The Taste of Seduction

Chapter 79 - Opening Up

TW; Attempted ****.

"What?" Atlas asked, shock swirling in his blue eyes.

Meredith heart pounded in her chest. She was afraid of what Atlas would say. Would he say she is a murderer so he couldn't accept her? Would he be disgusted with her? What if he hated her and couldn't handle her past?

A bunch of questions ran through her mind, and her heart crushed at the thought of Atlas leaving her.

"I didn't mean to kill him Atlas, it waswas an accidentI panicked and it all happened in a blink of an eye. I was trying to protect myself----I will never kill someone---believe me. please"

Meredith sat there shaking, a low groaning sound bubbling from her mouth. Her heart stuttered, and there was this falling, spinning-down feeling when Atlas didn't say anything.

What was he thinking? Why wasn't he saying anything?

"At..lassay something please anything.." She pleaded softly.

"Huh?" Atlas finally snapped out from his stupor.

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Shss. sorryI zoned out. Now tell me what happened. Who did you kill Angel?"

Meredith trembled in Atlas's arms and he rubbed her back gently.

"Relax Angel, just know that I trust you and I don't care if you killed someone. I have killed more people than I can count so I'm not going to judge you. I just need to know so that I can help you,"

Meredith pulled away from him, shock marred on her face. "R-really? Yo..you don't think I'm a monster for killing someone?"

Atlas chuckled and shook his head, "No. We all have a monster living inside us, it just take circumstances for us to finally snap and let it take over." Said Atlas as he wiped her tears with thumb and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Now tell, who did you kill?"

Meredith swallowed and took a deep breath, "My uncle."

Tears began to flow from her eyes as soon as she mentioned the person she had killed. She always looked up to his uncle but after her mom dead, things started becoming worse.

"Remember I told you, my mom died?"

Atlas nodded, "Yeah."

"After my mom died, things became difficult for me and my brother. I had just completed school with no job and my brother was still in school so we went to stay with my uncle since our rent was also due.

He was the only family my mom had and he treated us so good but he started drinking and gambling after my mom died. Maybe the death of his only family member got to him. "

Meredith paused and blew out air to calm herself down.

"He never hurt us though but he kept reminding me that I'm the reason why my mom died. He would come home drunk and ask me why I killed his sister when she was kind enough to adopt me when my own parents didn't want me." Meredith sobbed. "And I believed him."

Atlas grabbed her hand and rubbed the back with his thumb in reassurance. "It's not your fault your mom died. Cancer isn't anyone's fault. Don't say that again."

"But I should have known she was sickI-I-until last minute.I-"

"No, I'm sure she hid it well so that you wouldn't see something is wrong with her. Cancer treatment is expensive and maybe she didn't want you to worry. It's her own decision, not yours."

Meredith nodded and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"He lost many gambles and owed some mafia men money, the owners of the casino. In order to pay his debt, he decided to sell me to them and if I don't agree he would send my brother away to shelter home. I didn't want to lose my brother so I agreed."

"What?!" Atlas said in shock and disbelief.

"Yeahon the night that he was supposed to take me to the casino, he entered my room and locked the door behind him." Meredith's voice cracked at the end and tears started to pour from her eyes.

Atlas's eyes grew dark and he grabbed her cheeks with his hands.

"What did he do?" He asked.

"He-he tried to **** me."

"What?!" Atlas busted out in anger.

"Since I wasn't really his sister's daughter, we weren't blood related. He told me I have to pay for everything his sister had done for me. I was so scaredI-I didn't know what to do. " Meredith blinked away the tears.

"I sprang towards the door but he reacted quickly and managed to grab hold of my wrists and dragged me to the bed. I squirmed against his grip and begged him to let me go but he didn't."

She shivered and Atlas pulled her to his chest, "You don't have to continue if you don't want to."

Meredith shook her head, "No..I-I want to. The guilt has been too much to bear alone."

Atlas nodded and let her go, "Alright."

"He nestled his head into my neck and kissed it, his hands painfully pinning me in place. His fingers traced my features. I closed my eyes shut because I knew this was it.

His fingers probed between my legs, pulling my underwear. I knew unless I do something, I'm never going to be the same."

Atlas breathing had increased and his fisted hand showed how he was keeping his emotions in check.

"In a final act of desperation, I set my eyes on the lamp on my bedside, since he was so concentrated to open my legs he didn't see me take the lamp.

I was able to grab it and then I hit it into his skull. He groaned in pain and I flung him off me and flew out of the room to the kitchen. Unfortunately, he followed me and I took a knife and told him if he comes any closer I will kill him. He taunted me and said I couldn't do it.

He came closer while I stepped back. When my back hit the wall, I knew I have reached a dead end. With a smirk on his face he stood in front of me. Like you said, circumstances bring the monsters in us.

He reached his hand to take the knife from my hand. Maybe he was too confident or stupid because I pretend to give him the knife but instead, I pulled him closer to me and I-I stabbed in the stomach." Meredith broke down.

"My-my brother appeared on the scene and I had blood on my hands with my uncle's body on the floor. I-I was scared of what he might think but surprisingly he hugged me and told me it was alright.

He suggested we leave the country before the cops come. I agreed and we took the little savings we had and packed our bags that very night.

In order not to leave any evidence we set the house on fire and flee. We had no family member to follow on the case and my uncle had no family so we were safe."

A cold silence fell in the room, periodically disturbed by Meredith's sobs.. Without a word, Atlas pulled her into his arms.