Games of Power and Prowess

Chapter 10: Stay With Me Tonight

"Stay away from my goddamn wife, Allison. You don't know who you're fucking over." Ignoring Simon's deep voice as he stares at me with emotionless eyes, I scream out again. I look over to the corner of the room where a large bruise is forming on Natalie's forehead. I yell her name, trying to wake her but she continues to sit slumped against the corner.

"Screw you. I love her, more than you ever have." I spit at the man with a gun in his hand, something I would definitely never do if I weren't in love with his wife.

"You don't know shit, little girl. I will fucking kill you. Promise you'll leave her alone or I will blow your fucking brains out." He refutes, stepping closer to me and pressing the cold metal against my temple. I just stare at him, glance at Natalie in the corner, and then look back at him with tears stinging my eyes.

"Do it. She'll never love you." I dare him. The last thing I hear is a deafening noise in my ear.

I wake in my bed with a start, sitting up completely straight and breathing heavily. My eyes struggle to see in the dark room, the only light flooding in from the streetlight in the window. Thankfully, I am not sweaty as I tear the sheets away from my trembling body.

Willing myself to walk, I get to my closet and put on some joggers and an old t-shirt. Then, sliding my feet into my favourite slip-on shoes, I open my bedroom door and grab my phone on the way out.

I go to my mum's room first, and in my sleepy state, forget that she is still on a business trip. My mind takes a few moments to register the fact that she isn't here. Once I make sense of the empty bed, I then move towards the front door. There's only one other person who can console me and she doesn't live too far away.

I'm coming over. I text her quickly, remembering that I have her number. It's around three in the morning so I doubt she's awake but let's hope she'll be there at least.

Okay. Everything alright? My phone dings in my hand, making me smile but also confusing me. Why is she awake at this hour? I don't respond to her and put my phone into the pocket of my pants. I lock the door behind myself and start out on the short walk to Natalie's house, incredibly thankful that she lives close enough for me to walk instead of driving.

Once at her doorstep, I knock softly on the wood a few times. In a moment, Natalie appears behind it and smiles. She's got a fluffy blanket wrapped around her as she welcomes me inside. I haven't ever seen her without makeup but she still look absolutely gorgeous. I breathe in the scent of her perfume dancing around the air in her home.

Then an excited Gnocchi runs down the stairs to greet me. He jumps up on my legs and I bend down to support some of his weight.

"Sorry about him." Natalie says in a soft voice, ushering him into a nearby room and closing the door. He whines for a moment and then we are engulfed by the silence around us.

"I'm not really sure why I came here. Simon is probably asleep upstairs with no idea that I'm here, huh?" I ask, turning around to face her. She walks towards the kitchen and I follow her silently.

"Simon isn't home. He left a few hours ago for an emergency business meeting in- well, I don't know where exactly." She says, a searching look on her features as she sits on a barstool and gestures for me to do the same. "So," She says, snapping out of a dream-like state, "why are you awake at this early hour?"

"I had a nightmare." I admit quietly, feeling like a child coming into her mother's room after a bad dream. I sit on the stool next to her and notice a look of sympathy on her features. Her hand gently touches my arm in a comforting manner and I give a small smile.