SOMI - XOXO

"Look at me." He ordered. His tone harbouring no affection; sending ice cold chills through her veins.

She hesitantly lifted her eyes to find his dark orbs piercing through her facade. Through the layers of defence she thought she had put up. To protect herself, her heart and to clear her mind. He broke down all her defences by pinning her with a narrow glare; shattering everything she thought was certain.

He won't believe anything she'd say. And, she wasn't sure if she actually did too.

Gideon picked up the divorce papers and tore the pages down the middle. Then again and again until there was nothing left but tiny torn squares. He threw the paper on the floor; the pieces fluttering through the air helpless. He never tore his eyes off her, watching her with an unreadable scrutiny.

"Please." She begged with an exasperated whine. "I don't want to do this anymore."

"I'm going to get out." He told her. "Everything will be fine, again."

Nothing had ever been fine with them.

"Even when you know that I had a part in this?" She asked quietly.

The tension in the room rose a notch and it was so eerily silent that she swore her the sound of her wild pulse could be heard.

Gideon's jaw visibly ticked causing Rory to take a few steps back. He was angry and was trying desperately to not show it. But, calm Gideon was always worst than angry Gideon.

There was enough space between them now that he couldn't reach her thanks to his chains limiting his movements.

"I put you here, Gideon." She said. "Did Gabriela tell you that?"

"I know and I'm not angry at you."

Unintentionally, she scoffed; crossing her arms over her chest. She felt the anger rise in her stomach but she wasn't exactly sure why she was so angry. Maybe because he didn't meet her expectations; that he wasn't going batshit crazy as she thought he would.

It would have made it easier to walk away if he did.

"Yeah, you shouldn't be." She spat. "You have no right to be angry at me. Especially not after what you've done."

Shaking off the reins that controlled her, Rory took a confident stride towards him, getting into his face. She raised her chin and glared into his eyes. Her skin pulsed with anxiety and sweat broke on her forehead.

Who was she too stand against a man like him? He could crash her throat with one hand right now.

"I thought we were pass this." He growled, staring her down yet she didn't falter. "I thought we were good."

"When was anything good with us? There's only ever pain, hatred and control with us. We will never be good because of all the things you've done." She averted her gaze when she felt the tears blurred her vision. Like always, he had the power to make her feel so weak.

"Gideon, you kidnapped me, force me into a marriage that I didn't want." Rory gritted her teeth, fighting the emotions rising in her chest. "You killed my family and oh god, you must've killed more people before that too. And, and you, you killed Alvaro. He was my first friend, he was innocent and you killed him!"

The tears spilled, hot and harsh that her eyes stung. Gideon felt his chest tightened and he circled his arms around her protectively. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks and her shoulders. He hummed in his usual low tone that put her at ease. Instantly, Rory moulded into his body, finding comfort in his scent and warmth.

It would be a lie if he told her he regretted all he had done - he didn't. All he could do for her is to offer her comfort and the promise that he'll never hurt her again. Ever.

"I hate you." She muttered between hiccuping cries. A declaration she wished she truly believed. "I can never love a monster like you. You're a murder, a kidnapper and worst of all you're a rapist!"

Her balled fists banged against his chest, over and over again, pounding furiously. She screamed in frustration when he didn't flinched nor did he begged her to stop. He merely watched, his eyes softening while she continued with her feeble attempt of inflicting pain.

She was jealous and annoyed that nothing seemed to faze him. Nothing could hurt him because he was always one stepped ahead of everyone else.

But, not this time. He was going to jail since whatever evidence was on the drive was enough to put him behind bars for years.

Yet, he didn't look one bit scared.

"I hate you." She let out weakly. She sank into the spare chair next to his and he was instantly on his knees in front of her. "I hate you, Gideon. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you."

As if repeating out loud was enough to convince anyone, especially herself.

"Please just let me go."

"We have a baby on the way." He swallowed, his fingers pushing her hair behind her ears. "Our baby needs us. So, I'll never let you go. I don't even care if you hate me. You're mine for forever. The both of you."

Rory cried harder. Her confidence and resolve quickly diminishing. Their baby was going to have a failure as a mother; a weakling, and a crazy, psychopath as a father. What a combination.

"Our baby-"

"No, my baby." She quickly cut off.

She rubbed her bump, feeling the growing child inside her.

"While you rot in prison, I'm going raise my son to be a better man than his father. He'll never know who you are, I won't let him know you."

"A son?" Gideon gulped then his face fell sullen. "Yes, we had an appointment today, didn't we?"

"I'm having a baby boy." She told him, her voice cracking a little. I told you so, was what she wanted to say. All the times they had argued about the gender of their baby flooded back to her; crushing her soul even more.

Because they won't be another chance for them. Not when she wanted this baby to live happily and safely.

"No, Rory we are." He fought back. "This is our baby. He is ours like you are mine!"

"No," she shook her head. "I won't let him near you because, you've killed children. My brother and your own, have you forgotten?"

Gideon gulped, taken back. He pursed his lips - Luci must've told her about their younger half brothers.

"I would never hurt my own child." He retorted incredulously. "I would protect him and you with my life."

Rory pushed off her seat, her hand on his shoulders to keep him on his knees.

"It's hard to believe you when you've done nothing but hurt me." She bit at him coldly as she stared him down.

Her tone piercing him relentlessly like a knife through the heart.

Rory caressed his face and he leaned into her touch. He rose to his feet, his height towering over her. He looked as intimidating as ever even when he was locked to a table wedged into the ground.

Gideon cupped her face and pressed a delicate kiss to her lips. She whimpered when she felt all her messes of emotions wash away with his kiss. He had made a home in her heart, forced his way inside her and now, he refused to leave or rather, the little landlord in her heart won't let him go.

"We will get through this."

"I'll get through this without you." She snapped, denying everything and nothing. "I don't need you." She pulled away, moving towards the door so that he could no longer hold her. "Please sign the papers, I'll send you a new copy."

"Rory." He said, pulling at his chains. "Come back here."

"We're going to be fine without you."

At those words, Gideon's chest tightened and his heart dropped. The family he always wanted slipping through his fingers. He couldn't let her - them - go.

Rory reached for the door handle but his next words stilled her.

"I didn't kill Alvaro." He said, all of a sudden. He knew it was the only way she'd stay just a little bit longer. "He's why you sided with my sister, isn't it?"

Gideon reached into the blue file on the desk, retrieving the pictures Luci had submitted to the police department. Alvaro's murder was the only thing in the file that was false. Everything else was true, of course, since it all came from his computer. That was something he couldn't deny.

Rory toss a glance over her shoulder. He held the picture of Alvaro's lifeless body; his neck painted red, his eyes lifeless and mouth gaped like he was holding onto his last breathe. She dashed towards, ripping the photo from his grasp. She never wanted to see that again, ever.

Before she could turn away, however, a hand on Alvaro's chest caught her eyes, a black carbide ring on the thumb of a slender hand. Why hadn't she noticed before?

She had seen that ring before.

"If I had killed that boy, you would've known about it." He chuckled smugly. "I would have killed him in front of you for running away from me."

"You're sick." She seethed, folding the photo and shoving it into her pockets. "How can you talk about killing someone innocent just like that?"

"It's part of my job and it'll be our son's future." He stated. "He's the next me."

"Shut up!" She cried roughly, to the point her throat screamed in protest, "He'll never be like you. I won't let him."

As he reached for her, Rory jerked back. She dashed for the door and threw a last glance at her husband. He watched her smugly like he knew his words spoken were true. And, as much as she wanted to deny it, she knew there were some truth to his words. Because, she knew he won't lie to her.

"If you want to keep me away from my son, and you," he said, "you'll have to kill me."

She clutched the handle until her knuckles turned white. To kill him? Could she?

Rory didn't have to face him to know he was smirking proudly because he was aware she could never kill him. Or rather, anyone. She opened the door and Gideon's chains rattled like he was trying to free himself.

One more touch was all he craved.

"I never killed Alvaro." He shouted after her. "I won't lie to you, Rory."

The door clicked closed behind her and she stumbled out the room in flood of tears. Her body trembled from the shuddering sobs that continued to come in wave after wave, rendering her helpless.

Chaining her own husband and handing him over to the authorities should've have made her stronger; should've solidified her will but instead, she felt vulnerable. Like, she had lost her biggest defence - her pillar.

Rory stepped out the building. She searched the parking lot for Jairo but he was nowhere in sight.

As she approached the car, Luci appeared from behind it and jogged towards her. She wore simple jeans and a hoodie with hair pulled into a low ponytail.

"How was it?" She said, catching her breath.

Rory tilted her head in confusion - she didn't jog that far but here she was breathing like she had ran a marathon.

Ignoring her question, Rory asked, "Have you seen Jairo?"

Her stomach churned as she uttered the question. The hair on her arms suddenly stood and her instincts were screaming for her to stay alert. But this was Luci who helped her free herself from Gideon's grasp. She didn't have to be on guard with her.

"I haven't seen him." She said.

Luci tugged on Rory's arm leading her towards a white Rolls Royce. She climbed into car, settling into the tan leather seats. While Luci dived into the driver's seat, she found herself resting her hands on the door handle as if she was ready to bolt if something went wrong.

Without Jairo's presence, she felt uneasy because he never left her side, not even once.

Yet again, Rory dropped her guard reminding herself Luci was the last person she need not worry about hurting her. She won't right? Then, why was she acting like this? Like she couldn't control the fear creeping in the back of her head.

Luci rummaged through her compartments, finding a large envelope. Rory took it from her hand and flipped through the documents.

"Once you're divorce from my brother, you'll get half of his wealth." She explained. "But if he dies everything will be yours until that baby becomes old enough to take over."

"He won't die."

"I'm just preparing you for a worst case scenario." She said rather defensively. She twisted in her seat and placed a hand on Rory's arm.

Instantly, Rory found herself flickering her attention to Luci's hands - a black carbide ring on her thumb. She swallowed, feeling the hair on her arms rising and the alarms setting off in her ear.

"You and your baby don't have to carry on my family's tainted legacy." She said softly. "Take half of his wealth and be free." She reached into the compartment and fished out a pen. "These documents details what belongs to you once you married my brother. Just sign them over to me and go; go anywhere you want to go."

Rory eyes flickered back to Luci's hands and she asked abruptly; "How did Alvaro die?"

Taken back, Luci jerked away; eyes widening in surprise. Her face twisted unpleasant as millions of thoughts raced through her head, trying to find a perfect excuse.

However, Rory released a sudden frightful scream when a hand slammed against the passenger window. Her head snapped to the side and the moment she laid eyes on Jairo's appearance, she gasped.

Blood dripped from his forehead, a busted lip, a broken nose and severely swollen right eye. His forehead glistened with sweat as if it took him all his might to crawl here. Her clothes and hair was disheveled.

He slammed his palm against the window and Rory, in a panic, fumbled with the door handle. But, Luci kept the door locked from her side, refusing to let Rory out because with Jairo still alive - her entire plan would fall apart. They'll know she was the one behind this.

"Let me out." Rory cried, her head twisted between the two.

"No, I can't do that." She replied calmly. The engine of the Rolls Royce roared to life.

Putting the car in reverse, Luci watched Rory's guard feebly attempt to stay upright. The sedative she had given him wasn't enough of a high dose to completely knock him out but, it's effects were still evident. She put car in gear and pressed down on the gas pedal, slamming into his body. He toppled over, his body smashing against the wind shield.

Rory screamed as blood smeared the glass and Jairo rolled off the car, tumbling to the concrete like a ragged doll. Once again, she tried opening the car door but, Luci securely locked with the child lock installed into the car.

"Please, please." She begged. "Let me out, I need to help him. He needs help."

Luci rested her head against the wheel, breathing heavily. She had acted on impulse, again. There was no way she could dig her way out of this one. Rory was naive but, she wasn't that naive. She quickly reminded herself that everything will come out eventually - her plan can still go ahead.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, reaching for the back of Rory's head where she entangled her fingers in her curls, soothingly at first before she gripped it tightly.

Rory yelped as a smearing sting bursted through her scalp and before she could protest, Luci twisted her head so that she was facing the window. Face first, she slammed Rory's head against the glass over and over again. The glass shattered, creating a web of broken brittles on the surface.

Rory visioned blurred. She saw red against the window and the scent of blood - her blood - filled her lungs. The world seemed to spin around her and she collapsed against the seat, going still. Gideon flashed through her mind and she reached out for him but, he slipped through her fingers; leaving her alone in the darkness.

🔜.