Gast: Volume 1: Dead to rights. (Gothic Horror) (Completed)

Chapter 19 - Bad Company (Edited)

(Any reproductions of this story other than on https://www.wattpad.com/394008710-gast are not permitted by the Intellectual owner of this property. If you see any reproductions on other sites you should inform myself immediately as that is a breach of the copyright laws that protect this story.)

"Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy." Paracelsus

Adam turned the key and pushed open the front door, he did so with one free hand, the other was firmly wrapped around Lilly.

It had taken Adam the better part of an hour to finally convince Lilly to come home with him, Lilly was perhaps the strongest woman he knew, and it had shaken him to see her so fragile.

He had tried to forget all about Lilly's confession of love, but it lingered and festered in the back of his mind. He wondered if it was just the mixture of grief and loneliness or if it was something more, something to explore; or something that would damn his soul further.

He clenched his fists in frustration and guided Lilly to the couch, as he helped her down, she looked up at him; he watched as her eyes dilated. He knew if he held her wrist in the right spot, her pulse would be rapid. The two looked at each other in silence, their eye's bore down into the depths of each other's soul. Adam could feel his heart quicken and his face moved millimeters closer.

Thankfully he maintained enough willpower to pull away, Lilly's eyes darkened momentarily before she slunk down into the couch and moaned as her back cracked.

Adam watched as Lilly stretched out like a feline, and shook his head in self-loathing. He had brought her here to help her; not leer at her.

"Are you hungry?" He asked more as a distraction than anything.

Lilly stopped stretching and pulled herself upright; she locked eyes on him and smiled.

"No... But I appreciate the gesture."

Adam sighed and shook his head.

"My house my rules, you're eating and you're going to wash it down with some very strong and expensive wine."

Lilly stared at him in silence, Adam turned his back on her and winced, he knew how she could have misconstrued it for flirtation; but he genuinely believed she needed the wine to steady her nerves.

Lilly sighed as Adam hastily raided the fridge.

"Just how expensive is this wine?"

Adam stopped, his shoulders were visibly tense.

"Let's just say I was saving this bottle for when Rose and I set a date for the wedding..."

He heard Lilly drag herself from the couch and used this moment to wipe the tears from his eyes.

He sucked in his breath as he felt Lilly wrap her arms around him and embrace him tight in a hug.

"She would have loved that..." Lilly mumbled.

Adam laughed, his laughter sounded hoarse.

"I know..."

The two stood in silence, sharing their grief until finally, Adam coughed; he moved out of Lilly's grasp and began to prepare the meal.

Lilly stared at him for a brief moment, words unspoken lay at the tip of her tongue, but she reluctantly resumed her seat on the couch.

The silence was awkward, Adam hated it but for the life of him, he couldn't find a conversational topic without it leading right to Rose.

Lilly started to shiver as if someone had stepped over her grave, and Adam remembered that her fingers were a dark hue of blue when he found her.

"Go and run a hot bath, the meal and the wine will be waiting for when you get out."

Lilly stared open mouthed at Adam, he could feel her staring eye's, probing into the back of his head.

He too felt the flirtation behind the completely innocent gesture and wondered if this was their dynamic now.

Lilly pulled herself from the couch and walked towards the bathroom in silence.

Adam sighed in relief, he needed the space to gather his thoughts, he needed time to plan, time to fix things.

He heard Lilly run the tap and cursed himself as he mentally pictured her removing her clothes, he was so distracted that he almost severed his finger with a kitchen knife, trying to chop carrots.

"Oh shit, that's good..." Lilly exclaimed as she climbed into the still running bath.

Adam laughed before he realized that Rose used to say the exact same thing.

He heard Lilly shut the bathroom door and stared at himself in the reflective surface of the kitchen counter.

He barely recognized the man staring back at him.

Xxx

Adam finished setting the dining table, the food was hot and looked tantalizing, the wine was poured and decanting.

"It's ready!" He yelled.

"I know I can smell it and it's taunting me..."

Adam laughed, the front door banged as if someone had slammed their fists against it.

Adam stared at the door quizzical and walked over to the spy latch.

He saw Frank standing there, his eyes vacant, Adam instantly opened the door fearing the worst and was welcomed by the sight of a handgun pointed at his face.

Frank snarled Adam could see the effects of the alcohol now; his eyes were clearly bloodshot and unfocused.

"This is your fault!" Frank screamed and slammed the gun into Adams' nose.

Adam fell back, nose bloody and looked up at Frank with shock.

Frank lumbered forward; he was so drunk he could barely stand.

Lilly screamed as she saw what was happening, she stood in the hallway with the still wet towel wrapped around her body. Frank stared at her in disgust and back towards Adam. He could hear Frank's teeth grind.

"You piece of shit! How could you!" Frank aimed the gun for Adam's head, his arm was steady as a rock, and his eye's burned with rage.

Frank squeezed the trigger, Lilly screamed; and Adam stopped breathing.