CH.20
It was early in the morning. She arrived at his house very decisive but also scared. What it would have happened? She still had in her mind Imam's words: --Love can brake all barriers, if you truly love him, nothing will stop you.-- She hoped only that what he'd said was right.
She waited a little in front of his door, uncertainly, looking around a little, biting her lower lip. She felt nervous. Than she finally rang at the doorbell and waited. Jackson opened the door.
"Yes?", the waiter asked her, in his usual impassive tone.
"Hy Jackson. I'm looking for Riddick." She said in a determined tone. She hoped he was there.
"He is not here." And he tried to close the door, but Stephanie put a feet in the middle and her hands on the door.
"Sorry?" said very politely Jackson, but she knew he didn't like her reaction.
"I said, I'm looking for Riddick. It's important." She stared at his eyes, very seriously and very determined this time.
"Listen Miss, I don't know." he tried to reply. Giving her a chance.
"Please." She insisted: "Please". She repeated again.
He seemed consider the whole thing for a while, and she realised that he had to be at home. He breathed heavily and finally said: "Ok. Follow me".
He drove her to where Riddick was, in front of the door, but didn't knock. He turned to face her. "This is his room." He said her, showing it :"I'm sorry, now" and he fast went away, leaving her alone.
She looked at him astonished. Jackson was a big man, very tall and imposing and instead of all, he was scared by Riddick. She couldn't believe it! She shook her head and smiled ironically. This should comforted her in someway.
She chased those thoughts away and looked at the door in front of her. She hesitated for a while. She took a deep breath, as to give her more strength. Then she turned the door handle and entered.
Inside, the room was dark. The curtain were half closed, only a little ray of morning light came in. It took her a while to accustom her eyes to that new situation.
She watched once more around her. The room was empty. No furnishings. There was parquet on the floor, but excepting for this, there was nothing else. She couldn't see him, so she decided to close her eyes, and let her instinct guide her. She felt him, observing her.
"Why you're back?" his husky, sharp voice came from a corner of the room with an accusing tone.
It was like a stab in her heart. She mustered up her courage.
She turned from where the voice came and saw him seated on a wooden box, a knee drawn to his chest, his arm leaned on it, with a glass of liqueur in his hand, staring at it.
"Need to talk to you. Last time I didn't tell you all".
"What? Was it not enough?" he replied sneering.
Courage. Now or never.
"Please. Let me talk to you. I want to tell you all, definitely, then, if you want, you will throw me out". She said turning and giving him her shoulders, holding her breath.
He didn't answer, put the glass on the box and got down from it. With one panther like swift movement he was near to her.
She smiled a little to herself: she hadn't seen him but she'd felt him coming anyway. She didn't move. He slowly turned around her while she remained still, observing her with a disapproving tone. She'd lost more weight and was pale. She looked so fragile, now.
"Well, seems like I made progress! At least, now you don't run away when I am near to you!" his tone was ironic and bitter at the same time. "You have all my attention." he stood there looking at her haughty. His eyes so cold, glittering in the dark.
His breath smelled strongly of alcohol. He'd drunk. She didn't know how much, but she thought quite enough. But instead of all, he wasn't drunk, or maybe he controlled himself very well, because he didn't look like if he was. He only looked tired, as well as her.
Stephanie took all her courage and started to talk.
"Thought my life had found a new definite balance, finally. Thought I had all under control." she paused. Like her mind was running back. She breathed heavily. "Then you came" she continued.
He was staring at her without talking, no emotions filtering out. His brow a little furrowed.
"You entered in my life as well as you went out five years ago: sweeping me."
"Stephanie." he tried to say sighing heavily.
"Please." She insisted: " Let me go on". He kept quiet, crossing his arms on his chest and waited.
"You swept me away. I was no more able to concentrate, to work, to do anything." she paused. "You spoilt my balance. Thought that you were the reason of all this. I was scared and still I am. You're a killer. I couldn't forget it. But instead of all, when we were together, all disappeared. The attraction between us was so strong and incredible. I was almost worried about it, cause I couldn't control it. But most of all I was scared about myself, about how I reacted when I was with to you." She breathed: " Thought if you went away, I would have been better". She sadly smiled to herself: how stupid she had been. She moved. This time was her turn to turn around him slowly. He didn't move. "Then, I was wrong".
"A little bit late, don't you think?" he gave a sideways glance to her.
She quivered. It was what she feared more.
"When we quarrelled and you left me that day, I was devastated. I didn't know what to think, to do." She sighed. "When I came back home I cried. I've never ended". She paused. "Guy is a friend, just a friend" she said underlining those words: "Who helped me economically. Nothing it has been between us, and nothing it will ever be. The point is, that for how much incredible might be, I can't live without you,. Richard." She ended.
He looked at her without saying a word. Than lowered his head down, thoughtfully.
Can't standing no more his silence, near to tears, she closed her eyes for a second then turned her head looking away in the emptiness. No answer. It was too late.
Imam was wrong, her love wasn't enough. Not enough for Riddick. He raised his head up outburst. She had touched him someway. "C'me here" he finally said firmly, indicating her to face him. She obeyed.
"Look at me" he said still with the same tone. She hesitated, not being sure that she wanted to see his eyes. She was afraid of what she could find.
"Look-at-me, Stephanie" he repeated firmly.
His eyes shone decisive, staring her. Like if he wanted her to be afraid of him. He didn't betrayed any kind of emotions. Her heart beat furiously. Having her heart in her mouth she raised her head up and met his gaze. She decided to gamble all.
"Love your eyes, they're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. And I don't want to know your past. It doesn't matter. I care only about you. Now." she said tenderly, her voice a whisper. She raised one hand and dared caressing with a finger his face.
He didn't move. He stood still like stone, fixing her. Her hand fell down hopelessly. He didn't reacted. He closed his eyes, and lowered his head down. She held her breath, feeling fear growing up inside her. Everything was really ended.
Suddenly, he lifted his head up and opened his eyes. She felt her heart stop to beat. For the first time his eyes glimmered because of tears. "I wanted to hate you, but I haven't been able to do it. The day we quarrelled, I wanted you to go away before it could be too late." He sighed: "Why you didn't run away when I gave you the chance? Why you're back?" he asked angry more to himself.
"You don't remember? You still own me" she simply replied with a little shy smile.
"I hate you for what you did me". His eyes were so deep, his feeling coming out like a river in flood. He was tough. "You're a witch. You kidnapped me. You flow in my veins." There was a kind of anger in his words. Anger and other feelings mixed up. He was furious with himself, his feelings. "You're mine" he said firmly grabbing her arms and pushing her nearby him. "You're mine" he repeated in a low tone: " No one has to touch you, nor look at you" he said holding her in his arms possessive until he was almost hurting her.
She couldn't breath as emotions were shaking her so strongly. "I. I." she tried to say, but he interrupted her.
"When I saw Guy kissing you, that night, and then again when I came and we talked. he was near to you, touching you,. I wanted to kill him with my hands. What a pleasure it would had been." He said giving voice to his thoughts.
"He's just a friend. A friend! You have to believe me! Please. trust me." She begged him, silent tears coming out from her eyes.
He looked at her thoughtfully and tortured. His mind struggling with his feelings. "I'm a multiple murderer, my past will always come back in a way or another" he said shaking his head as to convince her about the impossibility of their relation.
"I'm not afraid of that" she promptly replied.
He breathed deeply as to value her words then he finally spoke: "You will only watch me truly at night. Do you believe it?" he told her as a last chance to keep her far from him.
It was in that moment that she left his arms, to keep from her pocket a small box she had, and gave him. "What's that?" he said awkwardly. "For you" she simply said. He opened it and looked at her with a questioning look. "When you gave me the diamond, that day.finally, well...I took it." She was still ashamed of this. What he had had to think? " But, like I said you first, I didn't want it" she fast explained. "So I've been searching everywhere for some doctors who could help me to realise my idea. This will not solve your problem, but sure, it will help you. These are dark contact lenses with high light protection filter. It's like if you wear goggles. without wearing them. I know this is not a solution, I don't pretend it to be. Just a way to let you free to watch in the day light. If you want." She said in one go.
Freedom. She knew it was very important for him as well as it was for her. That's why she'd thought to this. She wanted to prove him, that she understood him. "I love you and accept you for what you are. Your past, your present. I love you, just you. You and no one else."
He stared at her silent. Her words echoed in his mind. She accepted him for what he truly was. That was a first for him. Those words worth more than a hundred of others. He approached to her never leaving her eyes, he held her again in his arms and kissed her. A true incredible long kiss where he finally let himself go. How many time had passed since this?
Stephanie cried of happiness will she answered to his kiss. They played with their tongues, wildly, exploring their mouth, satisfying one from another.
"You're my precious gift" he whispered her on her lips after a while.
"Listen, I really don't know what it will happen, or how will we ever do. Don't know what the destiny wants from us. But I do know what I want from him: Just you. Instead of all. Instead of everyone. If you want me." She said offering herself completely to him, she would have done everything for him.
"Stephanie, do you know what are you saying?" he asked her seriously.
"I'd do everything for you." She repeated.
"You'd die for me?" he asked her suddenly almost holding his breath.
She looked at him: "Yes, I'd die for you." She said without waiting, truly convinced of her words.
He breathed heavily.
"You crazy" he finally whispered, grabbing her head with both hands for a deep haunting kiss.
"Don't leave. Never leave me alone." She begged him, tears of happiness coming down.
A little sincere smile appeared on his lips and he kissed her again. Then he suddenly took her hand and lead her near to the window where a little ray of sunlight passed. Outside the sun had reached his zenith meanwhile.
"What?" she asked furrowing her eyebrow, looking at him, not understanding.
With a decisive movement he opened the curtain letting the intense day light invading the room. For a while he was forced to close his eyes feeling the pain. Then facing her with a great effort, he opened them, looking at her. He saw her badly, blurred, but he didn't close them. They sparkled as precious, unique, magnificent diamonds. For a moment she was breathless. "What the heck are you doing?" she said frightened closing quickly the curtain again.
"Until today, I thought that pain, could make me feel alive. But now it is not. You make me feel alive. Nothing it's more painful than being far from you. You gave me a second chance. You subdued me. You made me rejoin humanity, you showed me respect, you. gave me a new heart." He paused as to choose his words: "Now, this heart,." his voice lowered more: "I'm offering to you. It's all I have.". He said in one go, taking her hand and placing it on his heart. She felt the beat of his heart under her touch. He held her tightly in his arms and kissed her with an haunting passion, never letting her go.
Hot tears ran down from Stephanie's eyes while he kissed her. When they stopped they both panted hard.
"Don't cry. Never do it again. Don't you dare." He said with his husky voice, drying her tears with his finger in a gentle touch. Than holding her in his arms he kissed her so desperately, like if this, was their last time. Like if there was no tomorrow. But this time was different. This time maybe was the beginning of a new life.
THE END --------------------------------------------
It was early in the morning. She arrived at his house very decisive but also scared. What it would have happened? She still had in her mind Imam's words: --Love can brake all barriers, if you truly love him, nothing will stop you.-- She hoped only that what he'd said was right.
She waited a little in front of his door, uncertainly, looking around a little, biting her lower lip. She felt nervous. Than she finally rang at the doorbell and waited. Jackson opened the door.
"Yes?", the waiter asked her, in his usual impassive tone.
"Hy Jackson. I'm looking for Riddick." She said in a determined tone. She hoped he was there.
"He is not here." And he tried to close the door, but Stephanie put a feet in the middle and her hands on the door.
"Sorry?" said very politely Jackson, but she knew he didn't like her reaction.
"I said, I'm looking for Riddick. It's important." She stared at his eyes, very seriously and very determined this time.
"Listen Miss, I don't know." he tried to reply. Giving her a chance.
"Please." She insisted: "Please". She repeated again.
He seemed consider the whole thing for a while, and she realised that he had to be at home. He breathed heavily and finally said: "Ok. Follow me".
He drove her to where Riddick was, in front of the door, but didn't knock. He turned to face her. "This is his room." He said her, showing it :"I'm sorry, now" and he fast went away, leaving her alone.
She looked at him astonished. Jackson was a big man, very tall and imposing and instead of all, he was scared by Riddick. She couldn't believe it! She shook her head and smiled ironically. This should comforted her in someway.
She chased those thoughts away and looked at the door in front of her. She hesitated for a while. She took a deep breath, as to give her more strength. Then she turned the door handle and entered.
Inside, the room was dark. The curtain were half closed, only a little ray of morning light came in. It took her a while to accustom her eyes to that new situation.
She watched once more around her. The room was empty. No furnishings. There was parquet on the floor, but excepting for this, there was nothing else. She couldn't see him, so she decided to close her eyes, and let her instinct guide her. She felt him, observing her.
"Why you're back?" his husky, sharp voice came from a corner of the room with an accusing tone.
It was like a stab in her heart. She mustered up her courage.
She turned from where the voice came and saw him seated on a wooden box, a knee drawn to his chest, his arm leaned on it, with a glass of liqueur in his hand, staring at it.
"Need to talk to you. Last time I didn't tell you all".
"What? Was it not enough?" he replied sneering.
Courage. Now or never.
"Please. Let me talk to you. I want to tell you all, definitely, then, if you want, you will throw me out". She said turning and giving him her shoulders, holding her breath.
He didn't answer, put the glass on the box and got down from it. With one panther like swift movement he was near to her.
She smiled a little to herself: she hadn't seen him but she'd felt him coming anyway. She didn't move. He slowly turned around her while she remained still, observing her with a disapproving tone. She'd lost more weight and was pale. She looked so fragile, now.
"Well, seems like I made progress! At least, now you don't run away when I am near to you!" his tone was ironic and bitter at the same time. "You have all my attention." he stood there looking at her haughty. His eyes so cold, glittering in the dark.
His breath smelled strongly of alcohol. He'd drunk. She didn't know how much, but she thought quite enough. But instead of all, he wasn't drunk, or maybe he controlled himself very well, because he didn't look like if he was. He only looked tired, as well as her.
Stephanie took all her courage and started to talk.
"Thought my life had found a new definite balance, finally. Thought I had all under control." she paused. Like her mind was running back. She breathed heavily. "Then you came" she continued.
He was staring at her without talking, no emotions filtering out. His brow a little furrowed.
"You entered in my life as well as you went out five years ago: sweeping me."
"Stephanie." he tried to say sighing heavily.
"Please." She insisted: " Let me go on". He kept quiet, crossing his arms on his chest and waited.
"You swept me away. I was no more able to concentrate, to work, to do anything." she paused. "You spoilt my balance. Thought that you were the reason of all this. I was scared and still I am. You're a killer. I couldn't forget it. But instead of all, when we were together, all disappeared. The attraction between us was so strong and incredible. I was almost worried about it, cause I couldn't control it. But most of all I was scared about myself, about how I reacted when I was with to you." She breathed: " Thought if you went away, I would have been better". She sadly smiled to herself: how stupid she had been. She moved. This time was her turn to turn around him slowly. He didn't move. "Then, I was wrong".
"A little bit late, don't you think?" he gave a sideways glance to her.
She quivered. It was what she feared more.
"When we quarrelled and you left me that day, I was devastated. I didn't know what to think, to do." She sighed. "When I came back home I cried. I've never ended". She paused. "Guy is a friend, just a friend" she said underlining those words: "Who helped me economically. Nothing it has been between us, and nothing it will ever be. The point is, that for how much incredible might be, I can't live without you,. Richard." She ended.
He looked at her without saying a word. Than lowered his head down, thoughtfully.
Can't standing no more his silence, near to tears, she closed her eyes for a second then turned her head looking away in the emptiness. No answer. It was too late.
Imam was wrong, her love wasn't enough. Not enough for Riddick. He raised his head up outburst. She had touched him someway. "C'me here" he finally said firmly, indicating her to face him. She obeyed.
"Look at me" he said still with the same tone. She hesitated, not being sure that she wanted to see his eyes. She was afraid of what she could find.
"Look-at-me, Stephanie" he repeated firmly.
His eyes shone decisive, staring her. Like if he wanted her to be afraid of him. He didn't betrayed any kind of emotions. Her heart beat furiously. Having her heart in her mouth she raised her head up and met his gaze. She decided to gamble all.
"Love your eyes, they're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. And I don't want to know your past. It doesn't matter. I care only about you. Now." she said tenderly, her voice a whisper. She raised one hand and dared caressing with a finger his face.
He didn't move. He stood still like stone, fixing her. Her hand fell down hopelessly. He didn't reacted. He closed his eyes, and lowered his head down. She held her breath, feeling fear growing up inside her. Everything was really ended.
Suddenly, he lifted his head up and opened his eyes. She felt her heart stop to beat. For the first time his eyes glimmered because of tears. "I wanted to hate you, but I haven't been able to do it. The day we quarrelled, I wanted you to go away before it could be too late." He sighed: "Why you didn't run away when I gave you the chance? Why you're back?" he asked angry more to himself.
"You don't remember? You still own me" she simply replied with a little shy smile.
"I hate you for what you did me". His eyes were so deep, his feeling coming out like a river in flood. He was tough. "You're a witch. You kidnapped me. You flow in my veins." There was a kind of anger in his words. Anger and other feelings mixed up. He was furious with himself, his feelings. "You're mine" he said firmly grabbing her arms and pushing her nearby him. "You're mine" he repeated in a low tone: " No one has to touch you, nor look at you" he said holding her in his arms possessive until he was almost hurting her.
She couldn't breath as emotions were shaking her so strongly. "I. I." she tried to say, but he interrupted her.
"When I saw Guy kissing you, that night, and then again when I came and we talked. he was near to you, touching you,. I wanted to kill him with my hands. What a pleasure it would had been." He said giving voice to his thoughts.
"He's just a friend. A friend! You have to believe me! Please. trust me." She begged him, silent tears coming out from her eyes.
He looked at her thoughtfully and tortured. His mind struggling with his feelings. "I'm a multiple murderer, my past will always come back in a way or another" he said shaking his head as to convince her about the impossibility of their relation.
"I'm not afraid of that" she promptly replied.
He breathed deeply as to value her words then he finally spoke: "You will only watch me truly at night. Do you believe it?" he told her as a last chance to keep her far from him.
It was in that moment that she left his arms, to keep from her pocket a small box she had, and gave him. "What's that?" he said awkwardly. "For you" she simply said. He opened it and looked at her with a questioning look. "When you gave me the diamond, that day.finally, well...I took it." She was still ashamed of this. What he had had to think? " But, like I said you first, I didn't want it" she fast explained. "So I've been searching everywhere for some doctors who could help me to realise my idea. This will not solve your problem, but sure, it will help you. These are dark contact lenses with high light protection filter. It's like if you wear goggles. without wearing them. I know this is not a solution, I don't pretend it to be. Just a way to let you free to watch in the day light. If you want." She said in one go.
Freedom. She knew it was very important for him as well as it was for her. That's why she'd thought to this. She wanted to prove him, that she understood him. "I love you and accept you for what you are. Your past, your present. I love you, just you. You and no one else."
He stared at her silent. Her words echoed in his mind. She accepted him for what he truly was. That was a first for him. Those words worth more than a hundred of others. He approached to her never leaving her eyes, he held her again in his arms and kissed her. A true incredible long kiss where he finally let himself go. How many time had passed since this?
Stephanie cried of happiness will she answered to his kiss. They played with their tongues, wildly, exploring their mouth, satisfying one from another.
"You're my precious gift" he whispered her on her lips after a while.
"Listen, I really don't know what it will happen, or how will we ever do. Don't know what the destiny wants from us. But I do know what I want from him: Just you. Instead of all. Instead of everyone. If you want me." She said offering herself completely to him, she would have done everything for him.
"Stephanie, do you know what are you saying?" he asked her seriously.
"I'd do everything for you." She repeated.
"You'd die for me?" he asked her suddenly almost holding his breath.
She looked at him: "Yes, I'd die for you." She said without waiting, truly convinced of her words.
He breathed heavily.
"You crazy" he finally whispered, grabbing her head with both hands for a deep haunting kiss.
"Don't leave. Never leave me alone." She begged him, tears of happiness coming down.
A little sincere smile appeared on his lips and he kissed her again. Then he suddenly took her hand and lead her near to the window where a little ray of sunlight passed. Outside the sun had reached his zenith meanwhile.
"What?" she asked furrowing her eyebrow, looking at him, not understanding.
With a decisive movement he opened the curtain letting the intense day light invading the room. For a while he was forced to close his eyes feeling the pain. Then facing her with a great effort, he opened them, looking at her. He saw her badly, blurred, but he didn't close them. They sparkled as precious, unique, magnificent diamonds. For a moment she was breathless. "What the heck are you doing?" she said frightened closing quickly the curtain again.
"Until today, I thought that pain, could make me feel alive. But now it is not. You make me feel alive. Nothing it's more painful than being far from you. You gave me a second chance. You subdued me. You made me rejoin humanity, you showed me respect, you. gave me a new heart." He paused as to choose his words: "Now, this heart,." his voice lowered more: "I'm offering to you. It's all I have.". He said in one go, taking her hand and placing it on his heart. She felt the beat of his heart under her touch. He held her tightly in his arms and kissed her with an haunting passion, never letting her go.
Hot tears ran down from Stephanie's eyes while he kissed her. When they stopped they both panted hard.
"Don't cry. Never do it again. Don't you dare." He said with his husky voice, drying her tears with his finger in a gentle touch. Than holding her in his arms he kissed her so desperately, like if this, was their last time. Like if there was no tomorrow. But this time was different. This time maybe was the beginning of a new life.
THE END --------------------------------------------