Blood Bath

chapter 7 // sin

My head popped up from the living room couch as I saw Haven striding down the stairs. It was late, around 10 at night, as I was typing away on my laptop. I had stayed up to get some extra work done, there was always so much to do. I needed to get an assistant, god damn.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just getting some water. I couldn't sleep," she said, meeting my stare.

"You don't have to apologize, this is your home too, Canim" I said.

I patted next to where I was sitting on the black couch, moving over a smidge. She cautiously walked over before taking a seat. Haven sat nervously, not allowing herself to sit comfortably. A smile came over my mouth as I stood up.

I grasped a glass before filling it up with the cool water from the fridge. I set it down in front of her on the table as she wrapped her hand around it.

"Thank you, I appreciate it," she said, taking a sip.

I sat back down and crossed one of my legs over the other, turning my neck to look at her. Haven sat with a messy bun, black gym shorts and a hoodie that was much too big for her. Tan had quickly bought random pieces of women's clothing before she got here. We just guessed on the size, knowing that she liked her clothes bigger than her.

"Can I ask you something," the words escaping her throat in a soft tone.

"Anything" I replied, leaning further back into the couch.

"How long have you watched me?"

"A year, almost every night." I said, pushing my fingers to my lips, dragging them across the bottom one.

"Why?"

"You reminded me of my younger self. I wanted to intervene but I had to wait, so I watched over you," I said.

It was all true. I couldn't step in and rip Haven away without repercussions, I had to stick to the plan. But, nobody said anything about protecting her outside of her residence. I was her own personal guardian angel, watching over her, anytime I had the chance.

"What happened to you?" She questioned in a whisper, meeting my eyes now.

I sighed and laid my head against the back of the couch, staring up into the ceiling. I knew the question would come out eventually and it did. I hated talking about my past, it relived the memories that I tried to escape.

"Truth or Dare, Haven?" I asked her, enticing her into the conversation we were about to have.

I wanted to see which she would pick. It was a game my father played with me for years, I always picked truth. I later found out that was why he continued playing it with me. It was a lesson, not a game. You always pick dare, you never speak. The room fell silent for a few moments, she couldn't decide which to pick.

"Dare" she said with full confidence in her voice.

I nodded as a smirk crossed my face. A smart one, my father would have liked her.

"I killed him. I wanted the business to myself, I was a young eighteen year old who had a taste of this world much too early" I spat out, "All my childhood, I was never good enough for him, I was always doing everything wrong."

I continued, "He took everything for himself, never sparing me anything. I couldn't understand, I was the son he had been begging to have, he had everything. He was a greedy son of a bitch".

I paused for a few moments, letting a groan fall out of my throat. I was reopening the sealed wounds now and there was no going back.

"Sure, there was the occasional hits, hence how I got the scar" I shrugged. "But he enjoyed the mental games more. Watching me beg for his love and for an ounce of any of the riches we had"

"That's what mattered the most to him and when all that anger fell out one day, I killed him. I took over the business much earlier than I intended. I didn't know what I was doing" I said.

Haven didn't say a word, just continued to nod while sipping her water. I took a moment to catch my breaths while studying her face. She didn't look scared nor nervous, she looked more relaxed.

I had just confessed that I killed my father out of pure greed and she didn't fear me. Out of the few times I did open up to the women that came around, just needing to get out of my head, they ran out with eyes wider than an owl.

"We traveled a lot, I lived in Turkey for a few years. It was the worst time of my life. I was forced to learn the language to uphold the shitty ends of the business deals at only thirteen." I growled.

"Whoever throws children into their business deals is beyond me, its cruel and unjust."

Haven blinked at me a few times before setting down her empty glass, that had spoke to her. I knew it would, we had experienced many of the same things as children. I was forced to work for my father just as much as she was.

Everyone had something in common under this household, it was the darkness creeping up to be released. We all held our past inside of us wanting to escape from it, outlive it, and run from it. But instead, we take ahold of it, using it to our advantage.

She moved slowly but she leaned into my side, wanting to get closer to me. I wrapped my arms around her body, holding her into my chest. The top of her head resting against my jaw, relaxing all the tensions in my body.

"Evin did the same to me, every day. All I did was wish that I was dead. He took everything away from me," she whispered.

I brought my hand up to her hair, running my fingers through it slowly as she continued talking.

"He took my mother away from me, the only person that I felt love from. He knew that she wouldn't allow him to go to the full extent with me as he wanted." She huffed. "He had full capabilities of relaxing his money, not spending as much so I wouldn't have to work. But, the same as your father, he was just too hungry for the money"

I continued running my hand through her hair, it felt like straw, probably due to lack of care. It was a good thing that I sent Tan out to get an assortment of new bathing products for her bathroom. He was the best at that kind of stuff, he had been handling it since she came here.

"I know I haven't been here long and I haven't been around very much but thank you for keeping me safe" she cooed.

"Anything for you, my love" I said, kissing the top of her head.

"I haven't felt as safe as I have while being here in my entire life. I know I shouldn't feel safe but I do and I hate myself for it," she vented.

"We only want the best for you Haven. I think you sense that, trust yourself." I replied.

She sighed and dug her head deeper into my chest, closing her eyes now. I didn't move, I allowed her to remain comfortable. I stared into the abyss of the room, soaking up the lingering feelings that our conversation left.

I wanted to think that this was her opening up, trusting me. We had each given our truths to each other, it was something you don't normally do. I needed her to feel this way towards me, we didn't have any time left.