She looks down at the crumpled photo in her sweaty palm and sighs.
'I have to do this' She mutters. 'I know you'll hate me for it but I have to'
A fist wrapping gently on the roof of her car makes her jump a mile. Her heart races and her eyes snap to her left, her hand simultaneously sliding the treasured image out of view.
'Jesus fucking christ you scared the life out of me'
He chuckles. 'I'm sorry'
She lowers her window. 'No you're not'
'No, I'm not. You looked cute. You've been sat out here for forty minutes' He states and her cheeks redden at his observation. 'Any reason why you're sat out here?'
'I'm not trespassing am I?' She snaps.
He ignores her irritable response.
She doesn't want to be here at all and is furious that he's advertising her blatant indecisiveness, that he's calling her out. Why couldn't he just be like any other normal person and just pretend he only just noted her presence. But he's not normal. Anything but, but she doesn't want him thinking her weak. She knows men like him. Knows he pounces on the weak. Perhaps she is weak, she sighs, she is sat here after all.
He can almost see her thoughts swirling relentlessly in her mesmerizing green eyes. 'Why don't we take this conversation inside' He opens the car door for her.
She doesn't move immediately, uncertain if she wants to have any conversation with him. She's strong though, or so she's repeating over and over in her head, her internal monologue like a mantra.
'Come on' He urges. 'You've obviously got questions otherwise you wouldn't have been sat here for the last forty minutes'
She sighs and begrudgingly gets out of the car.
He shuts the door behind her and asks her if she shouldn't lock it.
'Or you could bring it up the drive'
She gives him a look that says would you bother locking it? 'I don't think anyone is going to want to steal that heap of junk'
He smirks. 'Well no. I guess you're right' He leads the way through the tall gates and presses a button on the pillar to shut them behind them and she suddenly doesn't feel quite as strong. No, she feels like she's being led to his castle, entrapped in his lair, never to escape.
It's like she's entering another world completely. She's not been here before. She's been to his father's house on several occasions when Lily has dragged her there for family events that she doesn't want to be at alone. That house is like none other. It's a mansion, it's huge and has more rooms that she can count. This house isn't quite as huge but still excessively big and as she walks slightly behind him her eyes lingering on the expensive detailing, om the luxurious marble floors, on the grand staircase, on the art that lines the walls.
He takes her through to a room toward the back that leads out onto the huge garden. The french doors are open and the long curtains flap gently. There's a grand piano and she doesn't know if to be sickened or in awe of his vast amount of money.
'Why don't you take a seat'
She doesn't. She's not ready to sit, nor is she eager to follow his every command. Because that's what it is. He says it like it's a question but it's not and she doesn't take well to being told what to do. He doesn't take well to defiance.
'Mr Lucas can I get anything for you and your friend?'
Peyton's head spins to the doorway to see a plump older woman with dark hair.
'Thank you Rosa. Some tea would be wonderful'
The woman nods and sends Peyton a welcoming smile before disappearing.
Peyton swallows. Of course he has servants, she almost rolls her eyes.
He watches her closely as she slowly navigates her way around his favourite room. He wishes she'd just sit down but he also finds it slightly amusing because she's looking at everything as though she's in an art gallery.
She lingers at the fire-place and he knows exactly what's holding her attention.
'She was three then and worshiped the ground I walked on' He says of the framed photo of him and his baby sister.
Peyton snorts.
'I know that may be hard to believe but my relationship with Lily hasn't always been this strained'
She turns away from the family pictures and finally joins him, sitting on the opposite sofa.
'Well for as long as I've known her you've always been a dick to her'
'Well it's not been that long really has it?- I know you're inseparable but your little friendship has only really blossomed in the last year or so. You only see one side of the story, surely you're open to mine-'
'God why am I here right now?' She cuts him off. The mention of his sibling is making a guilt that she'd forcefully disregarded begin to take root in the pit of her belly once more. 'This can't possibly work. Lily's my best friend, we may not have been friends for forever but she means the world to me and I don't want to hurt her'
'But you've been considering my offer?'
She swallows thickly but Rosa saves her from answering, returning with a tray and tea set, she places it on the mahogany coffee table between them and pours them both a tea-cup.
'Thank you' Peyton smiles timidly at the older woman.
'You're welcome Miss. Do you need anything else Mr Lucas?'
'That'll be all thank you Rosa' He dismisses.
Peyton preoccupies herself with stirring her tea, her spoon hitting the side, sounding loudly in the high ceiling room. She quickly sets it down on the saucer.
'You still haven't answered' He leans back in his seat and crosses his legs as he surveys her.
She takes a sip of her drink.
'I...I'm two months behind on my rent and this months is due next week and I think my landlord won't be so understanding if I don't come up with the money soon. You've offered me a load of money so of course I've had to consider it' She pinches the bridge of her nose. She wants to run through those open french doors, anything to avoid looking into his face.
'I can have that sorted for you by the end of the day' His tone is business like.
She looks up at him then. 'Why me?' She mutters and just as quickly as her eyes had focused on him they were back on her hands.
'Because you're the most compatible for what I'm asking. You're friends with my sister and my brother is very fond of you'
'Since when do you care about what your brother and sister think of your life choices?'
'I don't' He shakes his head. 'Although I must admit it would be nice for them to be able to get along amicably with my wife'
She cringes. 'I don't think there's anyway Lily will be getting along amicably with me if I were your...wife' Her last word leaves a bad taste in her mouth.
'Maybe not initially but she'll come round. Most importantly though, you have a reason to do this, you need this, which makes me hope you'll be compliant with any of my conditions'
'Are you going to like tie me up in your basement and kill me over a long period of time?' She wonders aloud.
'I'm not a sadomasochist Peyton' He's amused by her blurted question. 'This isn't a Christian Grey scenario. Although from what I've read in the papers, he's the perfect man according to all you women'
Peyton snorts. 'Believe me he's not and this is exactly what this feels like. How do I know you're not going to hurt me? How do I know that if I agree to this you're not going to suddenly declare that you're into chains and whips?!' She looks at him, her cheeks slightly flushed by the topic at hand. 'Because I'm not into that shit and I'm not some naive little girl that you can get to come around to it either'
He smiles. 'Well to make you more comfortable I've drawn up a contract for the both of us, not just you' He stands and walks over to the desk on the far side of the room.
She watches, her palms sweating. This situation is becoming more real by the second.
'It clearly states that if I hurt you in any way you are free to go' He returns with a wad of papers and holds it out to her.
'Yeah. What good will that be if I'm dead?' She mutters as she accepts the document.
'Sweetheart, I'm not just anyone, I'm well known, the last thing I'd ever want is my very public marriage to become part of a murder inquiry' He assures her, an entertained glint in his eyes that doesn't leave her all too reassured.
She's silent as she thoroughly scans the contents of the binding contract before her.
'You'd be free to come and go as you please. However events in which I'd require your company could leave little to two days notice so if that is ever the case I'd need you to drop whatever prior engagements you have' He speaks factually as she tries to both digest his words and the printed words in front of her. 'I'd require you move in here after the marriage of course' He walks around the room and stops behind her chair, leaning on the back. 'Obviously if you're unfaithful or break any of the conditions listed, I'd have the right to withdraw any of my outgoings, including your school fees, debts and your father's medical bills'
She stays quiet.
'Is there anything that you wish to be amended or renegotiated at this point?'
She could barely keep up, let alone come up with any amendments.
'When...when would you want to get married?'
'Within the month'
She swallows. 'So soon?'
'I don't see the point in dragging this out. However I'm willing to give you fifteen days after signing the contract to change your mind and if you do we'll just tear this up and forget all about it'
'How very noble of you' She mutters. 'Can I...would it be okay if I had a little more time to think about this? Before signing anything' She scrapes her hand through her hair, her knee jigging up and down with her racing heart.
'Of course. Take as much time as you need, I don't want you to overlook anything. Take that, and look over it all and if you have any questions you can call me at any time'
'Right' She nods, thankful that he's not being completely unreasonable.
'If you could try and come to some kind of decision before the annual family BBQ next Friday that would be great. It would be the best opportunity that I have for a few months that I can announce to my family what's going on'
'What you intend on-'
'No, no. I have no intention on telling them the private details of this agreement, just that we're together is what I meant. Only you and I and my lawyer will know about this and I'd appreciate it if you'd keep it that way too'
She nods. 'Believe me I have no intention of shouting about this'
'Good' He smiles. 'We agree upon something then'
She forces her lips up into a smile that she's sure looks anything but sincere and he laughs. And she's pretty sure she hates him and she wants to wipe that smarmy expression from his chiseled face. She clenches her fingers into fists and then flexes them out straight as she wills her anger to stay in check. It's not so hard to do when she pictures the crumpled photo that sits in her back pocket. Pictures the true reasoning as to why she's sat here and then she's smiling naturally, because she may not like it one bit but his offering has the ability to give her what she wants, needs. His offering has the potential to bring her closer than she has been in months to finding answers to the questions that plague her day in, day out.