Malena
I see the man I have been dreading leaning against the block with a cigarette in between his lips. My eyes falter as I take in his side profile. Beautifully masculine, a strong high bridge down to the slope of his pink lips and his defined jaw.
Those blue eyes hidden behind long dark lashes and strong brows. His hair is perfectly tousled and thick.
His strong and towering frame is shrouded in an expensive trench.
He almost seems to be in slow motion when he takes the cigarette out of his mouth and blows it into the air.
It's so beautiful it's almost scary. He does not mean to look beautiful, but everything he does is.
He turns to me when I take another step and tilts his head. Those sick, empty eyes shining with interest.
I had rushed behind stage to take all my makeup off. Men like him do not like waiting.
He takes the cigarette in between his thumb and pointer finger crushing the flame.
My eyes widen a bit at his carelessness for getting burned. He gestures for me to follow him as he throws the cigarette into the trash.
I follow him and he opens the passanger's seat to his Rolls Royce.
I get in and he closes it firmly, going around the front to the driver's seat.
He gets in and pulls a paper from the back seat.
He looks at my frame defeated and tired. My head is down and looking down at the hands in my lap.
"What have you decided Ms.Ruth?"
"I do not have the money, I have no choice."
"No choice?"He says with amusement.
I look at him in anger.
Those cold blue eyes swimming with humour.
This is fun for him. I am his plaything.
Rich men like him can do whatever they want.
"I'll marry you, but I want you to pay for my tuition at the Academy of Dance."
He laughs "No need, I donate to the institute, they will let my wife in for free."
I roll my eyes and his eyes clock it but choose to ignore it.
He hands me the paper with a clipboard.
"Sign here," he hands me a pen.
An expensive ballpoint pen weighs in my hand. Weighs the next few years of my life really.
I sign my name in agony.
"I am signing my life away" I whisper.
He takes the clipboard.
"We are getting married next month probably, I will introduce you to my family."
I nod looking out the window to the dark, empty street, listening to the stipulations.
"You will take the Laurent last name, we will live together however sleeping arrangements will be made. We will eat dinner together. You must attend every event with me, and must not tell anyone about this arrangement."
I look at him recounting and stiffen to see his eyes fixated on me.
"You will do as I say, you are not important. I could make you disappear" he states grabbing my chin to prevent me from turning.
"You will be a good wife, and represent yourself and this family well. No affairs or you and him will both be dead."
I shrivel in fear. This man is indeed dangerous. What am I doing?
His face is stony and serious now.
"Good, I will do my part as well, I will not sleep with other women or disrespect you as long as you meet me halfway as well. I will treat you well and give you your own allowance."
I am surprised without a doubt, his tone is truthful and genuine. Most men of his caliber, even when claiming to love their wives still remain unfaithful. Yet here this beautiful, incredibly rich, and sought-after man, who has no love for me is vowing his faithfulness? It is not something that only a fool could believe so easily. Only time will tell.
His promise of an allowance struck my interest. This was a new life for me. No more living paycheck to paycheck. No more struggling to eat. I would live rich, I could live a life like those girls in my ballet class, go shopping with my friends not paying attention to the tags like in the movies. Have a large room with plush bedding and no floods, and not wear used clothes, or have to sew my clothes with holes. My life would change for the better.
What is the catch? Does he expect sex? Is he abusive? I must keep my guard up because I know that not even the police will be willing to protect me from the influence of this family.
I am selling my soul.
He owns me.
His eyes shine when his lips stop moving and his thumb brushes against my chin softly.
I shrink away in fear but his grip becomes stronger.
In a panic, my eyes widen, and look around frantically. In my peripheral downwards I can see his accentuated hand holding my head. Strong rivers form along his uncalloused hand and arms from his brute strength. His hands squeeze upwards towards my jaw and I look up at him.
"Look at me", he says softly delivering as a rasp.
His eyes are shining with an undetectable emotion as he takes in my face.
My brows are scrunched and my face is squished between his hand as my eyes look at him like a scared rabbit, and he's the wolf.
"Si belle (so beautiful)."
I feel my face heat and I shove his hand off my face.
"Do not touch me, please", I say irately.
He clears his throat and retracts his hand turning to the front and putting the key in his pocket into the ignition.
"What are you doing?"
"I am driving you home" he states simply as the car engine roars.
"I can take myself."
He hums and simply reverses out of the parking spot.
I cross my arms. This whole encounter is utterly ridiculous. I am getting married to a man I hardly know, who had the audacity to squeeze my face.
He drives off into the cool fall night and I watch the leaves fall in the dark.
"Your name is Alexandre no?"
He smiles "Yes, Ms.Ruth."
I clear my throat "Mine is Malena."
He just looks ahead at the road smiling knowingly.
Of course, he knows.
"Since we have to keep up the farce of a fake marriage, why don't we get to know each other."
He chuckles turning right.
"I am twenty-six, I have a younger brother and sister. My father passed away a year ago. Your name is Malena Ruth, your parents passed away in a crash twelve years ago. You grew up in Anne's home for girls here in Paris but were born in Chicago."
I roll my eyes snuggling into the car door wincing at the old memories.
"I mean what are your likes and dislikes?"
"I have no likes, well I like chess, board games, but I do not play them. I enjoy alcohol, reading, and boxing."
He turns to me "I also do enjoy practicing physics, you might find that I often work on engineering...maybe I will need you for an experiment?"
I nod impressed. We were off to somewhere.
"So do you have an engineering degree?"
He nods "Yes, it was something that my family finally agreed I could do. I double majored in Business management and mechanical engineering."
I look over at him in awe and my heart stutters.
I always appreciated a well-read man and I love nerds.
"And you?" His baritone voice fills the car.
"I also enjoy reading."
"I can tell, you are quite eloquent with your speech."
"Thank you, I love to dance obviously."
"You have the talent, I assume when you go to the Academy you will be given a lot of opportunity."
When, not if. I smile.
"I too like games, but it's not like I have anyone to play with", I whisper the last part but it seems he hears.
He nods and I understand in that moment it is the same for him.
"I would like to learn to skate, do you know how."
"We could go when you want."
I smile relaxing for the ride.
He pulls up to my shabby home and my face heats in embarrassment as he stares at it. Someone like him who lives in a mansion could not possibly understand my struggles.
"It's not like you haven't seen my home" I scoff at his gaze.
He says nothing and I get out of the car.
I head up to the complex and watch as he waits for me to enter. Rolling my eyes I fumble with the keys and enter.
The smell of cigarettes hit my nose. It had rained.
I rush to my door and open it frantically to see my apartment flooded.
"No, No" I cry out.
"Remi, Remi!"
I rush into it water rushing into my broken shoes. I am about to wade through the ankle-deep water when I feel a strong hand touch my shoulder.
"You're moving in with me tonight."