Babydoll

Chapter Two- The Return of the Stranger

"I'm really sorry about last night, Car…" Jared spoke onto his side of the phone call as she let out a sigh. Having been left abandoned following losing her virginity had been bad enough, but she was now awoken from a sultry dream involving the stranger from the night before...and this is what had annoyed her more. 

She remained silent on her end of the phone, waiting for him to give her a reason that would allow her to ease the pain within her heart. 

"I let the guys get into my head and I was so nervous to be with you that I wanted the first time to just...be over with…" Cartier did not find these words comforting and instead, looked to the pink polish upon her toes and began to pick at her pedicure out of absent mindedness, instead, thinking of the kind yet hunk of a motorcyclist from the night before. She had always believed Jared and her were cut from the same cloth and that this had made them perfect. But as the man showed her attention the night before, she had begun to question this theory. Perhaps she needed someone so different that it would keep her excited. 

"Please, baby...you know how much I love you. I chose to go to Yale with you...That's a four year commitment!" He reminded her. "I fu***d up, Cartier…" he paused for a moment. "We are so good together...please don't let something so stupid ruin what we have…" biting her bottom lip in deep thought, she let out an apprehensive sigh. 

"We will talk about it at graduation…" he confirmed this plan before she then picked up her outfit for the next day before spotting her dress from the night before. The strong scent of his cologne leftover upon this garment, she took a moment to take in the aroma before finding her father to knock on her door. Reminding her of the day's pending activities, her father then left her alone, where she now appeared as the perfect daughter they expected. 

Her long brown hair curled and pinned up to appear mature had accented her minimalistic makeup and dressed in a rather plain black and white dress, Cartier descended the steps of her luxurious home before meeting with her father. "About time!" He spoke in an aggravated tone before pulling the keys from the counter and leading the family out of the front door. 

The journey to graduation had been filled by Cartier's parents discussing how they planned to turn her room into a gymnasium following her departure in a few months. The thought forced her heart to ache as she understood that they were ready to be rid of her. Feeling unwanted by her boyfriend and her parents, Cartier clung onto the hope or meeting with the motorist from the night before. But with the focus of the day having been that of her graduation, she presented herself as classy as expected; with a million dollar smile and a graceful walk to accept her diploma. 

The remainder of the graduation transpiring without any memorable events, Cartier focused on being able to return home to memories of the night before, but would find them to manifest before she had a chance to comprehend them. As Jared remained at her side, expressing happiness despite the trials of the night before having placed a heaviness upon their relationship, Cartier spotted the man from the night before. His eyes set upon her with a laser focus, she swallowed hard as he advanced towards her. 

For a brief moment, she imagined him pulling her from her faux friends and family and collecting her upon the back of his motorcycle. But was reminded quite quickly that this had been a fantastical vision as she was addressed by Jared. 

"Car?" He gained her attention before she apologized and witnessed the man from the night before now before her, dressed in an entire suit. Somehow any attire he was wrapped by had accented his physique impeccably, even without the suit jacket and only a white dress shirt, he was arousing to her. 

But as her chocolate eyes met with his of cool blue, she grew nervous from his presence. Towering over her at six foot three, Cartier's forehead would just meet his chin and that would be in her current heels. But of all the features she had noted as belonging to him, the most damning had been his devilish smile, one that presented to her in mischief as he extended his hand to her. 

"Cartier, this is my brother, Dominik...and vice versa…." Jared spoke rather quickly before Cartier extended her hand and joined with the familiar yet rough calluses she had dreamed of from the night before. 

"Nice to meet you." Although Cartier managed to hold Dominik's gaze for a moment, it had then been taken by his brother who then introduced him to the friends who questioned his existence. Dominik had quite the reputation to those alongside Jared. He was the bold and daring brother, the one who was the black sheep of the family...and the one whose reputation would make Al Capone quiver in his shoes. But for Cartier, every ounce of his reputation had excited her. 

Distracting herself with the refreshments offered by the school, Cartier picked at the edges of her quiche before finding the familiar aroma of Dominick's cologne emerge around her. 

"I am sorry we had to meet officially this way…" he spoke as she turned to face him, a look of distrust upon her face. "I didn't know who you were until you gave me your name...I doubted there were many Cartier's in this town…" Dominik explained while pulling a lemon tart from the server tray and setting it between his lips with one bite. 

"I am embarrassed about last night...Whatever happened...or didn't...I am NOT like that...I am a loyal girlfriend and was just confused because of the alcohol…" she paused as a wide smirk crest upon his lips. 

"What?" She asked, slightly aggravated by this side grimace. 

"I would agree with you as you appear rather graceful to those around you...but there is just one plot hole in your story…" she glared as he spoke these words. 

"Is that right? Enlighten me…" 

"You were drinking sparkling water...not champagne." She scoffed at him while accompanying this with a rolling of her eyes. 

"The hotel hosting a prom would not have alcohol on the ground floor for curious hands to obtain...No matter how curious or heartbroken…" her lips c*****g to the side in a pensive thought, Cartier returned them to a steady scowl before speaking. 

"Are you suggesting I used it as an excuse?" 

"I am saying it was the placebo effect...You wanted a release and you got one...Just maybe not the one you needed…" insinuating this as having been one of the s****l variety, Dominik then brought a drink to his lips before letting out a sigh. "You wanted an excuse to escape last night-"

"If you are intending on blackmailing me by harboring this information-" Cartier began to threaten before he took his hands upward in surrender. 

"I just want to be clear...I want you-" before he could finish, Cartier had interrupted him. 

"Another guy wanting me as a trophy…" Dominik brought his hand to his chin, rubbing it in pensiveness before finishing his comment. 

"I wasn't finished...I want to be clear...I want you to find whatever it is you were looking for last night. Whether that is with my brother or someone else…" leaving her with these words, she then followed behind him after having a question of her own. 

"Why were you there last night anyway?"

"It isn't exactly a grand scheme, Cartier...It is my hotel." She paused in silence as she bit her bottom lip in embarrassment. This action had caused his eyes to linger to her lips a moment too long, forcing him to clear his throat to remind them both of how this would be unacceptable. 

"Well then...I guess I should count my minutes before you go run and tell Jared everything that happened?" Dominik finished off his drink before bringing his steps closer to Cartier, enjoying his effect on her. 

"What would I tell him? Nothing happened…" he reminded her. "If you think I am going to tell him that his girlfriend confided something rather embarrassing to me before knowing who I was...that would only hurt him. I may not be the Donnie to his Marky Mark, but I don't want anyone to hurt him."

"How do I know I can trust you? You could ruin our relationship…"

"It seems to me as though you don't need my help with that, baby doll…" with this final word, Dominik disappeared into the crowd and left her both aroused and angry at him.

"Can we get out of here?" She asked Jared, who smiled in believing he had been forgiven, unaware he was being used as a distraction. As she slipped into the car beside her boyfriend, her eyes came to a blissful Dominik, who simply lifted a glass to her in dismissal.