Jess was trailing a path just like in a movie where the main character is lost in the woods and has never been retrieved from then on.
She hit herself on the head. Sometimes she has a sick sense of humor, subjecting herself to the remote possibility that it can happen. The entire villa is set above the hills and no car can enter the estate because Rick wanted it to be that way. You must do it on foot and walk a few meters away to reach the old house.
Alexander shared with her some folklore stories about the manor, this has been in Rick's family for generations. When Iris was alive, this was her home of prestige and luxury.
Jess was out of breath when she finally reached the gates of the massive garden. The place hasn't been taken care of. She imagines how beautiful it would look to see various wildflowers growing and sprouting during spring. She looked up and saw the house made of brick and stone standing gallantly in the middle of nowhere. The old house with its centuries-settled foundations brought a feeling of awe to the landscape and Jess carefully welcomed herself in.
She was feeling a little spooked knowing that this was a typical haunted house scene and either ghosts or evildoers lurked in.
Why does she always reference things based on movies? It's not helping her mentally.
She entered the premises and tried to see if Rick was there. After all, considering this location was just a wild guess.
She walked towards the entrance door and was about to knock on the solid wood when she heard a splash of water from behind the villa. Her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to walk along a narrow path at the side of the house, when she reached the end, she inhaled sharply as the scenery in front of her looked like it was taken from a beautiful painting.
A massive pool sits in the middle of it while the fresh dewy lawn grass is trimmed down intentionally. Jess feasted her eyes on how clean the water was, sparkling against the beaming sun. Someone is taking care of this part of the house, that's for sure. The entrance porch was undeniably devastating but behind it all lies a treasure you wouldn't expect to find. A perfect place to hide from all the chaos of the world.
The side door from the kitchen area suddenly opened and Rick was ushered outside the secret garden, like a prince being transported to a different realm. Her imagination was cut short when she saw a glimpse of his eyes, they were a mixture of shock, hesitation, and anger.
She gulped.
"How did you find me?" he asked calmly.
"Ahhh, well... It's Bennie and Alexander, they figured out you might be here" she stuttered.
She studied him and saw a ting of dark circles underneath, her heart went to him. She wanted to run to his side and kiss him.
"Rick... I." Her words were interrupted when he suddenly spoke.
"Have you read the news?" His eyes darkened.
She nodded, not breaking her gaze.
"Is that why you ran away from me? Because you were disgusted with my past?" He stated with a hint of accusation in his tone.
It took a moment for Jess to connect his words. Is that how it looked like when she stormed away from his house?
"Rick, let's talk. There is something I need to tell you." She stated she wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.
Rick closed their distance quickly and his towering heights were engulfing Jess. Making her feel inferior.
This is not the usual Rick she learned to care for and love. This is a different Rick. There was no humor in his demeanor, no playfulness, no usual charms. What she's seeing are dark eyes of hazel that project a different kind of hue.
"So, you learned about my mother, and it sent you running away from my door." She heard his thunderous voice and she started to feel scared.
He suddenly raised his hand and touched her hair gently, he moved closer and sniffed her scent, he then kissed her earlobe and played it with his tongue, teasing her. Her eyes grew bigger by the aggressiveness of his actions. She wasn't prepared for this. His hands were fast as he unbuttoned her sleeves exposing her undergarment while his lips went to her mouth and purposely made her feel breathless.
Rick left her lips removed her underwired and swiftly captured her breast as she felt his mouth and hands tormenting every fiber of her being.
Jess gasped loudly. Her insides were spiraling unable to control the sensation he was making her feel. Half of her body was naked and was feasted upon his discerning eyes. She suddenly detected being lifted while Rick carefully carried her towards the house, it was like a trance, she was transported to a door beyond. She knew it took a few minutes for Rick to walk heading to the grand staircase and ushered her to his bedroom, but it honestly advanced like a blur.
She saw the fire in his eyes, she was not sure if it was because of anger or his desire for her. He slowly removed his shirt, taking his time so she could watch him. Every muscle of his chest twitches accordingly while his tight stomach makes you want to run your fingers upside down up to the silhouette of his hardened shaft.
Her mouth suddenly felt dry.
He moved back to bed and kissed her again. Rick's hand went to unbutton her jeans and she heard him unzip them.
This is different, this is not Rick. Her logic was buried by her screams when he suddenly touched her femininity. It was a light, feathery touch but it sent havoc to her mind. Her eyes fluttered when she felt the cold air in her exposed nakedness as Rick didn't hesitate to throw away the last piece of her garments. She almost forgot to take in the air when he suddenly lowered his head and kissed her there.
She moaned.
"Rick!" She grunted as an unfiltered pleasure possessed her body.
Jess groaned even louder when Rick changed her position and suddenly took her from behind. It was swiftly done, and it made her whole body feel more intensified than usual.
This is not making love; this is pure lustrous sex.
She felt his hands tighten on her waist, and she could hear his breathing matching his movements. Jess closed her eyes wanting to relinquish herself once again, the fire within her was burning passionately equally giving what Rick was taking.
Within the closed doors of the villa, without any mask or pretense, every kiss she shared with Rick had a raw intensity of made her heartbeat faster. As his final movements halted, she joined him in an invisible bond that she wished not to be broken forever.
Jess turned herself around and wanted to embrace Rick when he readily moved away from the bed and put on his pants. He brushed his hair up battling his thoughts.
She suddenly felt her shoulder shudder. She felt vulnerable in this state. The distance that Rick put between them was affirmative.
Did he just use her? Her bruised ego was scalding.
She readily looked for her clothes and realized he had removed her sleeves even before they entered the house. She was flushed trying to find something to cover her body.
Rick walked towards her and gave her his shirt and without another word he moved away again. He sat in the far corner of the room near the computer table while his eyes were still directed at her.
"You said you want to talk. Then let's talk..." he started speaking.
Jess thought that the order of events was a little jumbled. The making of love should have happened after they made amends and not done at the very start, that kind of made her feel it was intentional to inflict humiliation on her.
"Rick, are you mad at me? Did you just do that to belittle me? Did that make you happy?" She uttered trying to suppress her cry. She won't allow him to see that she's weak.
He dropped his eyes and breathed a sigh of frustration.
"I am not mad at you; I am mad at myself. I understand why you must go away. My past was horrible and it's a continuous shadow I can't cast away permanently. It's haunting me." He stated with a hint of self-loathed.
Jess paced towards Rick and touched his face. "Look at me." she pleaded. Rick raised his eyes and stared at Jess. "Your past is not entirely the reason why I fled." She clarified.
She sighed loudly. Her mind was running back and forth about how she could come out clean and let him know the real story. She does not want any more animosity between them.
"I told you that I never met my father my entire life, right? That he left my mom when he learned about the pregnancy?" She started sharing.
Rick nodded as he attentively listened to Jess.
"I saw a picture of him for the very first time in my mom's place, I wasn't entirely sure if that was my father, but I gambled to learn more about the man in the photo." She continued.
"It turned out my intuition was right." She paused for a moment, testing her words. "Rick, I'm the long-lost daughter of Adam Logan."
Jess saw a different scene as she witnessed the horror of Rick's face as it transcended to anger and vehemence.
They said that the eyes are the window to the soul and what Jess was seeing in those hazel eyes was terrifying, his gaze went blank and lifeless. He pushed her away and walked further away from her leaving her stumbling on the floor.
"Rick?" She asked unable to hide her worry.
"So, you were the family that he was keeping from my mother." Came his baritone voice.
Jess is now weary of how she can react. This is not what she has in mind. The shift in the atmosphere is horrendous.
"Do you know how much my mother suffered because of your irresponsible father?" Rick sounded so menacing that it made Jess stop in her tracks.
"Iris Adrian was obsessed with Adam, he was everything to her more than her son. She wanted to build a family with him, give all of what she has for him, she wanted to give him a child, a totem of their union per se." Rick sarcastically laughed.
"But my mother can't conceive a child anymore. Her attempt to abort me created complications in her organs and so her insecurity started to grow. She was sick, but she continued to appear normal, fooling the public eye, pretending all was well in her life until she saw your mom, pregnant with Adam's child." Rick turned around; his back was facing Jess trying to conceal his displeasure.
"That moment was the trigger point of the tragedy that spiraled in this very wall of the villa." Rick echoed making Jess fear-stricken.
"Do you know why I know this, Jess?" He faced her and his eyes showed an unbelievable pain. Like a wounded animal. "Because my mother told me these details while she was stabbing me to death." His voice cracked.
Jess's eyes then directed to the scar on his stomach. She gasps loudly as she covers her mouth unable to contemplate what she just heard.
"No..." she replied.
"And if that wasn't enough, she killed herself in front of me while I was lying there helpless bathed in the pool of blood of both Adam and my mother."
"No, no, no, Rick!" She got up and was about to embrace him when suddenly, he raised his hand gesturing to her to stop. Her heart is breaking for the little boy who gets spun around in the sick games of adults.
She broke a sob. "Please, Rick..."
"Don't you ever take a step towards me again? I don't want to see you Jess, not anymore. Your father ruined everything for me. Everything!" He glared at her.
With that final scowl, Rick paced away from the room and lambasted the door loudly. Jess was left there feeling empty.
She cried. Her heart was sinking deeper and deeper, she wanted to make sense out of Rick. It's not their fault, they have nothing to do with all the mess their parents made but why should they suffer? Her tears continue to shed remembering the trauma that Rick must endure.
It wasn't easy for him, all those years relieving those moments scarring his little mind. Even though she has nothing to do with it, can she go on and pretend that she doesn't feel responsible for the actions of her father?
He said it clearly, he doesn't want anything to do with her anymore. With her broken heart, she picked up the remaining garments she had and wore them. She wanted to leave behind the shirt she was wearing now, but if she could be selfish for the very last time, she wanted it to be a memory she could share with Rick even if it was a bittersweet memory of her love for him.