“Ask her yourself.” I mumble, slipping from the stool and leaving him to mope alone. Turning the corner, I come face to face with a snooping butler that I recognise. His thinning dark hair is combed over, a grey speckled moustache lining his upper lip. He’s the only member of staff I’ve seen who is above college age, his pressed white shirt, black slacks and shiny shoes showing years of professionalism. I raise an eyebrow and square my shoulders, waiting for him to stop spluttering over himself.
“Oh, er – excuse me, Sir. Mrs Barrett has requested your presence.” I frown, wondering why Axel’s mom thinks I would come running because she clicked her slender fingers.
“Are you sure it’s me she wants?”
“Unless you know of another ‘stacked blonde’ staying here at the moment?” He air quotes with a roll of his eyes, his posture speaking volumes of his attitude towards Sharon. I tap my chin with my index finger, pretending to be lost in thought.
“Maybe she means Avery, that girl is tougher than bull picking a fight with a red brick wall.”
“I’m willing to bet my life she means you,” he mumbles before turning and leading the way. Forced to follow, I drag my feet and take the opportunity to glance out of the floor-to-ceiling windows lining this side of the mansion. A perfectly green setting lies before me, rows of automatic sprinkles spraying across the manicured lawn. At the far end, a metal cage is just visible which houses the tennis courts. Passing through an extravagant and barely used living area, hammocks swing gently in the breeze on the patio. The butler leads me through the spider web of hallways, passing various rooms before turning sharply and opening a door at the far end.
The space inside is dim, electric lanterns descending alongside a hidden staircase. Sulphur tickles my nose and a brush of humidity makes me thankful I opted for a simple vest and shorts combo. The butler ushers me towards the steps before closing the door, leaving me in almost complete darkness. Squinting and trying not to fall, I feel each step with my bare foot before stepping down until I find myself in an underground chamber.
The room has been decorated to look like a cave, the bumpy walls and curved ceiling painted stone grey. Sounds of the rainforest echo from hidden speakers, insects chirping and frogs croak between the hollow droplets of rain. Two leather massage tables sit to the left, below shelves of small bottles and rolled towels. Artificial vines have been draped around blue lights which reflect on the water filling the centre of the room. At the back of the round jacuzzi Axel’s mom is eyeing me hungrily.
“I thought you could use some relaxation. I can see from a mile off how tense you are.” She licks her cherry red lips and unashamedly tracks each my biceps with her pale brown eyes. Fighting the impulse to cross my arms defensively, knowing it would only make me appear more muscular than I really am, I stand loosely with unhidden hatred filling my features. If I wasn’t worried she would kick us all out and Axel would be trapped in a house alone with her again, I wouldn’t have been able to restrain my tongue from spilling every curse word and name I have rolling around my mind at her.
“I’m good.” I shrug and turn to leave, splashing behind telling me she’s rushing to stop me. I manage to jerk back before her wet, slender hand lands on my shoulder, growling for her to step back. In no versions of this world would I have ever found her attractive, regardless of the things she’s done. A black bikini top barely covers her huge, clearly fake, breasts, her stomach unrealistically slender. Her thigh is covered with black ink in the shape of a large cat, it’s body on the prowl and fangs exposed in a hiss. I’m almost certain it’s supposed to be a cougar. Shudder.
“You seem so stressed. Why don’t you let me help relieve you?” she tiptoes to whisper into my ear but is careful not to touch me. Yet.
“What about your husband?” I try to play the loyalty card, not that I thought it would work. Her chest brushes mine before I take a step back in time, bile rises in my throat.
“Oh, don’t mind him, he’s banging his secretary.”
“You are his secretary,” I deadpan. She giggles like life is some big fucking joke. She can screw who she wants, abuse who she wants and will never face any repercussions.
“Handsome and intuitive, what a catch. Seriously, have a massage on me.” She winks, sashaying her hips across the room to stroke the massage table. Her talons lightly scratch the leather, the cocky smile her face showing she actually thinks I’ll be persuaded. Reaching over the table, pushing her ass high into the air, she pushes a button on the wall I didn’t notice. The sound of a door opening reaches my ears although I can’t see it from this angle, a man appearing a moment later. He doesn’t spare me a glance, his eyes trained on Sharon. His dark skin is well oiled, muscles flexing with each step in nothing but a tiny pair of purple briefs. Oh, for the love of emasculation, tell me that’s not his uniform. I can’t hold back any longer, the audacity of it all overwhelming me.
“You really are a vile creature, you know that?” The falter in her practised smile makes me smirk in turn as I leave her behind. Jogging up the stairs, I shake off the vibes of overaged smut and shift my mind back to the girl I care about instead. The only one that really matters. We’ve got
