"What are you doing?" Roman asked.
She looked up and saw him standing in the open door to the guesthouse.
"Just sketching an idea for a lunatic bracelet. Renee said she'd like one," she answered and turned the note block.
He walked over to her and looked at it.
"Wow, you're really talented but I already knew that. Galina still wears those earrings to every show she goes to," he said with a small chuckle.
"Thanks," she said and put the note block down. "So what brings you here?"
"Oh, just wanted to warn you. Seth will be here in a minute or so," he said.
"Oh joy, I can't wait," she said and rolled her eyes.
"Play nice, kiddo," he said and ruffled her hair before walking out of the guesthouse again.
She stayed seated for a little while. She heard a car pull in and she sighed. She really wasn't in the mood to see him again. It had been five good days after his last visit and she just wanted him to stay away. If he didn't wanna stay away, she would. She got up, put on her shoes and was ready to go out to explore the town on her own again.
Seth locked his car and looked towards the guesthouse. She came walking out but didn't even look in his direction. He thought she was on her way to the main house to hang out with them, probably by the request of Roman, but she turned and started walking away. He frowned. No way she would get to do that. He ran towards her and stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.
"Why do you care?" She asked back.
"I don't but I know that Roman does," he answered.
"Don't try to put this on him. You chose to stop me so spit out whatever snappy comments you've come up with during the week so I can get on with my plans," she said.
He gritted his teeth. Did she really think that low of him? Granted, he had come up with some, she knew him better than he thought, but he wasn't gonna use them. At least not now when she directly asked for them. No fun in that.
"Look, princess, I'm only here for one night this time so do you think you can find it in your royal schedule to actually smile a little and be around?" He asked.
"Since you ask so nicely... no!" She snapped back.
"Too bad because I'm not really giving you a choice here," he said.
She let out a short chuckle and ran her tongue over her teeth while staring him down. He could see it in her eyes. She didn't believe him one bit or she just didn't care. Either way, he was determined to win this round.
"Alright, let's go," he said and grabbed her arm.
"Don't fucking touch me!" She screamed.
He should be used to that sentence by now and he knew better than to do so but he was a man on a mission and that was to get her to the main house where Roman was waiting. He didn't care if she wanted to or not. He swung her over his shoulder and carried her kicking and screaming towards the house. She put up one hell of a fight and he found it rather funny that she didn't just back down and give in to him. He wasn't used to women standing up to him like that but he liked it. He wasn't about to let her in on that part though.
"What the hell are you doing?" Roman asked as Seth entered the house with her over his shoulder.
"Making sure the princess stays around," Seth answered and put her down.
"Asshole!" She yelled and pushed him.
He chuckled as he went backwards a few steps. She turned around and stomped towards the kitchen.
"Really, Seth?" Roman asked before following her out to the kitchen.
She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of white wine.
"Don't let him get to you like that," Roman tried.
"If I'm forced to be around him all evening, I need this. I'll replace it tomorrow," she said as she opened the bottle.
"Don't be like that. Please. Can't we all just sit down and talk?" He pleaded.
"You two can talk while I drink," she said.
She walked back into the livingroom where Seth was still standing with a stupid smirk on his face. She dumped down on a chair with the bottle of wine and just looked at him while she took a swig of the bottle.
"Can I leave you two alone for fifteen minutes without killing each other?" Roman asked.
"You can always try," she answered.
"Shit, you're gonna be the death of me. I need a shower. 15 minutes. Please, try to act civil around each other," he said and took off.
Seth sat down on another chair and just watched her drink from the bottle. She was soon half way through it.
"Maybe you should slow down," he said.
"You're not my dad," she snapped.
He clenched his fists and tried his hardest not to snap back. That was one place he now knew not to go again even though she made it so damn hard for him not to.
She stared him down.
"Aren't you gonna tell me?" She asked.
"Tell you what?" He looked at her confused.
"About all the bitches you fucked this week. Last week you couldn't wait to come back here and tell me," she said.
"Jealous?" He asked and smirked.
"Nah! When I fuck someone, I would actually like it to last long enough for me to get something out of it too," she said and smirked back at him.
Again he clenched his fists. She just knew how to hit every button to piss him off.
"You're making this really hard on me," he sneered.
"What?" She asked amused.
"To be around you. To try and like you," he answered.
"I don't want you to. Feel free to leave anytime or allow me to leave," she said.
"Whatever, princess. I'm ordering pizza. If you're gonna continue drinking like that, you need some food in your system," he said.
"Oh, I am as long as you're here," she said.
He took out his phone to order food for them all. Roman came back a little while later. He looked at the empty bottle on the table next to her.
"Shit! You emptied an entire bottle already?" He asked shocked.
"Don't worry. I ordered pizza," Seth said.
"Good call. And you, girl, no more alcohol for you until you've eaten," Roman said.
"Yes daddy," she said and smiled.
Pizzas arrived and they ate. The talk flowed natural between Roman and Seth while she just sat back and listened. She could feel she was somewhat drunk but not nearly drunk enough if she was to be forced to be in Seth's presence for the entire evening. While they were deep in conversation, she got up and walked to the kitchen to open another bottle of wine.
"Another one?" Seth asked as she came back in.
"I need it. Who knows, maybe you'll actually start being good looking after this one," she said.
Roman couldn't keep his laughter within. As annoying as it was having his two friends go at it, he was rather amused by some of their comments.
"What?" Seth snapped at him.
"Nothing. But I think I'm aboard the alcohol plan," he said.
He got up to pour himself a whiskey.
"Want one?" He asked as he looked at Seth.
"Yeah, I think I need that since the princess here is having PMS," Seth answered.
"It's not PMS. It's just the general effect you have on women," she said.
Seth only had that one drink. She was already way drunk after getting half way through wine bottle no 2 and Roman poured several whiskeys as well. Seth felt like one of them had to stay clearheaded for this evening. A couple of hours later he noticed that she had fallen asleep in the chair, completely knocked out by the alcohol.
"Roman," he said lowly and nodded towards her.
"Oh shit, better get her in bed," Roman said.
He got up but felt lightheaded from all the whiskey and had to sit down again.
"Shit, give me a second here," he said as he pressed two fingers to his forehead.
"Don't worry about it. I'll handle it," Seth said and got up.
"You sure?" Roman asked.
"Yeah, just go to bed. I'll take care of her," Seth answered.
"She won't like it," Roman warned.
"She's passed out. She'll never know it was me who did it and I'll kill you myself if you tell her," Seth said.
"Look at you being all sweet and stuff. Almost like a real boy," Roman chuckled.
"Shut up!" Seth sneered.
He lifted her up to carry her to the guest house.
"Let's get you to bed, princess," he said.
She didn't wake up as he carried her from the main house to the guesthouse.
He laid her down on the bed and looked at her. It wasn't as if he hadn't looked at her before but this time he could really look at her and take in every feature of her face and body without her noticing. He hated that he found her attractive. She had the most annoying personality and he didn't like that he got a different reaction from her looks than he wanted to.
His eyes went down to the scars on her arm. He reached over and let his fingers run along them. She was completely knocked out by the alcohol so this time he could study them. He felt sorry for her. No matter how much he despised her, no one should ever feel so far out that they wanted to end their own life.
He sighed and removed his fingers from her arm.
"Alright, princess, let's tuck you in," he said.
He opened her jeans and pulled them off her. He grabbed the cover to put it over her and noticed another set of scars. Thinner but just as red, neatly placed closed together in a row down her left thigh.
"Jesus," he mumbled.
He reached towards them but stopped before he touched them. This was a more delicate place, her inner thigh so close to the crotch. There was clearly a line here that he knew not to cross but he had already crossed so many lines with her and he felt a pull he couldn't explain. He gently placed his fingers on them and ran down them.
"Damn it, Patricia, why do you do this shit?" He asked out in the air.
He shook his head and removed his hand. He knew why and as wrong as it was, he couldn't blame her. He pulled the cover over her and got up. He took a last look at her and then bowed down to kiss her forehead.
"Sleep tight, princess," he said and walked back to the main house.
Roman was still in the chair when Seth came back.
"How did it go?" He asked.
"She's sleeping," Seth answered.
"Good," Roman said and stretched his body. "I should too."
He got up from the chair and was about to leave the room when Seth stopped him.
"Roman, can I ask you something about her?" He asked.
Roman looked at him and nodded.
"When did she try to kill herself?" Seth asked.
Roman sighed and sat back down.
"I knew you would ask at some point. Sometimes you're just too damn curious. I think you already know the answer to that," Roman said.
"After what happened to her parents?" Seth asked.
"Yeah. She lost almost everything that night and she felt like it was her fault. She still does. So she slit her wrist. Her brother found her. She was still only 17 so they placed her at a mental hospital on the children's ward. When she turned 18, her brother got her out of there and took her home," Roman said.
"So they're close?" Seth asked.
"Yeah, he's like her fucking hero. They talk everyday. Trust me, he already knows all about how you treated her last week," Roman answered.
"So I'm not on his good side," Seth chuckled.
"Most definately not," Roman chuckled back.
There was a short pause before Seth took it up again.
"I saw her thigh," he admitted.
"You took her clothes off?" Roman asked shocked.
"Just her jeans. I just wanted her to have a nice sleep and tuck her in," Seth defended himself.
"I told you last week that she harms herself. Now you know how and where," Roman said and sighed.
Seth nodded.
"Please, Seth, don't use that information against her," Roman pleaded.
"I won't. I promise," Seth said.
"Good. Now off to bed," Roman said and got up.
The next morning Seth kept hoping she would come to the main house. He swore he would do his best not to say anything mean to her. He just wanted to see her once before he had to leave. He was starting to see her in a completely different light and he wasn't sure whether or not he liked it. She didn't come though. He knew she was probably just sleeping it off but he couldn't help but feel hurt and oddly rejected.
He sat in his car and looked at the guesthouse one last time. If only she would just appear in the window so he knew she was up and alright. He was mad that he had to leave early this morning but duty called.
"Next week, princess..." he said, leaving the open sentence hanging out in the air, not sure himself whether or not he was about to make a threat or a promise.
He turned on the engine and drove away.