Surviving the Aces (#Wattys2018)

Meet the guy in the mask

The premier started in half an hour and we were only just walking through the door of Gregg's house. I was carrying a load of my bags and Gregg, being a perfect gentlemen, was only carrying one.

I huffed through the door and up the stairs without a word to him. Though he'd been extremely generous and bought me lots of souvenirs and things, he had been quite the pest.

"Oh come on Dakota!" He shouted after me. "I was just trying to have some fun!"

I ignored him and slammed my door, showing him that I did not agree at all. 
Gregg's definition of fun was pushing me into a fountain and putting hot sauce in my drink.

I plugged in my curling iron before going into my bathroom to take another shower to wash off the sweat and whatever I'd caught from the fountain.

Once I was done drying my hair, I opened the bag that Quintin gave me marveling at the beauty of the dress. I suddenly missed him, all of them. I felt like calling them but I had only been gone for a day and a half. I didn't want to seem clingy.

"Time to go!" Gregg shouted, pounding on my door.

I sighed and slipped into the dress. I took a deep breath. I knew I would have to have a light spirit for the night. There would be lots of paparazzi and crowds and if I was uptight I would get a huge migraine. I'd learned that the hard way. 

I ignored Gregg's protests and began brushing my hair so that I could curl it. I took my time to get him back for pushing me in the fountain.

I expected Gregg to keep knocking on the door but he had suddenly fallen quiet. I sighed and finished my hair, realizing that my sluggishness wasn't bothering him as much as I'd hoped.

Ten minutes later, I finished my hair and makeup. I gave myself one more once over then opened the door. But instead of Gregg, there was a man with a black mask over his face. I looked down to see Gregg on the floor knocked out.

"Oh come on." I muttered before the intruder took my arm roughly and shoved a dirty cloth over my nose.

-:¥:-

I woke up in a hospital. I could tell because of the smell and the sounds. I sat up in confusion. I had no idea why I was hospitalized. I felt fine. I remembered exactly why I was in the hospital.

I was alone in the room and I didn't have my phone. I pressed the nurse button by my bedside and waited until somebody came.

She smiled at me. "Hello, I'm Tris. How are you feeling?" She asked. She had warm brown hair and a light splattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks.

"I'm absolutely fine. Why am I here?" I asked her sitting up.

Tris clasped her hands. "We just wanted to make sure you were okay and that the robber didn't try to do anything to you while you were unconscious." she explained.

I grimaced. "Oh." I responded lamely. "What about Gregg?"

She smiled. "Mr. Sulkin awoke about half an hour ago and is awaiting his discharge documents." She explained.

"Okay. Thanks." I responded, feeling relieved that the robber hadn't been murderous.

"I'll alert the doctor that you woke up and we'll start working on your discharge." She informed me.

I leaned back trying to digest what just happened. Gregg's house had been robbed, but where had the guards been?

Twenty minutes later, I was let out and was told that Gregg was in the waiting room. He was wearing a hat and sunglasses but I immediately picked him out.

His disguise was a little too obvious. When he saw me, it was like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.

 "Thank goodness you're okay." He said,pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

He pulled me away from the waiting room. He had a different group of guards this time.

"What happened?" I asked.

He sighed, running his hand over his face. "My former bodyguards are being placed under questioning. We'll have to go eventually before I take you back home. They're trying to find the perpetrator."

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "We missed the premiere." I said though I wasn't exactly upset. I had a great time before we were supposed to go.

"How about this?" He said as we got into the limo. I could tell it was a different one. "Promise me you'll be my date to my movie that I'm working on."

"Doesn't that come out like next year?" I asked. He nodded.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You know I can't." I reminded him.

He pouted. "Why not?"

I smirked. "I promised not to watch it. Remember?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just say you'll be my date." He said exasperated.

"Fine. I promise." I said laughing.

We didn't have much information to give to the policemen. Nothing out of the ordinary, no strange grudges, even though it was pretty obvious what happened. Gregg was rich, somebody found out where he lived, they robbed him and knocked out any witnesses.

The reason the police were "worried" was because the robber didn't kill us for some reason.

"I wouldn't have killed me either." Gregg said cockily as we left the station.

"Yeah." I agreed. "Killing people is too much paperwork."

Gregg laughed and wrapped his arm around me. "Are you ready to go home yet?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said sheepishly. "I've had a lot of fun though." I told him.

"And you'll come back to see me next year?" He asked hopefully.

"I made you a promise." I reminded him.

"Well, then we're going straight to the airport, I'm buying you first class and everything but we can't go back to my house yet and I have to take care of some things so I have to stay. I'll send your things to you." He said apologetically.

"I understand. It's okay." I assured him.
I hadn't brought much anyways. I would miss my deodorant however.

He kissed my forehead. "Thanks for coming. Sorry things didn't work out so well." He frowned.

I frowned. "What do you mean? I haven't had this much fun in years."

He beamed at me. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. And even if everyone didn't see you on tv for the premiere, you were on the news." He joked.

I rolled my eyes. "Thank goodness." I said sarcastically.

He laughed. "I wish we didn't live in different worlds." He said seriously.

I looked away. "But now you have Jace to take care of you." He continued.

"Not anymore." I said sadly.

"Don't worry. He won't make the same mistake I did and let you go. It's only a matter of time."