Seduced for Revenge: 7: Visitor

A few days later, Regina was relaxing at home in her black tank top and tiny shorts, dancing to the beat of her favorite tunes. She just finished applying to another hospital, knowing she was not getting the Bennet job. So she played it cool.

She borrowed a few of her father’s long-playing records, something they had in common even with almost 50 years of an age difference. 

Regina was a miracle baby. Her parents had given up on having a daughter. So when she came out, everyone doted on her and guarded her with their lives.

She loved the sound the old record player made. It was an heirloom from her brother, handed down with the apartment. Choosing the next album and the feel of changing the records gave her entertainment.

Stephen Albright had records he collected from when he was a teenager, classics from the 70s to the early 90s when record sales went down because of newer technology.

Recently, popular musicians jumped back on the bandwagon, and the newer generation started calling them vinyl. So Regina added more music to his collection, and her father discovered that her choice of music was not as horrible as her brothers’, who listened to nothing but punk and grunge rock, making his head ache each time they blew up the speakers.

The apartment she was using belonged to her oldest brother, Richard, who used it when he was a bachelor, and when he got married, passed it on to Ronald and Raphael before they found their wives. It was the perfect bachelor pad with a doorman at the entrance.

So when Regina expressed her need to move out and become independent, her parents did not hesitate to let her move into the building, as it was relatively safe.

“Ms. Regina, you have a peculiar guest here in the lobby. I think you should come down right away,” the doorman had called her apartment.

“I’m not expecting anyone today. Is it a man or a woman?”

“It’s an older woman. She has your resume in her hand, claiming that you are her best friend, Mandy.”

“Did you get her name?”

“Yes ma’am, she said her name was Hailey Bennet.”

“Oh, yes, I know her. Whatever you do, do not let her leave. I’ll be right down.” In her haste, Regina forgot her attire and rushed down to the lobby.

By the time she got downstairs, there was a commotion, and people were gathering to watch. 

“What is happening?” she said as she pushed through the crowd near the entrance.

“Okay, people, there is nothing to see here,” she declared to disperse the group when she saw who was making all the racket.

When she got through, Owen’s blue eyes met hers with disapproval.

“Do you always wear this much clothing when you greet people in the lobby?” 

Owen Bennet was downstairs trying to convince his hysterical mom to come home, but as soon as he saw Regina wearing her skimpy clothing, he couldn’t stop himself from saying something rude.

The question bothered her, and she would not let him off that easily. 

“No, of course, I wear less,” she said as a snide remark which earned her a glare. 

“I was happily relaxing upstairs when Jeffrey announced your mom was here, so of course, I had to rush before she ran into traffic or something.”

“Thank you for giving me the message, Jeffrey.” She turned to greet the doorman.

“Hey, Mrs. Bennet!”

“Mandy! There you are. This nice man said you were coming down soon.” Mrs. Bennet patted Jeffrey’s shoulder and smiled.

“And this awful man is trying to take me away.” Mrs. Bennet hid behind Regina, which made her snicker at Owen.

“It figures.” Owen glared at her again.

“Would you like to come upstairs? It seems your mom is intent on visiting, anyway, so why deny her that pleasure?”

“Unlike you, I have work to do, Ms. Martin.”

“Then you can go back to work, and she can visit with me.” Owen hesitated.

“Pick her up later when she needs to go home.”

“This is a lapse in her judgment, and she might be lucid sooner than you expect, so it would be a waste of time to take her to your apartment.”

“Well, I really don’t mind, as I made it down here already. She can stay if she wants.”

“I want to stay,” Mrs. Bennet chimed in. 

“Give me the number for the driver so I can call him to pick her up.”

He hesitated, not knowing if that would be a good idea.

“I see what’s happening here. You want to see where I live and if it is safe for your mom?” He coughed as she seemed to read his mind.

“Come on up then and do your inspection.”

Regina held Mrs. Bennet’s arm and ushered her to the elevator. Realizing that she was not getting taken away, Mrs. Bennet started chattering like a schoolgirl, talking about fashion and the latest lipstick color she wanted.

When they walked to her door, Regina remembered all the LPs she had spread on the floor and hurried to tidy the place.

“I’m sorry. I was listening to music when Jeffrey rang. Make yourself at home while I put these away.”

He looked around the place, and it did not look bad. It had more of a masculine decor, but the colored pillows on the sofa, random trinkets on the shelves, and pictures everywhere broke up that monotony. 

Owen wondered how she could afford a penthouse apartment as posh as this one on her meager salary. Based on her resume, she hadn’t been working that long. Two years, it said, but the apartment looked expensive.

He looked Regina over as if trying to analyze something. She was at least five years younger than him, and it was highly unlikely that she was not in a relationship, as she was very attractive.

‘A rich boyfriend, perhaps?’

Before he got caught ogling, Owen decided to help put the LPs away so his mom would not step on any of them.

There was a collection of records on the floor, and as he sorted through them, it surprised him she had good taste in music.

‘These are wonderful selections. I would have bought some of these myself.’ He did not expect them to have music as a common denominator because he pegged Regina as a person who listened to popular music.

“Is there a method to this madness?”

“Well, I was fixing them according to era, then genre, then by the singer or band, but I got caught up because there were too many songs I wanted to listen to.”

“Just leave them on the shelf. I’ll fix it later,” she replied after crawling near him and looking at the records in his hand.

They were so close together that he got a whiff of her scent and a nice view down the front of her tank top. 

Owen had to tug at the collar of his shirt to get some air.

“Are you warm? I can turn the AC up.”

“No, I’m fine.” He stopped fidgeting with his shirt to make her stop staring at him.

“You’re getting red. Do you want some water?” She asked, getting concerned.

“No, I’m fine,” he barked and stood up.

Regina looked at him, perplexed. “I’m a nurse, you know. I can help.”

“There is nothing wrong with me.” He walked to the window and was surprised the unit had an outdoor patio with a nice-sized in-ground pool and a Jacuzzi spa. 

He looked Regina over and wondered how she came about owning such an expensive place to live in. Having an apartment that overlooked the city was prime real estate, and only people with money can afford them.

Deciding to leave him alone, Regina went to the kitchen to make another pot of coffee and added water to the kettle so she could make tea.