Beauty and the Sexy Beast [2022] {Re}Vamped Edition

-1-

So much can happen in such a short amount of time that sometimes you have no choice but to go into survival mode. In a matter of 6 months I had lost my best friend, my boyfriend, my job, and my sanity. I was well aware that a lot of those things were my doing but it didn't change anything. I needed to get out of there. I needed to escape. Escape the nightmares. Escape the constant pressure to move on, on other people's terms. If I had learned anything, it's that time may or may not be on your terms, that things happen when they're supposed to even if we're too impatient to wait. I was tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Tired of waiting for this nightmare to be over. Tired of this stupid city and its pretententious atmisphere. I've allowed myself to drown in other people's expectations, other people's opinions. I had know idea where I was going, so I bought the next ticket out of town and got off at the last stop. I figure I'll stay for a little while and then move on, see more. Do, at least, some of the things we were supposed to do before our last summer together.

I stumbled up the steep driveway that the taxi driver refused to drive up, startling me out of my haunting thoughts. It has been pouring for what felt like weeks even though I had only been in this sleepy town for not even 48 hours. I have searched high and low for something to call home while I figure out my next step. Motel life is not exactly for me but it is refreshing to feel human again. Even soaking wet, I still felt a thousand times better than I did back home. The ad in the newspaper said that the manor was in need of a tenant and the monthly fees were decent enough too. Enough that I could probably get away with staying here in my solitude for quite a while before anyone in my past life were to track me down.

I had finally reached the top when a large looming iron gate stood just at the entrance. I searched high and low for some kinda box that allowed communication with the house. I couldn't even get a decent view of the house or the grounds due to the downpour of cats and dogs. I was beginning to think the taxi driver knew something I didn't.

"Miss Chase?," came a voice from the other side of the gate. It slowly crept open but it was too dark to make out who was talking. The only thing I knew for certain was that it was a woman and most likely the lady I spoke to about the room for rent.

For some reason, even after she appeared in front of me once the gate was wide open, I just froze. There stood two figures before me, a petite woman with delicate features. Something told me that she wasn't nearly as fragile as she looked. She looked to be a few years older than my 20 years. But her eyes told a different story. The second figure was quite larger than the woman. He stood at, at least 6 feet tall. He blended into the night with his dark on dark outfit. He even wore a hood so there wasn't a clear view of his face. I was both alarmed and at ease at the same time and nothing made sense.

"Uhh," I tried to come up with something, anything, to say, but everything was just so bizarre that I actually considered turning and running for my life. I don't know if they sensed it but they both started forward. I went to take a step back and they both stopped. "Look," I start and then take a gulp of air before proceeding. "Maybe I should come back in the morning when it isn't so dark and dreary. I can barely see a couple feet ahead of me."

Somehow the lady's face was visible enough to see a soft smile play on her lips,"Don't be silly, we couldn't possibly turn you away in this weather."

With a quickness an umbrella popped open and the man was beside me holding it over my head. Not his. Just mine. "Uhm, thanks, bro. But what about you guys?"

Because I've been a serial clutz my whole life, I actually slipped on the wet cement and twisted my ankle, forcing me to grab onto the giant stranger. Did I mention that I was a whole 5 foot 5 inches. No? Well, a huge bulking stranger looming over you, catching you before you could manage to make even more of a full of yourself. Except it exceeds it because I sprained my ankle and  big man here picks me up like I'm nothing but a rag doll.

"Whoa, buddy. Can't you buy me dinner first?" I joked, trying to break the tentension as his strong arms held me up but kept me at a distance. Then, without another word he starts following the woman past the gates and toward the house.

The ad said that it was a manor with an extra room, but neglected to say it was one of the darkest, largest, most looming houses I had ever seen. Something about it made me feel safe and alarmed at the same time.

The inside was anything but dark. The foyer just inside the door had one of the most gorgeous chandeliers I have ever seen and I've seen my fair share of flashy. My knight and shining armor set me down in a chase between the winding staircases on either side of us. There was definitely a lot to explore.

The woman disappeared further into the house, hopefully retrieving some ice for my ankle cause it was about the size of a grapefruit at this point. I have never broken a bone in my body and, though I am prone to accidents, I have always been lucky on the injury side of things. But not today.

Low and behold she reappeared again with an old fashioned cold compress. Before I could react the man knelt down and slowly removed my boot. Which had gotten very snug. Once he removed both shoes he helped me up from the chase and guided me further into the house where there was a very comfortable looking couch.

Everything seemed to happen so fast I had barely attempted to regain control over the situation. I was guided to lay down on the couch with my ankle propped and the ice pack resting on it. Soon after the man disappeared and was just me and the mystery lady I forgot the name of.

    "Can we slow down?" I asked quickly before she could leave the room again. She stopped and seemed almost hesitant but she turned around.

    "How rude of me," she seemed to have picked up on what I was putting down because she turned back around.

    "My name is Samantha and that was James, he's head of security here at Clark Manor," she smiled briefly. "Sorry our meeting wasn't under better conditions. You must be hungry, I'll be right back."

She hurried off before I could ask anymore questions. Like, why do they need security?

    I laid there staring at the crowne molding around the high ceilings and wondered if I just ended up in the same place I had fled. She reappeared with a tray containing cookies and a mug of something hot and what appeared to be clothes under her arm.

    "Okay," she said, not looking at me as she sat the tray down on the coffee table and turned and handed me the clothes. "You must be freezing in those soaked clothes, change into these and I'll put those in the wash. Do you need help changing?"

    "Uhm, I think I can manage," I laugh nervously.

    "Okay, well, when you're finished here are some cookies and hot cocoa," she headed toward the doorway again and stopped in it. "Holler if you need anything else tonight, someone will be around to assist you if I'm not." She pulled something from the door frame that turned out to be a door and shut it behind her, leaving me with my privacy and a lot of questions.

    I grimaced as I changed into some very comfortable pajamas and had no idea what to do with my wet clothes and unable to get around, I just left them on the tray and put the cookies and cocoa on the table. I could at least manage to use a coaster.

    The cocoa and cookies were probably the best I ever had but then again I was freezing and admittedly hungry. But shortly after I wasn't feeling very well. I couldn't even lift my injured ankle back on the couch.

    The last thing I could remember before I passed out was, "Oh, shit!"