Sophie cleaned up the table and started washing the dishes.
She grabbed the empty cup of coffee she made for herself and glared at the only other person in the room who drank it all.
"I will report this abuse tomorrow. I will report you to Officer Greg." He managed to sit back in the sofa. His face was still slightly distorted due to his aching pride.
"See for yourself. I still have another card to use against you just in case."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"The self-defense card?"
His brows furrowed. He eyed her furiously.
At least, he was quick to understand what she meant.
"I can always use the self-defense card, you know?"
This time, it was her turn to flex him her advantage.
She's still a woman left in a house with a stranger. The village will buy her story more than his if she'll add a few more convincing in it.
Their sympathy is all she needed and he can kiss his comfortable village life goodbye and live in jail forever.
Crime against women has a bad reputation in Tobermory. The Tobermory men were known as good providers and respected lovers. They never hit or hurt their women.
Hah!
Alexander will be totally doomed if he provokes her more and push her to her limits.
She proudly waved her still bleeding knuckles to him.
She would not allow herself to be tricked.
Not by this arrogant parasite who wants to harbor inside her own home.
Such thick-faced dork!
He gasped and walked limping towards her. Obviously, he was still enduring the pain she caused in his crotch.
He-he!
"You think they will believe you?"
She shook off her hand and waltzed back to the wall she earlier punched.
"You want me to be more convincing?" She asked before she planted her hands against the wall and positioned her head a few inches in between.
"What are you doing?" He rushed behind her.
"Convincing the police that you abused me."
She grinned at him before she pulled back to get a momentum and aimed at the wall before her.
"Stop!!!"
He groaned in pain as her forehead landed on the back of his palm instead on the wall.
She made another attempt.
"I said, stop!"
Alexander winced and flapped his sore hand as he kept on cursing her repeatedly.
"You are one hell of a crazy woman!" He shouted angrily.
She turned to him, poker-faced, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Accept the deal and let's call it this quits."
He grunted.
"Admit it. You need me more than I need you."
"Don't flatter yourself. I can stay at anyone's house anytime I want."
"Oh, yeah? Whose house in this village would be too accommodating to accept you at this hour?"
He paused for a while.
"Grainn! She said I'm welcome anytime at her house." He smiled at her proudly.
Then she suddenly broke into a fit of laughter.
"Seriously? Grainn's living in an inn. Her house has been rented out for over a year now. She seldom stays here for a week, stupid."
He looked surprised.
"Ah-uh! That's unfortunate. In my end, of course. I'm the only one in this village who can accept you for free."
"You're forcing me to work!"
"So you can pay your debts."
"But you're asking for more like food expenses and rent!"
"Nothing is free in this world anymore, brother."
"Don't call me brother. I will never want to be your family."
"Fine. Dork, then."
She went back in front of the sink and continued washing the dishes.
"Alexander!"
"That's not even your real name."
"Still better than dork!"
"Okay, Alexan-Dork!"
He moved behind her; his fist was lifted midair. She was fast to turn around, lift her foot, ready to make another potent kick.
He backed off. Fear flooded his face.
"Deal!"
"Deal."
...
"Is there any better place I can sleep tonight?"
Alexander struggled to fit his huge body within the sofa. His back was aching, his legs were dangling over the short arm rest, his face was twitching with pain. He couldn't even stand the smell of the pillow case Sophie threw at her earlier.
"Outside." He heard Sophie answered from the kitchen. "You are free to go outside and sleep there, your highness."
He grunted.
What the heck was she even doing in the kitchen? When he checked the time, it was almost two in the morning.
Didn't she know the word sleep at all?
If Grainn's story was true, Sophie hadn't even got to sleep last night because of him.
Does she have any plan to sleep at all?
Is she human, anyway?
He frowned.
Why would it even bother him?
He shut his eyes and struggled to curl up in his impromptu bed for the night.
Sophie said he can fix the storage room tomorrow so he can transform it as his own bedroom.
They finally agreed to her demands.
It was all her demands.
For now.
Not because he was the person in most need right now, she wouldn't simply get away like that.
He'll find his best timing.
He might not remember anything about him or his background but he knew deep down that he was never treated this low by anyone before.
He felt that Sophie's taking advantage of his situation.
And he hated that thought!
She'll get a taste of her own medicine soon.
"Just wait. I'll make your life unlivable, Sophie Adams."
...
"Wake up!!!"
Sophie gave the sofa another kick which caused him to roll down to the floor.
"What the hell?!!!"
Alexander saw her above him, both hands on her sides, glaring at him like a weird fish in a tank.
"Rise and shine, your majesty. We got loads of work to do today."
He reluctantly stood up.
"What time is it?"
"Five AM."
"Too early for breakfast." He returned to the sofa and lay down again. "Prepare it after six and don't disturb my sleep."
Sophie gasped.
"Excuse me?"
He moaned, eyes closed, his arms snuggled the extra pillow he had beside him.
She kicked the side of the sofa again.
"You better get up or else."
He didn't respond.
"Alexan-dork!!!!" She yelled his name.
Still no response.
He was fast asleep again.
"Fine."
Sophie left and headed to the kitchen.
She counted.
Three. Two. One.
"Wake! Up!"
"Oh, God!"
Alexander instantly got up from the sofa, finally awake and with wide, confused eye stared at Sophie's menacing glare.
He was wet all over.
"Good morning!"