I tossed and turned for several hours trying to find the perfect spot but failed miserably. A lingering haze of sleep sat somewhere at the back of my head but it was just too far to reach, floating in a pool of memories. Icy discomfort blossomed in my chest and made it extremely difficult to breathe. Trying to make myself fall into a deep slumber, I took as many breaths as I could but many just caught in my throat like an icy wind had blown down there and managed to freeze the air solid. At that very moment I knew it was going to be a long night. Pulling the duvet under my chin, I rolled to the darker side of the room. The blinds had shut out most of the moonlight but still on the opposite wall there were rectangles of light projecting from the gaps. I watched as they turned from the natural light to the artificial yellow from the streetlights. I tossed from one side to the other, the bed that had been so carefully made was now a tangle of covers.
For spells, I would close my eyes and concentrated on slowing my breathing, rhythmically. I had, on many occasions, considered the sleeping pills I had seen before in Kurt's cabinet. They worked well alright, but the last time I had been groggy all day and my mouth tasted like metal.
The night wore on, thoughts tumbled through my mind in rapid succession.
Problems I had already solved reemerged for another examination. Things I mustn't forget for the next day nagged at me. After a tortured eternity the room began to get lighter and the birds chirped, I threw back the covers with a sigh and stumbled out.
Sleepless.
I made my way over to the full length mirror, lolling my head from side to side, examining the heavy dark bags under my eyes.
"Atleast these bags are designer," I muttered quietly.
A sharp rap on the door caused me to almost trip over her own feet.
"Madam? It's Robert."
With a frustrated sigh, I opened the door revealing Kurt's chef. I had expected his usual scowl but none came. Instead he offers a kind smile.
"Uhh.. Good morning?"
"Mr. Weller requests your presence in the kitchen."
With that being said, he bowed respectfully and continued in the opposite direction.
"His royal highness awaits," I grumbled sarcastically even doing a little curtsy, throwing the comfortable robe off my shoulders then stripping down to naught before walking over to the built in bathroom.
I stepped into the shower, toes flinching as they touched the chilled ceramic floor. My mind was in shreds. I turned the dial, releasing thousands of lukewarm drops, darkening my hair and trickling down my back. My eyes fell close over and over, each time showing me the images of the life I had before all of this like photographs.
The water pours down, it drips by my side, as my mind fades into dullness and everything is a foggy illusion. The sensation of the steamy water calms me; it takes my mind of things. All the things I honestly don't care about. It's the water. My mind swirls, and it's like I'm standing under an everlasting waterfall. Ever so beautiful, but it can never last, I know that now.
Shepherd would have a field day with my newest occupation. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, you know except for the whole prostitute thing but I did have a handsome man who was willing to pay me big bucks to save his career. I should feel a little better about the situation considering what he's paying could change my life around for the better but I don't.. Instead I just feel lost.
Sighing, I continued my bath, washing my skin lightly. After my shower, I pick up the white robe that was quickly becoming my most favourite thing in the entire house and wrapped it loosely around my body. I walked over to the closet provided and noticed there was nothing there except a white T-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants.
I made a mental note to stop by at my apartment before snagging the only clothing there, it's not like I could walk around in my birthday suit all day.
My phone chirped in the distance notifying me of a new message. I walked over and swipe across the screen revealing 23 messages. Most of which was from my brother, being his usual annoying self and the most recent from Shepherd.
Shepherd
Roman talked to me about your new 'job'. Call me ASAP.
Of course he did. The kid was such a blabber mouth.
Before I talk myself out of it I quickly punched in her number. It rang three times before she picked up.
"Hi mom," I said weakly. We usually never called her mom except for when we were in serious trouble and I had a feeling that I was in way more trouble than I could ever imagine. "Don't 'mom' me. What is this I hear you're doing? Selling yourself to that ignorant young man. Sweetheart, he's so crass."
I knew better than to interrupt her when she was upset. I might have been the dirty thirty but she would still knock me down if I got too crazy. Which I had learned the hard way when I was just sixteen years old ever since I never interrupted her or tried to talk higher than she did.
"What do you have to say for yourself?"
"He's not that bad."
She snorted, unconvinced.
Hell, I would've snorted too if someone had told me three years ago that I'd be living in Kurt's Weller's house as his girlfriend. He wasn't bad. He was so much worse.
"Okay. Maybe he's a bit of an hardass but I can handle it. Trust me."
Her tone softened then. "It's not that I don't trust you. I don't trust him and everything that he stands for. It was enough having Roman working for him but now my daughter is with him —"
"We aren't actually together." I eased gently.
"It's a business transaction. I get paid for my service," I explained, my voice dropping to a whisper.
She grew quiet then. For sure I thought she had enough of me and just hung up before the rustling of paper proved otherwise.
"Just be careful, sweetheart," she said, voice softening a little.
I promised that I would and we said our goodbyes. I knew she wasn't exactly happy about my decision but my mother would never try to dictate my life. She always told us from very young that we have to experience things for ourselves in order to grow. She said we shouldn't expect her to baby us and after sometime we didn't. It's not that she wasn't a good mother. She just wasn't around as much during our teenage years so basically we raised ourselves.
I could do this. I'm strong enough to deal with whatever he threw my way, I thought quietly as I made my way over to the kitchen.
"Let me get this straight, you're paying me three million dollars because you need the role of Romeo in Shakespeare's classic? Isn't Romeo supposed to be younger?"
"How old do you think I am?" Kurt said, adjusting his tie for what seemed like the thousandth time. Roman had suggested that we spent all of our free time together if we planned to fool hopefully the entire world. If we didn't believe we were a couple, no one else would and I definitely didn't believe it.
"You're not thirteen that's for sure."
"Alright guys, enough of this bickering. We've got to get ready for the photoshoot so if you'd hurry it up —"
"A photoshoot? You're not serious are you?"
Roman brought his steaming hot cup of coffee to his lips, blowing on the liquid before taking a sip.
"Not necessarily. We'll just need to take some quote on quote off guard pictures while you two are... intimate. Not butt naked, groping on each other intimate just holding hands, whispering in each other's ear. The usual cutesy stuff."
"That's not cute. That's disgusting. I'd much rather the butt naked business," I joke with a raise of my perfectly arched eyebrow.
Kurt rolled his eyes, those blue darts — sharp yet still so full of emotion.
Sighing, I picked up one of the magazines Robert had brought when he served breakfast and began flipping through them.
"I need to go back to my apartment —"
Roman opened his mouth to intervene but I cut him off quickly with a wave of my hand, "I need my clothes. I can't walk around with sweats all day, especially not since Kurt Weller, the billionaire, is now the love of my life. The paparazzis would go ham with that one."
Kurt glanced at me, looking uncharacteristically nervous. I took a moment to study him as he gathered his thoughts. He was ridiculously handsome. Well over six feet tall, his shoulders were broad, his waist trim.
He was clean shaven most of the time; although on occasion, like today, his jaw bore a day or two growth, which highlighted his strong profile.
"I'll buy you new clothes," he spoke with such an ease I'd never heard before. I looked over at him, my brows crashing into each other.
"With all due respect, I want to wear what I own."
He regarded me with a strange look on his face before agreeing to my demands. I had expected his ire. For him to sweep his hand in the air, and demand that I was to follow his rules since he was paying for my service so imagine how shocked I was when he only shrugged.
"Okay. I'll let my sister go with you to your apartment. I think it would be wise if you bonded with her and my nephew. It would be more believable if my family knew you existed before the press did."
I was beyond puzzled, nerves taut, and my stomach in knots. It was one thing pretending to be Kurt's girlfriend to his chef but it was an entirely different thing playing this role with his sister — the person who has known him all his life.
"There's no way. I mean…she's your sister. She knows you —"
"Hey, breathe. It's okay."
I inhaled a calming breath and straightened my shoulders.
"Sarah doesn't bite," he assured with an amused smile. "Sawyer might though."
I grimaced. "I'm sure he will."
"This is your girlfriend?" Sarah asked, glancing over at her brother with an unreadable expression. I'd never seen him look so uncomfortable. He gripped the back of his neck, clearing his throat.
"Remi, this is Sarah, my little sister and this little nugget," he motioned to the little curly haired boy, tucked away at Sarah's side, "is Sawyer. Sarah, Remi. My girlfriend."
"Hey there," I said awkwardly stretching my palm to the blonde woman, who just looked at it before turning to her brother with a smirk.
"I doubt it. She's so skinny."
"I beg your pardon?"
Kurt shot me a look of warning then bent down to his nephew's height.
"Hey bud, why don't you go to the game room while mom and I have a little chat?"
Sawyer looked at me, a little smile tugging at his lips. "Nice to meet you. You're pretty."
Before I could say anything else Kurt pushed him away gently, then turned to me, tucking a loose strand of hair from my eyes. "Give us a minute, okay?"
Knowing better than to argue with him at that point, I stepped away.
Upon leaving, I could hear Sarah's taunting remarks about how I obviously only wanted his money since I was dressed like a bum.
"Mom doesn't do well with people," Sawyer spoke up scaring the actual shit out of me.
"Weren't you headed to the game room?" I questioned breathlessly, pressing my palm over my racing heart.
He giggled, brushing his long curls out of his eyes. "I thought maybe you'd want to play too."
I laughed dryly before realizing the kid was actually serious.
"Uh.. I shouldn't. Your mom wouldn't approve."
He didn't say anything, dropping his gaze to his lap, his fingers playing with a loose thread on his shirt.
"Okay," he said softly, looking back up at me.
Hurt flashed across at his face. I sighed.
"One game, okay?"
He immediately perked up giving me a toothy grin.
"We'll have fun," he said eagerly pulling at my hand, dragging me along.
Atleast one of us will…