I do not control the trembling of my body as I stand at Jackson's side, clinging to his hand. With frightened eyes, I watch the haughty man sitting on the couch, smoking a cigarette.
My attention is drawn to the giant tattoo on his neck on the right side.
- I am sorry that you tried to escape without saying goodbye," he declares in a loud voice, then puts the cigarette in his mouth and adds. - Yet we finally had a chance to meet in person.
- So it is strange that you appeared just now when I was about to leave. Who else is your mole?
A sultry smile appears on the man's face.
- The one to whom you gave everything, coward," he replies. - You officially gave all the property to me, the rightful owner.
- I could guess that this asshole went over to your side.
- He just thought you were unfit for the role, and I was amused by it all. I knew it was a matter of time how you would give up, so I did not attack you in any way. I waited patiently. I am a person with rules. Furthermore, I have a set time limit, and you are an ordinary guy who was dragged into the swamp by my brother after his death. - The man rubs his forehead with his hand, then takes another drag on his tobacco. - It all was mine from the beginning. He thought that by prescribing all the property to you, I would never get it. He was a fool, and you are no different from him.
- That's why I decided to give up everything. I don't have the strength to protect this property any longer. I wanted to fight for him, but I realized that it was pointless. You will never let go, and by losing patience you are capable of killing a man.
- There you go," he declares, pointing a finger at him. - Has this young lady changed your thinking so much? - he adds, shifting his gaze to me. I swallow my saliva harder, being scared as hell.
- Jackson is a good man. He just wanted to stay true to his friend. He had no intention of fighting a war with you over property," I say in a trembling voice, squeezing his hand harder. - Therefore, let him go. He left everything to you. He doesn't want any of it, we are just going to go far away from here and disappear from your sight. Forever.
- He wants to do this because he is worried about you. Since my people approached you, he started to protect you. That's sweet. Ah, that winged youth," he says in an amused voice. - For love, some people are ready to give up their greed. I, however, would not be able to do so. Money is everything to me, I would never put a woman above it. I worshiped Suzy, and look how she ended up," he mutters with displeasure.
I have a bad feeling that this bastard will not just let us go. We will not escape, and perhaps that night we will both die at his hands.
- Alice has nothing to do with this. It's my fault, I inadvertently dragged her into it, so don't hurt her," Jackson says, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. - Let her live a normal life.
- I'm glad that in the end the entire fortune went to me, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm infuriated by your games. I don't forgive people so easily. I believe that anyone who upsets me deserves to be punished.
The blood drains from my face as one of the men pulls me aside and the other two grab Jackson. Their boss puts out his cigarette and confronts the helpless boy.
- Punishment is inevitable.
- I beg you, don't hurt him! - I shout in a panicked voice. I am terrified that this bastard can kill him in front of my eyes. - After all, he was inadvertently dragged into your family's fight!
- Beautiful, pride does not allow me to forgive so easily.
A scream escapes my lips as the man begins to cover Jackson with his fists. He beats him in a horrible and brutal way, and I can't do anything to help him. This sight is too painful for me. I can't stand it. Looking at the blood flowing out of the brunet's mouth makes me weak. However, this is not what makes my knees buckle as I feel myself being stabbed in the neck with a needle.
Moments later, total darkness ensues.
*
I open one eye, feeling like I'm on drugs. All my muscles hurt and I generally feel like throwing up. I don't know what's happening to me, but I'm half-awake.
I turn my head to the side and notice Jackson lying not far from me, in a pool of blood. I have no idea what happened during the night, but it is already dawn outside.
It's terrible; however, I don't remember anything from the past few hours....
I am terrified as I crawl toward Jackson. With difficulty, I lift my hand and check his pulse. He is weak, but still alive. He is beaten to such a state that he looks terrible.
- My god, what happened here? - I ask myself, looking for my cell phone. I get the impression that my whole body is paralyzed. I dialed the emergency number and called an ambulance, wondering for a moment if I'm giving the right address. Furthermore, I am so stupefied that I don't quite make contact.
I fall to the ground and stare at the ceiling, wondering what happened after I said goodbye to Kai.... I was supposed to leave with Jackson, so how come we ended up in his apartment and still in such a state?
- Jackson - I speak to him, hoping he will answer me. - Jackson," I repeat, feeling strongly dizzy.
It seems to me that time is going terribly long, and he is dying before my eyes. Minutes pass, and the ambulance does not arrive. I'm paralyzed and can't even move to see if Jackson is still fighting for his life.
- I beg you to hurry," I say in a whisper, feeling my eyes closing. - Please...don't let him die.
*
I blush white. Squinting my eyes, I look around me, wondering where I am. It is not a room, but I am also not outside.
What is this strange place?
- Alice, dear. - I open my eyes wider, surprised to hear my grandmother's voice. I look over my shoulder and spot the woman I miss madly. Without a word, I run up to her and hug her tightly, and tears flow from my eyes.
- Grandma, is it really you? - I ask in a whisper, not intending to let her out of my embrace.
- Yes, dear, it's me. I'm with you. Everything will be fine.
I pull away from her and look at her with broken eyes.
- What is going on? Where am I?
She strokes my hair, looking worried.
- It doesn't matter where you are. I promise you that you will wake up all right. You and Jackson are in my care. Nothing bad will happen to you. You need to be close to each other, support each other, and everything will be fine.
- Jackson - I say in a broken voice, reminding myself of the state he was in.
- He will come out of it, don't worry. Everything will be fine.
Once again I hug my grandmother, unable to believe that I had the chance to meet her.
- You are in a transitional state," she says, and the blood drains from my face. - You and Jackson... - she adds in a whisper.
I move away from her, and my gaze finds the brunet, who with an uncertain step is heading in our direction.
- What are you talking about, grandma?
- If you let him join us, you both won't wake up, and I'll have to take you with me, and I'm not at all alone here. I have your grandfather and mother getting on my nerves, even in death.
I am overwhelmed by such panic that my face is already wet with tears.
- Grandma...
- Go to him... don't let him join me. - He pushes me towards Jackson. - Grab his hand and walk away together in the opposite direction. You are young, your whole life ahead of you. As long as you do not separate, I will protect you. I promise.
I feel repulsed by a strange force. I lift my face and notice Jackson next to me. He grabs my hand and leads me in the direction my grandmother points us.
I look over my shoulder one last time and notice how she is dissolving in the light of the glaring white....
I open my eyes and the first thing I notice is the same color again. I squint, and then someone appears in front of my face.
- God, Alice, you're finally awake. I was so worried about you. - Kai looks at me with a caring gaze, stroking my head.
- Where am I? - I ask in a whisper.
- In the hospital. I was so scared because we lost you for a while. You had "Devil's Breath" in your body. Many people die after this drug, but you coped. You didn't give up.
I am in such shock that I can't gather my thoughts.
- Why did I have a drug in my body? I don't remember anything, Kai.
- Apparently people are paralyzed after it and lose their memory of the last few hours. Jackson was given the same thing as you. The police guess that someone didn't want you to remember his face. It must have been done to you by the man who beat up your ex.
This is too much for me. There is a complete blank in my head.
- The last thing I remember is visiting you in the middle of the night. Next... there is a black hole. What happened, Kai?
- I suspect that you were doped up by the people you wanted to escape from....
- And what about Jackson? - I ask in a worried voice. I want to get up from the bed, but I'm still unable to do so.
- Rest assured, he is alive. His condition is stable. The worst is behind him. He will come out of this.
A stone falls from my heart.
- You don't lie to me, do you, Kai?
- I have never lied to you in my life. I'm always honest with you, so don't worry. Everything will be fine, just get well. You need to fully recover, Alice," he says stroking my hair. - Everything will be fine.
*
A month later.
You can feel the autumn air as I sit on a park bench, chatting with my best friend via video call. The sight of his face makes me happy. I miss him very much.
- ... And the best part is that he signed a contract with us without any problem. He stated that he loves our projects. - His happy face is everything to me.
- You are an outstanding designer. I believed in you from the beginning, Kai. I put the company in good hands.
- According to the agreement, I transferred the money to you," he announces, and his face saddens. - I miss you, Alice. Is everything okay with you?
- I would rather not leave, but I had to disappear from that place for my safety. I don't even remember the face of the man who hurt me, so living in another city was inevitable for me. Returning to the place where I grew up was the best solution for me. Everything is fine with me. I am coping.
- Does he support you? Are you happy with him? - A smile appears on my face. - After all, it all happened because of him. He ruined your life.
- Now he is redeeming his guilt. I am pleased with him. I don't regret giving him a second chance," I reply. - I guess I never stopped loving him because I think my feeling for him are even stronger now. You don't have to worry, Kai. I hope you'll stop by after Christmas so we can welcome the New Year together.
- I never take back my promises. I will come to get to know even better the bastard who stole your heart. I have to shake him up properly. Such is the role of an elder brother.
I lift my face and notice Jackson heading in my direction. Dressed in black jeans, a gray T-shirt and a leather jacket, he looks very handsome. Even the scar that is on his right cheek makes him look even sexier.
- I'm sorry you had to wait so long," he announces, sitting down next to me. He greets my friend, whom he spots on camera. - Are you all right? - She turns to him politely.
- In the best possible way. I've just confirmed that I'll be appearing at your place as a guest after Christmas. Prepare plenty of food. Meanwhile... goodbye. My duties call me. - He nods to us, then hangs up.
I put the phone in my sweatshirt pocket and look at Jackson.
- How did your job interview go this time?
- Flawless. They accepted me at the warehouse with open arms. They found that muscles play the most important role there," he boasts, sending me a wide smile. - Your boyfriend is no longer unemployed.
When he says "your boyfriend," excitement makes my heart start beating faster. I never thought the day would come when we would have the opportunity to be together again and make up for all the time we lost in separation.
I am pleased. It is enough for me that he is by my side, and everything else ceases to matter to me. He's a man I'm never going to let out of my hands again, even if he loves to bring us trouble.
He grabs my hand, placing it on his knee.
- This time I will make sure that our lives will go on peacefully. I will never bring you any trouble again. I promise.
- I would like to say that I believe you, but Jackson.... trouble is dragging itself to you, so just let me prepare myself mentally for it. I suspect that we will have to move to another city soon.
- Is this a joke, or are you just teasing me?
- I'm simply telling the truth," I declare, mussing his lips. - But regardless of the situation, I will never leave you.