UNTIL MIDNIGHT
1134 Words
CHRIS
Her big green eyes are almost red as if tears are flickering in them. She slightly parts her lips and a soft breath slips free.
“Just relax, okay?”
Confusion shrouds her pretty face.
“I bought your company tonight, not you!”
“M-My company?”
“Just sit with me…and let's talk.”
Her shoulders slowly loosen up and the red sea dries out from her eyes. She's slowly throwing off her fear.
“You spent so much money just to sit with me?” Her voice is shaking, still doubting. She has a habit of wrestling her fingers when anxious.
“I am a lonely man.” My lips whisper.
She hesitates for a bit but gradually lowers her guard around me. As soon as her fingers stop wrestling on her lap, mine free her chin.
“You have friends outside, right?”
Walking past her, I approach the dark, cozy couch and sit on it while she turns to me, waiting for an answer.
“My group is here to explore the Arena Empire not to keep me company.”
She drops her gaze to the floor, silently accepting my answer. Ever since our paths crossed, I have been curious about her.
Iris is a puzzle to me.
Unlike others, she's always faking a smile. There's an old pain behind her green eyes, expressing her suffering.
“Come, sit.” My palm taps on the couch on my right side.
She keeps her gaze on the floor and walks over to the couch. Tucking her thick loose strands behind her ears, she sits on it, maintaining a few inches from me. Even her sitting position is stiff.
There are cigarettes and whiskey on the table, but I restrain myself from touching any of them because she hates the smell. It was pretty evident outside when she was serving.
I pull out a mint-flavored toffee from the pocket of my pants and extend my hand towards her.
“Take it. This one's my favorite.”
Drifting her gaze from the floor, she shifts it to my grip holding the toffee. Her eyes slightly widen, and I know she's judging my taste.
“You're anti-mint?”
“Ehm…It tastes like Colgate!” Her eyes look into mine.
“What do you like then?” I lean back, admiring her lips talking to me.
“Chocolate!”
“Next time, I'll bring chocolate, no more mint.” My fingers slide the toffee back into my pocket.
Her lips finally smile, and it's the best thing I have ever seen. In only two meetings, she has me under her spell even though she doesn't know about it.
It's not like I have never been with women before, but no smile has ever drawn me to it so much, bringing out a soft side in me, which I am definitely not.
“You are new here?” She takes an interest.
“Is it obvious?”
“I can hear Spain in you. Most of them here are Spanish, even Bosco.” Her voice is soft but out of the shaky feeling.
“Well, it's Chris Diaz.”
She gently nods her head.
“So you moved to Shadow Falls?”
“We're a biker group, and we don't settle in one place. A month exploring the new surroundings then off to somewhere else.”
“Oh! I see…” Her voice mumbles under a sigh.
She once again clenches her dress on her thighs, drowning herself in the pool of hesitation. It's almost as if she's disappointed that I'll be moving soon.
“Thank you for saving me from Frank. No one here does that.” Her eyes are empty as if they no longer wish to see the world.
“Why do you work here? This place is full of people like Frank.”
“I don't have a choice.”
“Sick brother or sister at home?”
“No, it's not that.” She gulps.
“We can't escape this place, never.”
“What do you mean?” My brows twitch.
“Bosco is the King. He rules the whole of Seattle. We can't escape even if we want to. The cops work with him and all the influential people are on his side.”
“You can run away. Once you leave Seattle, he can never reach you again.”
“Run away? I can't even reach the airport because his men are everywhere. They'll catch me in no time, and the consequences will be worse than death.”
Her empty eyes only show fear.
“I can help you, Iris!”
“What?” Her face scrunches up.
I move closer to her, closing the distance between us. She doesn't abandon my eyes nor does she push me away.
“We can leave this place together.”
Tears stream down her eyes.
“You don't know what Bosco is capable of.”
“Hey! Stop crying.” My thumb softly brushes through her cheek.
“W-Why are you so nice to me? Why do you even want to help me?”
“I just thought we're the same.”
“Same?”
“We both are searching for a destination that can heal us.”
Her eyes are telling me to take her away while her body is resisting. She can't say the word that her heart is whispering.
“I appreciate your help but I am not going anywhere. Bosco will find me. Also, you're just here for a few days, stay out of my mess.”
She stands tall and walks over to the door but pauses before stepping out.
“You're a very nice man. The only one who has ever helped me, and I'll be forever grateful.” Her gaze sidelongs me.
As she unlocks the door, I leave the couch and stride to her. My sudden presence shading her back startles her.
She slowly turns around and our eyes meet.
“Where are you going?”
“Outside!”
“I paid 90,000 dollars for you…which means you're mine until the clock hits 12.”
Suddenly, the walls envelop in silence.
Standing so close to her, my muscles harden. She's driving me crazy. The urge to feel her in my arms is quite hard to resist.
“It’s already 11:55.”
Time with her flew by pretty quickly.
“Five minutes are more than enough.” I step into her personal space and gently pin her against the door.
The thought that we only have five minutes left is making me hold onto her even more.
“Iris!”
“Huh?”
“I am not leaving Shadow Falls until you decide to escape this place.”
Her eyes go wide.
- Writer
