After my shower, I put on the only thing in the closet that could cover the marks on my neck and breasts. A grey cropped turtle neck.
I was in no mood to deal with stares.
I tied my hair into a high lazy bun and wore my blue denim shorts with white air forces.
Walking down the stairs, trying not to wince from the pain I headed straight to the dining room for breakfast. A little excited and nervous to see Lorenzo.
Would he go back to being an asshole outside of the confined space of the bedroom where there's no sex? Did I even have the energy to deal with it?
What I find or rather who I find when I enter is more disturbing instead.
I sigh, "Santana."
Satan sits in a chair next to where Lorenzo usually sits in a classy white pencil skirt dress.
Red lips accompanied by 6 inch red pumps, she looks phenomenal. For the first time ever in my life, I can't help but feel self conscious.
I bury the thought as soon as she speaks, "ah you're still here." She says in a bittersweet tone.
"I guess so." I say as I take a seat on the opposite end of the table. My usual seat.
She looks up at me, "hmm serious question though, what kind of work are you doing for my Lorenzo?"
The 'my' sends a pang, but I bury the feeling as soon as it comes up, "I'm not at liberty to say. You could ask him."
She hums and stares for a minute too long, I start shifting in my seat, "what?"
She shakes her head, "oh nothing, you just.. You look familiar, I just can't put my finger on it."
I shrug, "I doubt we run in the same circles"
She looks at me up and down, "you're right about that."
I roll my eyes and focus on the plate of food that is now in front of me.
"Coffee miss?" Maria asks Santana.
"Yes, and could you find out how long me Romano will be taking, we'll be late."
"You two work together?" I can't help but ask Santana. I still don't understand their situation and no, I don't care I'm just curious. I did just sleep with the man.
She laughs, "me? Work? Oh god no." She smiles now, "not that it's any of your business, but he's my boyfriend."
I nod, continuing with my breakfast. She stands from her seat and moves to the seat closest to me with her coffee. I narrow my brows in confusion.
"Look, I don't care what you do here, but I do have a proposition for you." She smiles.
I tilt my head and lean back in my chair waiting for her to continue.
"My Lorenzo has.. kind of a hard time keeping it in his pants as I'm sure you've noticed,"
My eyes widen, okay , I didn't expect that, "And trust me, I don't mind it. He's a man whose eyes can't help but wonder, but I just need you to keep an eye out for me. Just tell me if there's a woman that comes here regularly."
I sigh, "You're asking me to spy on your boyfriend?"
"Not spy, just keep an eye out. You're the only one that lives in the house and not in the servants quarters, so yo-"
"Servants?" I spit out
"Maids, the help, whatever you want to call them darling. Just help me out, I know he wouldn't even look at you, you're far from his type, so what could you lose?"
I scoff and laugh, "God I actually hope he does have someone who he sees on the regular that'll replace this vile excuse of a woman." I say more to myself.
I stand up to leave , but she stops me by pulling at my wrist, laughing. "Oh my dear, I could make life very difficult for you. Don't get on my bad side."
Maria looks at me nervously, shaking her head in warning not to take the threat lightly, I roll my eyes.
"Do your worst."
We go into a staring contest for a minute. She's not backing down, but neither am I.
Not until, the door opens and Lorenzo walks in narrowing his eyes as soon as he sees us, "am I interrupting?" He asks.
I pull my hand away and clear my throat and Satan is the first to speak, "No baby, I was just formally introducing myself to the lovely call girl."
I raise a brow, "call girl?" I look at her.
She smiles, "oh well Lorenzo told me you also work at Lace... I would rather not use the word he used." She clears her throat.
"Santana..." He warns.
"You mean you're afraid to call me a stripper?" I roll my eyes at her childishness.
"Oh no, what was the word you used honey? Oh right, 'she's just another whore that works at the club'"
My heart clenched, and my jaw tightens from me gritting my teeth.
I look at him and he has his fingers holding the bridge of his nose, with his eyes closed. He lets out a sigh, "Let's just go Santana."
I stand there. Still. Unable to move and find my words. All I can do is breathe heavily.
Santana smirks, "Gladly my love," she says as she picks up her purse and comes closer to my ear, "I'll give you one more chance to consider my offer. You could use the money."
She walks off and holds onto Lorenzo's arm. He doesn't even look at me. As if I wasn't worth the glance.
Why would he when I'm just a whore to him?
I ignore the lump in my throat and avoid the eyes in the room storming out to go get my bag before heading out.
I find Cameron already waiting by the doorway for me and we head out.
The car drive to school was quiet. I was lost in my thoughts. I barely even focused in class.
Did he really think I was a whore? Is that why he slept with me? But that can't be it.
He looks at the girls at the club with disinterest, no matter how naked they usually are. The women he usually does bring to his house are more like Santana than they are me.
The whole classy look, the I have money and my bag alone could pay your rent look. Based on them I definitely wasn't his type. I guess he slept with me because I was just there and available?
Did he make an exception just because I was closest?
I knew he hated me, I hated him too, but I at least thought he found me attractive.
Turns out I was just what was there. The whore.
Walking on the quad with molly I ask, "Do you think I'm a whore?"
She stops walking and looks at me then laughs, "You? Rori, you've only slept with three people. You couldn't possibly think that?"
"Well, Lorenzo seems to think I am."
She narrows her eyes at me, "You've never cared what anybody thinks of you. Omg, do you like him?" She smiles
"No!" I roll my eyes and carry on walking.
She follows, "yes you do."
"No I don't. Ugh can we talk about something else."
"Hmm, fine I'll drop it for now, but we're coming back to this."
I roll my eyes and we walk to our next class while I tell her how my date with Jake went and I think I could actually like him, maybe.
By the end of the day, she'd convinced me to go with her to a fundraiser event tonight since I wasn't working. It didn't take much convincing really, I wasn't in the mood to see him.
—————————————————————————
I didn't bother going back to the house. I just went to Molly's instead and told Cameron where I was going and that I wouldn't need him for the rest of the day.
My hips are wider and my breasts are bigger than Molly's so fitting into a dress that was made to sit loosely on her, sat tighter on me. The black dress hugged my hips and breasts tightly, showing a slight cleavage.
She did my hair and makeup, tying my curls into a sleek updo.
We got to the event and it was as boring as expected. The only exciting thing were the glasses of champagne going around.
I was relaxed though. Molly assured me Lorenzo wouldn't come after I saw the name of the hotel we were at. "Romano Empires"
He apparently just donates a big fat check, provides the venue if needed and usually skips the charity events.
We're both on our third glasses of champagne when a man approaches us, "hi, I'm sorry to interrupt, but haven't we met?"
He asks Molly, and she giggles, "I'm afraid not. Id remember seeing a face like yours."
I roll my eyes at her antics, "could I maybe get you ladies drinks?"
She looks at me and I nod back at her giving her the go ahead, "I'd like that." She takes the hand that was held out for her and walks away.
At least someone is going to enjoy tonight.
I decide to head out the big ball room and head outside.
I walk into the lobby, to find the one and only Lorenzo walking hand in hand with Santana who's wearing a baby blue satin gown that hugs her tiny figure just right.
I feel like ripping it off.
He's in a tux, his usual black or dark colored shirts replaced by a white button up accompanied by a bow tie. His hair is swept back and he looks so damn hot.
'she's just another whore that works at the club'
The words ring in my head and my desire is immediately replaced with anger.
I'll show him who's the whore.
With my mind set, I head back inside the ball room before they see me and go find the man that tried flirting with me earlier.
I'm standing with this boring man going on about how he's a lawyer too and all the things he could teach me and show me, not just in the bedroom but in the professional field.
I'd had every intention of just getting a room with him and getting Lucifer out of my system. He was attractive enough I guess, my god was he boring.
I was about to excuse myself when he interrupted the man I was talking to.
"Mr Romano, what an honour it is to bump into you at one of these, finally." He smiles and extends his hand for a shake.
Lucifer just looks at the hand and nods at the man in greeting. He looks at me immediately right after, not saying a word.
The man awkwardly retracts his hand, "uhm well, do you know each other?" He asks.
"No." I spit out, refusing to look at Lucifer and my eyes trained on the man, "please go on, you were telling me about your summer house in the Hamptons?"
"Oh yes, we could go there in-"
"She's not going anywhere." Lucifer states blankly, still not taking his eyes away from me.
I roll my eyes and scoff, finally looking at him, "That's not up to you I'm afraid."
"It is."
"It's not!"
"You work for me remember? I own your ass"
I laugh incredulously, "Oh so not only am I a whore, but apparently I'm an object to be owned?" I look at what's his face, "oh sorry don't mind him, he's just a client of mine who can't seem to leave me alone. Did I forget to mention, I'm a whore?"
The man widens his eyes, "that's right. I sleep with men for money, and mr Romano here, this respectable man can't seem to get eno-"
"Walk away." He says to the man, but I'm the one who responds, "gladly."
I pick up my dress and storm out. Annoyingly he follows right behind me.
As soon as I make it out of the crowded room I walk straight for the lobby, but he grabs me by the arm and pulls me into a quiet hallway.
"What the fuck is your problem?" He whisper yells.
"My problem? My problem?" I scream.
My anger has reached a point where keeping my tone down wasn't even possible.
"Yes, your problem. You're humiliating yourself not to mention me for some dumb fucking word I said to Santana weeks ago."
"Oh so you did say it?"
"Yes and?" He asks, as if calling it wasn't that big of a deal.
Was it though? Why was I so bothered that he said I was a whore? He's not the first and definitely not the last and yet here I am, fighting a lump in my throat.
My anger slowly dissipates and my breathing slows down.
I shake my head and look down, "N-nothing. It's... nothing."
He sighs, "what are you doing here anyways?"
"I'm Molly's date."
He leans in closer to me,and pulls up my chin, "should I get us a room and we disappear for a while? I think I have an hour before Santana notices I'm gone."
Just another man who sees me as a sex toy.
Honestly, I preferred him looking at me in disgust than him looking at me as sexual object. Like all men did.
I prefer us hating each other than this... this pang in my heart and lump in my throat that I can't even explain.
I push at his chest and move away from him, "I was actually going to leave soon. I've got a lot of studying to do."
He nods, "Aurora, look, I-"
"Honey, there you are. I've been looking all over for you." Santana says as she approaches and looks at me , "Oh, you... what are you doing here?"
"I was just leaving..." I say before walking away from them.
"Cute dress." She screams out behind me as I turn the corner of the hallway.