“No… No, I need to hear what he has to say for himself.” I fidget with my sleeve, but Jasper pretends not to notice, giving me the space I need.
He crosses the room toward the door, his steps sure yet haunted, his eyes returning to me as if he expects my resolve to fracture at any moment. He waits for hesitation, for a plea, forany sign I might call him back, or me telling him I want to leave. I give him none.
Jasper opens the door, knowing I will not surrender to this man, to the trauma he inflicted on me. He stands there, stoic. Marvin doesn’t even glance my way, his eyes resting on Jasper instead, as if I am not present, a specter that lingers, not worth paying attention to.
It’s as if he’s waiting for an order or a command from Jasper. Perhaps even a thank you. Jasper doesn’t return the same grace, his hand flying to the collar of Marvin’s coat, and he drags him inside, slamming the door shut.
Surprised, Marvin allows Jasper to yank him into our living room, and my chest tightens. It doesn’t feel right to have this man inourspace. I shift uneasily on my feet, and it doesn’t go unnoticed by my monster. With his eyes, he asks me if I’m alright, a silent conversation based on understanding, and I nod slightly.
Roughly, he shoves Marvin onto the sofa, the place where we just shared our intimate moment before his arrival. The man tidies his collar and looks up at Jasper, still ignoring me. He’s like a brainwashed child begging their parent for affection. Part of me aches for him, for the desperation that oozes from him. It’s palpable, but Jasper doesn’t care.
He grabs Marvin by the throat and squeezes, as Jasper's fingers dig into his flesh, Marvin’s skin turns a deep red.
“I’m going to ask you some questions, and you are going to answer truthfully, understood?”
Marvin tries to answer, which is good enough for Jasper, who lets him. He immediately begins to cough.
“First question. Did you harm Clara?”
It’s straight to the point. Marvin’s eyes dart from Jasper to me, then widen as if he’s just noticed me. I see the panic wash over him, and for some reason, seeing him crumble makesme feel more secure. I won’t allow him to see me falter in his presence. I straighten my spine and meet his gaze head-on. I refuse to let him see my fear, the effect he has on me, or the weakness he has created.
“You might as well be honest, I already told him everything,” I snarl.
Hearing my voice snaps him back to reality, and the shift from panic to hatred happens gradually, but Jasper sees it too.
“What the fuck did you do to her?” he asks angrily.
“I don’t know what she’s talking about, Sir.”
Sir, back to that again.
“Yes, you do!” I shout.
“Sir, I’m sorry. I don’t understand what I did wrong. I found the misses in the woods, and I guided her to my cabin so she could call you and return to you safely. Was I wrong for doing that?”
His words are like a red flag in front of a bull, and I want to charge at him. Jasper stays surprisingly calm.
“Marvin… I’m going to ask you one more time. And… careful now. If you lie to me, and I learn you touched what’s mine, I will skin you alive and make you gut yourself. So… one more time. Did you hurt Clara?”
A pause. A sob. The motherfucker is crying. Crocodile tears. I snort at the pathetic display.
“Not intentionally, sir. I’m so sorry.”
He breaks down in tears, and I can tell Jasper is taken aback by this display, from the grown man he has known for years.
Chapter Seventeen
Iwant to scream, scoop out Marvin’s eyeballs by shoving my pointed fingernails in his pupils, and feed them to him. Marvin turns his attention to me, his words carefully crafted. A predator pretending to be prey. It makes me nauseated.
“Miss, please know that whatever I did wrong, I didn’t mean to. It was never my intent. I hate myself for upsetting you, or worse, hurting you. I am so sorry, Miss. Please, you have to believe me.”
Neither of us expected this resolve, this pleading, and I take a step back. It feels like a torn betrayal, and my stomach is coiling.
“No, no. I’m not falling for this. You threatened me.He threatened me. You said I ruined everything.” I turn to Jasper, and he wordlessly pulls me against his side, his muscled arm draped over my shoulder. Safety. I’m safe. Marvin can’t harm me here. I do my best to control the wave of emotions that wash over me, pulling on me from every side.
“He’s lying,” I whisper, swallowing down a sob. “That blonde woman, if it wasn’t for her, I don’t know what would have happened…”
With a tear-stricken face, I direct my attention to Marvin. “What did you do to her, for helping me?”
