ple turned their attention my way. Seeking payback, I whistled and lo

had been feeling began to fade. He saw me as nothing

left, not wanting any part of our dispute. Soon,

he muscular guy, I appeared less sturdy. I grew slightly cautious and d

his words emerged through clenched te

ared at him icily and remarked, "Your services don't com

dvisor role!" Richard said through clenched

rried a hint of bitterness. "No need to mention it. You only needed me to clear t

ly seized the vase, ready to give him a good knock on the head. But hi

ice and muttered

d to clarify, but he caugh

ough my entire body. I tried to turn away from him, but he held me fir

. He bit my lip hard, and I tasted

tion, "Richard, you'

red on my lip, a mix of numbing and

so I remained motionless, all

xtended his arms, enveloping me in an embrace. Then, he tenderly brus

se to each other. His eyelashes looked like

ly, and I found myself re

we were in the bathroom and the events of that afternoon.

up with us just in time and knock

king guy, and I was a woman he could ask for with the snap of his fin

om my rejection, which had reignit

ish of me to harbo

the white porcelain vase on hi

agments, and Richard final

s head where the vase struck was bleeding, and the blood trickled down his

t to acknowledge it. I didn't want him to see through me, so I av

t in the next instant, Richard pin

racing a path from my mouth to the artery behind my