Creating trouble
1208 Words
*Silas*
I slide a glass of water across the table towards the young blonde woman. She looks worried and confused as she asks, “Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all.” I take a seat across from her, offering a slightly condescending smile. “In fact, Elijah had nothing but good things to say about you.”
“I don’t understand then.” She shakes her head, her expression a mix of bewilderment and frustration, as if she’s grappling with a puzzle that just won’t fit.
I choose my words carefully, weighing each one for its impact. “The arrangement just… ran its course. But I wanted to thank you; your contributions over the last few weeks have been invaluable. We should discuss getting you involved in other Institute projects.”
“It’s not going to be that easy.” She shakes her head again, her resolve apparent and, frankly, rather annoying.
“What do you mean?” I can’t help but feel a surge of concern; I certainly hope she isn’t planning to cause trouble.
“I lived in that unbelievable house, with his hands on me every night. I don’t want to go back to reality… and I won’t do it quietly.” Her glare is piercing, and it makes me uneasy.
Ten minutes later:
“This so-called therapist, Sophie… She is not cooperating. She refuses to give up Elijah.” I shake my head in frustration. “We need to get her on board.”
“What can I do?” one of my most trusted men asks, his brow furrowing in concern.
I exhale slowly, formulating a plan. “Get her into the facility… quietly. Can you handle that?”
He nods firmly. “Absolutely.”
I watch him walk away, feeling a mix of irritation and disappointment. It’s unfortunate that she had to go and complicate matters. She had fit perfectly into our plans as long as she got to have her fun with Elijah, but now she insists on being a problem.
*Nina*
I park my car in the lot of the secluded overlook area. The only other vehicle present is Elijah’s motorcycle, and he stands beside it, waiting for me.
“Hey, thanks for coming,” he says, offering me a soft smile as I step out of the car.
“If you wanted to avoid the paparazzi, why didn’t we just meet at your house?” I ask, walking towards him. It feels a bit strange seeing him again.
He lets out a small, sad sound. “This is actually more private… believe it or not.”
He looks worried… almost haunted… as he stands there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket and a cap pulled low over his eyes. I can’t help but wonder if his fame is what he’s truly hiding from, or if there’s something deeper at play.
“So… you want me to play the girl on your arm? What’s your big secret?” I turn to face him directly.
“There’s no big secret,” he shakes his head, his gaze locking onto mine. “After the night we spent together, do you really think I’m looking for a beard?”
Even I can hear the doubt in my voice. “I don’t know… you are an actor.”
“I’m not that good,” he replies with a nervous chuckle, stepping closer as if he’s about to kiss me.
I instinctively step back. “Wait, Elijah… if you actually like me, then why don’t we just date and see where this goes? Why are we talking about marriage?”
“You have no idea how much I wish I could just… date.” He leans against the fence, his voice heavy with sadness, as he runs a hand over his face. “I have no idea if you’re after me for my money or to advance your career…”
“I would never do those things.” To be honest, I like him; I would love to date him. It saddens me that he’s so scared of being used. “If we just got to know each other like regular people, you’d see that.”
He exhales slowly, contemplating my words. “When you met your last boyfriend, did you think he was the type who would cheat on you?” He pauses for a moment. “I never thought Bianca would bail on me and our wedding.”
“Has she ever explained herself?” I can’t help but feel curious about his past.
He stands in silence for a long moment, gazing out over the city. “There was a note… something about getting lost in my world.” After another pause, he turns to look at me. “Look, this contract isn’t just about protecting my feelings and my money.”
Yup, this conversation raises more questions than it answers. “I don’t understand, then.”
“Honestly… it’s about my reputation. It’s about my…,” he looks almost pained, exhaling deeply, “… it’s about my brand and the people who rely on me to be the actor everyone wants in their movie.” He takes another deep breath. “Nina, when I’m with you, all the bullshit just melts away, okay? I feel like me. I think you’re amazing. But if Elijah Grant gets humiliated again, then it’s a pattern… and a pattern is bad for business. That’s what the contract and the money are for.”
“That sounds so sad.” I don’t know what else to say. “Is this all worth it?”
“I honestly don’t know,” he admits, shaking his head slowly. “But I feel like… with you, it would be.”
I’m at a loss for words. To be honest, I feel drawn to him like I’ve never been to anyone before. I want to spend time with him, get to know him, but this is all so insane. “But… we just met.”
“I know, it’s crazy. This is all crazy. But I have this feeling, and I’m almost certain of it… if we just go for it…” His face lights up as if he just had the most brilliant idea. “You should come to Venice with me.”
“Italy?” I can’t help but chuckle. “Don’t you ever just chill, or go to the zoo?”
He chuckles too. “Look, my movie closes the festival next week. We can see some films, attend some parties… maybe spend a couple of days at Lake Como. You don’t have to give me an answer now; take a couple of days to think about it. You’d be crazy not to.”
“So a couple of days to decide what I’m doing… potentially with the rest of my life?” To say this is overwhelming would be the understatement of the century.
He nods, smiling softly at me. “Yeah.”
And there it is again, that moment between us. A feeling of free-falling. His hands gently cup my face, pulling me in for a warm, sweet, and intense kiss, that totally makes my toes curl.
- Writer
