A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 24 - The Torture of Playing Nice

The two women look through me as though I don't exist rather than at me. When I talk, I'm sure they tune me out. Still, that doesn't stop me from talking their ears off. I was being friendly and I was just wanting someone to talk to at first, but after getting no response all morning, I'm doing it just to annoy them. I'm sure they'd like to strangle me if they could.

"...so, I told Juni, red is always better than pink and she went nuts! The next thing I know, my cherry red convertible disappeared and she brought it back a week later in glittery pink. Pink! My poor baby. I didn't talk to her for two months. Two whole months!

"But seriously, think about it. Pink. Is it white? Or is it red? I mean, make up your mind already, right?" I stop to take a breath and glance at the guards from the corner of my eye. Jenny is grinding her molars while Alicia looks like she's seconds away from throwing me out of the balcony. They must think that I'm a ditzy dumb blonde. "This is such an important topic but no one seems to take it seriously," I huff, indignantly shaking my head as I continue to carefully brush shell-pink nail polish on my toenail. I'm also wearing a pink top with denim shorts.

I'm painting my toenails on the sofa in the living room with no regard for the expensive furniture. I figure that it's Sacha's fault that I can't have my manicure and pedicure at my regular spa. Now that I have to do it myself, sacrificing his furniture for the sake of my nails is the least he could do.

Before I open my mouth again to argue my case against pink, I hear the elevator dings outside, followed by the sound of footsteps that are now familiar to me. Not a minute later, Sacha Gauthier is standing on the threshold.

All the air seems to have been sucked out of the room that I have to struggle to catch my breath. My whole body comes alive. His magnetism is palpable, it's like a physical thing. All I can do is just stare up at him while his eyes hone in on me.

He's looking breathtaking in his dark grey suit, a powder blue dress shirt, and a striped dark blue and silver silk tie. His glossy hair is slicked back, emphasizing his high cheekbones, bright eyes, and straight patrician nose. For a beat, there's only him and me in the universe. Nothing else exists.

He's the first to tear his gaze away to look at the two female guards who have straightened up. All their attention is on him. They look like they're about to launch themselves at him with the enthusiasm of a cocker spaniel when its master appears.

I realize now that his office is only a ten to fifteen minutes walk away from here. He mentioned last night that that was the main reason he decided to stay in this building...something about doing his part in reducing the carbon footprint. But what is he doing home so early? A quick glance at a sleek stainless steel clock on the wall tells me that it's only 12:20 pm.

I hear him asks them how has it been so far and Jenny is quick to explain, "Good, sir. It's nothing we can't handle. We had a quiet morning." Her eyes collide with her friend's. I'm sure "quiet morning" is a jab at my incessant and meaningless rambling.

Sacha nods as he sweeps his gaze around the great room before settling back on me. "It seems that you two have everything under control so far."

Their chests seem to expand at the minuscule approval. Oh, look! They know how to smile after all. I blow softly on my nails as I watch them conversing.

From the look on Sacha's face, I wonder if he's thinking that their day is going well so far because I decided not to give them any trouble.

"Is there anything else that you need us to do, sir?" asks Alicia. I try not to roll my eyes at their eagerness to please him.

"No, you both take a break. Be back in an hour," he says with that arrogant certainty that his every command will be followed. It's not hard to see why though, they all seem to be eager to do his bidding without question save for his right-hand man, Olivier.