Chapter 28: Wig Twisting Season

Chapter 28: Wig Twisting Season

[Erica's POV]

The moonlight filtering through the curtains casts a soft glow on Jason's sleeping form, nestled against my bare chest. I inhale deeply, savoring his familiar scent mingled with the clean aroma of soap from his recent shower. My arms tighten around him instinctively, as if my embrace alone could shield him from the horrors he's endured.

"You're safe now," I whisper, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. My voice catches in my throat as tears begin to well up. "I'm so sorry, baby. I should have protected you."

Jason stirs slightly but doesn't wake. His peaceful expression belies the trauma he's experienced, and a wave of guilt washes over me. How could I have let him out of my sight at that damned haunted house?

I trace my fingers lightly along his arm, marveling at the warmth of his skin against mine. The intimate contact after weeks of agonizing separation overwhelms me with a bittersweet ache.Reêad latest novels at novelhall.com

"I missed you so much," I murmur, nuzzling his hair. "I'll never let anyone hurt you again, I swear it. I won’t ever let you out of my sight again."

My mind drifts to the passionate lovemaking we'd shared earlier. It had been tender, almost reverent, so different from our usual dynamic. I'd been hesitant to initiate anything, worried about triggering painful memories for Jason. He looked devastated that I would be so gentle, but... I just want him to feel so cherished.

"Erica," he'd breathed against my lips. "Please... I need to feel you. To know this is real."

I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. The relief of having him back in my arms wars with the rage simmering beneath the surface. Someone had dared to touch what was mine, to violate and traumatize my precious boy.

"I love you," I whisper fiercely, cradling Jason's sleeping form. "More than anything in this world. You're everything to me, Jason."

As I hold him close, I make a silent vow. ‘I will heal him with my love and protect him with every ounce of my strength. I’ve been lazy. I’ve been too easygoing. He could have been killed. I will never allow something like this to happen again. Momma should be the one taking eye’s not my beautiful boy.’

I'm startled from my thoughts by the sudden vibration of my phone. Carefully, I reach for it, trying not to disturb Jason. The screen illuminates with a message from my mother:

(I sent you all the videos you asked for. These are really bad. Much worse than we thought. I really don't think you should watch them.)

My heart races. The surveillance footage. I've been waiting for this, dreading it, craving it. I need to see to understand what Jason went through. But Mom's warning makes me hesitate.

Gently, I slip Jason's head off my chest, replacing my body with a pillow. He stirs slightly but doesn't wake. I pause, watching him, torn between staying and seeking the truth.

"I have to know," I think, steeling myself. "For both of us."

I pad quietly to my computer, slipping on headphones. As I upload the files, my hands tremble. I open the first video file, my heart pounding. The grainy footage shows a dimly lit room, sparse and clinical. In the center, Jason sits on a chair, his wrists bound behind him. My breath catches at the sight of his exposed, vulnerable form.

Then, she enters the frame. Lindsey wearing a cheap blonde wig and blue contacts. The bitch who dared to impersonate me, to violate my Jason. Rage boils in my veins as I watch her saunter towards him, swaying her hips in a poor imitation of my walk.

"Oh my god, did I actually get kidnapped? Erica finally did it? That's so cool” I hear my baby say something very much like him.

Suddenly I wonder to myself. ‘Wait he’s always wanted to be confined like this. Is there a world where he wanted this kind of thing from Lindsey?’

My name on his lips is like a bucket of cold water, snapping me out of the dark spell that had taken hold of me. I release my grip on his neck, and he gasps for air, his body shaking with the effort. Tears stream down his face, mixing with the sweat beads on his forehead.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice thick with guilt and shame. "I'm so sorry, Jason."

Jason's chest heaves with sobs, his entire body trembling beneath me. He clings to my bare chest, his fists tightening around my sides as if trying to ground himself. "I didn't want them," he choked out, his voice barely audible. "I never wanted to be taken like that by someone else. I just... I just wanted you to confine me, to make me feel safe."

My heart aches at his words, and I stroke his hair, trying to soothe him even as my own guilt threatens to consume me. "I know, baby," I whisper, my voice shaking. "I know you didn't want that."

Jason takes a shuddering breath, his eyes screwed shut as if trying to block out the memories. "It's... it's impossible to understand what sitting alone in a room for days does to your head. The only time I even still felt alive at all was..." He trails off, his voice breaking on a sob.

I tighten my arms around him, holding him close as if I could somehow absorb his pain. "Shh, it's okay," I murmur, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

Jason takes another deep breath, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "The first chance I got, I killed Lindsey," he says, his voice low and intense. "I did it to prove my love for you. I did it to show them that I belong to you and no one else. I was so afraid you’d hate me for being raped by them.”

The thought of him going so far to show his love for me. It makes me so proud of him. Proud that he was willing to do whatever it took to protect himself and prove his devotion to me.

With trembling hands, I gently lift Jason back onto my chest, cradling him against me as we both dissolve into tears. His body shakes with silent sobs, and I can feel the dampness of his tears on my skin. I stroke his hair softly, my fingers tangling in the messy brown strands.

"Shh, it's okay," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry for doubting you and for accusing you of cheating. I was wrong, so terribly wrong."

Jason's arms tightened around me, his fingers digging into my sides as if he were afraid I'd disappear. I continue to murmur soothing words, rocking him gently as our tears mingle.

"What you did to Lindsey, what you did to Lyra... that was proof enough of your loyalty, your love," I say, my voice wavering. "You fought so hard, my brave, beautiful boy. You survived, and you came back to me."

I pull back slightly, cupping his face in my hands. His hazel eyes are red-rimmed and swollen, but there's a glimmer of hope in their depths that makes my heart swell. I brush my thumbs across his cheeks, wiping away the tears.

"Listen to me, Jason," I say, my voice low and intense. "You're never leaving my sight again. Never. I can't bear the thought of losing you, of anyone else touching you or hurting you. From now on, where I go, you go. Do you understand?"

Jason nods, a small, tremulous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yes," he whispers hoarsely. "I don't want to be apart from you ever again. I need you, Erica.”

Relief washes over me, and I pull him close again, pressing a tender kiss to his forehead. "I'll keep you safe," I promise fiercely. "No one will ever hurt you again. I swear it."

We lie there for a long moment, our breathing slowly syncing as the storm of emotions begins to calm. The room is quiet save for the soft rustle of sheets and the distant hum of the air conditioning. Moonlight spills across the bed, bathing us in its ethereal glow.

Finally, Jason shifts slightly, tilting his head to look up at me. His eyes are clearer now, filled with a warmth that makes my breath catch. "I love you," he says softly, his voice rough but sincere. "I love you so much, Erica. You're my everything."

“I love you too, Jason.” As I spoke, I couldn’t help but notice the dark purple hand prints forming perfectly on his throat. It seems I went too far when I choked him. But it's okay. Any mark of mine is proof of my love for him. I'm sure he will gladly show it off because he’s a little crazy, too.

‘Fuck his mom might hate me though if she see’s it. I’ll garb him a turtle neck tomorrow.’