Wounds Of The Past And Present. (Part-1)

{ POV: Jess.} ----

Hehehe

I almost forgot how cute she is when she's embarrassed. But right now, I have a lot of explaining to do. It's the least I could do as she saved my life afterall.

I dried myself off carefully, avoiding my injuries. I picked up the clothes Erin set out for me, which was a pair of cotton shorts and a band t-shirt.

I headed for the stairs, just as I reached the top of the stairs the smell of cooking wafted past my nose. Pancakes? It's 1pm.

I entered the kitchen, Erin had her back turned to me. Dressed in yoga pants and a semi see through top, I could see her black sports bra underneath it.

She bent down looking for a utensil in one of the bottom cabinets. All my attention shifted to her bent over body. Looking her up and down my thoughts were perverted and I didn't even notice it but I was staring and unconsciously bit my lip.

Damn that @ss though.

"*Ahem*" I cleared my throat as well as my mind, getting her attention.

She jolted with surprise. Turning around with a scowl on her face. Hehe so cute. I can see her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.

"You shouldn't scare a person like that you idiot!" She sounded furious.

I raised my eyebrows, then nodded my head understanding my mistake.

"Sorry ma'am" I saluted like a soldier.

But almost immediately I put my arm down, pain spread down my forearm. I looked down at it and saw one of my wounds reopened.

"Oh great, that's probably gonna leave a scar." I was annoyed.

"Sit down." Erin frowned at me. And quickly I sat down as she instructed.

She sat next to me on the couch and started stitching the deepest cuts. I winced in pain. She looked at me curiously.

"What? I'm not invincible, it does hurt." I defended.

When did she learn to stitch wounds?

She shrugged and continued to stitch, then bandaged my arm. There was an awkward silence filling the living room.

I couldn't take it anymore and decided to say something. Cutting me off from saying anything Erin spoke first.

"What did he do to you to deserve death?" She was putting a bandaid on one of my smaller cuts. Her voice was decisive and to the point.

I was afraid of telling her the truth about her father, she would be even more heartbroken than she is now.

But all of this is my fault, I have to make amends even if she doesn't accept my efforts. I decided to tell her.

"Your father was involved in a rival organisation, my boss ordered my to get information on his dealings and kill him when it was done, it is or was my job... but.."

"Erin.. I.." She cut me off... again.

"I know my father was a... bad man. He was the reason for my mother's death. *sob* I hated him for it. She was... the only one in our family that was good *sniff* she had a kind heart, she wouldn't even hurt a fly."

I put my arm around her and let her continue through her sobs.

" I know once he loved her, *sob sob* but that love faded after I was born. He saw me a disappointment and *sniff* he took out his anger on my mother. Years later, I was only 7 he started becoming more aggressive."

I hugged her as she broke down into tears. My heart felt like it was being squeezed seeing her like this...

Her sobbing somewhat faded and she started talking once more.

" One night he came home late, drunk. He came to my room and started shouting at me for being weak, for not living up to my family name. He said he wished I was a boy. That way it would be easier to shape me into his ideal successor."

Her last sentence struck a chord in my heart. a memory of fourteen years ago flashed through my mind. I shook it off and payed attention to what Erin was saying.

"I was scared, he was furious. He *sniff*... he hit me. My mom came running into my room after hearing the commotion. She told him to leave me alone. He got angrier and then grabbed my arm, I don't know where he got it but he... pointed a gun at my mom. She pleaded with him to let me go, *sniff*... not even concerned about herself."

I rubbed her back and put a strand of hair behind her ear. She was slightly shaking, I held her tighter.

" I started kicking and punching him, but he threw me across the room and headed for my mother. He took her upstairs and locked their bedroom door. I heard screaming and him shouting at her to shut up. I kicked and banged at the door, it didn't budge. After 10 minutes of crying out for him to stop he opened the door. I tried to push past him to get to my mom. He held me close and whispered in my ear 'Run little girl, run before you're next.' I froze at his words. He closed the door again in my face. I ran to the front door but before I opened it, I heard a scream and a gunshot..... I ran back and turned the doorknob of my parents room,... it opened.... He was standing over my mother's bleeding body with the gun in his right hand. I looked at her and our eyes locked, she dragged herself towards my frozen body, I bent down and tears blurred my vision of her face. Her last words to me were... 'My life is ending, but yours is yet to unfold, stay strong my girl, I love you little Erin.' ... I never left her side that night, The police claimed there was no evidence to convict my father since testimony from a kid didn't count. He then erased any existence of my mother from our house. I stayed with him for years after that, waiting for my chance at revenge... I wanted to kill him. He thought I finally accepted my fate to become his heir to Shaw Industries as his only child.... But he suddenly died... and I didn't know who did it. But now you're telling me it was you?"

When Erin finished speaking I was honestly at loss for words, I couldn't believe that she'd gone through so much.

I didn't answer her question, I just hugged her with all the strength I could, never wanting to let go.

She pushed me off looking me straight in the eye. I knew she wanted an answer.

"Yes it was me, and I'm so sorry for lying to you."

She was silent for a moment, then a slight smile crept it's way onto her lips.

"Well that sucks, you got to him before I did."

"Whaaaat? That's it? you're not going to hit me or something? No I hate you for killing my dad?" I was surprised at her reaction.

"I don't know what I feel right now Jess..."

She pulled up her knees and hugged her legs close to her chest, looking down at the coffee table.

I lifted her chin, her eyes locked with mine. She looked like she was struggling with her feelings.

I leaned in closer to her, closing my eyes, then I .....

-----------

End chapter Five