“Don’t work yourself to the bone”, Miss June says to me as I wipe the kitchen counter.

I smile at her, “I kind of have to. It’s what I get paid to do”.

She sits on one of the barstools and I pour her a cup of tea. This woman loves her tea.

“No, you get paid to tidy the place up. Not to work yourself to death”, she scolds me.

I playfully roll my eyes aat how dramatic she’s being. I walk away and tend to the food on the stove. I’m preparing dinner. I am making a recipe of my own this time. Did not take from Pierre’s delicious choices.

I’m making skinny alfredo and Primavera stuffed chicken. My mom lives for this chicken dish.. She can eat it all day, everyday.

I’m alternating between checking on the food and doing my school work. My laptop is on the counter with a notebook and a few pens. A colorful spectrum of Post-it notes is poking out from pages.

“What you’re doing really is admirable”, Miss June says as I move from the stove, back to my pile of research.

My heart leaps with an emotion I can’t exactly define.

“Not many people your age would be willing to clean up after others as a way to put themselves through school”, she sips her tea. “Add the fact that you are helping out your family too. That is one great trait to have”.

“Thank you”, I say fighting the tears that are threatening to spill over. As much as I seem like this is not a big deal. When I hear people say stuff like this to me it really does affect me. It touches my soul.

I have dinner with Miss June and Harvey. The master of the house nowhere to be found.

He called earlier to inform us that he will be home later than usual. So I put his food in the oven. He can eat it when he arrives.

I go back to my room to start on the assignments. I check out a few books from the online library. As I go through the books, I realise that they don’t have all the information that I need. The only books that I have with me just had to be the totally useless ones.

The ones that have everything I need are back at the apartment.

And I am here.

So that leaves only one thing. Get them tomorrow or go now.

My impatient self obviously chooses the latter.

I request an Uber and quickly slip on a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie and slip on my Converse. Grabbing my keys, phone and wallet, I rush to the front door.

I walk up the long driveway to the main gate of the yard and a pair of headlights nearly burn my retinas with their brightness. The car comes to a halt and Alexander’s face appears from the window as it slides down.

“Where are you going?”, his hoarse voice asks.

“To the apartment”.

His eyes slightly widen, “Are you leaving?”.

Is he serious? I don’t even have any luggage with me.

“No, I need to get something”, I say as a shiver makes its way up my spine. It’s cold and the fact that it is currently almost nine in the evening does not make it better.

The darker it gets, the colder it gets.

“Get in” he simply says.

“I’ve got an Uber coming”.

“Rosalie. GET IN”, he says a little harder.

Don’t be stupid and get in the damn car, my inner self says.

I feel my feet moving onto the passenger side of his black Mercedes AMG C63S. Thank God my dad passed on his love and knowledge of cars unto me when I was younger. I love cars and I think in another life, I could have been a mechanic.

The smell of his cologne hugs me as I get comfortable in the chair. I inhale his scent and I feel my eyes close. It’s a woody aromatic scent, with a hint of fresh citrus. He smells like a nice morning in a cabin nestled deep in the woods.

“Directions please”, his voice pulls me out of my trance.

I cancel my Uber and then give him the directions to the apartment building. We don’t talk much, we just listen to the soothing sounds of Claude Debussy.

We arrive and he parks in one of the slots. I unclip the seatbelt and open the door.

“Where are you going?”, I ask him as I hear his car door slam shut.

“I’m coming up with you”, he says rolling his eyes. It’s weird and funny at the same time. Men like him don’t roll their eyes. It’s not a character trait that you’d think they would have.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me” , I ask.

“I did no such thing”, he lies.

“Yeah right”, I smirk at him and walk into the building with him right behind me.

After the short elevator ride, I get to the apartment. I open the door and we walk in.

“Make yourself at home, I won’t take long”, I say to him as I switch on the lights and walk to my room.

I quickly spot the textbooks I need and grab them. I look around to see if I’ll need anything else.

“Okay, I’m done”, I say walking out of the room to an awkward looking Alexander in my living room.

He looks so big and everything else is so small compared to him. He is literally making our apartment look like a doll house.

He nods at me and we walk out. I lock up and we walk back to the elevator. He takes the books from my hands and holds them as we descend to the ground floor.

On our way out of the building I hear someone call my name.

“Bryce?”, I say as I turn towards the voice.

He walks over to us and pulls me into a big bear hug. His arms around me feel familiar. Like an old memory.

“Where the heck have you been?”, he asks.

“Staying at my boss' place for a few days. I’ll be back soon though”, I assure him.

“Good. I’ve missed you”. I smile as he playfully pulls on one of my cheeks.

“I miss you too”.

“Who is that?”, he gestures behind me. I turn to see Alexander standing a few feet away from us. Probably to give us some space.

“My boss”

“That is a very good looking man” he says, still looking at the man behind me.

“Are you gay now?”, I jokingly ask.

“And leave you alone? Never!”, he says with a playful scowl on his face.

I’ve missed joking around with Bryce. He really is a great friend that I know I can lean on to when I don’t have strength to stand straight by myself.

“Look, I’ve got to go. Call me?”

“Totally”, he replies and pulls me into another hug before I walk off to join Alexander.

He opens the passenger door for me and I thank him with a smile, which he does not return.

Who rained on his parade?

The drive back to the house is beyond uncomfortable. It’s totally quiet but you can still feel the buzzing electric current of the tension between us. I see a McDonald’s a few streets ahead of us and my craving for a McFlurry rams into me like a ten ton brick.

We have ice cream back at the mansion but it is NOT a Mcflurry.

“Can you please pull into the drive-thru?”

He takes a glance at me and then nods. We wait behind two other cars and then it’s our turn to order.

I get a caramel oreo McFlurry. As we approach the pay window, I scramble to pull my card out of my wallet but he beats me to it.

He pulls out his black card and pays for my ice cream. I roll my eyes and wait to get my cup of creamy goodness.

He passed me the overflowing cup of yumminess when it’s handed to him. I immediately shove a spoonful into my mouth. It’s so good that it elicits a moan from my mouth.

A moan that makes this man’s hands grip the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turn white.

He clears his throat as a small grin appears on my face.

When we get to the mansion he pulls the car into his massive garage that is filled with more expensive looking cars. I walk into the house and make my way to the kitchen to warm up his food.

The time is almost eleven so he must be very hungry. I set up a spot on the kitchen dining table for him as he walked in. I put the plate and a glass of wine in front of him.

“Bon appétit ”, I say as I sit down on a chair adjacent to him and finish up my ice cream.

I never knew that one could get pleasure out of watching someone else eat. I keep staring at this man every time he sips his wine or takes a forkful of pasta.

It’s hypnotising.

It’s Alexander’s spell on you.

When he’s done I move forward to take the plate but he stops me.

“I’ll wash it myself. Relax and eat your ice cream”

I leave him be and walk out of the kitchen and go to my room. I put the books on the table along with the now runny cup of ice cream.

I get ready for bed and go to the bathroom to do my night routine. When I walk out I almost die of a heart attack. Alexander is sitting on my bed like he owns the place.

Well technically he does…

Anyway you get my point.

“May I help you with something?”, I ask.

“You did not wish me goodnight” his deep voice runs over me like smooth caramel.

Great now the caramel from the ice cream is affecting me.

“Yeah. uhm...goodnight”, I say.

A small smile is my reward as he stands up from the bed.

“Goodnight Rosalie”.

And there it is again. That tingling feeling I get when he says my name.

Go away.

I watch him walk out my room and I don’t hesitate to get into bed and sleep. It’s been an eventful day and I need a break from reality.

The week goes by so quickly and before I know it, I have submitted both assignments two days earlier than the deadline. My weekend is a breeze and by that I mean as relaxed as it can get when I am basically alone in this big house with this man.

We have been in an unintentional game of hide and seek the whole weekend and I have no idea why. The only time we would see each other is at dinner and that was weird as hell too.

The silence was just too much. I would rather hear nails scrape on a chalkboard than this.

A new week rolls in. Along with it new chances, new challenges and new opportunities. I have decided to dedicate this whole week to thinking positively. I’m sending out good vibes to the universe and hopefully she returns them tenfold.

This is also my last week here as Gigi is returning on Sunday night. I can’t wait to see her. I miss her so freaking much.

It’s a little after eight in the evening and the doorbell rings. I wonder who it could be at this time.

I open the door to find a man. He has dark hair but with silver streaks on the side that indicate aging. He towers over me as he stands in the doorway.

“Sir, can I help you?”,I ask.

“He’s here for me”, Alexander suddenly says from behind me.

How did I not feel him or even hear him come down the stairs? I swear he has vampire genes or something.

I watch them go upstairs together. I get a little break from my books and watch some tv. After a few minutes I go to my room and get ready for bed.

It’s early but I am exhausted. Waking up early, cleaning a house, cooking meals and doing schoolwork at the same time is not an easy task.

As I settle into the comfy bed, my body melting into the marshmallow like mattress, the door opens.

I don’t bother getting up because I know who it is. Alexander’s face comes into view between me and the ceiling I was looking at .

Hopefully about to count sheep.

“She’s cheating on me”, he says.

I bolt up the bed and lean my back onto the headboard. Those are not words I was hoping to hear, just when I was getting ready to sleep.

I look up at him and I see a mixture of emotions fight for dominance in his eyes. Anger finally wins.

I pat the side of the bed, prompting him to sit. He sits next to me and stares ahead into space.

“I had a feeling for a while and I have received confirmation” he speaks. I don’t say anything. I can’t say anything.

What does one say when your boss tells you his girlfriend is cheating on him?

I do the only thing I can do, which is to awkwardly pat his shoulder.

I hope this helps.

“How”, I ask.

He further explains about how he got a private investigator to track Belle’s moves because he had suspicions.

“With that bastard Matteo”, his hands fist the duvet. He is really angry.

From what I have read Matteo DiLorenzo is a big business rival of Alexander’s. They are so competitive when it comes to one another and now this mess with Belle just opened up a deep cut on this man’s ego.

“It doesn’t matter though, I’ll get back at him”, he says. I watch as a sinister grin makes its way to his lips.

It’s freakin scary.

“Okay, how can I help?”, I ask.

“By just being here, you’re already helping”.

“Cool beans”, I let out an awkward laugh.

Really? Cool beans? Gosh you’re stupid.

He shifts to sit better on the bed and in doing so moves closer to me. I am like a deer caught up in a trap as I shift further up on the bed and push myself into the headboard.

If I push my back any further I’ll become the headboard.

“Rosalie, I need you”, his husky voice makes its way to my heartstrings and tugs.

“I’m here” is all I say as I feel my heart make its way up my throat. My breathing becomes shallow and I feel like I am drowning in his stormy eyes.

He comes closer and leans over me. He’s tall even when he is sitting down. I feel his hand hold mine under the covers.

The night is quiet. The room is silent. Only the sound of our breathing is audible.

He pulls back the covers and slips under. I lay back on the pillow and watch the moonlight reflected on his eyes.

In this light he almost looks ethereal. Like a deity of somesort.

Our heads hit the pillows as he spoons me.

I fall asleep to the sight of the moon and Alexander’s soft breathing as his body heat radiates off to me.