FOURTEEN
Alicia
The rest of the taxi ride was silent. Cain had his hand on my thigh, and I could not contain myself. It was a comfort thing, and I was grateful that he had just done it, rather than asking me for permission. If the adrenaline still was not coursing through my body at a million miles an hour, the puddle that had vrst formed in my panties hours ago would haHe been a Yood. I had left him in the middle of the night, but he was like a guard dog, coming to my rescue when I had needed it the most.
I did not want to remember the attack, but I could not get the image of Cain out of my head as he had stood in the alleyway, ready to face down the men that had hurt me. “e had been so calm despite the oHerwhelming odds, and had taken them all down. ”et I could not look at him. “is hands were the only thing that vlled my Hision until the taxi started to slow. I looked up, glancing past Cain and saw my house outside the window.
-“ey this is us.’
The taxi came to a complete stop in front of my nextAdoor neighbourRs and the ignition idled. Cain was already diHing into his pockets and pulled out his wallet. I saw the green of a banknote between his vngers as he passed it towards the taxi driHer. The driHerRs expression widened, but he made
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no comment. Cain grunted at him before tucking his wallet back into his pocket.
-Thanks. Oeep the change.’
-3ir, this is too much.’
Cain waHed the taxi driHer o;. -I donRt care. Oeep the change.’
The taxi driHer hesitated but his hand curled oHer the oneAhundredAdolA lar bill before tucking it away. -Thank you, sirW “aHe a good night.’
-”ou too. Come on, Dlicia, letRs get you out of here.’
Cain pushed the taxi door open and slid out from the car vrst. “e turned back and o;ered his hand towards me. Sot wanting to leaHe his physical touch, I latched on, wrapping my vngers around his and allowed him to pull me free of the car. I felt my dress ride up, but I was not in a state to care or do anything about it. If Cain saw anything, what was the big deal‘ “e had seen worseE I was sure of it.
-Mhich place is yours‘’
-Sumber twelHe.’
-Cool, haHe you got your keys‘’
-”eah.’ Mhy was I still unable to speak properly‘ I needed to pull it together. Onowing that Cain wanted my keys out of my purse, I fumbled with the clasp and doHe into it. 1f course, in typical me fashion, not knowing what I needed for the night I had packed it full of absolutely useless 8essentialsR. I retrieHed my keys and waHed them in front of CainRs face. -Mant these‘’
-I canRt open the door, Dlicia.’
-1h, yeah. Kight. 3orry.’
Mhy was I apologising‘ It was my house. I stepped past Cain towards the front door of my townhouse. It was dark and eHen though I had sobered up somewhat in the car, I was still in no state to know which key was which. I kept fumbling with them, apologising oHer and oHer again. Cain was patient. “e leaned against the wall and watched, letting me vnd the key to our way inside. GHen though he was waiting, I felt no pressure from
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him. There was only his calming presence that neHer waHered. Nespite the situation that I had been in before, I now felt safer than I had eHer felt before.
Dt last, I found the key that unlocked the front door and I pushed it open, beyond eager to be home at last. I found the light switch to my right and as I turned my wrist, I had a stark reminder of what I had just endured. Ds I stepped inside, I noticed that Cain remained outside the threshold of the door. I turned back to him, confused that he had not yet come inside.
-Mhat are you waiting for‘ Dn inHitation‘’
-I wanted to make sure you made it home safe. I wasnRt under the impression youRd want me to come inside.’
“e had no idea how much I wanted that statement to be true. Cain could do whateHer the fuck he wanted to do to me at this point, and I would go back to him, begging for seconds. -Dre you a Hampire or someA thing‘’
Cain smiled at me, laughing, his Hoice soft and low. CainRs tone would be perfect whispering into my ear and tonight, that was exactly what I needed from him. -I canRt say IRHe eHer been accused of being one. I donRt sparkle enough for that.’
I rolled my eyes and reached through the doorframe grabbing him by the shirt. -That was a terrible moHie. 9et in here.’
Cain was taken by surprise at the sudden motion. “e was already stepA ping in, but my tug just convrmed the action. Mith Cain inside, I shut the door behind him, and he started to look around at my townhouse. “e echoed the thoughts that he had made inside the clinic. I was not sure why I expected anything else from him. “e was a man of few words, unless he wanted to be a smart ass.
-BoHe what youRHe done with the place.’
-Is that all youRHe got to say for yourself‘’
-ItRs nice, Dlicia. IRm not zuite sure what else you want me to say. I donRt get inHited into a lot of peopleRs homes.’
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0ull shit.
I moHed towards the kitchen and placed my purse on the island counter. Mhilst the townhouse itself was not much, I was still proud of what I had made here. It was comfortable for me and that was all that mattered. The space could haHe been better vlled with more occupants, but for myself, it was all I needed. I had thoughts of haHing Tammy moHe in with me, but that would haHe been chaos. 0etween the constant girl drama she would haHe wanted to talk to me about, and her Harious conzuests that she would no doubt bring back here, I did not want to disturb my peace. The only welcome disruption was in the room with me right now.
-Mell, do you want a drink‘ IRHe got whiskey, tezuila.’
-Mhiskey will do vne. Come on, you know me.’
-GHidently not as well as you know me. I haHenRt talked that much
during our sessions, haHe I‘’
Cain raised an eyebrow at me as he followed me towards the kitchen. -I donRt know. “aHe you‘’
Dnswering my zuestion with a zuestion, Cain. ”eah, that was a smart decision. I rolled my eyes at him, knowing that he was right. “e had spent hours under my hands, and there was only so much talking that a client could do without paying attention. Mhilst I was working away, I could haHe yapped to him about anything under the sun and I would haHe been none the wiser. That explained the shiraF, and clearly Cain was an aHid note taker on eHerything about me. Mhat else had he picked up on thus far‘ “e was in my house now and it was too late to go back.
I popped open my lizuor cabinet. It was not much, only a small cupA board that sat aboHe the fridge. 0ut what could I say, I liked the vner things in life, and collecting the occasional rare bottle of lizuor was something that I enjoyed. CainRs eyes followed my arms up towards the cupboard, and I felt another chill wash oHer me. It was not from the cold, it was merely from the way that Cain was mentally undressing me.
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“e stared at me like I was the only thing in the world. It was only for a second, but it was long enough for me to notice. Then his eyes started traHeling up to the cupboard aboHe my head. “e browsed the bottles one by one, before he raised his hand and pointed towards something I could not see.
-That, the 9rande.’
I smiled as before I turned back towards the cupboard and gaHe Cain my best possible posh accent. -Mell, what an excellent choice if I do say so myself.’
-I do like the vner things in life.’ “ow was this man inside my fucking head‘ 9et outW
I ignored the comment and stretched for the bottle that Cain had selectA ed. It was almost out of my reach, but standing on my tip toes, I moHed it closer to the edge. I had to shift my hand around so that I could grab it, but as I did a sharp jabbing pain shot up my hand.
-1uchW’
Ly wrist had not been hurt in the attack yet twisting it in this way with the bottle in hand was more than enough to irritate it. GHidently I had been too intoxicated at the time to notice I almost dropped the bottle before properly returning it to the shelf, but by the time that had happened, Cain was beside me, reaching for it, and for me.
-Dre you okay‘’
-”eah, itRs just my wrist.’
CainRs green eyes ran oHer me, and he lowered his hand to take my forearm. “e was gentle with his touch as he assessed me. Cain scowled at where the man had grabbed me, and tutted.
-ItRs a bit bruised. 9o and sit down.’
-0ut your drink.’
-I donRt need anything else to drink. 3it down, Dlicia.’
“is tone and the use of my name was more than enough to buy my silence and was enough to force me to sit down on the bar stools next to
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the kitchen counter. 0y the time I had sat down, feeling defeated, Cain had emerged from my freeFer with an icepack in hand. “e grabbed the small teal towel from the kitchen sink and wrapped it up inside it. Cain crossed the kitchen towards me and sat down at the other bar stool with me.
It was a simple setup. Considering I had no family and no other Hisitors, my comforts were simple. I would zuite often just sit down on the couch with a piFFa box in hand whilst I worked on my laptop. There was no time for the creature comforts that most other people indulged themselHes in. “oweHer, the bar stools were set up an arms width apart, but that did not stop Cain getting closer to me. “e shifted his bar stool forward and placed the ice pack on the counter. Cain brought my wrist oHer towards the ice pack and ensured that I had placed my wrist on it. “e nodded with approHal as he saw where my wrist was and let go.
-That was a vrst for me, you know.’
-Mhat was, saHing a damsel in distress‘’
-So, saHing someone I care about.’