Trapped with a Hot Daddy for the Season

“You b*tch!” I screamed out to the top of my lungs, unable to believe what my eyes were witnessing. Bottle blonde Shauna and my boyfriend, Jason, were as well as naked, both lying under covered blankets. “It’s not what it looks like, Brianna, I promise.” Jason stuttered as he struggled to gather pieces of his clothing to cover himself up. I felt nothing but rage, he just had to cheat on me with the person I despise the most. I looked over to Shauna who was still lying under the sheets with a mischievous smile on her face. Jason reached for my hand. “Don’t touch me you animal.” I said just before I struck him across his face. “Wait, listen to me Brianna, this was all a mistake, I love you.” Jason was truly shameless. “Love me? You maniac!” I looked over to Shauna who had gotten up from the bed and with a blanket around her body. That smug look still lingering on her face. “How long has this been going on?” I fought back the tears that were stuck in my lungs. “Longer than you can imagine.” Her annoying high pitched voice sounded from behind Jason. “Maybe I’m just better in bed than you are.” That didn’t just strike a nerve It struck my whole body and soul, I couldn’t even control myself. I walked past Jason and right to where Shauna was and pulled her fake blonde hair, she screamed in my face and tried to pull mine back but I hit her across the face making her lose her balance and slip to the ground, before I could proceed to hitting her Jason dragged me off her. “ARGHH I’m going to rip your head off.” I screamed once more as I got off her completely. “How dare you hit me Brianna you are f*cking insane.” Shauna said with her hair all tangled up, half her extensions were already falling off… I wasn’t surprised by that in the least. “What? You f*ck my boyfriend, now you call me insane.” I walked out of the room in frustration and disgust. That was the last I ever wanted to see of the both of them again. I walked out of his apartment and down the staircase and felt a hand grab my arm behind me. “Brianna come on, we can still work something out huh.” He said with a whiny voice. The feeling of total disgust clouded my chest. I felt like I could puke at that very moment. “If you really think we can ever go back to what we were then you’re probably as stupid as Shauna.” I yanked my hand back from him. “I never want to see your face, ever again.” I said with tears in my eyes. I left the building and didn’t even look back. I walked up the street just two weeks before Christmas and Jason goes ahead and does something like this to me. I really needed to clear my head from all this craziness. I walked further and saw a billboard that had a huge sign that advertised a trip to Paris for Christmas. I've always wanted to travel and after graduating I always thought I would go with Jason but I guess that won’t be happening anymore. That’s it, I’m going to take a trip to Paris for Christmas. I returned to my apartment with a little hope in my heart for a new beginning. ~~~~~~~~~ Two weeks had passed since the incident. I walked through the busy airport while people hurried past me and announcements echoed from the speakers in a calm female voice that somehow made everything feel even more chaotic. I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck and joined the line for security. My stomach fluttered not from excitement, but from that nervous mix of anger and exhaustion I hadn’t been able to shake for two weeks. Every time in my mind I see them again half naked and smirking at me… It made me sick to my stomach. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out and glanced at the caller ID and exhaled a small smile. It was my best friend Kenzie. “Please tell me you’re calling to distract me.” I answered. “I’m trying, babes.” Kenzie said. “Where are you now? Did you reach the airport?” “I just passed the first checkpoint,” I replied, stepping forward as the line moved. A security officer directed people into separate lanes, and I followed the wave. “I swear, the moment I walked in, it hit me. I’m actually travelling to Paris. Alone.” “Good,” Kenzie said. “Exactly what you need. A fresh city, fresh air, fresh men” “Please. I’m not going to Paris for men.” I groaned. “In fact I made a vow to stay away from men. This vacation is going to be for me and me alone.” “You’re going because your trash ex decided to cheat on you with Shauna of all people.” Kenzie’s disgust came through the phone loud and clear. “Honestly, it should be a crime to cheat with someone that annoying.” “You’re not helping.” I snorted a laugh. I placed my bag in the tray and slipped off my shoes. “I’m just… tired, Ken. If I stay here, I’ll see them everywhere. The café where we used to study. The street he picked me up from. His stupid apartment building.” I pushed my phone under my chin and raised my arms as the scanner swept over me. “I need somewhere that doesn’t remind me of anything.” “So you picked the city of lights,” Sharon said softly. “You deserve it. And you deserve to breathe.” I stepped out of the machine and retrieved my things. “I booked that amazing pool house from that mansion I sent you a picture of,” she said. “It looked quiet. Peaceful. The kind of place where nobody knows me.” “Perfect. Go, rest and have the best Christmas ever. And when you come back, we’ll rebuild your villain era properly.” “They’re calling my boarding group. I have to go.” “Safe flight, babes. Text me when you land.” “I will.” I ended the call, tucked my phone away, and took a deep breath. I stepped onto the plane and found my seat, it was just by the window. This was it. A few hours had passed to which I mostly slept through but the plane landed and I was here, I was truly here… Paris. I stepped out of the Airport and instantly felt the Paris winter nip at my cheeks. The air smelled like cookies and cinnamon from the nearby bakery stalls, and even though it was barely evening, twinkling lights were already strung across every doorway and railing. Christmas left my star struck, gold, red, and white decorations hung from lampposts and the whole streets were covered with little golden lights. The snow had drastically increased from what the weather channel said but nothing was going to ruin this moment but it kept darkening with thick clouds that hinted at something stronger coming soon. I pushed my suitcase through the walkway, trying to remember the little French I had practiced on the flight. I pulled my phone out to get the location of the lodging I was going to be staying in. I hailed a cab. “Bonjour,” I said carefully. “Uh… s’il vous plaît, where I mean où est… this?” I held up my phone with the address on the screen. “Ah, 7th Arrondissement! Oui, oui. Step in, let me give you a ride.” The taxi driver said then I hopped into the back cab. “You speak English huh.” The driver asked and I was so glad that he spoke English. “Yes I do.” I replied, my excitement showing through my voice. “Oh too bad you’ve come for vacation and there is such bad weather.” I looked out the window and he was right, the cloud got darker by the minute and the snow and breeze had increased rapidly. “Oui I just hope it clears soon.” After about 15 minutes of the ride the cab pulled up to this huge and beautiful mansion with Christmas lights and decorations surrounding the house. I paid the driver once I got out of the cab. “Have a great Christmas Eve Miss.” He said before driving off. The weather had gotten even worse the wind was howling all over and I could barely see ahead of me I grabbed my luggage and walked over to the gate of the mansion, I rang the doorbell multiple times but no one came to the gate, things couldn’t be worse right now as the snow increased so much that I could barely see ahead of me. A shadow moved near the front pathway as the person. The shape grew clearer as it approached me, a broad-shouldered man walked through the snow with the ease as if the cold didn’t bother him anyways. When he reached the gate, he stopped and took a long look. I forgot how to breathe for a moment. He was dangerously handsome, he looked like he was in his early thirties, tall, with a sharp jaw partially hidden by a neat dark beard. Snowflakes caught in his hair, making him look like some kind of winter prince who had stepped out of a romance novel. He wore simple clothes, dark joggers, a fitted long sleeve shirt, and an open winter jacket but somehow he looked like luxury anyway. He spoke, yanking me out of my imaginations. “You’re standing out here in this storm?” he asked, voice deep and annoyed. ‘Do you need something.” “Um… yes. I booked the pool house? Through the app? Brianna Rawlings?” I matched his tone as I was freezing and just needed a roof over my head badly. His brows pulled together, he was clearly confused and it seemed to quickly sharpen into irritation. “Pool house?” he repeated, like the words tasted wrong. “I didn’t put up the pool house listing.” “Well… someone did.” I said, pulling up the confirmation on my phone. My breath puffed in small clouds in the icy air. “Look, it’s right here. Check-in at this address.” “And it’s literally a picture of this house.” I added. He came closer to take a look at my phone, much closer than I expected “Hmm that is my address but I didn’t approve this rental, it must have been some sort of mistake.” His voice was so deep it made my head dizzy or it was probably the cold. “So… you’re saying I flew all the way here and dragged my luggage through what seems to be a snowstorm just to get scammed?” Yup I was letting my frustration out. The wind howled even louder and I lost sight of the man ahead of me. “This storm is getting worse. We can’t stay out here.” He opened the gate wider, gesturing that I come inside. “Come inside. We’ll sort it out.” “You’re not… like… a serial killer, right?” I just had to ask. “Well it’s either gonna be me or the storm sweetheart, so pick your poison.” Well that was convincing enough for me, I stepped inside the gate and he led me through the walk way and opened the front door. I walked through the front door and a giant Christmas tree stood to the right, glowing with lights and gold ornaments. I looked up above and a large chandelier hung high, its lights shining gently like candles. The furniture was simple but rich-looking and a marble coffee table. The curtains were heavy and dark, framing the windows like something out of an old mansion. I thought to myself, as grumpy as this man was he had really good taste “You said your name was Brianna uh.” “Rawlings. Brianna Rawlings.” I took a little step further into the living room. “OK my name is Nicolas Garelt.” As he said his name and I heard the soft patter of small footsteps approach us. “Papa, who is she?” I turned around to look at the little girl that stood behind me halfway down the staircase, holding onto the railing with one hand and a stuffed bunny with the other. She had brown hair made into pigtails and big brown eyes, Mr. Geralt’s eyes actually. She wore pink pajamas covered in tiny snowflakes, and her socks were mismatched, like she had gotten dressed in a hurry. “Anais, go back upstairs it’s late.” Mr. Geralt said immediately to the little girl… Anais. “But Papa, it’s Christmas Eve. You said surprises happen on Christmas Eve.” Then she looked at me again, her gaze brightening. “Are you the surprise?” I let out a small laugh despite how cold and awkward I still felt. “Um… not exactly. I’m Brianna.” “Brie…AHH?” she repeated, unable to say my name fully. “Bri is just fine.” I said chuckling. “Really.” Her eyes brightened. “Then you can call me Ann.” She let out an endless giggle. “Well it was lovely meeting you Ann.” “Moi aussi, ça m’a fait très plaisir de te rencontrer Bri.” She courtesied. Mr. Geralt rubbed the bridge of his nose. I couldn't tell whether he was annoyed or amused. “Anais, Mademoiselle Brianna is a guest. Go upstairs so I can speak with her properly.” He has a very subtle accent, but when he made it obvious, it was so sexy.