His Tainted Soul

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER Three

{Parris' POV}

Five years. I've been dreaming of the same man for five years. Blue eyes. Like the color of the pacific ocean and I think if I stay locked gaze with him, I might drown because of how deep his gaze on me is. Those dark hair that looks so soft. My hands are itching to touch them. Those pink kissable lips. I swallow, feeling breathless, and then blink my eyes a few times to wake myself for whatever reverie I was in.

Darn, what was that? I almost jumped on him and cried of longing.

I cleared my throat and blew a long breath, then stared back at him, forcing myself to stay professional but before I could even utter a single word, he cut me off by slamming my body onto him with a tight hug but not tight enough to hurt me. I take a sharp intake of breath and look over his shoulder in shock.

I could feel his warm body on mine and it's warming my cold skin. The smell of his perfume mixed with his natural intoxicating manly scent fills my nostrils, making me salivate. I gulped and grip on his shoulder to balance my shaky knees, and my breath got caught in my throat when I felt his strong arms on my lower back tight to help me balance myself. My body burns because of his touch, even my pale face feels so hot.

Then, he wrapped his other arm behind my neck, making me lean my head on his broad shoulder. All I could do was blink my eyes, feeling stunned. But even though I know that a stranger - a very attractive stranger - is literally hugging me in a mansion full of armed men, I couldn't find it in me to push him away. It's like my body has a mind of its own. And it's not only that, I feel like he is not just a stranger. You know the feeling of being home? Even if your eyes are closed, you know that it's home because of the familiarity, your senses, and your feelings. That's all I feel and also... I feel something in the pit of my stomach but I can't understand and describe it.

I feel him caressing my hair. "How? How is this possible? Y-your here, how?" He whispered breathlessly with so many emotions laced on his tone, and the only one I had a grasp on was happiness. Ignoring the fluttery feeling in my chest, I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. What is this man talking about? I was about to take a step back when I heard him speak again. "For five years, I was in the impression that you were dead. I was in so much pain, I was a mess. And now you are here, standing looking very alive. H-how is this possible?" He slightly pulled away to look at my face with our body still touching with no space left. "Parris?" His voice is a gruff whisper and I can tell that he isn't used to speaking with a soft tone.

Something snapped in me when he spoke my name, and I finally got the courage to step back. Did he just call me Parris? He did call me Parris! How in the world did he know that? Only my close friends know that nickname. I keep my social life and job strictly professional so no one besides my friends knows that.

"What did you just call me?" I asked to make sure that I heard him right even though I already know the answer. He spoke it two times and I'm sure as hell that I'm not deaf. I'm starting to feel a little panicked.

Confusion was clearly written all over his face after I said that like he didn't expect that to be my reply. "Parris. You are Parris, my wife."

Huh?

It took half a minute for his last words to process in my head and once it did, my brain almost exploded. The word 'my wife' repeatedly rang in my head like a broken plaque, adding to all of the emotions that I felt.

"W-wife?" I manage to squeeze out, feeling breathless. Me? A wife? Oh, shut up! I can't even imagine myself dating any man or anyone else, how can I be a wife? That's it. I'm out. This man is insane, attractively insane might I add. "Excuse me?" Shock is an understatement to explain his expression and I might laugh or not at all by just looking at him.

"Parris -" He reached out for me but I had learned my mistake so I quickly stepped back.

"I don't want to be rude but please don't call me that. Only my friends call me that and I don't even know you. How did you know of that nickname, anyway?" I still can feel the two burning gazes on my back because of the two men behind me. I look at them to see their very shocked and stunned expression that left me with red cheeks after remembering myself being hugged by this crazy stranger.

Noticing that he still isn't replying, I turn back to him and my eyes almost bulge out of their socket after seeing his murderous expression. I gulped and took an involuntary step back. He ignored it and took a large step towards me, then gently held both of my shoulders, surprising me.

"What have they done to you?" I expected him to shout or growl, but he surprised me by asking softly, but the dark and murderous expressions he has are still very clear. "What those f****rs have done to you, Parris? " And just like that, the irritation is back again.

I shrugged his hands off. "I said don't call me that!" He looks even more surprised by my sudden outburst but I don't care, I'm beginning to feel irritated by the things that he is saying.

That's called in denial. Oh, shut up subconscious!

"Look, Mister, I have no idea of the things that's coming out of your mouth. I only came here for Bruce, I don't even know you so please just stop it, okay?" He opened his mouth to reply but got cut off by another voice sounding from behind him.

"Theo, come you need to..." The voice trails off and a man in his early thirties walks out of the door and as soon as his eyes landed on me, all the blood drains from his face, and looks like he just saw a ghost. The man is wearing simple black jeans and a gray v-neck shirt with tousled dark brown hair. He has eyes like Axel, dull green, and a sharp jaw. This man is attractive but Mr. Crazy guy is much more attractive than him. Okay, stop. What am I thinking?

"The f**k?!" He exclaimed after recovering from the shock. "Parris?!" Another stranger that knows my nickname? What is going on? The second guy with green eyes looked at the first man in disbelief. "But, she's - how? What the hell is going on?" I decided to step in and speak.

"Yeah, that's a good question. What is going on? Why do you both know that nickname and look like you know me while I have no idea who are you two. Like, have we met before?" I don't understand and I certainly don't remember. If I met them, I swear, I would never forget them so I'm very sure that I haven't met them before.

"What? You don't know us? Wait, how are you even alive?" The second guy asked looking very confused and still in shock. Well, guess what? So am I. I just came here to help someone with her case and this happened.

"What kind of question is that? Of course, I'm alive." I'm sick of this questioning thing and I'm sure as hell wouldn't answer to any, so I cleared my throat. I have decided to end this and do what I really came here for. "Anyway, I'm Hermione Akerstroam and I came here for Bruce Stone. I am a lawyer and I'm here to help his girlfriend with her case, may I know where they are?" Stay professional, that's what I'm repeatedly reminding myself when saying those words.

"Y-you're a what?"

"What did you say?" The blue-eyed man asked again, looking like he didn't know what to say. Panic, disbelief, and some hint of happiness. Those emotions I could see in his eyes.

"I said -" Another voice interrupted what I was supposed to say.

“Counselor Hermione, is that you?” Says the voice. I looked at the owner of the voice and from the sound of it, I can immediately guess who it was.

“Mr. Stone. ” I greet him formally. His black eyes widened then he stared at me intently. His lips parted and he looked at the blue-eyed man in shock, what's his name again? I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from squirming uncomfortably because of their shocked gaze on me. I cleared my throat. “Is there a problem? You've all been looking at me like that since earlier.”

“Is what I'm seeing right? Why do you look so much like the woman in the picture in Theo's office?” He was shocked, and I also noticed his swollen eyes and busted lips. What has happened here? But what he said really piqued my interest. I look like the woman in the picture in his office? Is that the reason why they stare at me? Wait, who is Theo?

“Mr. Stone, no offense but what's going on, and what are you saying? You have all been staring at me like a fool. ” He seemed to realize what I had said. He still looked shocked but smiled at me.

"I'm sorry, counselor." He said nervously and also looked embarrassed. Then, he looked at the two men and I noticed the ticking of his jaw when he looked at the blue-eyed man. "This is my cousin Kyle." He introduced me to the man with green eyes. Oh, so his name is Kyle. Somehow, that name nags something in my brain but I can't quite put a finger on it. "And this is Theo." He pointed at the man with blue eyes.

Theo...

I looked at Theo who seemed to be waiting for my reaction so I immediately hid all the emotions on my face. There’s a hint of sadness in his eyes and I felt like something was pinching my heart while looking at him. What is happening to me? I just saw such a handsome man and suddenly my perspective on men changed.

Remember what you always tell yourself, Hermione. No man, okay? Breath. Just breathe. He's not that handsome ... Note my sarcasm.

"Come in first so we can talk about the information about my girlfriend's case." I was guided inside the mansion. “I'm sorry I took so long. I just had to do something. ” I smiled and nodded.

"Go back to guarding the whole area." It was as if there was electricity all over my body when I heard that voice. I bit my bottom lip and just focused on talking to Bruce. But I know that it was from Theo's voice.

“It's okay, I haven't waited that long,” I said. "Where is Clarice?" I almost dropped my jaw on the floor when I saw the living room of the mansion. So luxurious. Carpets, tiled floors, and white walls are a mixture of light gray, white and black colors. The furniture is very modern and looks very expensive. Who owns this house?

I clear my throat and silently thank God because Bruce is looking forward and not to me. He would definitely laugh at me when he saw my amazed face. It's too unprofessional.

“Where is Clarice?” I asked again when he did not reply.

“She's coming. She is just very nervous.” I nodded and smiled at him.

“Don't worry, Mr. Stone. When I find out that Clarice is really a victim and sexually abused, I will help you and will not stop until the perpetrator is punished.” I spoke confidently. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when I said that.

“Thank you so much, Counselor. You don't know how relieved I was to know that there are still a few people that are here for us. What is happening is not very easy for Clarice and me.” I sat on a plush couch while Bruce sat across from me. I was about to speak when I heard Kyle's voice.

“What is happening, Bruce? How did you meet Parris?” My shoulder tensed when he mentioned my name. I'm really surprised. How do they know my name? I didn't speak at first and just listened to them.

“Kyle, have some manners and what are you saying? This is Counselor Hermione and she is the only one I know who can help Clarice and me with the case. Since you totally don't want to help me with it.” There is a streak of anger in Bruce's voice.

“It's not like we don't want to help you -”

“Stop explaining it to him, Kyle. He won't listen to us.” Theo interrupted what Kyle was saying after entering the living room. Our gaze met and just like that, everyone else in the living room faded away from my vision, and it was suddenly him. Just him. I feel like I already know him. His face, it was not new in my sight. The only problem is, I don’t know when and where I saw him. But I'm wondering, shouldn't he be saying that he knows me if we've known each other for a long time?

I heard Kyle sigh and nod. Okay, this is weird. What exactly did I enter myself into? I heard footsteps beside me. I turned there and my eyes widened to see Theo walking towards me with a streak of concern and anger on his face. Suddenly my heart beating became fast and uncontrollable for some unknown reason. Nervous or excited I don’t know.

“What did they do to you, my wife? This is me, Theo, your husband.” Darn, that was far from what I expected.