew closer to her, planting a soft kiss on her lips. She whimpered against me, unable to resist responding, pressing herself to me. I pulled back before losing control, gazing into her confused blue eyes. I reached up, stroking her jaw.

"Be patient with me, and I will tell you everything. But, Alison, once I do, you need to be prepared to leave everything," I told her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because otherwise, I can't keep you safe."

"You... want to keep me safe?" she asked, disbelief evident in her tone. I understood her skepticism, but Alison was mine, and that wouldn't change.

"I do," I confirmed.

"But you're the reason that I'm in danger!"

"You're mistaken about that," I sighed.

"What does that mean?"

"Not now," I said, shaking my head.

"You can't expect me to wait two days in complete confusion," she accused.

"I do."

"That's not fair!"

"I know, but I need you to be patient and wait for me," I pleaded. "If you love me, then you will."

"Why must you play with my feelings?"

"Because I know they are effective. Why else would you have pursued me for all those years? Now, I ask you to give me those two days, and I will come find you, tell you everything, and—"

"And just be fine with you killing my father?" she cut in.

"You will be fine with it," I insisted.

"Why?"

"I can't say yet."

"But I can't see one reason you could possibly come up with that would make it okay!" she exclaimed lowly. I sighed, taking a moment to think before an idea dawned on me.

"Alison?" I began.

"What?"

"Have there never been any confusing moments? Things you couldn't quite explain? Behaviors that felt so odd but had no answer to them?" I questioned. Alison seemed guarded at first, but then something seemed to spring to mind.

"The lipstick," she murmured.

"What lipstick?"

She shook her head, hesitant to reveal more, but when she focused on me again, she seemed more open to listening. We gazed at each other for a moment, and then her whole body slumped against me.

"Two days. You don't get a minute more," she warned me. I nodded, leaning closer to press a kiss to her lips. Her little gasp made my blood pump faster, and I began to push down her shorts and underwear, craving the feeling of her wrapped around me.

She reached for my pants, wanting me too. She could never stop wanting me. I picked her up, making her wrap her legs around me as I slowly pushed into her, making her gasp against me. I took it much slower than I ever had with her, feeling myself fill her inch by inch until I was all the way inside. Then I couldn't hold onto my control anymore. I began to fuck her against the wall, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as our lips seemed to engage in a battle that neither of us was sure we would win.

"Jared," she gasped.

"You belong to me, Alison. When I come to get you, there is no escaping me anymore."

She didn't seem frightened by it. She merely bit down on her lower lip, stifling her cries as she reached her climax, and I pressed her into the wall harder, increasing my pace and chasing my own release until the sweet orgasm rolled through me, emptying every drop of my cum into her. We were far from finished.