Chapter 56: CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

Alyssa

I waited for him all night but he never showed, I know I shouldn’t be worried about him after our argument, after what he said to me but he took a bullet for me.

I could nearly sleep last night my ming kept seeing it.

The gun.

The man.

The loud bang.

Ares grunting in pain.

The blood on his white shirt.

Where was he?

He did not come to my room, he did not call me or drop a message that he was fine.

Nothing.

I was so worried. Was his arm okay? Was the bullet still in there? Did he see a doctor? Was he in a lot of pain? Did he get hurt again after I left.

The night felt very long as I watched the clock on my wall.

One hour passed.

Then two.

Then three.

Till morning and he still didn’t return.

I got out of bed not not bothering to change from my sleep shorts and a tank top as I walked out of my room and went downstairs.

I saw one of the maids all of them working towards their assigned tasks.

"Good morning Ms. White," she said.

"Good morning," I answered my voice was rough from lack of sleep. "Have you seen Ares? Did he come home last night?"

The maid nodded. "Oh yes ma'am he came in earlier, he is in the underground gym right now."

My heart did a little jump.

why did he not come to see me?

"Thank you," I said to the maid.

I walked to the door that led to the basement gym my steps were fastI needed to see him I needed to see with my own eyes that he was alright.

I opened the door and walked down the stairs.

The air felt different down here It was cooler and I could hear a sound.

A loud pounding sound.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and looked.

There he was.

He was not wearing a shirt he had his back was to me, his skin was shiny with sweat and his muscles were tight and moving as he pinched the heavy bag hard.

It was the only sound in the room.

I just stood there and watched him for a minute my eyes moving to the bandage on his arm.

It had already gotten messy It was white but I could see a little red spot on it, he was bleeding again.

He was hurting himself by punching like this.

He suddenly stopped as his fists fell to his sides with his shoulders were moving up and down fast as he breath hard.

He did not turn around.

"You are awake," he said his voice was low and flat knowing I was there.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked.

"I always know when it is you," he said still not turning to look at me.

I walked closer to him standing near the bag so I could see his face that was It was hard and weary.

"Where were you last night?" I asked him. "I waited for you I was worried."

"You should not worry about me," he said. He picked up a towel and wiped his face. "My job is to worry about you."

"I was scared," I said my voice getting a little louder. "I saw you get shot and you just disappeared not even a call! You did not come home. What was I supposed to think?"

He finally looked at me his eyes were dark and empty. "I was handling things. Securing the house and adding more guards. I was doing my job."

"Your job includes making me think you are dead in a ditch somewhere?" I snapped I was so tired and worried It made me more angry.

He let out a short, harsh breath. "I am fine Alyssa. Stop this."

I looked at his arm. "You are not fine you are bleeding again. Did you even see a doctor? Did you get stitches?"

He looked down at the bandage like he forgot it was there. "It is fine It is just a scratch."

"A scratch?" I almost shouted. "Ares it was a bullet, a bullet hit you because of me!"

He threw his towel down. "Yes. Because of you So what?"

"So it was a stupid thing to do!" I yelled. My hands were shaking. "Why did you do that? Why did you jump in front of me? You should not have done that!"

He moved so fast that I didn’t see he coming, one second he was across from me and the next second he was right in front of me with his face so close to mine.

"What?" he asked his voice a dangerous whisper. "What did you just say?"

I swallowedbut I did not back down. "I said it was stupid you should not take a bullet for me."

He stared at me as his jaw was so tight. "So what should I have done? Huh? Tell me, should I have let the bullet hit you? Should I have just stood there and watched you die? Is that what you want?"

"No! That is not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?" he roared the sound echoed in the gym. "What is your brilliant plan? You tell me how I should do my job! You tell me how I should protect you!"

"I do not need you to die for me!" I cried out.

"Then what do you need me for?" he shouted back. "Why am I even here? Tell me If my life does not matter then why do you care?"

"Because I care about you you idiot!" The words burst out of me.

He laughed It was a cold horrible sound. "You care about me? You have a funny way of showing it." He pulled back and walked away