Margot

The sunlight streamed into the room by the gap in the curtains. It was bright all of the sudden and the warmth from the light was what woke me up. I wasn’t ready to face the day. Like you have a choice, I thought. Reality was setting in and my choices were nonexistent. I reached my hands out to stretch while laying down and took in a deep breath. The air was thick with the smell of body odor, tequila, and sex. The delicious ache between my thighs reminded me of last night and a smile creeped onto my face.

​Not my proudest moment, sure but god it was great. I flipped on my side and gave myself the satisfaction of looking at the naked man next to me. Poor Lucas. He had been quiet in his pining for me. But I wasn’t dumb. I could see the second-too-long glimpses he spared my way. That was definitely not part of his job. I indulged him last night. Maybe as my last act of rebellion, maybe because I was bored. Nonetheless it wasn’t what I was expecting from the quiet man. It was a shame it was over before it began.

​Swinging my legs over the bed, I ignored the disruption to my equilibrium and noted that food and coffee would be first on my list of things to do once I left the hotel. With a breakfast sandwich and a strong coffee perhaps laced with some hair of the dog, I could get through the next 24 hours. I made my way to the bathroom, sparing another glance at the gorgeous man who had no idea what I was about to go through. He looked so peaceful, his dark head of hair was a bit too shaggy for my everyday boyfriend choice but it was unruly and natural. I was used to stoicism, he was the opposite. It was beyond refreshing, even if it was just for a night.

​The bathroom was streaked with remnants of my messy living the past week. My father had listed my apartment for sale and I had packed my bags, sending the few special things I owned ahead of me in boxes to Tencrest Manor. The past week I had lived like my sister, Vivienne- almost. While I wasn’t nearly as destructive, I did let loose a lot more than normal and enjoyed every second of it. My bachelorette week, if you will. Makeup smeared the mirror, a condom was on the bathroom sink, and half drunk tequila shots were spilled on the floor.

​My usual neat self had completely retreated into a feral being. But all that was about to change. I looked into the mirror and saw a mess. My jet black hair was unruly and the curls were tangled. My eyeliner and mascara had completely disintegrated on my face. Probably when I was swallowing Lucas’ cum and begging for more. I smiled at that flash of memory from last night and began the process of looking presentable. After washing my face, I hopped in the shower. Washing between my thighs and feeling Lucas’ cum escape my body was making me relive the short affair. I spent the last few minutes of peace in the bathroom ignoring the red flag of my future.

​I emerged from the bathroom and began the tedious task of packing the clothes that I had worn for the past week. Housekeeping had kept their promise and I found my red dress drycleaned on the door handle of my door, ready to be worn. The silk bodice was probably too tight and the slit maybe a tad too high, but I felt powerful as I stepped into my black heels and looked at myself in the mirror. My blue eyes were no longer bloodshot and new clean makeup was sitting well on my face. Rolling my luggage to the door, I grabbed my favorite pair of sunglasses, my phone, and my key card. Saying goodbye to this hotel room was harder than saying bye to my apartment where I had lived in the last ten years. This was final. There was no turning around after this. I was homeless. I was being sold off and expected to play my role. And play my role I would.

​Tiptoeing to avoid a confrontational conversation upon his waking up, I leaned over the bed and placed a kiss on Lucas’ cheek. The outline of my lipstick left a small mark where it hadn't had enough time to completely dry. Although my mood was quickly souring and the morning was sobering, I still smiled. If I was about to enter Hell, then last night with him was Heaven.

​Stepping outside the hotel room, I glanced at my watch. It was encrusted with diamonds and held the name of a luxury brand along the rim and right now it was telling me I had four minutes to go downstairs and meet my father. Glancing up, I saw Ivan and Henry. They both towered over me in my heels and also wore sunglasses even inside. If it was to look intimidating, then it fit because if I didn’t know them on the street, I would be avoiding them. I gave a small wave to them and turned to Henry. “Go easy on him. He’s hungover and I might have forced him to drink more than he should have last night.” Henry chuckled in my direction and muttered a “Yes Miss Margot” as Ivan and I walked to the elevator.

​Ivan would be coming with me on my little adventure. Although I wasn’t sure for how long. Surely he wouldn’t be staying permanently in Charleston with me, would he? Something I should have found out in the past week, yet I failed to realize that his life might be getting turned upside down as well. Not that he had anything to worry about. It wasn’t like he was a pawn to a bunch of bloodsuckers. Hell, he didn’t even know they existed. None of the security did. They knew we were rich. They knew we had rich friends and I was entering an arranged marriage, but that was it in their eyes.

​We rode the elevator in silence. He obviously knew what I did last night as I fucked his coworker 1000 ways, maybe he was judging me or maybe he felt sorry for me. Mainly the latter was the reaction I got when people found out why I didn’t date. I was 24, I should have been out having fun and kissing lots of frogs before I found my prince. But that dream was dead and I was entering a nightmare.

​As we stepped out of the elevator and into the hotel lobby, I noted several other members of our security team. Nobody seemed to be directly staring at me, but I knew better. I was their sole mission. To keep me alive was the job and they had done well. It was 9:00 A.M. on a Friday morning, and I looked like I was going to a ball. Well I was but they didn’t necessarily know that.

​I kept my head high and welcomed the fresh air of the city when I reached the hotel exit doors. The streets were busy as usual. Taxis filled the street honking at nobody and everybody. Pedestrians passed me in every direction and the air tasted like culture and sweat. New York City. My home. I was going to miss 3:00 A.M. pizza and endless options of things to do on any given day. My favorite bartender at the hole-in-the-wall bar I frequented on lonely nights. But mostly I would miss the freedom. This city represented the opposite of everything Tencrest was offering me. And I was jumping in a car speeding away from that freedom.

​My thoughts were disrupted by a yell. Typically yelling here was ignored because it was so frequent, but I could hear the distinct recognizable voice belting, “Margot” and I whipped my head around to meet Lucas’ green eyes. He had obviously been running, his breath was ragged, catching up to his slowing heart rate.

​“You were going to just leave?” I smiled at his innocence. It was cute like a silly toddler with no idea of the real world. Before I could get a word out though, he had pushed me up against the nearest car parked on the sidewalk, a black escalade with tinted windows. His hands clutched my face as he gave what many women would call THE KISS. His tongue touched mine and waves of heat started in my belly that rolled down to my pussy. The man knew what he was doing. I braced myself against his toned stomach that he hadn’t dressed in his apparent hurry. Stopping to take a breath, I was greeted by the sound of a window rolling down nearby.

​“Margot, it’s time.” The low and stern voice of a man about to marry off his daughter was not something that I could mistake. Lucas and I both stared at my father whose appearance at this very moment might have previously sent me in a panic. Now? I felt nothing but a smidge of shame.

​Giving my father a solemn nod, I turn to face Lucas. Putting a hand on his chest I gently push back indicating the space I need to say my peace.

​“It was only ever going to be one night, Lucas. Don’t turn this into some lovesick tragedy, it isn't.” I don’t hear my voice crack. And why should it? Everyone has a job to do. He has his that will take him far away from me and I have mine that will catapult me into a vampire den. I leave Lucas with a gobsmacked look on his face as Ivan steps to open the door to my father’s car. Gently getting in, I leave the bags for my trusty security guard to put away and roll the window up, refusing to look at Lucas.

​The next time someone kisses me, it won’t be because they are overwhelmed with love, it will be because the accord tells them to.​