Running for my life

The Kiss That Warned

Chapter six

After Mom left, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to leave today. I could see the car parked on the road, waiting for me to leave the house and follow. That must have been why my mom could leave now. I carried my bags back up to my room and decided that maybe I should go get my car from the office parking lot. Grabbing my bag, I walked out the door, and as expected, the whole walk back to the parking lot, the car followed me.

I got into my car and drove to the shops, just to see if the car would follow and it did. So now, how do I get rid of the tail? After getting some makeup to cover the bruise on my face, I headed home. It was lunchtime, and I thought Jonathan might stop by to see me. It was something we always did.

As I walked up the stairs, I saw Jonathan walk out of the office. His face was scary. He walked toward me, and in a swift movement, I felt his lips come down on mine. It was not like any kiss we had ever shared before it had an intensity that told me he was in charge. The kind of kiss that told me that if I didn’t submit, he would make me. I felt his lips move against mine, demanding entry into my mouth. I allowed my mouth to open, too scared to say no. He finally broke the kiss and looked down at my face.

“I love you,” he said, looking at me.

I couldn’t move. All I could do was stand there, staring at him. He kissed me again, shorter this time, then walked past me to my room. I looked at the stairs and wondered if I could make it out of the house before he caught up with me. Probably not. As he looked into my room, I saw his face harden at the sight of my suitcase next to the bed. He turned and looked at me. My hand instinctively touched my face as I looked back at him. He slowly walked back to where I was standing. He looked straight into my eyes, running his thumb over my lips. He leaned in and kissed me slowly while gently wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Sorry, my love. You know I will always love you,” he whispered into my ear. Smiling at me, he added, “I’ll see you tonight.” He kissed my forehead, then, with a strange look in his eyes, walked over to the stairs.

I knew that the man standing there now was not the man I loved. He looked back over his shoulder at me and said, “You know that I won’t let you leave me. So don’t even think of leaving this house till I’m back.” He smiled a strange, unsettling smile and walked down the stairs.

I leaned against the wall next to me and slowly slipped down until I was sitting on the hard wooden floor. The tears I had been holding back started to slide down my cheeks, and I could feel my body begin to shake with sobs. I was still holding my cheek. I don’t know how long I sat there crying, but by the time I could breathe again, I realized I hadn’t heard the door downstairs open or close. I sat waiting to hear the front door, but there was no sound.

I had to get up, I knew that, but what if he was still in the house? What if he came back upstairs?

I couldn’t think about what I would do if he came back upstairs. I knew I couldn’t.

I only had this time to get out before he returned, and I couldn’t leave with him in the house. So I lifted myself up off the cold floor slowly, feeling a little dizzy from the rough kiss earlier and from the lack of oxygen during those awful kisses.

Jonathan’s POV

Downstairs now. What the hell did I just do? Did I really just behave like that with Rachelle? She must hate me now. I start pacing around her house. We’ve always had a good relationship, and now, in one foul swoop, I’ve ruined it all.

This afternoon, when I walked into the house and Sue told me that Rachelle had left on foot, I was shocked. What the hell am I supposed to do now? After having to deal with Mr. Evan, I didn’t expect Rachelle to just up and leave today.

He is always so careful to make sure Rachelle doesn’t see him. When he’s around, he makes sure she’s out of town. How did I end up in this mess? I’ve always known my family wasn’t into good things. My father has always been a criminal, even in the way he treated his wife and sons. But never had I considered that I could become that monster too.

I’ve worked with her father for many years, basically as his little helper. He never asked me to do anything criminal until yesterday. Yesterday, he arrived with the body of a man I had never met and told me I needed to get rid of it.

My father has done this for him before. I never have, but I knew saying no to Mr. Evan wasn’t an option. So I phoned my brother. He had helped our father with this in the past, so he knew what to do. We went about disposing of the body the way our father had taught him.

I’m still shaking from having to do that. How did my family end up so deeply entrenched with this Mr. Evan? In some respects, I wish I had never met him. But if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be marrying his daughter. She is the most beautiful, most amazing woman I have ever met.

I know the marriage was originally an attempt to combine our families, to make us truly one. But after spending time with her, getting to know her, I realized she hasn’t been touched by all the darkness in my world. She is amazing everything about her is so refreshing, so different from what I’m used to. I would do anything to protect her, even from her own father.

I go up the staircase, thinking I am just as bad as my father. How did things get this messed up? How did life change so much?

I pick up my cell phone and message her mom, telling her that something happened and that Rachelle needed calming down. I’m definitely not going to tell her what happened she might tell Mr. Evan, and who knows what he would do. Maybe I will tell her that we had a fight. Her mom will calm her down.

I walk back upstairs slowly, quietly. I don’t want to disturb her, but I want to see her. I walk to her bedroom door, letting my fingers slide it open. She’s sitting at her dressing table, staring into the mirror that beautiful woman with her long red hair and pale skin. I walk over and place a kiss on the top of her head, hoping only for her to look at me, and for me to be able to say, I’m sorry.