Shouldn't Have Dealt

by Mara Lynne

  Pablo tries to force another glass of gin on me, but I duck my face against the table to prevent myself from throwing up. Aside from Pablo, who obviously can still drink another barrel of wine, everyone on the team is on the dance floor, shaking their hips and waving their hands in the air. With the left side of my face pressed on the table, I see Liza and Kim dancing like crazy teenagers, jumping and singing altogether. Colin is with some unknown girl, and I bet he is enjoying every second with her. As for Donnie—my weary eyes cannot locate his whereabouts. He has vanished in the ocean of people wildly dancing in the middle of the dance floor.

  “Want another one, Angel?” Pablo asks sluggishly, his head hanging from his neck.

  I push the glass far from me and walks away from our table. I think I need fresh air to cool down the heat that’s cutting off the remaining sensibility in my mind. My stomach is grumbling in protest, too. The toxins inside my tummy need to be freed right now before I lose control of myself, and I throw up anywhere inside this bar. That would be historic!

  People going into Calum’s don’t mind me as I begin throwing up at the curb where a lamp post is built. Relief washes over me as fresh air finally reaches the deepest corners of my lungs, and I have rid myself of the acids that were troubling me. I plant my forehead against the post, waiting for my heart to slow down a bit.

  This distressing sensation might be caused by that strong alcohol Colin made me drink before the photo shoot. He said he drinks it all the time before he does pictorials like the one he had with Beetz. He added that this particular drink makes him lose all inhibition and is very useful for his work. And yes, it is! The alcohol helped me become the model they needed me to be. Nevertheless, the aftermath is horrible. I think I am going to be sick.

  I should not have come with them here. I was already feeling unwell after the shoot, and yet I chose to have fun. Well, Donnie was really convincing. He kept on telling me I did very good and that Ms. Ross was pleased… and yet he went home after three shots of tequila.

  “Hey, Angel!” My eyes open, and I turn my head to see Colin running toward me. “I’ve been looking for you. Are you okay?” His hand reaches for my back, and he begins to tap it gently.

  “I am okay now, Colin,” I say.

  His fingers touch my chin and raise it up. His eyes scan for my face, and I bet he sees how flushed I look.

  “I think I should be going home now.”

  “Let me take you home.”

  “Thank you, Colin. I think I’d like that.” I am about to take his hand when I suddenly hear a smashing sound that almost deafened my ears. In just a few blinks, my eyes almost drop off their sockets when I see Colin lying on the ground.

  When I turn around, I can’t help but be furious. Someone’s fist landed on Colin’s handsome face.

  “What are you doing here?” I yell at Hunter Stone, who’s raging with anger as well. To keep him off poor Colin, I push him away to the cobblestone facade of the bar. Colin tries to get up on his knees, but he is too drunk to help himself up. I bet he’s going to pass out first before I do. His nose is broken. Blood is running down from its right hole to the side of his cheek.

  Right then, two men in black suit appear. Hunter immediately grasps my arm and pulls me close to him while the two men pick up Colin from the ground.

  “Where are you taking him?” If only I could punch Hunter Stone in the face, I would, but I am too afraid of the two men with him

  I can only watch the bigger man carry Colin on his shoulder and thrust him inside a black car. They are not kidnappers, are they? Colin has gone unconscious, and I am sure he won’t be able to protect himself.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Stone asks as his hawk’s eyes burn through me.

  “I’m calling the cops.” My fingers have a mind of its own, typing numbers I don’t even know. My head is swerving and floating in the air.

  Right away, Hunter seizes the phone from my grasp and pitches it to the road where a speeding car smashes it in seconds.

  “You heartless man!” My soul almost leaves my body, and my legs crave to rescue my phone, but Hunter grabs me by the waist. I could only watch my phone getting smashed again and again by passing vehicles.

  “Get away from me!” I pound my fist against his chest. I am utterly disgusted with this monster, but Hunter is the type of man who doesn’t yield to anyone. The sleeves of his suit might mask the muscles in his arms, but I can feel them pressing my body, owning me like I’m his possession. He then clutches both my wrists before I could slap his face.

  “Let go of me!” I say once more.

  “I am not happy, Angel,” he says threateningly.

  “Well, I’m glad that you are!” I try to scoff sarcastically.

  A grin suddenly erupts on his face.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You know what? I thought I’d let you pass with MediaOne,” he starts. “But it looks like you’re enjoying your freedom way too much.”

  I’d much rather enjoy freedom than be caged by him and his arrogance.

  “Ha! So I should be indebted to you for letting me keep this job. Is that what you mean?”

  Pathetic brat! What else can he do but threaten those who are beneath him?

  “Not anymore now.” He releases his grasp on me and reaches for something inside his jacket. I don’t really care if it’s another contract to convince me. I am going to tear it into pieces in front of him. I look at my wrists. They’re swelling already. Hunter has been squeezing them to make sure I could not escape.

  In his hands now are pocket-size photos, and he shows them to me with eyebrows raised.

  “How on earth did you get these?”

  Forcing my eyes to open up a little, I fix my gaze on the photos taken from the shoot.

  “Colin looks hot in here!” I hear myself giggling.

  Colin does look hot with only jeans on, and he was holding me close to him. I remember how awkward I felt during the entire shoot. Colin was playing it cool while I was shaking the whole time despite how confident and brazen I looked from the outside.

  “You are so mean to hit the guy…” my voice trail off as I sway like a feather in the wind.

  Hunter clasps my shoulders before I lose my balance and fall over.

  “Anyway, how on earth did you get hold of these?” I ask, raising the photos in front of his face. “Don’t tell me you sneaked into Pablo’s studio or something?” I giggle.

  “You are impossible…” I hear him say.

  My vision starts to get blurry, but I hear him sigh deeply.

  “Don’t doubt what I can do, Angel Mohr.”

  And just like that, everything shuts down.

  Chapter 17: Mrs. Stone

  As sunlight touches the side of my face, my eyelids flicker multiple times to let my sight adjust. My fingers cover my forehead so I can get a clearer view of the window.

  The curtains are raised up as air breezes into the room, almost lulling me to sleep again.

  I slowly rise up and help myself into a sitting position. I still feel heaviness and some pain in my head. I’m in an unfamiliar place, and when I look down to check on the necklace Dad gave me, it’s not there! It’s gone!

  However, what struck me most is the dawning of a horrifying realization.

  Anxiety rises up within as I search the entire room for answers. After the events of last night’s incident sinks into my cerebrum, I know right away that I am in the wrong place. After I passed out, I remember nothing.

  This must be Stone’s place. The room is huge with walls painted in immaculate white, and the marble floor is covered in a few areas by soft, furry carpets. The furniture are modern and chick—all in white, black, and gray. The bed is gigantic with thick but light covers. Mirrors and glasses are everywhere, making everything in here so fragile-looking and untouchable. Everything is befitting of a rich bachelor.

  As I shift my attention back to his bed, an inconceivable thought crosses my mind.

>   This can’t be Hunter’s bedroom, is it?

  I feel like my soul just escaped my body, and I am left with nothing but a terrible future to face.

  The other side of the bed seems untouched, though, so I don’t think he slept beside me. Besides, I still have my undergarments beneath a huge gray t-shirt. My legs are bare, but he wouldn’t do something to an unconscious girl, right? Just the thought of him doing something beyond my knowledge sends a chilling horror down my spine. Despite all these, my face was burning hot.

  The door creaks open, and a man in a wet sweatshirt appears. I quickly pull the covers over my body and wrap my heated face with my palms.

  “Do you feel better now?” Hunter quickly reaches for a bottle of water and drinks from it. He could have had his morning exercise. His hair is all messy, and he’s catching his breath as he speaks.

  “Why did you bring me here?” I try to sound a little threatening.

  “I just can’t leave you unconscious on the streets, can I?”

  “But why in here?” My brow arches to my hairline. “You could have brought me to my place.”

  His lips form a thin line.

  My eyes are drawn to the slabs of muscles on his washboard abdomen as he takes his sweatshirt off his body and tosses it to the chair beside him. He walks towards a walk-in closet with huge doors. I crane my neck so I can see what is inside his majestic closet, and I am not disappointed. As a businessman, he has all the right to keep those tons of business suits and shirts in there. His closet is larger than my room and even twice the size of our living room. Having something like that is beyond my wildest dreams

  His place must cost a fortune, though.

  “If you’re worried about your parents, don’t. I have called them this morning and informed them that you slept with me.”

  Slept with him?

  Is he serious? Did he really tell them that?

  Oh, God! I can only think of how Dad and Mom see it. Dad could have a heart attack.

  “Why did you tell them that?”

  “I have to call them because I know you’ll worry,” he answers rather innocently.

  He comes out of the closet with a cotton towel hanging around his shoulders.

  “You shouldn’t have told them I am with you.” Or worse, slept with you! I add in my mind.

  I want to cut his throat. If something happens to Dad, I’ll definitely make him taste hell.

  “I have made so many lies in my life, Angel, I don’t want to make another one.” I know it’s a joke. Hunter is an excellent liar. Lying to my parents would have been as easy as pie to him. He did it to torment me.

  Heavens! I need to call my parents and do some damage control, but I cannot do it since my phone was crushed into pieces. What could Mom be thinking right now? I am one hundred percent sure the news has already reached Ray’s antenna.

  “Hey!” I am about to kick him out of bed, but Hunter was quick to climb and lean forward to me. His face is leveled on mine as his eyes fix on me. His strong arms corner my frozen legs.

  I pull back until I am trapped between his arms and the headboard of the bed.

  “If you can tell me the reason for that blushing, Angel, I might consider being more lenient on you,” he whispers with a mischievous smirk on his face. “It amazes me how you look like you're about to explode every time I am this close to you.”

  “Stop this nonsense! Will you, Hunter Stone?”

  The smirk turns into a huge smile, showing off his dazzling set of teeth. He raises his hand, and I flinch at the thought of him doing something that might hurt me. I am dumbfounded when I feel his hand tap on my head, messing up my hair.

  “If you keep on doing this, I might think you have a huge crush on me.”

  Seriously?

  I frown at the idea of having a crush on this terrible man. Where on earth did he even pick that up? From his delusions? From some bizarre world that exists in his mind? Am I talking to a sane man?

  I pushed his hand away and fix my hair with my fingers.

  Hunter climbs out of bed and begins to towel dry himself, yet on his face, lingers the glee of seeing me so pissed off. This man never fails to push my buttons. The only difference of the then and now is he’s doing things in a whole new—a total outlandish way, I must say. If before he settles with power tripping, now he’s trying so hard to act like a playboy—a natural player who disarm girls with his impish jokes and charming acts.

  Wait! Did I say charming?

  In no way is Hunter Stone charming! He is annoying and arrogant. He is a selfish opportunist! He’s the complete opposite of a gentleman.

  I clear my throat after the heat on my face subsides. “You have to pay me for my phone!” I say firmly.

  “Anything you ask, I’ll give to you.”

  “This doesn’t mean I agree to that ridiculous contract.”

  “I know. It doesn’t have anything to do with the contract or the job,” he replies. “It’s payment for ruining your phone last night.”

  Good! It’s quite shocking to know that this man could have a considerable amount of shame. He doesn’t seem to be the type to give into anyone’s wants.

  “For the meantime, to ease your worry, you can use my phone. Tell your parents you’re with me and that you’re safe.” He then takes his phone with one hand and offers it to me, unlocked. “Here, take it.”

  I hurriedly climb out of bed and grab the phone from him before he can take it away and laugh at me for being so gullible.

  “I’ll just take a shower.” Hunter goes straight to the door across the room.

  As soon as he closes the door behind him, I immediately dial Mom’s number and leave his room barefooted.

  While waiting for someone to pick up the call, I let my eyes wander at the grandeur of his place. A spacious second-floor corridor with three doors leads to a wide stair landing. I walk down the white, C-shaped staircase until I reach the first floor. The living room is so modern. There are no entertainment gadgets, but a wide and long divan and a huge, irregular-shaped glass table can be seen. On the ceiling is a unique chandelier with square crystals hanging in varying lengths, and the glass walls offer a splendid view of the city. There’s a black grand piano as well that instantly becomes the apple of my eyes.

  I can always run away from here and leave Hunter Stone speechless when he finds out I have outsmarted him. I don’t care what revenge he will come up for me. Right now, I just want him to feel defeated.

  It might sound like a witty idea. But on second thought, running out of here in no more than his oversized t-shirt would be an illogical thing to do. I have not lost my mind yet, and I don’t know where he kept my clothes.

  So, facing the vast view of the city outside his glass windows, I press the phone against my ear and finally hear Mom’s voice.

  “Mom?”

  “Angel, is that you?”

  “Yes,” I say.

  “Where are you?”

  “I am with—”

  “You’re with Hunter Stone, aren’t you?”

  “He really called you?”

  “Yes, and he said you passed out.”

  I let out a huge sigh as I knead my forehead with my fingers.

  “I had a little alcohol last night. My workmates and I were at Calum’s.” It was supposed to be Colin who was taking me home, but he was put to sleep by Hunter, and I ended up sleeping in his place. I did not dare tell Mom that part of the story, though.

  “And how did you end up sleeping with Hunter Stone?”

  I feel the hair on my nape rise, so I brush the skin on that part of my body to ease my nerves.

  So typical of Mom to even ask.

  “And are you calling using his phone?” she adds.

  “It’s not important, okay?” I answer. “The good thing is I am okay, and nothing happened. I didn’t sleep with him if that’s what you have in mind! Gee, Mom!”

  “Are you sure about that?” her voice heightens a little.

  “Y
es, I am sure about it.”

  “George is worried. Come home now.”

  “I will.”

  I hear the elevator bell chime and the doors slide open. Hunter might be expecting a visitor today.

  “Mom, I’ll call you later, okay? Bye!” I hastily hang up the call.

  Whoever this visitor might be, he or she must not see me dressed like this. Clutching Hunter’s phone, I thought of running back to his room and stay there until Hunter gets out the bathroom.

  But before I could, a woman dressed in fur coat sees me running across the room.

  “Oh, hi there!” Her face glows upon seeing me.

  I can only give her an embarrassed smile.

  “Hi!” I quickly say.

  Who could this woman be?

  The smile on her face is unpretentious, and she seems genuine enough to offer her hand first for a handshake which I accepted out of respect.

  “I’m sorry, but it’s the first time I have seen you. However, you look a little familiar,” she says. “Have we met before?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  She tilts her head and examines my face.

  This woman is really beautiful. Her hair is a light shade of chestnut brown, pulled back into a low bun. Her eyes are almond-shaped and brown in color just like her hair. She looks so sweet and nice.

  This nice woman here can’t be his mother, can she? She just can’t be!

  “Mother?”

  Hunter appears from his bedroom in a fresh cotton sweater.

  “Oh, dear boy!” She plants a kiss right away on his son’s cheeks and embraces him like Hunter is some toddler.

  I literally drop my jaw as I watch their little reunion.

  Oh, my! She is indeed Hunter Stone’s mom.

  How could this wonderful woman give birth to such a beast? Surely, he might be nice and good when he was younger, but I just don’t think his mother knows about his recent deeds.

  “You did not tell me you’re coming,” Hunter says.

  “I thought I’d surprise you,” she answers. “But I think you surprised me here, sweetheart!” She taps Hunter’s cheeks then turns her gaze back to me.