CHAPTER005:FirstSecret
1122 Words
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John
I know exactly what happened back in that club and why she was running for her life with tears.
I was actually on my way to Room 303 when she slammed into my chest. I came to get my younger brother, Tony. I wanted to drag him out of that dirty place, take him home, and tell him that he has had enough fun.
He is a big celebrity star now, but he acts like a spoiled child. He spends too much money, he hangs out with bad people, and he thinks he can buy the whole world.
When that girl, Mara, fell into my arms and begged me to save her from a monster, I saw the look of pure terror in her eyes.
The monster she was running from was my own brother.
I felt so furious and so deeply embarrassed. How could Tony do this? How could someone with our last name treat a woman like dirt? He had used his wealth to bully her just to crush her pride.
It made me want to slam my fist into a wall. But I couldn't let Mara know that the guy who just rescued her was the brother of the beast who hurt her. If I told her the truth, she would jump out of the moving car and would never trust me.
So, I played a game. I pretended I had no idea who she was running from.
When we got outside and that slimy club owner, Rico, tried to spill the truth, he almost ruined everything. Rico opened his mouth and started to say, “She has been booked and paid for by your—”
I knew he was about to say your brother. I had to shut him up fast.
I look back at Mara. She finally opens her g eyes and She looks so worried.
Mara thinks every man is a predator.
I need to set some boundaries right now to make her feel completely safe.
"Mara," I say. My voice is very soft . I do not want to sound like a boss. "Look at me."
She turns her head slowly, her lips trembling a little bit.
"We are going to my private apartment," I tell her, keeping my hands on my lap so she can see them. "It is a very quiet place, we are not going to a hotel. I am taking you there so you can rest."
Mara swallows hard. "Mr. John... why did you pay all that money for me? What do you want me to do for you tonight?"
Her voice sounds so broken it makes my heart ache. She thinks there is always a price tag on kindness.
"I do not want you to do anything, Mara," I say, and I mean it with all my heart. "I paid that money to get you out of that room not to have your body. You are going to sleep in my bedroom with a heavy lock on the door and I will sleep on the couch in the living room. Tomorrow, you can go wherever you want. No strings attached. Okay?"
Mara stares at me for a long time. She lets out a long, shaky breath and nods her head.
"Okay," she whispers. "Thank you, John."
Hearing her say my name without the "Mr." feels nice. It feels like a small crack in the giant wall she has built around herself.
The car drives through the gates of my building. The security guards see my face and bow their heads quickly, opening the path. We take the private elevator all the way to the top floor.
When I open the door to my apartment, I showed Mara to my room. It has a fluffy white bed and a big bathroom with clean towels.
"There are some clean, shirts in the closet you can wear to sleep," I tell her. "Lock the door from the inside so you can feel safe. Nobody can touch you here."
"Thank you," she says again. She steps inside and gently closes the door.
I smile a little bit. Good. She locked it.
I walk back into the living room. I take off my shoes and sit down on the couch. I lean my head back against the cushions and close my eyes. I feel so tired, but my mind is still racing. I am so angry at Tony. He is ruining our family reputation,
I stay there in the couch for about an hour, just thinking.
Suddenly, the silence is broken by a RING! RING! RING!
My phone starts to buzz and shake on the table. I look down at the name flashing on the phone screen.
It is Tony.
I feel a hard look come over my face. I pick up the phone, and press the green button to answer, put the phone to my ear, but I do not say a word.
Instantly, Tony’s voice explodes through the speaker. He is screaming at the top of his lungs, his voice full of childish rage. He sounds like a crazy person.
"John! Do you know what just happened?!" Tony yells, breathing heavily into the phone. I can hear the loud music of the club still playing in the background "Someone came into the club and stole my girl right out of Room 303!
Rico told me some rich guy came and paid double just to take her away from me! Nobody does that to Tony Vincent! Nobody!"
Tony lets out a loud curse . "I am going to hunt this man down, John! I am going to find him, and I am going to break his legs! She was mine for the night! Who does he think he is?!"
I sit perfectly still on my couch. I look towards the bedroom Mara is finally sleeping safe from his dirty hands.
"She's with me now, little brother," I say into the phone. My voice is completely calm and dead serious.
Tony stops screaming. The line goes quiet for a second as my words hit his brain. He cannot believe his own ears.
"What?" Tony says , his voice shaking with shock. "John... what did you say?"
"I said she is with me," I repeat, "Come and get her if you think you're strong enough."
Before Tony can say another word, or ask questions, I move my thumb and press the red button on the screen. CLICK.
I hang up the phone on my little brother
. I turn the phone completely off so he cannot call me back.
The war between us has just started, but for the first time in a long time, I am glad I am in the fight
- Writer
