"Mmmm…" Tony groaned softly, rolling over with the weak flop of someone still swimming inside a dream. His lips smacked lazily, his eyes shut tight, still chained to sleep.
"Seven mil… mmmm… se seven meters…" he mumbled with a sleepy smile. He was definitely dreaming, and it had to be a beautiful, gratifying one. But the moment he turned fully to his side, a burst of morning light slapped against his eyelids.
"Mmm… mmmm…" he groaned again like a stubborn infant, subconsciously throwing an arm over his face to shield his eyes. Then, as if perfectly arranged, his alarm, one he was sure he had not set, went off.
Grrrrrrrrrr!
His eyes sluggishly fell open.
"Fuck…" he cursed into his pillow. He grabbed the other pillow and slammed it over his head, burying himself beneath it. It dulled the alarm noise, but the damage was already done. He was awake, and that lovely dream was shattered just like that.
A sleepy anger boiled inside him, mixed with an early morning weakness that washed over his body.
"Damn this silly alarm…" he grumbled as he stretched out his hand to shut it off, but someone was faster.
The person snatched the alarm from the side table, and Tony's hand slammed into the table instead.
"Ouch!" he yelped, throwing the pillow off his head.
"I'm sorry!" the person blurted out, revealing herself to be a girl. "I'm so, so s sorry, sir. I I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I I…"
Tony blinked hard. Her constant apologies buzzed into one ear and flew straight out the other, his sleepy mind still struggling to process anything properly.
He squinted, scanning her more carefully as she continued apologizing over and over. He had not seen her before, at least not as Tony. Yet that vague familiarity tugged at him, leading to something surprising.
He called her name.
"Hey… hey… hey… easy, Clara."
But Clara kept apologizing, her heart visibly racing.
"Please, I I was just trying to help. I…"
"HEY!" Tony barked.
The young girl flinched violently, the alarm nearly slipping from her trembling hands.
Tony took the alarm from her and set it aside. Clara stopped talking, but now she was shaking, visibly so.
"I'm sorry for that," Tony said calmly, his eyes fixed on her, still stunned. "I…" He tried to speak but did not know where to start.
He took a slow breath and tried again, forming real words this time. "Why were you apologizing like that, all scared?"
"I'm sorry, sir, for…"
"Okay, that's enough," Tony cut her off. "I don't want any more apologies. And no more 'sir.' Call me Tom, okay?" he added, his voice calm and reassuring.
Clara nodded gently, forcing a weak smile.
Tony sighed and sat up. The whole situation was still hard for him to endure.
"Why were you so scared of me, Clara?" he asked, his voice wavering, unsure if he should even ask.
"I wasn't. I wasn't… I was just worried that you got hurt," she stuttered, placing both hands behind her back.
Tony took her in with a sharp glance.
Silver hair was packed into a long ponytail. She was gorgeous, an elegant beauty. Though dressed in her white and red butler gown, loose and light as always, her curves made it seem as if it had been sewn specifically for her.
She looked beautiful, peaceful, and innocent.
Tony kept staring, as though trying to see through her clothes.
When he realized she had stopped speaking and that he was staring awkwardly, he cleared his throat.
"I want the truth, Clara," he said calmly, staring deep into her eyes.
She sighed and looked away, bowing her head as if something on the floor had suddenly caught her attention.
"No, look at me," Tony said, gesturing with his index finger.
Reluctantly, Clara lifted her gaze.
"That's better," Tony said with an assuring nod.
"Look, Clara, I don't bite, and I won't bite you," he said gently. "All I need to know is why you were so afraid of me."
"BECAUSE YOU ARE A PAIN IN THE ASS!"
She burst out.
"YOU ARE CONFUSING, ALWAYS ANGRY, AND YOU MADE ME YOUR PERSONAL BUTLER AND MANAGER ONCE. WHEN I ADVISED YOU AGAINST HARD DRUGS, YOU INCREASED MY SALARY. YOU SAID YOU LIKED ME, AND YOU PROMISED TO STOP USING DRUGS."
She inhaled sharply and continued.
"AND LATER, WHEN I SAW YOU DOING DRUGS AGAIN AND TRIED TO STOP YOU, YOU WENT CRAZY ON ME. YOU STRIPPED ME OF MY POSITION, REMOVED THE EXTRA SALARY THAT WAS HELPING ME, AND THREATENED TO KILL ME IF I EVER ENTERED YOUR ROOM AGAIN. ALL THAT WHILE YOUR HANDS WERE AROUND MY THROAT, TRYING TO CHOKE ME TO DEATH. AND YET HERE YOU ARE, ACTING ALL NEW, AS IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER!"
The words poured out of her like a burden finally dropped from her chest. Her breathing was heavy, her chest rising and falling wildly.
"That's all," she added quietly, folding her fingers in front of her.
Tony's eyes were wide, his mouth slightly open. He stared at her, oblivious to everything else.
Silence followed her outburst.
They stared at each other, her mind spiraling as her soul waited desperately for his response.
After a long moment, Tony muttered, "Wow."
A bit ashamed, he added, "That's a lot." He ran a hand through his hair. "So I've been a total jerk, huh?"
Clara did not respond, but she felt a little lighter.
Tony stood up from the bed. He did not need to walk far, she was already close.
"I don't know how to say this without sounding stupid, Clara," he said, his voice trembling. "But I'm not the Tom you knew. I'm a new Tom now."
He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry for putting you through all that," he murmured. "I take full blame for my actions. And I promise, a genuine promise, that it won't happen again. I'm a changed man now, and I hate seeing people like you stressed."
Clara was deeply touched, though she was not sure she could trust him again. Forgiveness was possible, but trust would have to be earned. Even knowing how insane that sounded given her position, she still had her pride.
Her face crimson, she nodded lightly. "I forgive you," she whispered shyly.
Tony exhaled deeply, a wide smile spreading across his face.
"Come on, smile. It's morning, and a summer morning at that." He inhaled sharply, then sighed. "It feels good."
Clara chuckled despite herself, her gaze dropping shyly to the floor, like a fawn stepping into sunlight.
Tony still was not satisfied. He did not want to be the reason anyone's morning was ruined.
"Okay, Clara," he announced. "We're going to replay what happened."
She squinted at him in confusion.
"Don't get me wrong," Tony added quickly. "We're making adjustments. No alarms. No apologies. No fear. You can say whatever you want to me. And if you play it right, I have a surprise for you."
Clara laughed hysterically. The sound warmed Tony's heart. Seeing her beautiful face glow under the sunlight was satisfying.
"Okay."
"I'll go back to bed and pretend to be sleepy," he said as he climbed back onto the mattress, unsure where his sudden energy came from.
When he looked up, she was still standing there.
"Eh?" he sneered. "Aren't you supposed to walk out and enter?"
"No," Clara snapped. "I was standing here the whole time."
Tony was stunned. "For how long?"
"Long enough to hear you talk in your sleep."
"Damn," Tony muttered as he lay back. "Not creepy at all."
"Alright. Here we go."
Tony pretended to be asleep, groaning as he turned to his side, only for an even brighter light to greet his closed eyes.
"Good morning, Tom," came her lovely voice, searing into his bones and tripling his energy.
He turned sluggishly, groaning and squeezing his face like someone genuinely waking up.
"Good morning," he replied in a croaked, drowsy voice, squinting toward the window Clara had opened when she pulled the curtains aside.
"I didn't realize you talk in your sleep," Clara said confidently, surprising even herself.
"I don't," Tony replied, feigning a frown.
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do, Tom."
"Oh, for fuck's sake, I don't. And you have no evidence to convict me, so case closed. I win."
Clara chuckled, feeling comfortable and free.
"And who is the judge of that?" she asked.
Tony sat up and nodded dramatically. "Of course I'm the judge."
"Oh, I see. You're cheating," she teased, grinning widely. Almost forgetting the whole scene she had caused earlier.
"I'm not cheating," Tony said as he stepped out of bed and walked toward her until he stood very close.
His presence sent her heart racing, a deep blush rising across her face.
Tony noticed and chuckled. "Feel better now?" he asked softly.
"Yes," she replied, her eyes too shy to meet his.
"I'll take off your pajamas," she blurted, trying to escape the growing tension.
She leaned forward, untied the hem, and gently slid them off.
For a moment, she was lost. His nearly naked body held her gaze, his boxer the only thing left, his build making her forget herself briefly.
When she realized she had been staring, embarrassment washed over her. She hurried toward the wardrobe.
Tony smiled to himself, amused by her discomfort.
"Why are you really here?" he asked suddenly.
"What?" Clara snapped, rummaging through the wardrobe.
"You said I threatened you not to enter my room again," Tony said calmly. "So why did you come back?"
"Oh," Clara sighed softly. "Your mother sent me. She wanted me to pass a message to you."