Chapter 3
947 Words
Thelma’s POV
The first thing I felt was pain.
Not sharp.
Just… everywhere.
My head throbbed.
My body ached, even breathing felt like work.
I frowned, my eyes still closed as I tried to move.
Big mistake.
A dull ache shot through my ribs, and I sucked in a deep breath, immediately regretting it.
“…where am I?”
My voice came out hoarse. Barely there.
Slowly, I forced my eyes open.
The ceiling above me was unfamiliar.
White, smooth, too clean.
I blinked.
Once, twice.
This wasn’t my room.
This wasn’t…..
My heart jumped.
I pushed myself up quickly
Too quickly.
Pain exploded through my body, and I gasped, grabbing onto the edge of the bed to steady myself.
“Easy.”
The voice came out of nowhere.
Deep. Calm.
Startling.
I froze.
I turned my head slowly.
And saw him.
He was standing by the window like he belonged there.
Like the room, the space… everything answered to him.
Tall. Dressed simply, but still… expensive. Controlled.
His eyes were on me.
Not concerned.
Not soft.
Just watching.
My heart started racing.
“Who are you?” I asked immediately, my voice sharper now despite the weakness.
“And where am I?”
He didn’t answer right away.
Just walked closer.
Slowly, like he had all the time in the world.
“My house,” he said finally.
That was it.
Just two words.
I blinked.
“Your….” I stopped myself, swallowing. “Why am I here?”
“You were in the middle of the road,” he replied. “Unconscious.”
My mind tried to catch up.
The alley.
The men.
The cloth…
My breath hitched.
“They….” I looked at him quickly. “The men…where are they?”
“Gone.”
The way he said it made it sound final.
Like they weren’t coming back.
Relief hit me first.
Then confusion.
Then something else.
Suspicion.
I tightened my grip on the blanket, suddenly aware of everything.
Where I was.
Who I was with.
A stranger.
A man I didn’t know.
In his house.
“How did I get here?” I asked, my eyes narrowing slightly.
“I brought you.”
That simple.
That easy.
Like it meant nothing.
I studied him for a second.
His face didn’t give anything away.
No warmth. No reassurance.
Nothing.
“Why?” I asked quietly.
That made him pause.
Just for a second.
Like it wasn’t a question he expected.
“You were there,” he said finally.
That wasn’t an answer.
I let out a small breath, looking away for a moment as my thoughts raced.
This didn’t make sense.
Nothing about this made sense.
“I need to leave,” I said suddenly, pushing the blanket off.
Another mistake.
The moment my feet touched the ground, my body protested violently.
Pain shot up my leg, and I stumbled forward slightly.
Before I could fall, his hand caught my arm.
Firm and steady.
“Don’t be stupid,” he said flatly.
I stiffened immediately.
“I’m not….”
“You can barely stand.”
I pulled my arm away from him, ignoring the way my body screamed in protest.
“I said I need to leave.”
My voice came out stronger this time.
More certain.
Even if I didn’t feel it.
His eyes stayed on me.
Sharp.
Unimpressed.
“You’ll collapse before you reach the door.”
“I’ll manage.”
I took a step.
My vision blurred.
The room tilted slightly.
But I forced myself to keep going.
I wasn’t staying here.
I didn’t know him.
I didn’t trust this.
I couldn’t afford to.
“Suit yourself,” he said behind me.
Coldly.
I reached the door.
My hand touched the handle.
I turned it.
And the world spun.
Hard.
The next thing I knew I was falling.
But I didn’t hit the ground.
His arms caught me.
Everything went still for a second.
Too still.
Too close.
I could feel his grip.
Strong.
Unmoving.
I could hear his breathing.
Close.
My heart started racing again.
Not from fear this time.
Something else.
Something I didn’t understand.
“Let go of me,” I said quickly, trying to push away.
He didn’t.
Not immediately.
His eyes dropped to my face.
Then
For the briefest second….
My lips.
Something shifted in his expression.
Gone just as quickly as it came.
Then he released me.
Like it didn’t matter.
Like I didn’t matter.
“You’re not leaving,” he said simply.
Not a suggestion.
A decision.
I stared at him.
Anger flickering despite everything.
“You don’t get to decide that.”
His brow lifted slightly.
Like he found that… interesting.
“In my house,” he said calmly, “I do.”
Silence stretched between us.
Tense.
Sharp.
I swallowed, forcing myself to hold his gaze.
“I don’t even know your name.”
A pause.
“Jack.”
Jack.
It fit him.
Too well.
“Well, Jack,” I said, my voice steady despite the way my body still ached, “I’m not staying.”
This time….
He almost smiled.
“Then try walking again.”
I hated that he had a point.
But I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.
“I will,” I said.
Even if my legs felt like they’d give out again.
Even if I didn’t know where I’d go.
Even if…..
“Miss Hayes.”
I froze.
Slowly turned back.
“What?”
His gaze didn’t waver.
“I suggest you sit down.”
My heart skipped.
“How do you know my name?”
He didn’t answer.
And somehow…
That made everything worse.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD