LEAH
I stood at the entrance of his door after ringing the doorbell but there was no reply. Just as I was about turning back and going home. Gabriel opened the door.
Shirtless, eyes storm-dark and jaw clenched, I almost forgot every advice and warning I had taught myself.
"You're late." He said,voice low and smoky.
"No I'm not." I shot back,crossing my arms - but my breath had to betray me,quick and shallow.
He moved towards me slowly, like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. "You don't get to decide that…." His hand braced beside my head, the other slipped to my waist pulling me closer,my flush against his. "…I do." He murmured against my neck. I had lost almost all my senses at this point.
"I know what you want, the way your body tenses when I come close to you, the way you breathe when you want me to touch you. I know you want me."
I gasped when his lips brushed right beneath my ear.
"I don't feel any way towards you." I lied
"Good." He said his voice rough
"Because I don't have plans on being gentle tonight."
Our mouth crashed—messy,desperate,hungry. His hands roamed all over my body like he owned me,maybe he did. I dug my fingers into his back needed to feel something real,something raw.
Every touch was fire, every kiss, a confession neither of us would say out loud.
He whispered my name like a sin.I moaned his name like a prayer.
Just when my legs were about to give in my mind blurred.
I woke up.
Alone,hot,shaken.
I looked around my room, the lights were flickering because of the rainy weather. My body still felt the after effects of my dream.
"No Leah, not again!" I quickly stood up to wash my face. Taking deep breaths,everything felt so real.
I looked outside my window, and saw how heavy the rain was dropping.
I closed my window and went to lie back down on the bed. Thoughts of yesterday flashed back into my head. Gabriel had asked me to babysit his son. Does that mean he is married or was married? I couldn't reason straight. I was now having dreams about a married man.
I stood up to make some coffee. I may as well enjoy being jobless for the meantime. The card he gave me yesterday was laying on the kitchen counter. Ten thousand dollars was a lot to think about. I could work for three months and travel to another city to start a new life there.
While deep in my thoughts my door bell rang. I wasn't expecting anyone under this rain even. I skeptically went to open the door. It was Gustavo all dressed in his perfect black suit. He carried a black waterproof umbrella. Not a drop of rain was on his suit.
" Boss said I should come pick you up. You start work today."he said calmly but at the same time there was a sense of dryness in his tone.
"The cup of coffee almost fell from my hands. "Today?!"I asked in surprise and anger at the same time.
"And now..Miss Leah. It was an order." He added without a blink.
I sighed. I didn't have a choice did I know. Give me 30mins. Gustavo nodded and headed back to the car.
I rubbed my forehead. My head was already in pain from all the thinking.
FLASHBACKS
————-
"Davide she is just a child." My mum was on the floor pleading to my father.
"Maria,stop this nonsense." He kicked my mum on the stomach and she yelled in pain.
Eight year old me,pepped through the open hole of my dad's study room. One of our maids saw me and immediately came to drag me out.
"It's past your bedtime dear,come now." She smiled holding my hand as we went upstairs to my room.
PRESENT
———
I adjusted my hair to the back and let a little fall to the front covering half of my eyes. I looked one more time in the mirror and smiled a little. I grabbed my keys and prepared to leave.
Gustavo was already waiting outside with the umbrella above his head. He walked towards me with another umbrella and led me to the the black telsa. "Thank you Gustavo." I said softly before getting in.
"How many of these black cars does he have." I thought to myself and who was his wife. For a moment I couldn't wait to see how is son looked like. I wondered how it will look like having to handle to same people at the same time.
Gustavo took a U-turn and in no time we were already in front of the mansion.
The mansion stood like a fortress covered in luxury. Secured behind iron gates and hard brick walls laced with ivy where elegance met intimidation.
It wasn't just huge, it was intimidating.
It had black tinted windows that lined the upper floors like watchful eyes. Security cameras were installed at almost every corner of the house, blending into the shadows. And armed guards, dressed in black positioned like statues. Silent,apart, untouchable.
We entered inside, the air was cool and quiet-too quiet. I was expecting to see maids and help all round. The first thing that caught my attention were the polished floors that reflected soft, golden chandeliers overhead.
Every piece of furniture was chosen with taste and purpose. The mansion looked even better on the inside.
Tiny footsteps echoed through the staircase like sharp clack of leather shoes but with innocence only a child's soul could carry.
A little boy came running down the staircase through the marble polished floors. He was holding a toy car and an empty juice box in the other. He had a smile on his face as he came to hug me.
I wasn't that tall but his little arms could only wrap around a little above my knee. I bent down to meet his gaze. He looked nothing like Gabriel, perhaps his mum.
"What's your name little fella." I asked, imitating a tiny voice.
"Alex. Are you my new nanny?" He said in a happy voice. I nodded. "Yes, I am cutie. You can call me Leah." I said pinching his cheeks gently and he giggled. He acted nothing like Gabriel either.
"You look so much like the lady I saw…." Gustavo who has been standing there without a word cut in before Alex could finish his sentence.
"Where is your dad Alex?"
"In his study."
"Now go play,your dad is waiting for us." He said and Alex quickly went up the staircase which he had come from.
Gustavo gave me a nod which meant it was time to meet Gabriel.