My eyes widen so fast. I make to push the door back closed but his feet is already there, stopping me. So I do the next smartest thing I can think of, I run through the house and into my kitchen, hoping to escape through the back door. I hear his heavy footsteps behind me as I run into the kitchen and it's only when I reach for the knob of the back door that I realize that since the first break in, I've kept it permanently locked.....and the key is upstairs in my room. I spin around to see that he's already inside the kitchen, making his way towards me, a smirk on his face. My body feels petrified and I press my back on the door, hoping that by some miracle, it'll swing open and I can escape. But that doesn't happen. He's still edging closer when I remember that I'm in the kitchen.....and the kitchen has knives..I don't let my eyes go in the direction of the knives before he knows the next part of my plan do I feign crumbling to the floor and when he rushes over to where I was standin

A murderer..... murderer... murderer.....The familiar word reverberates through my mind and I close my eyes to shut it out. But the harder I try, the more futile the effort because clear as day, the memory filters up from the deepest of my archives, playing out in my head like it was just yesterday it all happened. 15 YEARS AGO......I sit in front of the mirror and brush out my hair stiffly, staring at my face like it's the first time I'm seeing it in a long time. Perhaps it is. For as long as I can remember now, I've not had the liberty of basking in the beautiful process of watching myself grow. I turn 13 today and no one had even wished me a happy birthday. When I had gone to school earlier, Miss Polly had told the class that it was my birthday and they had all said nothing, no one in school had wished me..... except Miss Polly. When the ball rang and we all filed out, I had heard the girls, Cynthia and her friends whispering not so quietly about how creepy I was b

My eyes shut tight against the nauseating flood of memories. A single tear slips down my face and when I feel his fingers rest on my chin in a sick attempt at caress, it takes everything I have not to spit in his face. "Ah ha….". He continues. "It seems like he doesn't know after all. I wonder what his reaction will be when he finds out". My eyes snap open but I can barely see his face through the blur of my tears."Leave him out of this!!!!". I say through gritted teeth. "This is between you and I. Do not bring him into this". His smile widens sickenly and he cocks his head arrogantly. When he speaks, his voice is laden in mock pity."Oh? I'm afraid that can't happen, my sweet. He's touched my possession. Surely, he has to pay for that". Bile rises in my throat at the manner with which he calls me his possession but I remind myself that what's more important right now is keeping this between us and not involving Alex in any way. "I made him do it. I'm in love with him and I made…."

I see his eyes widen as he rushes forward. I'm full on crying now, the tears streaming down my face and obscuring my vision. It feels like a miracle, perhaps this is the one miracle to make up for all the years of misfortune I've gone through. "Nicole!!!". Alex rushes forward and firstly reaches for my hands that are still taped behind me. "Are you okay? Fuck, what the hell is even going on?". His breaths are coming hard and fast as he works on freeing my hands. From the sitting room, I hear Ace's grunts as he probably tries to get on his feet. Alex's blows must have landed well. When I hear his grunts coming closer, I feel a sense of panic settle in my chest again but thankfully, the tape comes undone around my wrists and for a moment, my hands feel too good to be mine. The blood flows right in my arms again and it's the most delicious sensation ever. Ace walks in through the door right in that moment and I see that the lower half of his face and a good fraction of the front of his

By the time my arms starts to heal, I'm damn well already tired of staying in bed. But Alex is strict about it, not letting me up for longer than necessary. When the bullet wound finally healed enough for me to move my arms, I was more than elated to let him know.I'm just in bed when Tori brings up a lovely bouquet of roses. I groan but inside of me, I'm screaming and melting. Ever since I got shot, Alex has pointedly given me the best of attentions. He brings me flowers every single day and makes sure the words are barely out of my mouth before my wishes are met. Tori has been a lovely help by his side and if anything, I was really glad to see her again at least. On the times Alex had to leave me to be present for work, she kept me good company and this little development got us even closer than ever. It's official, I genuinely like her and she seems to like me too. As she brings the flowers up, the smile on her face is unmatched."Here we go again. This man is going to overload thi