NERTHUS
I went straight to bed as soon as I got home.
I didn’t remove my make-up.
I didn’t even change.
God, it’s a wonder that I slipped out of my shoes as I walked through the door.
As soon as I found myself cuddled into my blankets, I felt like crying.
And after a few seconds, I was out like a light.
I know that I want to go back to work for him, not only because I really want to work for him, and he pays me well. But also, because I can’t see myself seducing other men if I have the chance of not having to do it.
The only problem is that I don’t know what to do with the feelings that I have for this man.
And I certainly won’t be able to take another hit like the one he had me go through before Thanksgiving.
I stretch myself in my bed as I sit up and flinch as the soreness between my legs sends a painful yet pleasurable feeling up my body.
Moaning lowly, I drag myself out of bed and into the kitchen to make breakfast.
I halt as I reach my open kitchen and living room, my heart skipping a beat.
What the…
The entire room is flooded with bouquets of wildflowers. I gasp as my eyes rank over the spring-like colors of violet, pink, and yellow.
I really hope Saman is getting a massive deal by cultivating them at this time of the year.
But he might just be importing them from some shady place.
I squeal happily, as I actually don’t fucking care because they are just too beautiful to look at.
But what am I doing with all those flowers?!
Laughing as I walk through the bouquets prepped up in vases, I feel like I’m in a flowery field in springtime.
Just as I’m about to pick up my phone from the elastic of my shorts, I halt in my movements.
My breath hitches in my throat as I spot a single red rose sticking out from a bouquet prepped on the kitchen island.
Nearing myself carefully, I caress the petals of the blood-red flower and pick up the note that is affixed to the bouquet.
I gulp once, not sure if I’m ready to read it and turn the card.
‘Tell me it took you forever to find it!
Because I’m fit to be tied because of how long it took me.
Not finding you. But come and collect you.’
Oh my God.
***
The next few days pass past me while I feel like I’m wrapped in a haze.
I didn’t contact Arawn, and I regret that I didn’t as he doesn’t contact me as well.
He is waiting for you, you idiot!
My heartbeat accelerates every time my phone dings, but it is mostly about work.
Or Jenna.
Even if another big payment was transferred to my account, apparently for my performance, I keep my mouth shut and go on with my usual shifts.
Bridget has already convinced me to come on another clubbing night, but as she is going abroad for a shoot, it might take another while before she can mess up one of my nights again.
With every day that passes, and the feeling of him on my skin vanishes, I feel more desperate to contact him.
Every night that I work at the bar, I hope for him to show up, but he doesn’t.
My clumsiness turns into dullness, and I don’t even care that everyone around me keeps asking me if everything is alright.
“Sure,” I say, trying to assure Jenna for the umpteenth time as I scoop ice cubes into a glass for her drink. “And it would be even better if you were to stop asking about it.”
She shakes my head at my grin and sighs.
“Just give me a moment, and I clock out. And we can finally go to dinner.” Serving her a gin with soda, I make a final round before I check with Simone and Amir that I am good to go.
Going to change myself in one of the backrooms, I feel my mood already improving drastically.
As I reach Jenna again, ready to go out to celebrate her new job at the museum, I feel like I can breathe again. My heart laughs with her as we walk along the buzzing bars and restaurants to reach ours.
Gigi is already waiting for us as we reach the small Italian restaurant. The evening is as bubbly as the champagne that we keep ordering to celebrate our friend.
I love to see her this happy.
Successful and happily in Love.
What can a woman even want more?
I swallow my own sadness successfully as her happiness is contagious, and I don’t have a minute to sulk over myself as the chatting as well as the drinks don’t stop flowing.
Also, the food is too good to leave anyone sitting around with disappointed faces.
***
As I get home, I can’t wait to crash into my bed happily exhausted.
Not wanting my skin to hate me even more, I remove my make-up properly before I change into my pjs and get into bed.
Seeing how drunk and tired I am, it doesn’t take long to have my eyes close as I’m cuddled into my warm blankets.
My eyes feel too heavy to open as I start hearing a scratching sound once again.
Shaking my head, I keep my eyes closed and cuddle even more into my blanket. I wiggle happily, forcing the noise out of my head.
And luckily, after another set of minutes, it stops.
Letting me fall asleep peacefully.
***
I startle awake in the middle of the night as the scratching sound gets louder and seems to be closer.
Blinking into the pitch-black room, I let my brain adjust to my sudden awakening despite my racing heart.
As my senses relax slowly, my ears can catch up with the noise again, and I realize that it isn’t quite the scratching I’m used to.
More like a pawing.
Listening into the darkness, I realize that there is a whimpering as well, and I throw my covers back to get out of my bed.
I near the entryway with slow steps, and my heart starts picking up its pace as the noise gets louder, the low whimper piercing through the heavy door.
Carefully, I open the door, but I don’t get to steer it all the way like I intended to, as the body leaning against it falls right into my apartment, burying me beneath him.