"There's no need for you to take it outside right now Robert. Calm down," I insisted, swaying side ways slightly only to get caught by one of Stephen's strong arms.
"Yes Robert. I think that you should calm down before things really turn ugly," Stephen added, narrowing his eyes at my brother who was also glaring hard in his direction.
"Shut up Stephen because I don't think that I asked for your input. I just told you to get your ass out of this room so that we could handle this like men. Don't get my sister involved any more than you already have." Robert retorted, his hands at his side paling as his fist grew tighter, almost tight enough for his nails to rip open his palms. I felt and heard Stephen growl, extremely quietly and if I had not felt the rumble in his chest, would have probably thought that I had simply heard mistakenly. My body slowly start to tingle and heat up from my feet upwards, as Stephen continued to hold me tightly into his muscular chest and I realised that I needed to move away from him quickly.
"That's enough Robert. Stephen has kindly allowed both of us to stay in his house for reasons that donât need to be discussed right now and so you have no ---," I began as I regained my strength back rather quickly since Stephen had not drunk as much as he had on previous occasions.
"That gives him no right to drink from you right after you were almost flipping raped and had had a miscarriage loosing enough blood already only two days ago if you've forgotten!" Robert interrupted gasping deeply after his breathless sentence. What he had said caused my whole body to immediately go cold when the words 'raped' and 'miscarriage' slipped out of his lips with such anger. All the fight left my body and I felt myself slump into Stephen. Gently removing Stephen's arm from around me even though he had been persistent to try to keep it around me, with one look into his black eyes which must have caught sight of the tears that were threatening to escape, his arm instantly loosened and I took advantage of that opportunity.
"Melanie don't --," Stephen started as I slipped out of his grasp.
"Leave it," I whispered, walking past him towards the bathroom.
"Mel, where are you going?"Â Robert asked as I looked and walked past him, only for him to grab my arm.
"We're not finished here." He stated harshly.
"Well I am. I'm tired. After all I was nearly raped and just had a miscarriage. I mean how stupid could I be not to want someone else to die on my behalf?" I hissed sarcastically as I opened the bathroom door.
"Can I use your bathroom by the way?" I questioned politely, remembering my manners. Stephen's dark eyes looked both sad and angry as they stared into mine and they held too much emotion for me to handle causing me to look away.
"Sure." He replied.
"Oh and Robert, speak to me when you understand." I added before closing the bathroom door and sliding down it as the sobs overcame me and I shook with sadness. What had my life come to?
I woke up in someone's strong arms, with my feet dangling as though I was being carried. Hoping that it wasnât Robert who was carrying me, I forced my eyes opened and looked up at the culprit. Stephen. He laid me gently onto his bed and I tiredly sat up since I was both emotionally and physically drained due to the past chain of events that had only happened a couple of days ago.
"Are you hungry?" Stephen quizzed, removing a strand of hair from my face and gently tucking it behind my ear which caused the side of my face to tingle from his touch.
"No, just a bit thirsty," I managed to voice as I stared down at my hands, too shy to look up at what I knew would be a sincere gaze. In a second, his hand vanished and I felt a small gust of wind as he sprinted out of the room, too fast for me to comprehend and was back only a second later.
"There you go," Stephen whispered, handing me a chilly just opened bottle of water.
"Thank you," I replied hoarsely still refusing to look into his eyes. Gulping down the cool water, I felt my insides easing slightly; however, they were still tense.
"Thank you," I repeated, placing the bottle with only a tiny bit of contents inside onto the bedside table.
"Why arenât you looking at me?" Stephen suddenly asked after a couple minutes of silence. I didnât forget his presence during the time but I did hope that he would leave me alone to wallow in my sadness. Shrugging slowly, I still refused to meet his eyes.
"Melanie, why can't you look at me?" Stephen questioned once more, lifting my chin so that I was forced to gaze into his black orbs. Fiercely slapping his away from me, I scooted away from him and continued to look at my fingers.
"Stop frustrating me! It's already hard as it is, seeing and hearing you crying when I know that there's nothing that I can do. Now don't start avoiding me, otherwise you'll probably loose me forever Melanie." Stephen growled standing up. My eyes immediately snapped towards his in horror and I was not taken back by the fury in them.
"Then maybe that's how it's got to be." I retorted, sick of him seeing me at my darkest and saddest moment. I felt even more sickened due to the fact that I had almost been raped and had killed someone that had been growing inside me. Whether it was intentional or not was not what I cared about, the matter of the fact was that it happened. He should have been sickened by the sight of me, just like I was.
All of a sudden, I trapped on the bed between both of Stephen's arms with his dark gaze staring deep within me, as he hovered only a tiny bit above me.
"Do you really want that Melanie because if you do we can arrange it," Stephen proposed as my eyes drifted to his moving lips. I was instantly reminding of how they felt on my wedding day and felt my heart pound against my chest as though it was happening all over again. Seeming to realise that I was staring at his lips, his eyes drifted towards mine which trembled due to his proximity as my body began to turn against me. Our eyes became locked once again as he began to lower his lips towards mine and I couldn't withhold the sickness that overwhelmed me when I remembered Trevor's attempt.
"I can't do it." I stated trying to push him away, yet there was no need to because by the time I looked up; he was already standing at the door.
"I'll be out of here by the end of the day," I muttered, watching him place a shaky hand through his thick black hair that I missed the silkiness of.
"Do whatever you want." He replied before slamming the door closed behind him.
I cried once again as I picked up my bag with my untouched clothes and began my hunt for my phone. Finding it, I threw it against the wall as I screamed in sadness and it shattered into pieces just how my heart felt at that moment. Knowing that I had insurance I dismissed the idea of not being able to get a new phone. Sternly wiping away the last tears that I wished to shed, for anyone including myself, I sluggishly opened Stephen's bedroom door and walked through his front door without a glance either way.
***
"Well this is my roomâ¦" Stephen informed me, as his large cool hand led me into his dorm room for the first time. Half expecting to mainly see blue furniture, considering that he was a boy, I was surprised to see mainly bright, vibrant colours, from the orange bed sheets to the white wardrobes and computer table. Since the bright sunlight was seeping in through the window, it also added to the brightness of the room.
"What? Don't you like it?" Stephen frowned, his voice breaking through my thoughts as I realised that he was no longer holding my hand and had taken a step away from me.
"No, it's nice. I was just expecting blue and dark colours since you are a boy," I shrugged, watching his frown turn into a handsome relieved smile, directed at me causing my heart to skip a beat. Even though I had seen him smile loads of times, it still continued to have the same heart skipping effect on me.
"Not all men like blue and dark colours Melanie," Stephen chuckled making a shiver run along my spine at the sound of my name from his pink tasty lips. Oh how I desperately wanted to taste those lips again, yet I was still waiting.
"Men?" I scoffed, trying to hide my smile.
"More like a large boy," I commented, noticing his dark eyes brightening.
"I'm sure a 'large boy' couldnât do this," Stephen stated stalking towards me. Wondering what he was up to, I slowly began to walk backwards afraid of what was to come.
"Stephen stay back," I threatened jokingly as a sexy smirk found its way onto his lips.
"Why would I do that?" Stephen questioned before picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder as I screamed, only to get flung onto his bed, with him crawling on top of me. My heart beat picked up as my body heat escalated whilst Stephen now hovered over me, his dark eyes darkened as I stared up at him, finding it hard to concentrate on exactly what was happening. I began to get lost in his eyes like I always did which caused me to block everything out.
"Melanie yes or not?" Stephen asked, his mint breath washing over my face as he frowned once again, his dark eyes slightly concerned.
"What?" I wondered snapping back to Earth.
"Do you think a 'large boy' could do that?" Stephen repeated.
"Yep, I mean you did it didnât you," I joked, giggling underneath him as I noted to myself that I loved this position.
"Well then, I guess I'll have to convince you another way then," Stephen teased, his eyes fixed on my lips as he slowly began lowering his head towards mine just as I began to hyperventilate. However, a second later, I was being dragged out of the room, almost growling that he still hadnât kissed me since the party and could only glare at the back of his head as he chuckled evilly.
***
"Melanie Zeleny!" I heard a deep voice call as I tried to hail down a taxi. Wondering who knew and was calling out my whole name, I glanced around and met chocolate brown eyes. The officer. He did a U-turn in his police car and stopped right in front of me before getting out of the car.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his brown eyes once again making me look away due to the amount of concern in them. Was he always this kind and worrying about all of his other victims?
"You've asked me that many times Officer Danny. I'm fine." I replied, forcing a smile.
"You don't have to smile at me if you donât want to Madame," the officer informed me, smiling politely, making me feel guilty.
"Please donât call me Madame, it makes me sound like such an old person," I pleaded, hearing him chuckle cutely beside me, allowing me to see the tiny dimples he had in his cheeks, making him look even more attractive.
"Would you like to get something to eat? That's if you havenât eaten anything already Mada--, I mean Melanie," he stuttered making me smile a tiny bit due to his adorability. Considering that I had not eaten for the past two days, I knew that I would be extremely hungry but I was not yet sure if I was ready to eat out with another man just yet. Even if it was simply a kind gesture.
"I'm not very sure about that. I'm not particularly hungry," I replied, instantly regretting the words as they slipped out of my mouth and I saw the officer's face sadden. Not wanting to let down anyone else, I stood up straight as he turned around to get back into his car and stated,
"I wouldnât mind that actually Officer Danny."
"Call me Danny please," Danny insisted, opening the passenger door for me as he smiled happily. Saying my thanks and getting in, I couldnât help but glance up at Stephen's apartment, one last time, only to see him watching me before disappearing when my eyes met his.
Had I really made the right decision?