35 mm (Palaye Royale Mafia AU)

6️⃣

Remington

I woke up the next morning and turned to my other side to see Irene sleeping so peacefully with the bed covers over her shoulders. She looked so beautiful when she wasn't so scared or insecure, and I hoped that I would somehow help her to be happy to live again. I had an idea on how to regain her confidence and strength, but it might take some time.

I got up from my bed and after remembering I destroyed my telephone last night, I had to walk down to the clerk while I had a guard keeping a look out outside of my hotel suite. I walked to the front desk, and she greeted me with a smile and through tired eyes since it was so early, "Good morning, Sir Remington. What brings you down here so early?"

I scratched the back of my head, "Well, due to an accident, I...broke my phone. So I'm gonna need a new one set up in my room. Also, can you please send up some women's clothes both casual and formal? My guest from last night is going to stay here for a while and I want her to be comfortable."

"Certainly, Sir! Anything else? Would like some breakfast sent up your room?"

I nodded, "Sure, Linda. That'd be great, thank you."

I went back up to my room and by the time I got there, the clothes were there, and I thanked the lobbyist for their service, handing them a tip as well. I set a nightgown on the edge of Irene's bed and then walked over to her still asleep to stroke her hair gently.

"Irene?", she didn't move for a moment, then her eyes moved under her eyelids and she slowly opened them to see me looking back at her and then they were filled with panic as she sat up and curled into a ball. I held her shoulders gently as I tried to calm her down.

"Shhh, Irene, it's okay. It's me. I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?" She stared at me with such fear in her eyes, then after a minute, she relaxed a little and took a deep breath before she finally smiled at me and nodded in understanding.

I smiled back at her and pointed out the clothes on her bed and in the closet, "I brought you some clothes for you to wear while you stay here with me. Later, we can buy some for yourself after breakfast. You can change in the bathroom if you want."

She looked at the gown on the edge of her bed and nodded before she climbed out of the bed and took the gown with the into the bathroom. While she was in there, some mechanics came in and installed a new phone. I thanked them and gave them a big tip, mostly because I was embarrassed I broke their last ones but I wouldn't tell them why.

A little after they left, I heard the bathroom door opened and assumed Irene had finished changing. I turned and said, "So, how does the gown...fit?"

I practically fell silent after seeing her look so beautiful with the gown on, as simple as it was, she looked so radiant in it. She had also brushed and smoothed her hair out after it looked so messy last night. I was able to see her face then, and I don't recall ever being captivated by a girl as kind and sweet like her.

"Irene...", I said as I walked toward her, she looked confused, "What? Does it look bad?" I shook my head and took her hands in mine, "No, not at all. You just look so...enchanting. You really are a beautiful girl, Irene."

She turned her head away and blushed a little. "What's wrong?", I asked, wondering why she seemed upset I called her that. "Nothing, Remington. It's just, I've had men call me different things: sexy, alluring, fetching. But no one's ever called me beautiful. I'm kind of glad that...it was you that called me that."

My heart skipped a beat when she said that. I knew her heart was innocent, but the way she placed me under her spell with just her smile and her eyes, she could easily tear me apart and I would be totally fine with it. Our moment was interrupted when room service came up with our breakfast.

I invited Irene to join me to eat at a table near a window in my suite and she took a seat across me as I set her breakfast platter in front of her and mine close to me as well. It was a wonderful spread of eggs, bacon, toast, a small plate with butter, and two glasses of fresh-squeezed orange juice.

I was about to start eating, but I noticed Irene just stared at her food, an unsure look in her eyes. "Irene, aren't you hungry?", I asked her, she looked up and seemed guilty, but I didn't understand why.

"Mr. Porter would say girls who eat are fat and ugly, and all I did was drink alcohol in his office sometimes", she looked sad thinking about it, and then I reached out for her hand, she took mine, and I told her, "Well, forget everything that sick bastard taught you and please...take care of yourself. You're beautiful no matter what and I will keep telling you that until you believe that. Besides, the cooking staff here is phenomenal and might be offended if I have to send it back up."

She giggled for the first time since I met her, and I was a hundred percent sure in that one moment she looked so happy and lovely at the same time: This beautiful and broken girl had stolen my heart, and as a man who can get whatever he wants, this was the one thing I would let her keep for the rest of my life.