The Love Contract | Alex Turner

Encore

Alex's POV

I stand quietly standing in front of Marianne's door for a few seconds as I watch her enter her room. I chuckle as I hear her immediately land on the bed. I shove my hands into my pockets and start walking back to my room. I feel a strange sense of nervousness at the thought of her being at the concert tonight. 

I shut the door behind me as I enter my room, slowly taking a deep breath as I lean against it for a moment. I don't know why I was feeling like this. I know I am attracted to Marianne, but it's definitely just lust, right? I shake my head and decide to stop overthinking it, sitting down on the edge of my bed and letting out a deep sigh. 

I remain sitting down on my bed, staring blankly into space as I lose myself in thought. I can't get Marianne off my mind recently. The way I feel is more intense, and strangely overwhelming somehow. I continue to sit still, wondering if Marianne is thinking of me the way I am thinking of her. 

I don't know how long I sat staring into space, consumed in my thoughts, until I hear a knock at my door. Jamie is stood there when I swing my door open, "Come on mate, it's time to get to the venue. Where have you been all day anyway?" I gather a few things before exiting the room. "Oh no where mate, just here and there." We make our way down the hallway when the other lads join us from their rooms. "Oh, by the way, Marianne is joining us tonight." I finally speak up. "Marianne? Our lawyer?" Matt questions. "Yeah, mate the hot one, you know." Nick perks up. "Yep, that's the one man." I respond with a laugh. "Interesting, very interesting." Jamie ponders. 

We make our way down to the lobby, I immediately notice Marianne standing alone. Her red satin dress and animal print coat was hard to miss, I felt myself completely engulfed in her presence. 

"I can't believe you're finally coming to one of our shows!" Jamie says to Marianne excitedly. I chuckle at Jamie's comment, "yeah it's about time you finally witness some true talent live." I say raising an eyebrow at Marianne. I instantly take notice of the way her cheeks turn red at my words. It makes me feel good knowing I have that effect on her. 

"Yeah, it feels goof to finally have an evening off, I can't wait to see you guys in your element." She says to the group. 

"Yeah you definitely need a break, doll." I flash a grin at Marianne and open the door to the limo for her. 

"Well you guys are a lot of work." She says with a laugh, taking a seat inside. 

I scoff and take a seat next to her, we end up sitting so close our legs are touching when the other guys pile in. The closeness sending a fire up my spine. 

"oh, were a lot of work huh? That's why you work from morning to night? Not because you're obsessive over work and can't take a break?" I say with a smirk. Jamie reaches for a bottle of liquor and begins passing it around. 

I hear a sarcastic scoff leave her mouth after I called her out on working constantly. Seeing her response, I'm suddenly met with a realization. She seems to have this constant obsession with work, it was the only thing she ever thinks about and she never bothers to take a break. I realize maybe Marianne is doing this for a reason, that something else was going on in her head. Maybe it was a sort of escape?

Jamie passes me the bottle and I take a long swig, it's sort of a pre-show ritual for us. "Here, love. Take a drink, lose up a little." I say as I pass the bottle to Marianne. 

"Oh, I don't know..." She hesitates. "Doll, stop thinking so much, just have a drink, you'll be fine." I say amused with the stubbornness. "Fine." She replies taking the bottle. She takes a swig and instantly starts coughing. 

"Hell yeah Mari!" Matt hollers. My smirk widens as I see her loosen up a little bit. "See? That wasn't so bad now, was it?" I say sarcastically and nudge Marianne with my leg.