The Arrangement

Chapter 18

Christain Cartwright

You think in this day and age, people would not be so interested in a nude picture. But for for the past twenty four hours it seemed all conversations, directly or indirectly, were centered around that nude photo of my wife. The one plastered all over the internet, the ones talked about in every press outlet, gossip or not. Because the picture was real and real pictures dont lie. Unlike her. She had put on an 'Im so classy' act, the one where you almost feel sorry for her. Dropping her fancy college degree like she was someone to be respected. And then turn around and cause hell for me in my life. So yeah, today was not a great day.

When I had spoken to my dad he said he had spoken to AnnaLeigh and she was clear with everything, that she was not to talk to the press, that we were handling everything from PR to legal. And that she was to remain in in the penthouse until the story died down. While the plan annoyed me at first, thinking about how I would run into her more often at the penthouse if she was to going to be there than to have her have free rein of the city, but I realize my reputation had to come above my personal space. If it came to her embarrassing me in public or giving up a little more breathing room, the choice was pretty clear.

As the doors open I walk into the penthouse, "AnnaLeigh." I call out. And I walk straight to her bedroom and knock at the door. "AnnaLeigh," I yell, listening but hearing nothing. Even if she had fallen asleep there is no way she could have stayed asleep through my volume.

"She is out." The maid informs me.

"What?" I snapped, then felt bad. She didnt deserve my anger. "Sorry, but...what?"

"She left." She says. "Do you want supper?"

"No. That is alright." And then Im storming back through the hallway to the elevstor. I was going to find my wife.

AnnaLeigh

I could feel the vibrating of my phone and when I glance at it I see that it is Christain, so I put it away. I was feeling good and didnt need him to bring me back down.

I took another sip of the vodka and red bull Sarah had given me, surprised at how sweet it was and how smoothly it went down.

"It's so good." I say smiling at Sarah.

"What?" She asks, leaning in closer to me. It was crazy loud in here. You could not hear anything unless you yelled.

But instead of repeating myself, I took another sip of the delicious drink. Sarah was dancing, her hips swaying in time to the rhythm of the song. She looked so effortless and so graceful that I suddenly wished I could be more like her. I took another sip, and another, until nothing more came out of the straw. I squint down at the glass, realizing it was empty. I needed more. I was feeling good for the first time in a long time and I didnt want it to end.

"Im gonna..." I say to Sarah and then was motioning to the bar, but just then, I felt someone grab my waist.

"Need a refill?"

I turned around to see who was talking to me and Im pretty sure that I audibly gasped.

He was beautiful. Like some sort of hercules. Golden hair, emerald green eyes, tall and muscular. He wore a crisp white shirt that was underneath a black jacket and carried the confidence of someone who knew they resembled a greek god.

"Im James. James Stanton." He said.

I smiled. "Im AnnaLeigh."

"Shall we?" He said, and I nodded. And he guided me to the bar. I shot a look back at Sarah, but she was still dancing. Christain's face flashed into my mind but I pushed it away just as quickly. He was always so mean to me. So cruel and untrusting...I was here to have a good time after a stressful day. What was wrong with that? So what if I talked to a hot guy?

I felt his hand rest on the small of my back as he led me to the bar. I looked up at him and he flashed me a brillant smile. What if he doesnt stop at just talking? A small voice in my head whispered...

Christain Cartwright

Not only had she ignored the rule about staying in the penthouse till everything died down, She was also ignoring my texts. It took an acquaintance of mine seeing her at the new club, Indigo for me to finally figure out where the hell she was. By the time I pulled up, I felt like I was going to expolde I was so angry. I walked right up to the rope, barely waiting for the door guy to release it before I stormed through. I wasnt interested in wasting anymore time. I marched up the stairs and began looking around, trying to squint through the darkness. I began walking among the crowd, pushing my way along the dance floor, still not seeing her. So I kept looking and walking till I found myself at the bar. I was about to order a drink when I saw blonde hair out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head and there she was. My beloved wife. She was laughing with another man. I couldnt explain the anger if I tried. It was all consuming, like a betrayal. Not because she was flirting with a man, of course. I couldnt care less what she did with other men. I was not jealous. No, it was about respect. It was about her not embarrassing me at the most exclusive club in the city, the one Im sure she would not of gotten into if she hadnt used my last name at the door.

"AnnaLeigh."

She turned immediately, her blushed face turning pale.

"Let's go." I say, putting her nearly empty drink on the bar counter and grabbing her shoulder.

"No." She says quietly.

"Hey man." The blonde guy she was with put his hand on my arm. "The girl doesnt wanna leave yet."

"Take your hand off me." I say, almost hoping I would get to fight. No. Scratch that. I needed to think about my image. I turn back to AnnaLeigh. "We are going. Now."

"But Im having fun." She says sounding like a child.

But before she could say anything else to make me mad, I took her hand and grasped it as tight as I could without hurting her, leading her out of the room, down the stairs, and outside.

"But..." She started.

"Get in." I say, pointing to the opened car door I now held for her.

"No." She says, her arms crossed. "If I have to go, I want to walk."

"You want to walk? It's November."

"I dont care." She says. I hadnt heard this type of defiance in her voice before. But not wanting to make a scene in the middle of the street, I let her have her way.

"Fine." I snap. "Im coming with you."

She took off down the street and I had to chase after her. By the time we were at 32nd, we still hadnt exchanged a word. And her eyes kept closing. It looked like she was going to fall asleep mid step. So I hailed the next cab I saw. And helped her inside. This time she didnt put up a fuss.

We had been riding in silence for a few minutes when she finally looked at me. "Why are you so mean to me?" She asked, in a voice that sounded so genuine it caught me off guard.

"What?"

"Why are you so mean to me?" She repeated.

I looked at the woman sitting beside me and she didnt look like the type of girl I had envisoned her to be. She looked young and innocent, like she hadnt seen much of the world yet. And I found myself softening. Maybe it was because she was drunk and would not remember anything tomorrow or maybe it was because saying it out loud was actually kind of therapeutic. But, in either case, I gave her an answer.

"I dont trust people."

"Why?"

"I have in the past. And it always ends up....being a mistake."

"You dont deserve that." She says, her words so sweetly simple.

"I would have given myself to her." I say, staring ahead letting the truth come out. "I would have given her it all. But she.....she had other ideas."

Then I felt her hand cover mine. And when I looked at her face, she was gazing out the window. It was like she knew to give me space, to let me have a moment to myself. When we pulled up to our building I helped her out of the car and swept her up into my arms. I carried her to the elevator and then sat her down on the bench as we rode to the penthouse. When our doors opened I swept her up again in my arms and carried her to her bedroom. I opened her door and gently laid her down on her bed. Her eyes are already closed and her mouth slightly ajar. She looks peaceful and I dont want to wake her up. So I quietly leave her room and go pour myself a drink, confused at how the night had turned out.