CHAPTER 63

Claire looked up at Arman, trying to deny that she heard what she just heard

“What?”

He continued to wipe her forehead.

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“Arman sighed, and closed his eyes”

“Like you said, I need information from you. I won't get any if you're too traumatised to speak, will I?”

“I guess not”

They sat in silence for a moment

“So this is your lucrative hobby”

“Yup, are you surprised?”

“No

But I heard from an informant that you quit”

“Well, I needed another means of paying my bills, someone got me fired from my very legitimate job”

Claire was ranting, but she did seem angry, infact she sounded somewhat amused

Did you really stab him in the eye— because of me?

Her tone was a little more serious

Dddd You just want to hear it from the horse's mouth, don't you?”

“I guess”

Arman paused

“I— was pissed off, that the management of the club would treat you like you were expendable—”

“But I am expendable, that's all I've ever been. Even to you—”

“Fuck Claire, I didn't save you so you could talk like a depressed person”

“Then why did you fucking save me?

I would've told you everything you wanted to hear, traumatized or not. You're a seasoned man, if you wanted to get answers out of me, you would have done so a long time ago

So tell me why you saved me”

He ran his hands below her chin

“That's classified information”

Claire felt something from inside her throat, she suddenly lost her ability to speak—

“You're right Claire, I can get my answers if I want to, but I wanted you to give them to me out of your own free will”

“Sounds logical”

“I concur”

He took the washcloth and wrapped her right hand around it

“Can you— take care of yourself?”

She tried to get a grip, but her fingers shook, and the washcloth slipped out of her hand. She was too weak to do anything but talk

He picked it up from the water

“I can get someone”

Claire shook her head

“You can't be fucking serious”

“If you're disgusted by me, then I'll manage my—”

Claire felt something soft make contact with her lips, in the twinkle of an eye. She felt a warmth course through her, as his tongue swirled inside her mouth, his lips covering hers completely

She felt herself melt to the kiss, felt her lips move to reciprocate, felt something burn within her

Until their lips parted, and they could both hear each other’s breathing

“Never you say that again—”

*******************

Arman literally just kissed her

And she literally just kissed him back

Why did she kiss him back?

Why did he kiss her in the first place?

Claire was just recovering from a toxic relationship, and she had just been rescued from sexual abuse apparently

So why was she so quick to put all that behind her, for a man who apparently wasn't invested

But apparently—

He kissed her first

But maybe she was taking things the wrong way, maybe he was trying to comfort her, make her feel better. Maybe she was the one interpreting his gestures as “love”

She didn't know what to think at that moment. But she knew that when he kissed her, she felt something, something she had never felt before

“I— I can take care of myself”

Claire took the washcloth from him, her grip on it was weak, but resolve was written all over her face

“Why?”

“Why? I'm doing this in your best interest. If you have any fucking idea what I've done to Sharon, to her family—

You wouldn't have it in you to stay in the same room as me. And the thought of kissing me will nauseate you”

Arman straightened himself, and rolled down his sleeves

“As you wish Claire”

He walked out of the bathroom and shut the door

And Claire burst into silent tears. She knew she was doing the right thing, setting boundaries and all. He would never forgive her if he found out. She didn't want to give him something to regret, and she didn't want to leave herself scarred—

Again

She used all the strength she could muster to clean herself up.

There was a fresh pair of clothes waiting for her on the marble table, near the sink

When she got out, Arman was seated on a chair, with a blank expression on his face

“Sharon warned me about him, she did. But I didn't listen. Donald spoiler me, showered me with love. Showed me the finer things—

It was the first time anybody had treated me that way

She paused. It was one thing to narrate her experience, it was another to narrate it to someone that would loathe her after she was done

“At first it started with questions, random questions about Sharon and her family. Then he began to pay attention to me only when I had the answers to his questions

So I collected incriminating evidence against the Gray family, just so I could feel loved

I went on missions for him, I lied and manipulated for him, I took a fucking picture of Sharon's mother, after she was brutally beaten!

I collected the fucking evidence

And then, when he no longer had use for me, he blackmailed me. And on the day I finally left his house, he physically abused me—

Because I'm a useless piece of trash!

I hope I've convinced you enough—

A tear slipped down her cheeks

“You've gotten everything you wanted from me, you can tell Sharon, if you wish, you can warn her to avoid me

“You can pretend like the kiss never happened, now that you know I'm a terrible person

And you can kick me out of your fucking house, because I don't deserve to be in it—”