15. A saviour at first

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~••♡•▪| KORI NOVIKOV |▪︎•♡••~



I had just stepped out of the shower, still towelling off my damp hair, when I slipped one of Ares's shirts over my head. It was huge on me, falling halfway down my thighs, soft and warm from being buried in his drawer.

I couldn't find where he had left the clothes he had bought for me so I grabbed the first thing in sight.

When I walked back into the room, Ares was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes trailed down my legs, slow and deliberate. He didn't even try to hide it.

I pretended not to notice, but inside, I liked it. My heart gave a little flip at the way his gaze lingered, heavy and a little possessive, as if I were something he wasn't quite ready to let go of.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, brushing my wet hair off my shoulder. "You gonna stand there staring, or are you gonna say something?"

Ares's mouth twitched, but he didn't smile. "That's my shirt."

"Yep." I tugged at the hem playfully. "I hope you don't mind, I just couldn't find any of my clothes." I spluttered , feeling bad that I may have overstepped.

He let out a low hum, the kind that sent a shiver down my spine, and walked toward me. His weight made the mattress dip slightly as he sat beside me, close enough that our knees touched.

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The air between us felt... charged, like we were both waiting for the other to break the silence.

Finally, Ares cleared his throat. "Angel, Tell me what's going on,"

I froze. I knew this conversation was coming, but I wasn't ready. I didn't think I'd ever be ready.

I swallowed hard, my fingers gripping the edge of his shirt like it was a lifeline. "You really want to know?"

Ares gave a single nod, his gaze steady but patient, as if telling me he had all the time in the world.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to speak. "When I ran away, I didn't have anywhere to go. I was sleeping in this beat-up car, parked in the middle of nowhere." My voice cracked a little, but I kept going. "That's where Gene found me."

Ares didn't say anything—just shifted slightly, close enough that his knee pressed against mine. It was a small touch, but it grounded me.

"He— He seemed like a saviour at first." I let out a bitter laugh. "He gave me food. A place to stay. I was so desperate, I thought he was the only person who cared."

I clenched my jaw, fighting back the knot tightening in my chest. "But the last time He was the one who gave me the black eye." I touched the faint scar under my eye, the one I hadn't bothered to cover with makeup.

The one that Ares nursed.

Ares's jaw tensed. His hand twitched at his side, like he wanted to reach out but wasn't sure if I wanted him to.

"I thought I owed him," I whispered. "He found me when no one else did. But it just, it never stopped. Control, manipulation and the violence."

Gene used my vulnerability to his advantage. He saw it as a way to get whatever he wanted.

I blinked quickly, not wanting to cry. "And the worst part is, sometimes I still feel like I owe him for saving me."

Ares didn't speak for a moment, but when he finally did, his voice was low and calm. "You don't owe him anything, Angel."

Kori Novikov | 18+Where stories live. Discover now