Chapter 24 - The Lost Nut 2

"I don't see the need to argue with a wimp like you over this. What did I tell you earlier? I choose to do whatever I please with you because You belong to me, you'll live with me, stay with me and do just whatever I want you to do. You are mine! And the earlier you start seeing yourself as a part of my life the better" He storms out, the door struck shut after him, and so did other doors within the house. I'm guessing he went into his room because the next minute a loud wail pierces the calm night air.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

"You don't look half as miserable as I was the second time" I crouch slightly at my tracks, my left hand turned icy around the doorknob as I turned now to see Hindley's poker presence descend the stairs. His steps were light and neat, like a feather and he was twice as graceful as the Queen of England, excepting his bogus night robe that is.

"You're up?" It came off more like a statement than a question. The house had gone dead quiet briefly after Ander let out his soul chilling wail. It sounded so desolate and unearthly.

"I really should be the one asking you that" He plopped down on the sette, criss crossing his leg like a prim female with a book lying on his thighs. He wore reading glasses and almost resembled my Grandfather back at Florida. "Believe me honey, don't try. There's a watch dog at the threshold even"

My eyes widened in alarm. "Really?" I'd never been a fan of dogs.

"And a watchman, and a security alert. The first time I tried it was the dog who caught me, I paid dearly for it" He drew up his oversized robe to reveal a huge gash just below the ankle bone. "It almost cost me my entire Seventeen years so far. I lived in fear of rabies for a month. Turns out Domestic carnivores had never been my favorite" He chuckled.

I smiled at him. "You're seventeen?" yeah, he just said that you tosser.

"Eighteen this week end. But I wouldn't want to spend it here with that beast hovering around Me - "

"How did you both meet? He seems very much attached to you, what am I even saying he's your groom to be"

"Husband?" He mused picking up the last part, brows knotted closely. Thumbs up Aden for a big mouth. I stood flustered now in embarrassment. Perhaps I'm wrong.

"Um.... Yeah?" I seem to ask, stupidly.

"We are not a couple" He stated firmly, assuredly. "I'd never get married to a lunatic like him. I'm even engaged to someone else"

"You are?" I asked once more and sat right next to him. "I'm sorry, that's what Darcy told me"

"Why would you wish me something so bad?"

"Well he's ruthless. And mad even" I agreed. "But we're stuck here with him"

"Ander killed my parents" he says now, staring into space. "It was the worst night of my life and the fact that he denies it seems to be pushing me off the edge"

"He kills?"

He turned to me now, reproach lit his molten onyx eyes. "You're not really that stupid are you"

"I'm sorry" Truth be told, I was never the chatty type.

"He's not only a street thug, he's a ruthless gang leader. He recently killed a man named Rider a few days back" Outside it'd begun to rain.

"So if you'd succeeded in slipping past the dog and security alarm system, how'd you cope under this weather"

Realisation finally dawned. But I was too frightened to dwell upon that. "Tell me more about Rider, did he die"

"Do you know him? You sound overly excited to know more about him"

I don't know if I sounded excited, but my excitement was something cut short soon.

"He didn't die"

A deep gash engulfed my chest. "He somehow managed to get away with some external help,that is. Turns out these pinpoints kingpins are all well connected. I was engaged to Rider you see"

An uncomfortable pause. I sat, struck. "You are?"

He lifted his glasses off his face, revealing red sunken eyes, probably from too much tears. "I'm Jewish and happened to have a debtor as a brother. He owned Rider some money and couldn't pay. Rider happened to take an impromptu interest in me that he was willing to take me in exchange for the money" he bit his lower lip longingly. "But that's enough about me, tell me your story"

"Well" I glanced down back to my fiddling palms. "There's nothing much to tell. My parents died years ago when I was still little. I live with my step mother"

"I had a step father once" he gently cuts me off, yawning. "He took my mother away"

"That's bad" And it really was. There was nothing more painful than not having your parents by your side, not having anyone to take you on summer trips and vacations.

I've had it tough, The beatings, starvings. For the first time in a long time I had a proper healthy meal here.

Perhaps even if Ander is ruthless and could gore my neck in a minute, there's at least something I can thank him for.

Security and a home.

Seriously I hate this chapter.

I almost pressed the delete button.