Chapter 4

Next morning, Tony woke up full of sweat in the five stars hotel bed. His first thought went straight to what happened last night and it was pretty damn clear what happened. He went up and looked around him. The sheets were sprawled on the floor and his 4000 dollars Armani tux was soaked of water. What the f-?

When his feet touched the floor a cold shiver went through his spine, making him course. He looked down and noticed that the expensive carpet was soaked in water as well. His eyes searched down the hall where the bathroom was and noticed that the door was slightly opened. Damn it! He coursed under his breath. Now I am supposed to pay for all the damage, of course I have money but what the hell happened over there? He went slowly trying not to make noise and opened the door. The lights were on and Tony's eyes went wide. There was blood all over the damn shower but wh-?

He looked at his arm and felt something quite warm on it. What the hell happened? He looked back at his bed to notice that it was full of blood. A silent laugh escaped his throat while he closed his eyes. With a flash of light everything came up in his mind making him breathe hardly. His heart was racing as his mind tried to focus on the amount of strange information he'd remember right now.

Flash

The bottle was standing pretty lonely on the glass table and there were two glasses.

Flash

His hand reached out for the bottle and his tongue tasted the liquid inside. Good, he thought.

Flash

He was standing over the shower with the bottle of scotch in his left hand.

Flash

The broken glass scattered over the bathroom floor and his hand caught a piece of the broken glass.

Flash

Sudden blood rushed over his left hand on the white floor.

His eyes closed as a sudden pain came through his head making him fell down to his knees.

Every memory made him even more drunk of numbness.

The left arm was standing pretty uncomfortable under him and he hissed when the pressure was too high to stand for. When he tried to look at it he felt a sudden urge to scream or to break something. A long cut came down his left arm and it was still bleeding. Not much but that's why he felt dizzy at the moment.

Where the hell was the first aid kit? His eyes searched for the first aid kit in the bathroom and in a corner was a little box with a red cross on it. He tried to get up but his legs won't listen and he crawled to the little box. His fingers opened quickly the box and he grabbed some bandages and quickly wrapped them around his wound after he cleaned it with soap and a lot of hot water. After his legs finally listened to him and let him up he looked around him, now feeling better. But still dizzy.

The entire bathroom was destroyed. The mirror was still intact. He hesitated for a moment but when he got dizzy once again he leaned on the basin looking at the mirror. His face hair was dishevelled and dark circles were around his eyes.

Yeah, I do look like a monster now. He muttered.

When he dared to step out from the bathroom and go to his bedroom he got a mop and wipped all the water from his carpet and the bathroom. He searched into the wardrobe and saw a new David August suit that was looking good. It had white pinstripes on it and it was black. Too good to be true that it had even a silver tie to match the suit.

When he was all dressed he looked at his new Bvlgari watch he saw that it was five to twelve. In his mind it was only a question. What if the paparazzi caught them together, kissing. Well, almost he thought hurt.

The sensation of being dizzy didn't fell apart so when he stood too much up he got dizzy and fell off his feet. His luck was that he was going home today. He'd called Happy to send the Stark Jet and to send him a new BMW. The most expensive car in the world.

A knock filled his ears. And a voice calling his name. Pepper decided to go after him because of the journalists that were standing in the front of the hotel expecting his appearance. It had been known that this would happen. Pepper was pretty damn frustrated because they had to take photos of them walking (hand-to-hand) and almost kissing (it would've been a wonderful kiss if she hadn't tried to push him aside). She admited.

″Mr. Stark?″

No response. Tony stood there like paralyzed.

″Tony? Are you okay?″ Pepper's voice grew with concern.

She knocked once again before Tony reached the door knob and opened it and exiting it with the supersonic speed not looking behind while he speeded down the stairs.

Pepper stood there for a second but when she looked inside of his room her mouth dropped wide open. The room was full destroyed and the bed – Oh my God, she thought – was full of blood and the carpet was soaked of water.

Tony reached the reception and left his card telling them to take whatever they need to cover the costs for damaging the room. The receptionist called his name (quite weird) in a french accent telling him to look at the magazine. His heart stopped for a second while the receptionist handed him the magazine.

His eyes fixed on the photos and the title that covered the magazine that day.

'Trouble in Paradise?'

'Stark Industries's CEO, Tony Stark was spotted walking hand-to-hand with his personal assistant, Virginia Potts, yesterday night after the Christmas party. The paparazzi caught them in their hotel garden in a intimate moment while Stark kissing her. But his bright assistant didn't fall into his charm and pushed him slowly aside.'

Tony's heart broke at those words.

'Tony Stark went quickly inside of the hotel with tears in his eyes, not looking back at his assistant, calling his name.' The magazine stated.

He didn't know what to do next. It was the world's end for him. All the damn world knew about this, even Rhodey who, uh... God damn it!

He felt a little dizzy as Pepper passed near him exiting the main door. She was dressed oh my dear God in such a sensual dress. Please God, take me now he pleaded.

When a flashlight caught his eyes, Tony turned to make his quickly exit.

″Mr. Stark!″ From everywhere.

″Please tell us what happened there?″

″Is it true you and your assistant are romantically involved?″

Tony caught Pepper's eyes but he didn't dared to look to deep into hers because he was getting very dizzy. He tried to step but his feet wouldn't listen to him so he grabbed one of the journalists and looked at him angrily.

Tony could sense Pepper starring at him cofused. When he turned to look at her she could see that he's not okay.

He closed his eyes for a moment and then he slowly went downstairs to his new BMW. Pepper looked at him yet confused as he tried to restrain himself not to prove them they're right.

″Tony?″ Pepper asked confused, trying to understand why he's acting like that.

Tony looked back at her with tears in his eyes.

″Don't.″ He told her while he got into his BMW.

Her eyes went closed and she got up in the limo, tears starting to roll down her face.

One paparazzi noticed that Pepper's eyes were filled by tears, the same Tony's and shot two photos of them crying. What a news, he thought. But Tony wasn't a fool and he noticed the paparazzi taking the photos and he got down of his car speeding towards the paparazzo. His eyes went wide when Tony caught his camera and threw it across the road into a fountain. Tony didn't care at all that all the press was filming and shoting him while he was angry.

With that done, all the press remained with their mouth wide opened as Tony speeded with his new car down the road, making two km of road in just nine seconds.

Pepper's eyes were already red as she watched Tony doing that and she freezed when the car made a 90 degree spin exiting the road into a damned wall.