It was 3 am, and Lisa wasn't having scrambled eggs. The rain was hammering against the windows, and she was curled into a fetal position, tears streaming down her porcelain face. Rain always brought back bad memories, particularly of being stuck in a thunderstorm on a plane. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she pushed herself off the mattress, disentangling herself from the sheets. She looked like a terrified child walking to the bathroom, bits of hair plastered to her glistening neck, eyes still leaking tears. Lisa stood gazing pathetically at her tear- streaked reflection in the vanity mirror, shaky hand gripping the ceramic counter to keep herself from fainting. She hated being alone at night, especially during a rainstorm. However, she couldn't remember the last time she hadn't been alone. Ever since the first time she'd been attacked she had isolated herself out of fear, out of need. Now she was beginning to crave the company of another human who would take her. her mind drifted back to the second attack, the fiasco on the red eye flight back home a few months prior. It was the closest she had been with another person in the longest time, and all it caused her was grief, chaos, and more pain. But part of her kept strangely coming back to dwell on that day, especially the face of her captor. Jackson Rippner. Those piercing icy eyes still cut into her like a knife. She hadn't been looked at with such desire since then, and part of her missed that passionately. A shudder passed through her body, turning her skin to ice. Gasping, she splashed her face with even colder water, and after drying it roughly with a towel, padded nervously back to her bed, the storm finally sputtering to a close.
It had been a hour since the storm had stopped, but Lisa could find no peace. her eyes darted nervously in the direction of every creak, every rustle, any movement in the shadows, And yet, despite her fear, her heart was wrenched with a strange longing- the desire to meet her worst fear again. Perhaps if she faced that demonic face again-with a smile instead of tears-she could prove to heself and everyone else that she was strong again. Part of her wondered what his response would be. If only they had met under different circumstances...
She curled up under a blanket and her eyes almost began to flutter closed when she heard a creaking noisecoming eerily from the kitchen. her eyes flew open and her shaking hands drew the blanket up to her chin-until she remembered the desire to prove herself to her fears. Resolute and determined, she stood up and shook her damp, sweaty hair out of her large unblinking eyes. Grabbing the fireplace poker and her cell phone, she gingerly crept toward the suspicious sound's origin. Tipetoeing down the stairs, her breath becoming laboured, Lisa rounded the corner to the kitchen. her shoulders and back pressed tightly against the wall, she craned her neck into the doorway. Nothing. Tightening her grip on the poker, she swallowed hard and spun tino the room, the poker flashing menacingly from her trembling hand. Still nothing. Then, another noise, from the den this time. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering as she sprang into the room, poker poised at her waist. She stifled a gasp of fright, for her worst fear had come true- there was an intruder in her house. Standing by an open window, curtains fluttering in the cool night breeze, was the sillhouette of a thin, medium-height man in a trenchcoat. Flattened against the wall, she tried to sneak away to the bathroom to call 911 on her cell. However, anticipation got the best of her. She prematurely pulled the phone out of her pocket for reassurance, then heard the light footsteps of the intruder start in her direction. In shock, Lisa did something incredibly startling and stupid- she dropped the phone. It hit the ground with a clatter and a snap as the back popped off, the batteries rolling everywhere. The footsteps immediately quickened in pace. Lisa scrambled toward her bedroom, where the other phone was, but she was too slow. A hand gripped her shoulder, roughly and forcefully but not painfully. She spun around and immediately screamed.
His hair had grown longer and shaggier since she last saw him, falling like a dark curtain over his face. rain dripped from his bangs down his face, running off his chiselled cheekbones and swollen lips. HIs most startling was still his gaze. The light blue eyes, framed with long dark lashes, bore holes through Lisa and sent chills down her spine. "Hello, Leese." He said, his voice still flat and sardonic as ever. "Miss me?"
His lips pulled into a sneer as he grabbed her face, pulling it roughly to him until his lips met her ear. Lisa cringed as she felt his breath on her face as he whispered "I missed you, Leese. I missed you even though you hurt me. But I'm not going to hurt, you, Leese. And you know i never lie." Lisa struggled against his grasp. She was surprised that he let go so easily, hands gently sliding down her cheeks, neck and shoulders as she backed away. Still clutching the fire poker, her eyes narrowed. "What do you want then, Jackson, if you don't want to give me pain? You were never capable of anything else." "Oh I beg to differ" Jackson hissed. " When i met you in the airport line, and we shared drinks in the lounge... I don't recall you being very unhappy. You were tilting your head, flipping that hair..." His voice trailed off and his eyes grew more intense. "You enjoyed every minute of it, Leese."
Lisa glared. She felt as though she were being mocked by him, and she was sick of that feeling. She wasn't going to take it from him. "I won't deny it, Jackson. You charmed me instantly. You smiled and talked pretty and pretended to care, and for a few minutes I thought you did. And I won't lie- I wanted you too. Jackson's wet face twisted into another smirk, though it didn't distort his hauntingly beautiful features in the least "But you changed, Jackson. I saw your true colours, and they were ugly and twisted and dark and cruel. I didn't need that then, and I don't need that now. So leave me alone, Jackson. Find someone else to torment and torture. I've had enough."
Jackson's smile grew wider, flashing his white teeth menacingly. " Oh Leese, I was onlyl doing my job. I'm not on business anymore." Still pinning her to the wall with one hand, he leaned in and stroked her face gently with the back of the other. " Oh Lisa, you mustn't be frightened. Fear doesn't become you. Let's see a smile, please?"
Lisa's face was trembling as his hand continued to caress her cheek, as gently as if he really meant it. A single tear rolled down her cheek as Jack leaned in closer, his lips grazing hers. "You're lonely, Leese." He whispered, their faces barely touching. "And so am I. I need company on this dark, stormy night, and so do you. So, can i warm myself by the fire?"
he stepped back and Lisa's tense form began to relax, though she never dropped the poker. He began to unbutton the trenchcoat, and for a second Lisa was wondering if he had anything on under it. She blinked rapidly, trying not to succumb to any weird and twisted fantasies. Jackson tore the coat away, water sprinkling onto Lisa with a flourish. His dark hair flipped through the air and he ran his hand through it, pushing it out of his eyes and slicking it back with rainwater. He was wearing a crisp blue button-down, the exact same colour as his eyes, tucked into a very snug-fitting pair of jeans. He looked casual and relaxed, right at home as he threw his coat over a chair. He sprawled out on her overstuffed couch, legs crossed and arms outstretched. " Come on, Leese. Sit down and relax for a litte while." Lisa swallowed hard. "Ok Jack. I'll do what you want, just don't hurt me." Still clutching the poker, she inched nervously toward the couch, grabbing a blanket from a chair to wrap about her shoulders. Timidly, she sat lightly on the edge of the couch, out of range of Jackson's arm. Almost as an afterthought, she smoothed her cream-couloured satin nightgown, laying the poker across her lap. "Ok Jackson, I'm sitting. You should be happy." Jackson's eyes flashed. "Actually, no, I'm not. I want you closer. I promise I won't hurt you." Drawing a deep breath, Lisa inched closer until her shoulder was touching his fingertips. Jackson's eyes rolled languidly toward her. "Closer." Lisa bit her lip as she once again moved toward him, this time resting her shoulder under his arm. A smile crept into the corners of his lips. "Perfect."
Lisa couldn't relax. As much as part of her wanted to relax and give in to his touch, the cautious, guarded, half of her remembered how he had fooled her before. They sat in silence for a while, both staring at the flickering flames behind the grate. "This could almost be romantic." Lisa thought to herself. "If we had only met under different circumstances." Same old regret, same old misgivings. Jackson turned and looked at her, and for the first time since the airport lounge his eyes didn't seem cold. Maybe it was just the glow of the fire, but there seemed to be some warmth behind them. His thin, delicate hand drifted from her shoulder into her still damp waves and began to comb through them gently. Lisa closed her eyes, almost drifting to sleep from the comforting touch. She had always loved the feeling of someone stroking her hair. Before she knew it, her head began to fall on his shoulder. Jackson smiled at her finally relaxed composture and leaned against her. His body felt lean and strong, like he was protecting her instead of threatening her.
They lingered there for a while, as Lisa's eyes closed and she nodded off into a light sleep, Jackson's fingers still tangled in her hair.
When she awoke, the sky was still dark, but instead of upright on the couch, she found herself on the bed, covered lightly with a sheet.
Startled, she bolted upright, snapping her head to the left and to the right. her breath drew sharply as her eyes fixed upon the form of Jackson leaning on the windowsill. "Don't worry, I didn't touch you. You can check if you like." Face flushing, Lisa gathered the sheets up to her chest. "Why did you bring me up here?" She asked. That same cocksure smile spread across his face. "I only wanted to be considerate, Leese. You would have gotten a nasty cramp in your neck they way you were." he ran his hands though his glossy brown hair, smile still fixed upon his face. Lisa sat in a mix of shock and disappointment- shock that he hadn't taken advantage of her, and surprisingly, disappotinment that he didn't. The strap of her nightgown slipped off her shoulder, revealing the fading scar on her chest. Lisa supressed the subconscious urge to fix the strap- she secretly enjoyed the way Jackson's cool and calculating eyes moved from her face down to her chest. She began to breathe heavier, her shoulders rising and falling in anticipation. She was sick of being careful and afraid and attempting to be in control. She tipped her head and let herself make eye contact with Jackson, hoping he could read her thoughts. Jackson's intuituon was dead on- he immediatley left the windowsill and made a beeline for the bed. Tearing the sheet away, his body collided with hers at the same time their lips met, and he pushed her into the pillows with a supressed sigh. Lisa's body melted into the bed as she felt him laying heavy on her, his heart pounding in tandem with her own. His lips found hers, and locked hotly, his tongue burning in her mouth. A sigh escaped lisa's lips and his tongue flickered down her neck. "Lisa." Jack panted. "I told you I wasn't going to hurt you." Lisa just moaned lightly in agreement; she could barely concentrate on what he was saying, too distracted by those lips sliding down her neck to her chest. His kisses lingered on the scar tissue as though he was trying to heal it himself. Lisa managed to collect her wits enough to begin to unbutton his shirt, fingers sliding down to the undershirt beneath it. Jackson stopped touching her just long enough to tear it off himself. His skin was just pale enough and scattered with freckles, just like his face, His body thin but toned. Lisa buried her face in his chest, wrapping her limbs tightly around him. She needed to feel wanted by him, to know that this time there wouldn't be any violence or terror or race against time. They could be together as long as neccesary.
Her hands slid down his smooth back until they met the waistband of his jeans, letting them linger on his tight ass- something she had thought about doing ever since she first saw him. This was the final straw for Jackson- he immediately let go of her and began to struggle out of those tight jeans.
A tense minute later, Jackson stood before her, bare as the day he was born, skin aglow in the dim light. Slowly, he leaned into her, cupping her breast to his mouth. he lifted Lisa gently toward him, reaching around her and pulling off her nightgown. Her soft, ample breasts freed, she embraced him, pressing her warmth agains his, feeling him swelling against her thigh. Her drawn breath grew more and more erratic as his tongue found it way down her limber torso. Dropping lower, his teeth caught her panties, pulling them back down her legs and off her ankles. Suddenly, his lips locked forcefully with hers, and a gasp escaped his lips as he entered her. Lisa entwined her hands around his neck and her eyes immediatley went tot he round scar on his neck. Overwhelmed with guilt from the past, she closed her eyes and gave in as he entered her again and again. Her hips met his repeatedly , never pausing for a second. "Leese... I'm so sorry" Jackson murmured into her neck. Lisa tipped her head back in silent forgiveness and pulled his face back down to her neck and chest, letting his tongue explore her while their rhythm quickened in pace.
Jackson's azure eyes glazed as the feeling in his loins intensified. Gasping and crying out, the pair climaxed, and for a moment, they were perfectly melded. Exhausted, Jackson rolled off, sweat glistening on his placid face, his piercing eyes gazing adoringly at Lisa. he leaned over, lips brushing her forehead as his hand cupped her face. "Lisa, I've been meaning to tell you..." His words were cut off by a kiss from Lisa, a smile crossing her face. "there will be plenty of time for that later. For now Jack, just hold me." His slender arms slid around her, soft skin brushing soft skin. Her eyelashes fluttered against his chest as she drifted to sleep in his arms. he looked down at her messy hair and limp torso with none of the menace he had posessed on the plane. Now that his desires had been finally been fufilled, he was at peace with himself. He didn't need to threaten others or carry out assassnination attempts to feel important. All he had to do was to look at the beautiful girl at ease in his arms, and he knew immediately that nothing else mattered, though he had to question whether climbing into a girl's window was the best way to show one's devotion. But sneaking around was what he did naturally. Gripping her protectively in his arms, he whispered "Ill never let anyone sle hurt you again." Then he fell asleep with a self-satisfied smile on his face.