Black Widow|Under-construction

03

"So why am I here?" I asked impatiently, glaring at Marcel as I sipped some expensive wine in the middle of The Grillè. He hadn't so much invited me as demanded my presence about an hour ago to discuss business. I was still pissed about what happened the previous day and had ignored his texts since, but with free food and good money on the line, I was willing to forget it. I was also curious.

He pushed his rib into the BBQ sauce, staring me down as he bit into the juicy, tender meat.

"All you gotta do is act like my bitch and help me figure out who's been setting me up. Since you're so nosey, I figured you can find things out," he said, casually wiping his mouth.

"First of all, watch your mouth. And second, I'm not nosey, I just know a lot of things. Not my fault I'm smart," I said, sticking my tongue out at him playfully, though I was half-serious.

"Anyway, the papers are here," he said, tossing a stack of white documents in front of me. "You can just sign through them."

I looked down at the stack, feeling like I was signing my soul over to the devil. "I'll have my lawyers go over this. I'm not signing anything without reading it thoroughly," I said, leaning back in my chair. Marcel sighed in frustration, clearly annoyed. Truth was, I wasn't even calling my lawyers—I couldn't afford one.

After dinner, I found myself at Marcel's house, sitting in his home theater, the stack of papers spread out in front of me. I'd already read the contract at least ten times, but nothing stuck out between the blurred lines.

"You are one stubborn person," Scorpion's voice broke the silence. I looked up to see him leaning against the doorway. "You've read that contract a thousand times and still won't sign it."

Scorpion was Marcel's best friend and private bodyguard. From what I gathered, the two were practically brothers. After Scorpion's parents passed away when he was a baby, Marcel's family had taken him in as one of their own.

"I just don't want to end up involved in something that could harm me. Marcel's already in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, and I'm not trying to be the one playing with fire," I said, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Marcel's an innocent man, I can promise you that. And with that contract, he'll protect you with his life. Me too," he added, placing a hand over his chest.

"I know he's innocent, but it's not about him—it's about everything else. I don't know all the players involved, and that makes me hesitate."

"Fair enough. I'll let you decide." Scorpion raised his hands in surrender, backing off.

Just then, the doorbell rang, echoing throughout the house. Whoever was at the door clearly had no patience, because it rang again immediately, and again.

Without a word, Scorpion vanished, moving swiftly toward the entrance. I clicked the pen in my hand, hesitated for a second, then scrawled my name across the dotted line.

"Marcel! Marcel! Marcel!" A woman's voice suddenly echoed through the house. I quickly stuffed the papers under a nearby pillow. I'd give them to Marcel later.

The sound of clicking heels followed, growing louder as they approached the room. My heart raced. I braced myself, praying this wasn't some crazy ex-girlfriend or someone looking for a fight, because I wasn't in the mood.

"Marcel are you in here we need to talk I've seen the pictures online with you and this new wh-" .Before I could fully prepare, the doors flew open, and there she was—Marcel's mother. And from the look on her face, I could tell she wasn't here for a friendly chat. Scorpion stood behind her, clearly trying to steer her away from this side of the house.

"Oh, hello, dear. And who might you be?" she asked sweetly, though the venom was still clear in her eyes. Her smile stretched wide, but it didn't fool me.

She knew exactly who I was. Hell, she was about to call me a whore not five seconds ago.

"Hi, I'm Harmonié," I said, keeping my tone respectful. After all, she was his mother. But if she had been anyone else, I wouldn't have bothered responding at all.

"A new friend, hmm? Marcel certainly knows how to pick them. I'm surprised you're... one of color this time," she said, removing her gloves with slow deliberation. The sass in her voice was unmistakable. She looked like she'd stepped straight out of a ball, dressed to the nines in heavy jewelry and full makeup. It was a Monday night.

"What happened to calling before showing up, Mom?" Marcel appeared in the doorway, his hair wet, wrapped in a robe. Despite everything, I couldn't deny he looked damn good.

"I called you ten times, Marcel. When my calls go unanswered, I worry. So, I popped up," she replied, clutching her gloves in her hands as if she were trying to strangle them.

"When you call that much, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb. I still work, ma, and I get back to you when I'm free," he said, clearly exasperated.

"Well, I'm glad to see you and your company are still breathing. You had me worried, honey. But we need to talk about some... troubles I've noticed." She glanced in my direction as she said the word "troubles."

Marcel sighed. "Let me change first, and I'll meet you in the office. Scorpion, please escort my mother and make sure she doesn't go wandering where she's not invited."

Before she could protest, Scorpion guided her out of the room, leading her down the hall.

"Now, you," Marcel said, turning to me. "I'm going to show you where you'll be staying. I'm sure you're tired of sleeping in that van."

Wait, how the hell did he know I'd been sleeping in the van? Was Marcel stalking me?

I followed him out of the theater room, through the maid's quarters, and toward the kitchen. When we reached the side stairs, I expected him to lead me up, but instead, he tugged me back. He pressed a code into a hidden panel, and an elevator door slid open.

"If you didn't know it was here, you'd miss it," he said, stepping inside. I followed, still processing the hidden elevator.

"This is my private floor," Marcel explained as we descended. "Nobody but me—and now you—knows about this area. It's like my own personal house. Consider it yours while you're here, but keep it to yourself."

When the doors opened, my jaw nearly hit the floor. It wasn't just a room; it was a whole separate living space. Sleek, modern, and luxurious. The walls, which I initially thought were windows, were actually large screens showing scenic views.

"Wow... this is incredible," I said, taking it all in. "Are those screens?"

"Yeah. I can change the view to whatever I want. Ocean, city skyline, whatever. I'll show you how to use it later," he said.

He led me to his bedroom, and I couldn't resist jumping onto the massive bed. It was as soft and fluffy as I imagined, and I sank right into it.

"You can make yourself comfortable. I'll be back after I talk with my mother. Just don't break anything," he said before leaving me alone in the room.

I snuggled into the pillows, too exhausted to worry about anything else. A nap wouldn't hurt.

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Boring chapter but we do have more to come. I'm going to try to be more active on here and get some good books out to you guys.
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