Tainted Innocence

Chapter XXXIII

I hope you are still enjoying the story. 

Here's chapter 33 for you.

Chapter XXXIII

She was alive. Alive and back in his arms, howling her head off because of all the horrors his deranged brother had put her through. He held her in a tight embrace, savouring the feeling of her body against his own, and not bothering to wipe off the tears of relief that rolled over his own cheeks. Jeremiah closed his eyes, took a deep breath of her scent and smiled. All was well. They could finally live in peace and harmony, without ever having to hide again.

Jerome was dead. Jeremiah had seen his corpse lying atop a car's roof as he'd made his way away from the stage his brother had held him hostage and threatened his life on.

"It's over, love!", he whispered happily.

"He's gone for real this time."

His wife let out a loud sob and he pulled away to kiss her tear-stained cheeks. His poor, poor angel. That ne'er-do-well of a brother had succeeded in scarring her soul. He'd broken her, had torn out her wings. It hurt to look at her. It hurt to see the scars his brother's terror had left, but he would make sure to heal her. She would be her old self again in no time.

"Can we go home?", her husky voice reached his ears.

"Of course, love."

Jeremiah took her cold, right hand in his and together they went towards the nearest cab. After all, there was nothing left to keep them at this place anymore.

*

She'd feigned fatigue the moment they'd returned home, and so Jeremiah had sent her off to their bedroom to get some rest.

To say that she was relieved that he hadn't wanted to come with her would have been an understatement.

She was beyond relief that he'd gone off to his study. Ever since he'd held her in his arms again she'd been tormented by an array of contradicting emotions that left her shaken.

She still loved him, despite everything Jerome had told her about him, she still loved Jeremiah Valeska.

Which consequently resulted in pangs of remorse that gnawed at her conscience with razor-sharp teeth.

She'd cheated on him. She'd slept with his brother, for God's sake. His sworn enemy. And not only that: She'd liked it...

But that wasn't even her blackest of treachery.

He's gone for real this time...

She hadn't sobbed out of relief that Jerome had died, no, quite the contrary...

Lynn rolled onto her back and began to stare at the ceiling, trying hard to keep herself from getting to the bottom of that very thought for she feared to face the awful truth that had begun to fester in her heart like an open ulcer wound.

Sleep found her an hour later, but it didn't bring her any peace.

She woke up after what truly felt like a few seconds. However, the digital clock on Jeremiah's nightstand said otherwise. With a start she realised that she had slept well into the afternoon. Groggily Lynn got up and went to open the bedroom door only to find that it had been locked from the outside.

"What the hell?", she whispered, eyes blinking in disbelief.

Rattling at the door, she called for Jeremiah.