Then everything changed.
And I quickly realized he wasn't buying me things just because he wanted to. It wasn't because he cared for me.
He was trying to make me fit into his world. Make me seem worthy of being next to him.
And when out with him, I wasn't to wear anything other then what he'd bought for me.
After sliding into the dress and strapping on the heels, I check myself one more time in the mirror.
My makeup is flawless, my once chipped nails now painted a bright shade of red, my dress free of any wrinkles, and my hair pulled tightly back.
Once again slapping on a fake smile, I see Carter's Everly looking back at me.
It's not me, not the real me.
But it's the part I have to play, one I can't mess up on.
Snatching a small clutch off my dresser, I throw a few things inside along with my phone before making my way out of my apartment.
I almost turn back when I step up to the curb outside my building and hold my hand up for a cab.
I contemplate telling the driver an address, any address other then Carter's as I slide into the back seat.
And when we pull up in front of his Manhattan townhouse, I rack up another twelve dollars on the meter before I finally get out of the car.
My hand feels heavy as I raise it up to press the call button next to his front door. Just as I expected, within seconds a familiar face greets me.
"Miss Abbott!" Clara smiles up at me as she opens the door. "How are you today?"
"I'm good." I return the smile, stepping inside and letting her close the door. "How are you?"
"Just lovely, thank you." She smooths out her uniform. "Mr. Carter said to send you on down to his study when you arrived."
"He knew I was coming?" I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Yes, I think..."
"I'll show her down." A flat voice cuts her off abruptly, making me jump.
I shift my gaze to the left, finding Viktor standing just a few feet away.
"You get back to work." He looks at Clara blankly before focusing on me.
"Yes, of course." Clara nods, "You have a good day Miss Abbott."
"You too." I call after her as she scurries down the hallway towards the kitchen.
Viktor narrows his eyes at me before turning and walking towards the back of the house. I follow him slowly, my heart rate picking up as we reach the staircase that leads to the basement floor.
Something doesn't feel right, but I continue on, descending the stairs a few steps behind him.
He opens the large door at the bottom, motioning for me to step inside.
I glance around the large room, spotting Carter sitting at the round table at the far end.
I feel a small sense of relief when I see Maya sitting across from him, her giving me a soft smile when she sees me.
YOU ARE READING
The Most Dangerous Game (Harry Styles AU)
Fanfiction"One game, one hand. That's all I want." He smiles confidently at me, "You really think you can win against me? In every deck of cards there are 2,598,960 possible hands. You're going to be dealt only one of those Styles. One." "One is all I need...
