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RAELYNN
"She's my fiancé.", he said seriously.
My eyes widened, my lips parting in shock, stunned at his words.
The old woman seemed to have gone quiet for a while and so have I.
Fiancé?
Me?
It took me a moment to register his words.
When the words finally sunk in, my brows furrowed in irritation, my lips pursing tight at the ridiculous lie.
What the hell does he think of himself?
Him and my fiancé?
The audacity!
However, I couldn't say anything at the moment as arguing about it here would only make the old woman suspicious and she'd just ignore us without helping and I cannot afford to walk unnecessary kilometers right now.
Fate is so generous to me!
A few moments in silence passed by and she finally spoke up.
"The nearest motel is at least more than 3 kilometers away. You need to go straight along this road until you cross the fields and then take a right, then walk straight again. As you continue walking, you'll see a big board outside the motel, welcoming the customers.", the old lady directed in a groggy voice.
3 kilometers!!!
Again?
I'd rather sleep on the road than walk any longer.
My legs have been aching for a while now and are almost on the verge of going numb.
"Thank you, mam.", Mr. Marino thanked her politely.
It's funny how his voice is so deep that it almost doesn't sound polite even when it is.
"Let's go.", he said, turning to me, nodding curtly.
Taking a huge breath, unnoticeable in the dark, I nodded back.
I'm going to have terrible cramps once I sit and rest.
As we turned around to leave, the old woman's voice halted us.
"Do you have a vehicle to drive there?", she asked.
"We'll go by foot, mam.", I replied, turning to the small door-side camera.
"You can't. There'll be drunkards roaming around the town at this hour. Wait a moment.", she said tersely.
I looked at Mr. Marino and even in this dim moonlight, I could see he was having his usual robotic expression.
The sound of a window opening, situated a few feet to the right of the door, caught our attention
"These are the keys for the apartment upstairs. I often give it on lease to visitors who come for sightseeing. You can use it for a day.", she said, placing the keys on the windowsill and immediately closing the window again.
"Are you sure about this, mam? We have no problem walking to the motel.", I asked hesitantly, not intending to cause trouble or worry to the lady.
"You can take it.", she replied through the lock speaker again.
Before I could ask one last time, Mr. Marino walked past me and picked the keys.
I glared at his back, annoyed.
"Thank you, mam.", he thanked her yet again and looked at me, ready to leave.
I thanked her too and was going to go, but paused when she asked a question.
"You haven't given your name, Miss.", the old woman probed.
"Raelynn Craig.", Mr. Marino replied calmly.
I looked at him pointedly, but forced a smile anyway.
"Raelynn Craig, mam.", I introduced myself.
"Hmm. Go on ahead, it's already too late in the night.", she replied.
Nodding, I followed behind Mr. Marino towards the staircase that was situated at the right side of the house.
Climbing up the stairs, we reached the front door of the apartment. It was surrounded by a balcony on all four sides and an attic at the top.
He stepped into the apartment, unlocking the door and I followed behind. Switching on the lights, I could see it was fairly wide and big with a neatly set couch in the living area, two rooms whose doors were closed, an open kitchen followed by a mini dining table and a TV opposite to the couch. The cushions on the couch and the general furniture were neatly kept, almost giving it a homely vibe.
As soon as I walked in, past him, he closed the door and locked it, breaking my staring session.
"She's my fiancé."
Remembering his words, I turned around abruptly, glaring at him in anger.
He paused near the closed door and raised a subtle brow in question.
"Fiancé?", I asked, curbing my irritation.
"That was the most plausible and safest cover.", he replied calmly, indifferently to be precise.
"Oh really? What happened to 'friend' or 'colleague' or 'cousin'?", I asked, my tone dripping in dry sarcasm.
"We're out here in the middle of the night, just the two of us. Most importantly I'm wearing just an undershirt and you are wearing an oversized white shirt which is clearly evident that it's mine. Colleagues do not come hiking together, at least not just a man and a woman. Cousins is out of question, it's too improbable. Finally, friends. Well, that would be too vague a relationship to mention considering the way we're dressed and the time we're roaming around. The most feasible relationship would be one of an engaged couple.", he explained stoically, looking at me blankly.
I gritted my jaw, having no retort to that, hating to admit he's right.
"Why couldn't you have gone ahead and said 'wife' instead?", I mocked, masking my annoyance.
"We don't have rings.", he replied calmly.
I frowned.
He gestured to the ring finger, implying the absence of wedding rings.
Wow.
"How many times have you done something like this that you're so thoroughly prepared for?", I asked with a sneer.
"I figured we needed a cover the moment we decided to ask for help.", he replied.
"By the way, what's with that strange surname, 'Allegrio'? Does something like that even exist?", I asked.
"It was my mother's maiden surname.", he answered, walking past me.
"Why would you give our original first names? You should've given a fake name for that too.", I commented.
"We cannot leave overnight and to prevent suspicion tomorrow when we meet again, I gave them at least the original first name. What if we call each other by fake names and the other won't respond? That would expose our lie.", he replied, walking to the room at the end of the corridor.
He really planned everything to the minute detail, huh!
Walking into the room, he paused a moment before closing his door.
"When we go out tomorrow, call me by my first name and I'll call you by yours.", he informed me and closed the door to his room.
Arrogant jerk!
Huffing slightly, I walked to the kitchen for a first-aid box.
The wound at my back has been killing me with pain and I desperately need to apply some or the other medicine.
Surfing through the empty cabinets, I finally found the first-aid kit.
Walking to the other empty room, I noticed the medium sized bed, neatly covered with a duvet and a couple of cushions.
I looked around for a mirror, but there was none.
Sighing out the exhaustion, I walked into the common closet opposite to the two rooms and sat down on a small step stool in front of the long mirror that was situated opposite to the closets.
Taking the shirt off slowly and placing it aside on the wooden floor, I untangled the knot of my shirt tied around my wound very carefully, hissing along in pain.
Finally, I was now only in my bra and my black pants. Opening the first-aid kit, I dipped the cotton with medicine and tried reaching onto the wound on my previously scarred back.
But, much to my usual misfortune, my hand couldn't reach the now dried up wound, situated exactly on my spine below my bra strap.
Why?
Just why does this have to happen to me?
How am I going to get this treated now?
I cannot wait any longer. It's already been hours since the bleeding stopped and I'm not at all interested in getting infected.
But what can I do in thi-
My thoughts halted when his room door opened abruptly and he walked out, the closet room exactly in front of his room, the door open, my upper back on full display to his eyes.
On instinct, I grabbed the dagger and the shirt and held it against the front of my chest to hide my modesty, standing up, turning around and raising the dagger in defense.
My heart rate picked up at the sudden actions, my breathing pattern slipping.
"Excuse me, I didn't know you were here.", Mr. Marino cleared his throat awkwardly, looking to his left, away from me, and started walking away, past the closet room.
As he walked out of my sight, on impulse, I called out to him.
"Mr. Marino", I called him.
What the -
Oh god, just walk away.
"Yes?", his deep voice came through, still not coming to my sight.
There's no use backing off now.
Taking a deep breath and puffing my cheeks to overcome the hesitance, I spoke up.
"Could you help me apply some medicine on my wound?", I asked, my voice coming out in strained politeness.
I have no other choice but to ask him.
Why him?
I don't know.
Maybe because there's no one else now and the pain is only intensifying.
Maybe it is because he had scars on his back too. Much more horrible ones than mine.
Maybe because I somewhere feel less anxious with someone who's having terrible scars himself.
I don't know the reason and I don't know if that makes me a bad person, but again I have never been a saint.
Strange anxious tremors were running through my nerves at the thought of exposing my skin to others, especially my faint yet evident scars, that too to a complete stranger.
But I need to treat the wound as quickly as possible before it gets infected badly.
Maybe I can ask for help from some woman tomorrow?
It's just a few more hours until dawn anyway.
But what would a normal woman think of the scars?
Am I ready for the disgusted stares?
At least this man has scars of his own. Maybe he wouldn't question or stare.
Before I could indulge in my disturbing chain of thoughts, I was pulled out of it as Mr. Marino walked back to the door, standing outside.
This is just another day and another way of survival, Raelynn, calm down.
Pep talking to myself, I took a momentary leap of faith.
"I thought I was a pervert.", Mr. Marino commented calmly, his hands in his pockets.
That casual comment provoked me, pushing aside the apprehensions temporarily.
"You are.", I replied dryly.
"How come you're asking for help from a pervert?", he asked.
"Survival. Desperate times need desperate measures.", I said flatly.
"Desperate enough to ask for my help?", he raised a brow.
Why does he provoke me unnecessarily?
"I have a dagger in my hand. If you try anything funny, I won't think twice to plunge it into your flesh.", I warned sternly.
"Trying to kill the man who's helping you? No space for humanity, I see.", he said, his tone tinged with underlying mock.
"You should be the last one to talk about humanity, Mr. Marino.", I retorted, giving him a sarcastic smirk.
"You definitely don't sound like someone asking for help, Ms. Baker.", he commented.
"Don't expect me to beg you.", I scoffed.
"I thought you said something about survival. Does bowing according to the situation not part of your survival?", he asked, his gray eyes glinting with some strange spark.
"I don't specifically need your help. I can ask someone else too.", I said dryly.
"Like who?", he questioned.
"Anyone. The woman downstairs or a nearby doctor.", I replied, smiling sarcastically.
"The woman downstairs would not help at this hour and can you really walk to a doctor's house in the dark and in this condition?", he questioned calmly.
"Then, I can wait for a few hours until it's finally morning.", I retorted.
"And get infected badly?", he questioned.
Ugh.
I feel such a rush to just land at least one punch on him.
"Fine. I need your help.", I said dryly.
"Excuse me, I didn't quite catch what you're saying.", he commented calmly, his face stoic, his eyes challenging me.
Taking a much needed breath to stay calm, I looked at him sternly.
"Help me in treating my injury.", I said as calmly as possible.
"Not polite enough.", he probed in a neutral tone.
I could almost hear the underlying smirk and leisure in his tone.
With his hands in his pockets and his posture erect, he looked too casual to my liking.
Clenching my jaw and forcing a smile on my lips, I looked straight into his eyes.
"Please help me treat my wound, Mr. Marino.", I gritted out each word, smiling in a fake courteous way.
He stared at me for a second and took a step forward.
"Since you pleaded so earnestly, I will do this favor.", he replied stoically, walking into the closet room.
Favor?
This manipulative, arrogant, annoying, perverted, selfish jerk!
Ugh.
I feel so angry right now.
I'm definitely going to take revenge for this.
Just you wait, Mr. Marino.
Stopping a few feet in front of me, he raised a brow.
Gulping the sudden lump in my throat, I slowly sat on the small step stool, facing the mirror, my back bare except for the bra strap and my hair pushed over my left shoulder to the front.
I felt the anxiety return with a tremendous force all over again.
I almost couldn't look up into his eyes.
I don't want to see the reaction.
I don't want him to comment on it.
I don't want to see the disgust.
Those scars were gifted to me when, in that living hell, I -
The sudden cold touch on my injured skin jolted me out of my thoughts, my nerves jumping slightly in surprise.
I looked in the mirror and the reflection I saw startled me.
Mr. Marino was crouched behind me, his eyes cast down in concentration, his rough, calloused fingertips faintly grazing my skin, the cotton dipped in medicine burning my wound at every touch.
The cool breeze, the grazing fingertips, the burning medicine, the echoing silence and the extremely stoic man were keeping me on edge, diverting my mind from the depressing anxiety.
I looked at his face through the reflection to gauge his reaction to my scars, but his face was blank. Totally blank.
Somehow, his lack of reaction both relieved me and indulged me in uncertain awkwardness.
Biting my lower lip, I looked away as my heart beats raced up at the edgy situation.
I could feel the soft cotton on my back and the burning sensation over my wound, soothed by the cool breeze caressing my skin.
Occasionally, his calloused fingertips would graze my skin, keeping me on edge, preventing the memories of the past from flooding in.
I was holding the dagger in my right hand and my left hand was clutching the shirt tightly to my chest, holding it in place.
Should he try to make any false move, I'll plunge this dagger right into his throat.
We may have met a few times and he might be helping me at the moment, but I don't trust him an ounce.
He's the very epitome of danger and I'm not stupid enough to stay close to him.
As soon as I get a chance to go back home, I'll leave immediately.
I -
Suddenly, an intense burning sensation on my wound startled me.
Instinctively, I hissed in pain.
He immediately moved the cotton away and blew on my wound.
The moment his mildly warm breath touched my bare skin, I froze, an abundance of tingles swirling in my lower abdomen, goosebumps erupting all over my skin.
My breath hitched in my throat and I could feel my body slowly catching temperature.
I realized he stopped what he was doing too and through the corner of my eye I caught him frozen, his eyes still cast down at my wounded back.
Slowly, he started rubbing the cotton on my skin again and I couldn't bring myself to breathe.
I looked at the mirror and saw him having his usual neutral expression as ever as he continued what he was doing.
However, as I looked keenly, I noticed his ears slowly catching a shade of red.
My eyes widened slightly, a pink hue creeping up my own cheeks.
I looked away, holding a breath at the base of my throat, a series of tingles swarming in my abdomen, goosebumps evident on my bare skin, lips parted ever so slightly to breathe and my toes instinctively curling up.
WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SITUATION!
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Phew! That was a long chapter!
How was the chapter?
Rae is anxious about her scars. 😞
Vince somehow got her to request him politely. 😅
And, ahem, what's with the rising temperature in the atmosphere! 😳
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Author.