edited <3
the rolling stones - sympathy for the devil
tw // mentions of violence tendencies & gruesome description
The hotel room stunk of Sauvage by Dior, immediately captivating my senses once I've entered through the expensive door. The hotels here truly were different from the ones in New York, it's like a whole new world.
Bright sun beams flooded through the window mainly from the reflective surface of the hotel across from here. I glance around the room taking note of how clean and kept up it was, as if no one's been in here and has touched anything. There were no dents in the sofas, the kitchen looked barren, the only indication of someone being here was the closed suitcase left out in the middle of the room.
I wasn't even supposed to be here, really. I was on my way to catch up with old friends from school when Matthew had sent me a cryptic message, in which the noisy part of me couldn't ignore coming to see.
Seriously, if the devil came up to you and offered you a tour of Hell, would you not take it?
The area was dead silent, with the hotel room being so high up and the minimum noiseless traffic this area had. It was sort of eerie, like I had just walked into the beginning of a horror movie but even thats selling it short.
A loud voice rings in the air that makes me jump in my spot. My brows furrow as I recheck the text to see if I was even in the right place.
come ovr in 30.importantstuff need to be talked about.talk to the frnt desk pls.
It was weird in whole, he never shortened his words nor spoke like that. And he surely never said please. I glance at the card the front desk had given me and wondered if they had given me the wrong room card.
The loud voices started screaming again causing me to wince from the sudden volume of it.
Of course, me being my dumb self I decided to go where the yelling was coming from which was the master bedroom. The door was cracked open which was convenient for me as I press myself against the wall and peak into the room even though it was dark with the curtains being pulled shut.
The first thing I notice is a crinkling plastic sound as someone paces around muttering stuff I couldn't understand. There was a faint noise of struggle which caused me to peer around more and seeing someone tied up in a chair wiggling around in it.
My eyes widen as I pull back and try to not make any noise myself. What did I just get myself into.
The pacing stops and there's a ripping noise followed by cuss words being spewed out into the air. I press myself against the wall and look between the crack once again to see the figure leaning over the person in the chair. The masculine hand held the persons brown hair in it's hand and was yanking it down as their faces were inches away from each other. Was I interrupting something? Probably.
A dimmed light source was the only thing that lit up in the room which was out of my view making it really hard to even knowing what was happening in front of me. What it did help though was provide a small glint of light off whatever the person was holding in the opposite hand. Squinting my eyes I tried my best to see what it is, but failed due to the poor lighting.
"Just tell me what you know." The familiar seethed through teeth. My breathe fastens as I recognize it, Matthew. What the fuck was he doing?
The brunette shakes their head refusing to answer causing Matthew to yank harder on their hair still held in his grip. A scream escapes their mouth causing my stomach to sink.
"Shut up!" He seethes once again through his teeth, "I know you know. If you don't fess up I will slice your throat open." My stomach has fully left the building. He brings the object into my view and it's a cutting knife.
"I won't tell you shit. You already know, figure it out yourself." The feminine voice meekly speaks. Another scream escapes her as the knife presses up against her chin. He brings her face closer still pressing it to her and spits in her face. She jerks back causing a drip of red to fall onto her clothing.
Matthew starts pacing the floor again shaking his head against his thoughts. For a moment I think he looks over, causing me to lean back to the wall next to the door.
Nothing comes after a couple of minutes so I peer back seeing him towering over her shrunken body as if she was trying to hide herself.
My mind flashes back to a previous conversation I had with Ria a month or so ago.
"He's done so much fucked up shit to so many people. He manipulates, controls, owns, he's like how would you say. A "modern day devil" to most. You sign a paper or contract and he practically owns you." I let out a quiet gasp at their statement as my mind flashes back to earlier of today and what Matthew had told me in that room.
I feel tears well up in my eyes as Ria continues to spill more about Matthew, "Once he starts an obsession over something, it doesn't go away. I overhead some people saying it was you..I'm really hoping it's not Luna." They grab my hands as the tears start to roll out. Ria wasn't able to see the tears through the dark though.
Tears start forming in my eyes as I trace back to the conversation. I've never really given it thought until now in this moment.
When I focus back he was leaned down practically straddling the poor girl as she sobbed against his hand. He was hushing her trying to keep her quiet with the knife still poking up into her jaw. I just know that hurts.
"You're useless Lily. You always have been." He spokes lowly in a deep voice. He cocks his head to the side unfazed by anything, "It's a pity really. Once you're gone you won't be missed except for your sluttish ways of course. That's all you've been known for."
Before I know it he's moved the knife from her jaw to her neck.
"Any last words, Lily?"He taunts out to her.
"You're going to hell Matthew Gray." She spits out at him. Even though I could barely see his face, I know it was filled with rage.
"Who's to say I've not already been there?" He leans down licking the blood that was dripping down her chin causing her to jerk away and look somewhere else. Her head jerks to the right, her gaze falling on me. For once her icey blue eyes weren't filled with jealously but rather a fear one could never describe.
His hand wraps around her jaw forcing her to look back at him. He leans down to her face his lips barely brushing against hers as he whispers something to her I couldn't hear. She viciously shakes her head against his grip and struggles against the chair despite her hands being tied behind it.
Before I can process it, red filled my vision. The knife went against her throat and the red liquid floods against the two of them. She stops struggling after a minute and he stands up wiping himself off though his clothes were ruined.
A scream rips through the air, this time not from her but from me.
His head shoots over to the noise, just now taking notice of my presence. His face held a wicked grin on it as he observed my reaction. I stand there numbly not knowing what was going on.
This has to be one of my sick wicked nightmares, there was no way this man who was my boss would kill someone in front of me. My breathing increases and before I know it I start gagging. I rush into the bathroom that was opposite of the bedroom entrance and throw up whatever was in my stomach into the toilet bowl.
I feel his hands push back my hair, just like he was holding Lily moments ago. Once I've stopped throwing up I flinch away from his presence which was hard with the wall next to me and the toilet cornering me in.
Fear radiates off my body as I refuse to look at his face. Who knows what sick twisted things he was thinking right now, I had to get away from him.
Gripping the toilet bowl I try my best to get up despite my numb legs saying the opposite. Before I could tumble down his hands grab onto my arms lifting me up. This time I saw his face, no emotion. Shuddering away from him I escape from his hold and make my way out, hopefully.
His hand catches my wrist swinging my body around to him causing my body to fall into him. "Where do you think you're going?" He whispers into my ear making me pull away from him. Shaking my head he's flipped us to where we each stood causing me to back up right back to where the mess was. Glancing around the only way I could escape him for the time being would be the bathroom or the room where a murdered girl laid.
Without even thinking I dart into the bedroom slamming it shut behind me. There's a distant knocking sound followed by a cussing Matthew quickly stepping away from the room. Glancing around, I let out a muffled sob at the sight in front of me.
There was a puddle of red around my feet and a limp lifeless body not that too far away. The door knob rattles open and I grab the knife that he had dropped on the floor. He emerges from the doorway, taking note of the weapon in my hands he raises his hands with a sly smirk on his face.
His grey shirt was splattered with red droplets staining it a dark color.
"You're going to have to be quieter. Noise complaint." He speaks nonchalantly taking a step closer to me.
My hands start shaking as he does so. "Don't get closer. What'd you tell them." I speak for the first time my throat being hoarse.
"We were watching a horror movie, resulting in spilt wine." He chuckles to himself shaking his head at the gullible lie. His long legs take another step but if I were to step back anymore I'd be on top of Lily.
"You're sick. Why'd you tell me to come here." I sneer not even trying to hide my disgust from him.
His hands fall down to the side of him. "Well obviously not for you to witness this." He lets out another chuckle. "You weren't supposed to see this." His voice had gotten noticeably deeper as he took another step.
My hands shake more but stop once he places his hand over mine. He grabs the knife from my shaking hand and tosses it far away from us. Well fuck, there goes my defense. I watch it clatter against the dresser leg off of the plastic covering underneath us.
"Why'd you do it." I whisper out avoiding eye contact as I stare at his cloth covered collarbone.
"That's not something for you to know. Nor will you ever." His hand reaches over to my chin and jerks it up so I'm staring at him. Just like he did to Lily. I start shaking my head as warm tears fall down my cheeks. I'm going to be next. "Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."
How can I trust him with that statement. His hand pulls away from my face and roughly grabs onto my wrists dragging me to the entrance but not before making me take off my blood soaked vans and socks.
He drags me out to the make shift living area where he pulls out his phone and calls some people which took only a minute. Taking a sit on the couch he looks up at him as if waiting for something to happen. I awkwardly stand there hugging my arms close to my body not knowing what to do with them.
"How do you know I won't go to the police?" I speak out after a moment of silence.
He lets out a loud sigh and stands up walking over to the suitcase that's been laid out in the middle. Unzipping it he pulls out new clothes, an identical shirt and sweats. "Because you're under contract." He starts stripping of his blood soaked clothing leaving him in his boxers. "And if you were to say anything, you'd have to deal with people way worse than me. And we wouldn't that Darling now would we?"
That wicked smile. He pulls on the new pair of clothing taking his time with it.
"Don't call me darling." A scowl forms on my face, "What do you mean people worse than you?"
He shoves the bloody articles into the unzipped suitcase, stepping over it and towards me. "You don't think I work alone do you? There's a whole ring of fucked up psychos who do much worse for much more." He towers over me, his red hand reaching over brushing my hair probably staining it as well. "Besides, we don't want anything happening to that face of yours now do we?" His hand stops short at my cheek, peering down at me.
A knock interrupts him, he flashes me a smile before walking over to the main door and opening it to reveal the two men in suits that follow him everywhere. They walk in glancing at me with that emotionless look they always held on their faces as Matthew walks back over as they grab the suitcase near us and disappear off into the next room.
The familiar feeling sets in my stomach again and I feel sick. Matthew takes notice and scrunches his face up in disgust at me.
"Lets get you out of here." He turns around and calls out, "Boys? Make sure to do an extra deep clean in the bathroom and out here." And just like that he was leading me out into the hotel hallway as if he didn't just murder an innocent person.
*******
As if to make anything better, he ended up taking me to the outlet mall that wasn't far from the hotel to get new Vans. It was sweet in a cruel sickening way. The taxi had dropped me off in front of my house, I've been standing here for ten minutes just staring at the exterior, how am I supposed to face my family after what had just happened.
Even though the event had taken place hours ago, it felt like minutes have passed.
My wet hair clung to my shirt causing me to freeze a little from the breeze that had popped up out of nowhere. Before Matthew had gotten me the new shoes, he made me go into the mall bathroom and wash the red out of my hair in a sink.
Well, it was now or never. My feet drag themselves up to the front and open the unlocked door.
We need to start locking it.
It slams shut behind me unintentionally causing Chelsea to poke her head out from the kitchen with the biggest smile ever. Oh god, if anything ever happened to them I wouldn't know what I'd do. I fake a smile back at her and trudge over to the area that she was in, the smell of food filling my nose.
"Surprise!" She yells out once I've reached where she was. Before I can step into the kitchen a tall figure steps in front of me. My breathe hitches thinking it was Matthew and he had somehow snuck in to harm them. But no, it was Pete.
A wide smile covers his face to surprise me. I was supposed to be happy to see him but my mind was far from it, I have to fake it. A small grin forms on my face as I reach out and hug him. Maybe too tight of one for a greeting hug.
He tenses up from the tightness but returns it in a comforting way, I could just melt in his arms. Before I know it he pulls back and his shirt was wet, he has a surprised but concerned look covering his face. Letting out a small cough he nods to where my bedroom was, knowing where it was probably from Chelsea.
His hand rests on my lower back as we walk away leaving a rather confused Chelsea. Opening the door he lets me in first where I just start sobbing, he shuts it behind him and pulls me into another hug not speaking one word.
We stand there for what seems like forever with his arms around me and me just sobbing into his chest. Eventually we pull apart and we both sit on the messy bed I didn't bother making this morning. His hand starts to run through my hair trying to comfort me but making me flinch reminding me of how Matthew did that earlier.
"Luna, what's wrong?" He finally speaks out lowly with concern laced in his voice.
Holy shit, I was technically an accomplice to a murder. The thought makes another sob leave my mouth. Lily was dead. Sure, she was a bitch to me but she was a whole person.
"I-" My mouth was unable to form sentences. "Matthew." Is all I'm able to say. Looking up at Pete's face it's mixed with confusion but also something else I can't figure out.
"What did Matthew do to you?" He asked trying his best to remain calm for me.
"Not to me. To Lily." I sob out again my hand reaching out and gripping onto his. "He fucking killed her."
His whole boy tenses up next to mine as silence surrounds us in the room. It's like this for another ten minute with neither of us talking as he processes what I say.
"Lily's dead? And Matthew killed her?" He asks rather calm. I let go of his hand and look up at him in confusion, why wasn't he freaking out, why is he so calm? All I do is nod my head, "How do you know this? Did he make you watch?"
I breathe in a huge gulp of air before telling him everything I saw not going in detail for my own sake. He doesn't talk or interrupt me, he just nods his head listening intently. After I'm finished he puts his hand on my knee and rubs circles on it with his thumb.
"Luna. You can't go to the police or tell anyone about this. You shouldn't have even told me." His words make me look up at him in confusion, did he really just say that?
"W-what do you mean? He fucking killed someone!" I yell in a hushed whisper so I wouldn't alert anyone else. Pete avoids my gaze as he bites his lip and looks down at the tiled floor.
"You have no idea what'll happen to you if you tell anyone else. I've seen it happen before. Just don't." He speaks warningly. What the fuck is wrong with everyone today? "Look, why don't you clean up, put on a fake smile whilst pushing what happened to the back of your head and spend at least an hour with your family so they don't think anything is wrong and we can talk tonight." His face remains solemn as he walks out of my room leaving me alone to myself.
So that's exactly what I did.
After taking a long thoughtful shower and changing into more comfy clothes, I walk out towards the kitchen where everyone was. Chelsea, Pete, Mom, even my dad who I've barely seen. They were at the table chatting happily to Pete as Chelsea was cooking something on the stove.
Pete looks over at me with a toothful smile not even phased by what I spoke up about earlier. There was an empty seat next to Pete which I hesitantly sat down in causing my mom's smile to falter a little. Pete's hand found it's way onto my thigh as he squeezed it in a reassuring way. A faked smile formed on my face as I falsely listened to some work story my dad was telling.
Chelsea finished cooking, setting down plates full of food in front of us and then gingerly taking a seat in between my mom and I. The environment was automatically fueled with conversation and forks scraping against the plate. But I sat there with thoughts clouding my mind as I pushed around the baked chicken on my plate.
"How'd the lunch date with your old friends go?" My mom asks sweetly causing the attention to move onto me.
"Oh." My eyes flickered to Pete who was watching what I had to say, "It went great, tons of catch up." I lie straight through my teeth. Never seeing them once nor even getting the chance to text them to cancel.
She nods her head eyeing my fork that was pushing my food around. Taking notice of it I shove a piece of chicken into my mouth despite my stomachs protest of not wanting anything in it. Chewing it for awhile I force swallow feeling nothing but swirls in my stomach.
"So Pete, Luna told us you weren't coming?" Chelsea asks taking a bite of green beans.
"I changed my mind, wanted to surprise her." He smiles over towards my sister, "We haven't seen each other in a while so I thought, why not." His voice seemed forced causing my eyebrows to furrow slightly at him.
After forcing myself to eat the food and a long dreadful conversation about stuff I wasn't even paying attention to, it was finally time. Chelsea had already excused herself so now it was time for us as well.
"If you don't mind I'm going to head to bed early, long plane ride." Pete says standing up with his long legs. He says goodnight to my parents and I do the same following closely behind him. Once the door was shut behind us and the light was flicked on, Pete sits back down with his face in his hands.
My confusion was pushed away and replaced with concern as I sit down next to his figure. He looks down over at me as an emotion is finally covering his face for the first time tonight. Sadness.
My hand reaches over and intertwines with his once again. He was wearing black sweats along with some graphic tee that looked so well on him.
"I know what you experienced was traumatic," He starts off quiet quickly gaining my attention, "But for your own safety and for others you can't tell anyone." My mouth parts open but all I can do is gingerly nod my head. I didn't want to fight over something like this.
"Pete." He listens more closely to me, "You said you weren't coming here. Rather rudely." I recall back to our last conversation. Discomfort washes over him and it was easy to tell.
His body shifts and he leans back resting against the wall of pillows. I follow suit laying down next to him staring up at the ceiling.
"I know. I'm sorry." The bed moves a little causing me to divert my eyes from the ceiling to him. "I wanted to talk to you about that night. Ria came over and talked me through that problem."
My face scrunches in confusion, "Ria talked to you about a problem? What problem?" He moves onto his side so he could talk to me properly. He stared at me for a second before he started confessing.
Once he's finished I lay there consuming all the feelings he had spilt to me. Fuck, I didn't even realize he felt like that. Tears swelled up in my eyes as I couldn't even look at him.
"I didn't know you felt like that." I let out a gulp of breathe I didn't realize I was holding in, "You won't feel like that ever again, I swear." My hand cautiously went up to his face grazing over his cheek.
I'm going to do everything in my power to escape Matthew Gray.
A/N: Thank you sansi (@ReincarnatedLove )for helping me figure out how to execute the scene w Matthew and going over it with me <3 !! omg that was so intense- even I felt icky writing that ugh. Also felt like this song went great with this chapter lmaooo, it's also 1 am when im uploading it and it took four hours to write what is wrong w me LMAOO
don't forget to vote if you're enjoying the story and leave a lil comment, I love reading them ! <3