Scarlet Springs (Ari Levinson) AU - 18+

13

Margot

I dream that I'm staring down the barrel of a gun, one being held by Davy. He says nothing, eyes cold and emotionless just as they were when he shot that guy in the club. Except he's found me, and instead of calling one of his lap dogs to do his dirty work, he wants to finish the job himself.

I'm a special case.

As I close my eyes tight, I hear the sound of the shot and my eyes shoot open, body now sitting upright in a cold sweat. Beside me, Ari is quickly awake and switching on the light. "Margot? You alright?" He asks as he sees the look of terror in my eyes, and then pulls me against the safety of his chest.

Focus Margot. You're alive. Listen to his heartbeat.

I do.

Thump, thump, thump, thump...

His heart is beating steadily whereas mine is thumping away in overdrive. He keeps a tight hold of me. "Nightmare". He states quietly, knowing it was. It's like that first night we met. He was able to read me so well.

"Yeah..." I manage to finally breathe out, well, more so pant.

His hands stroke my hair as he soothes me. "It's alright, I got you".

I nod against him and still focus on his beating heart to try and calm down. It's working, and so we just sit there with him stroking my hair from my damp forehead until I finally feel ok.

Ari looks at me concerned. "Was he in it?"

"Yeah..." I say as he gets up and goes to get me a glass of water, passing it to me as he returns. I sip at it, not realising just how dry my mouth is.

"He can't get you". He says as he sits back down next to me and slowly caresses my arm.

"As long as he's around and knows I'm out there alive? He's gonna do all that he can to get me".

**

I hear Ari checking in a couple of people at the front desk that afternoon, keeping to listening in the doorway as he speaks to them. "So, where you two headed?" He asks as I hear the woman giggle like some lovestruck schoolgirl.

"Honeymoon road trip. We said we'd take it with rings on our fingers..."

"Hopefully no bells on your toes right?" I stifle a laugh as I know he's quoting nursery rhymes with a smile on his face.

The couple laugh at this too, and as I peek out, I see that they can be only in their early twenties. But the way they look at one another? It's deep. The bitch part of me wants to tell them it probably won't last. They'll have kids, grow miserable of one another and end up in a messy custody battle as well as a hefty divorce. But I won't rain on their parade. My relationship may have been toxic and shit, but perhaps these two could be the rare case of making their marriage last until their dying day.

I can't believe that I once thought I'd marry Davy - back before he became a murderous, money whoring jerk. The more I think about it, the more he probably wouldn't have put a ring on my finger anyway. Tight pockets you see. He'd have probably brought himself a watch or something expensive instead. It's a wonder we lasted as long as we did, but it wouldn't surprise me if he'd been screwing other girls. In fact, I'm pretty sure that he was, all while having the cheek of keeping a tight leash on me.

But Ari has unleashed me, brought out the old me before Davy was ever on the scene. Everything feels fun again - except for the nightmares. It's not even about the sex, although that is a good factor. With Ari I feel like I can no longer have such an identity crisis with myself. He doesn't see me as a stripper even though I've said many times I still feel like one. He doesn't see me as a fuck buddy. He sees me for who I really am, as cliché as it sounds. But it's the truth.

No bullshit.

Just him and a motel.

"Room 12, I'll bring you some towels. If there's anything else I can get you then just ring through". Ari says, the rattle of the keys clanking against one another sounding as he takes one from the wall and gives it to them.

"Thanks! We will". The happy wife chirps and once the newly-weds have vacated, I make myself known.

Ari doesn't look at me but at the door they've just walked out of. "How long do you give 'em before they divorce?"

I laugh as he was thinking the same as I was. How awful are we? Then again I suppose I can let him off considering he's divorced himself. "A few years, possibly one or two kids depending on how quickly they wanna breed".

He sucks in some air through his teeth. "Brutal, but probably more realistic than the eight years I gave".

"So we both agree they'll never make it to ten?" I conclude and he nods.

"We certainly do, but congrats to the happy couple anyway - and by just how happy they are? I'd say we need to stay away from Room 12 for tonight".

"What if they want food?" I frown.

"Vending machine. They want the road trip experience then they can have it - this isn't a diner". He smiles and shakes his head, knowing he's a cruel bastard, but cruel in the most delicious of ways to me.

I sit down on the chair behind the desk. "We're gonna need to do a grocery run..."

He nods. "I'll go this afternoon. Gotta pick up all the stuff I need to start on those first rooms".

"Can I help?" I ask, not wanting him to think I'd just sit there and watch him do it all, while I crack open a diet coke and live it up. The mental image of him shirtless and covered in flecks of paint sends a buzz to my core and I squeeze my legs together to stop  the throb that's now there.

"Sure". He replies. "You ok to hold the fort while I go. I'll take the towels to the horny couple and tell them I'll be back in an hour. That way they won't come in here looking for anything".

He means they won't come looking for me - unless they're undercover. Every guest that checks in, I wonder about this, but they always are normal people who are travelling. Thank fuck. Ari's ensuring that I'm protected as well.

"I mean, do you think they have the potential to be undercover to find me?" I joke, knowing full well that they are not.

"Fuck no". Ari replies with a small chuckle and takes his keys, as well as grabbing some towels from the cupboard. "I'll be back soon. I'll lock the door too".  without warning, he dips down and kisses me, as though it's the most natural thing to do in the world. He soon realises this and then pulls away. "Right...towels..." He mutters, a little flustered in my opinion and then heads for the door, looking back at me. "And Margot?"

I look up at him from where I'm now hiding the blush in my cheeks. Sure we kiss, have sex and all that, but the dynamic has shifted. That was different from any other kiss we've shared...

"Yeah?"

"I...yeah, I won't be long". He says and then heads out, leaving me standing there as he locks the door. I go back into the apartment and lock that door behind me, a little confused but not overly surprised.