WhenTheCold Pounds on the door

II 小寒 [1] / [20]

He hailed a Taxi. The cabbie, a man of Turkish descent in his mid-40s, asked him where he was going. Alexander, remembering his childhood home, gave the address.

"207 Johnson Place, and please be as quick as you can, I have an appointment to keep.”

For several years after his mother's disappearance, when he and his sister were 10 and 3 respectively, it was just the two of them and their dad. His father, Nicholas Gresham, was not a terrible man, but for some reason Alexander couldn’t share any bond with his family. And no one ever tried to strengthen it.

Alexander left them as soon as he entered university, and didn’t go back home once, not even during vacations and holiday recesses. His father died after Kiara reached maturity. Even though Kiara didn't live all that far from him, it was very rare for them to meet each other. Perhaps some extent of affection and responsibility remained. These were all he had for his only sister.

He approached the threshold of his childhood home, knocked on the door, and it swung open. Kiara greeted him with a plain expression as if she thought his visit something unexpected. She was thinner than when he saw her last, and looked exhausted for some reason.

"Sorry for not visiting you for a long time, Kiara.”

He revealed the ring and necklace, setting it before her eyes.

“It’s your birthday present. I’m sorry I’m a little late in giving this to you.”

“Thank you. Actually, I’m with my boyfriend. Come in, I will introduce him to you.”

Kiara let Alexander in the house, calling to a man who was sitting askew on the couch.

“This is Lucas, my boyfriend. Lucas, this is Alexander, my brother.”

As soon as Alexander saw him, he remembered his face. The man who was snuggling with Violet, those big, black eyes, frightened by the gun Alexander aimed at him.

“Boyfriend?”

Alexander growled lowly.

Lucas noticed him also, and stood up nervously. His face was thunder-struck.

“Boyfriend?”

Alexander repeated. Although his voice was low, it was ferocious.

“Yes, he is.”

Kiara answered as if he were behaving oddly.

For a moment, things went quiet for Alexander, as if all the air was sucked out of the room, and his vision blurred, as it does when adrenaline hits the bloodstream in sufficient quantities. Their eyes locked.

“Look, this―”

WHAM!

As soon as Lucas opened his mouth, Alexander’s fist flew off, hitting Lucas’ left cheekbone. Kiara screamed.

"What the hell did you do?!"

But her words didn't reach him. Alexander drew back his fist once again, and with a crack, the young man hit the floor, his legs failing him as Alexander's fist connected with his jaw. Alexander yelled.