THIRD PERSON'S POV
Rose's eyes gouged out of their sockets at the horrific sight in front of her. The dying man stretches his hands to Rose for help before his body falls on the ground. Blood oozes out of the hole from his neck and sooner he stops breathing.
She gulps in utmost fear before her stare shifts to the doer. His eyes showed nothing but satisfaction and slight traces of rage. He enjoyed doing that. He enjoyed watching that.
Throwing the weapon aside, his attention steers to Rose. He takes off his coat and wraps around her after walking towards her. The latter scene was too intimidating to Rose. She froze watching him as he approached.
"He was the last of them, let's go," He takes Rose's hand in his and starts walking. His clothes are untidy and covered in blood. He also had some serious injuries but he withstood.
The coat he swung on her was covered with blood too. She was disgusted.
"W-What about them?" Rose asks. He could feel her hand shaking under his, he knew she was petrified.
"It's a forest, the least good they can do in their lives is to be a food for wildlife." He states and his grip tightens around her hand.
He killed all of them, how is he any better? She thinks.
It was the same screwdriver he drove through his neck. Did he really kill them? Her heart started accelerating again. She is aghast by the man holding her hand.
He killed four people?
"Why did you come out, Rose? I told you to stay there." He asks, his voice softens.
"I-I heard wailings and screams, I thought you'd be..." She didn't complete the sentence but he understood. He nods, Rose saw it by the side of her eye.
She walked with him like a lifeless doll, maybe she was too worn out. Maybe too scared. Her breathing is still heavy. A murderer? She couldn't stop thinking.
"What are you afraid of?" He snaps her out of the vicious thoughts her mind has been playing on loop.
She didn't reply for a long time and the silence was making him uneasy. He asked Rose to stay afar because one of the reasons was to not let her see what she saw. He is relatively aware of what happens to people like her upon encountering such scenes. He never cared before but right now? The only emotion running in his mind is regret. Regret of letting their screams escape.
"You killed them," He clenched his jaw slightly. He already saw it coming.
"I had to. It's always- we kill them before they do." He states plainly. Rose's eyebrows bounce at his statement. She turns her gaze at him and meets the cold aura. He is badly injured, she notices.
She remembers the huge scars endowed on his chest and back, these new injuries are nothing when compared to those. Her gaze falls on the ground again.
What is his life? She thinks.
I know they're undercover agents but who are they really? And Tyler? She keeps on thinking.
Her mind reminds her of Tyler's face back there. He was so fierce, not at all scared.
Pistols.
Gunshots.
Blood.
Dead bodies.
Pain, scream, tears, don't they see it? How long have they been living like this? Don't they feel anything? Don't they care?
Or have they stopped caring anymore?
"You can rest, I'll guard." King's voice dragged her out of the debate session her mind was on. She was too engrossed in her thoughts, she didn't notice they were back in that small wooden house.
She watches as he lights the woods again and roughly wipes off the ashes from the floor, "Here," He points at the clean floor.
Rose slowly removes his coat but King stops her, "Keep it, it'll keep you warm." He says and leaves her wrist.
After quietly sitting on the floor, her mind goes on its chore again, citing the flashes of that night in front of her eyes.
He was different that night. She reckons.
Or that was one of his sides, another unleashed today. He was savage like an animal heretofore. Shaking her head, she asks,
"Who changed my clothes that night?" The only part she couldn't remember of that night.
He gapes at her, his eyes brightening a little, "You remember?"
"Some of it," He smiled internally.
"You." Her eyes, which were earlier staring at the flames rising from the woods, shift at him. His wounds are much more visible now. How is he still standing? She worries.
Relieved at the answer, Rose wipes a huge section beside her. "Tell me," She speaks while smiling at him as she taps on the cleaned area.
Both of them are severely injured within their own limits. It was a long day for both of them, the least they could do is to not let their differences come in between. No matter how cruel King can get to annihilate his enemies, he saved Rose's life twice.
It was nobody's fault whatever happened today. And with her mind so light, questioning about everything going on would be the last thing she'd do right now.
Dylan perfectly concealed the delight sparkling in his heart after seeing her charming smile. To him, it felt like receiving a trophy after winning the longest run.
He grunts while settling down.
"What's the last you can remember?"
"Uh, we went to the mansion, you said I can't stand, I said I can and tried to prove it," She giggles.
"But couldn't-" She pauses as he starts laughing, "Oh, come on," Rose spats which made him laugh even more.
"Then you flawlessly walked towards me and held my arm." He speaks within his laugh. Rose's cheeks flushed in embarrassment but she laughed with him.
How carefree his laugh is right now. Even he didn't notice.
"Yeah, that's the last I remember of it." She replies after they manage to stop their laughter.
"So, we went to my room..."
DYLAN'S POV
"Is this my room?" She spats looking all around.
"No, but you can sleep here," I retort while slacking the tie off my collar before heading towards my wardrobe.
I turn around suspiciously as I hear something crashing. She better not break anything in my room!
She wobbles, certainly trying really hard to stand still. Is she still stuck on proving it? I laugh inwardly.
"I can't sleep in this dress!" She spats, again. She really likes to boss around, doesn't she?
"Fine, take it off then." I shrug while turning around. Where did I put that new pair of sweatpants?
"What the-" Swiftly turning around at her action, I behold her glaring at me.
"Why are you hitting me?" I ask astonishedly. She just threw something on the back of my head. Reflexively, my gaze shifts to the floor and there I find her purse.
I look at her in utmost shock.
"And how is your aim so good?" I mean, really. She can't stand properly, she can't walk but damn she aimed for my head.
It must be a coincidence.
"You pervert!" She yells, "What am I going to wear if I take this off, huh?"
I turn my head so she won't see me laughing. I adore how angry her face is right now but her body isn't keeping up with it. She is literally floating.
"I apologise," I turned my back on her, facing the cupboard and quickly taking out my T-shirt.
"Here. My T-shirt isn't the length of your dress but it would surely cover you up." I carefully extend it towards her. She yanks it and glares at me again, "Where is the washroom?" She asks this time.
"There," I point at the door to my right. I follow her keeping a safe distance so I'd be able to catch her if she falls.
She closes the door after stepping in.
"Be careful and try not to break my things, Rose," I speak through the door, knowing it would piss her off.
"I will try!"
She reminds me of my mum, always bossing around, looking adorable. I snigger at the same thought.
I took my clothes and hopped into the second one.
Quickly getting done with all of my business, I sneak out to see if she's doing okay. My gaze fell on the washroom she went in, it was open.
I immediately look at my bed and take a breath of relief. She is lying there already with her eyes closed.
Turning the lights off and closing the door behind, I walk towards the bed.
"Goodnight," I whisper before taking the spare pillow and walking towards the couch.
As much as I want to sleep beside her, it would be wrong. I don't want to scare her off in the morning.
Talking of which, she was drinking way too less, then how come her condition is like this? Is she really drunk or is it something else?
Maybe she isn't a good handler at all but I do sense something off here.
"Dylan," My breath hitched the moment I heard my name.
"Yes," I turn around, feeling my heart hammering against my chest. How sweetly she took my name.
"You can sleep here," She taps on the empty side of the bed. Oh, I so want to, Rose.
"It's alright, I'm good there." I made sure I smiled before turning away again.
"Please," She says. Why is she sounding so cute? It's almost frustrating!
I sigh and walk to the bed, "Don't hover over my side." I state before sliding in my blanket. I take a good look at her, to see if she's sealed inside hers.
"Oh, stop drooling over yourself, I'm not interested."
"Then, I dozed off." I lean down towards her face. She is resting her head on my shoulder.
I hear her humming in response. She is tired. My gaze falls on the bruises and cuts on her arms and legs. I wish I could kill each one of them again.
You're a strong girl, Rose.
I rest the back of my head on the wall behind us. Closing my eyes, my mind takes me to the days of happiness.
I pull myself from the wall at her sudden movement, her head falls into my lap. She's asleep already.
I watch her folding her legs before she pulls them towards her chest. Her golden face comes into the sight as I tuck her hair behind.
My mom would've liked you.