Mantis

30. Companion lady

When I woke up in the morning, I thought it was strange that it was already light. I had slept next to Victor all night, and nothing at all had happened. I was lying on my stomach, and Victor's shirt had ridden up to the line of my bust. The duvet lay crumpled beside me, which explained the chill I felt on my bare skin.

I glanced towards the other half of the bed, but no one was there. I then looked around the room with sleepy eyes and saw Victor sitting in a chair by the table where he had placed the bottle of whisky the night before.

– Good morning, Snowflake – he murmured in a pleasantly low voice. – You're even prettier without clothes – he added, drawing my attention to the fact that I was almost entirely naked.

I immediately jumped up into a sitting position and pulled down the T-shirt, while a small creature inside me rolled its eyes with a malicious smile. The old Victor was back.

– And you say that so calmly? – I asked, once I was sure that his chocolate eyes saw only what I wanted them to see.

Victor responded with a dreamy smile, and his sharp gaze blurred for a moment.

– I even surprise myself that I didn't take advantage of the opportunity – he muttered, fixing me with a predatory look. – I wouldn't have even had to undress you. I wouldn't have even had to wake you – he added, his gaze becoming even more insistent.

I felt a wave of pink heat sweep through my body, fiercely attacking my cheeks and spreading through every tiny blood vessel until it hit the very core of my femininity. What would I have done if Victor really hadn't bothered to warn me of his intentions and I had woken up with him massaging my pussy?

The very thought made me wet, and my pussy reminded me of its existence and needs so effectively that I had to press my thighs together more tightly.

– So why didn't you? – I asked, throwing Victor a challenging look. Because why not? Had he stopped caring because he had already tried her?

I scolded myself before another question formed in my mind. What was I thinking? This was exactly what I wanted. For him to start noticing boundaries and respecting them, and now that he was doing that, it was suddenly wrong too? What was wrong with me?

– I preferred listening to what you were saying.

– Excuse me? – I asked, frowning.

– You were talking in your sleep – Victor explained helpfully, smiling warmly. – It wasn't anything specific and not very coherent, but it sounded very cute. I didn't think it would turn me on so much. If it weren't for the fact that you don't want to, I'd already be making love to you.

My insides did a somersault, and I felt warm, and what I felt between my legs...

I opened my mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a knocking at the door, more like pounding, as it couldn't be called a polite knock.

– Victor! – Marcel's voice rang out from the corridor. – Victor, are you up? Let me in!

Victor sprang from the chair, but instead of heading for the door, he dashed to the bed and covered me tightly with the duvet. Only then did he open the door for Marcel, who burst in fully dressed and with a determined look, as if he were preparing for war.

– What are you waiting for? – he scolded Victor in greeting, not even glancing at me. – We need to get ready and prepare. We have a lot to do before tonight.

– Chill out, Marcel. – Victor walked leisurely to the side table where there was a carafe of water, poured himself a full glass, and then just as calmly returned to his chair, resting his right foot on his left knee. – The ball isn't until eight. Do you have any headache pills?

Marcel didn't respond immediately, just looked at Victor with his eyebrows raised high.

– Pills? – he repeated in a voice full of disbelief and rushed to him in a few strides.

He began to closely examine his face, looking into his eyes, then glanced around the room in panic and finally fixed his gaze on me, and in his eyes appeared an understanding, and then a mixture of resentment and fury.

– Damn it, Victor! – Marcel exploded, shaking him by the shoulders. – You were supposed to stop drinking! How much did you sleep? What's going on? Fuck, Victor... You need to be serious, not act like a kid. You're not on vacation. Start thinking with your brain! Get it together!

– Alright! – Victor stood up and shoved the hysterical Marcel away. – There's still plenty of time until the evening.

– No, there's not – Marcel protested, snatching the glass from Victor's hand. – We're leaving in half an hour. We have to go shopping and make it to lunch with Perez.

– Ah yes, shopping – Victor brightened up. – We need to find something appropriate for Paulina for the ball.

– You're taking her to the banquet? – Marcel asked, unable to hide his surprise.

– Why are you so surprised? – Victor looked at Marcel as if he had asked how ice melts in warmth. – She will be my date. Perez adores her.

As he said this, he jumped to the bed and took me in his arms, then kissed my neck through the tangle of my curls, and although in any other situation I would sooner kill him than let him handle me like that, this time I didn't protest. Marcel's expression was worth the sacrifice. He said nothing more, just muttered something indistinctly under his breath and left.

– Were you serious? – I asked when Marcel closed the door behind him with exaggerated loudness. – Do you really want me to go with you?

– Of course – he said, smiling warmly at me. – You are my ray of sunshine.

– But I can't go – I protested. – I have nothing to wear.

Victor laughed carefreely and gave me a kind look.

– I told you we're going shopping. I need a tuxedo. We'll find something for you too.

– By 'we'll find,' you mean that...

– That I'll pay for it – Vic interrupted me. – I wouldn't make you spend your money because of me.

The little creature inside me rubbed its hands together. So, shopping? But on the other hand... It would be shopping with someone else's money, essentially gifts sponsored by Victor, and I couldn't agree to that.

– No way. You're not sponsoring me – I said, crossing my arms over my chest and making a resolute face.

Victor looked at me as if I had just told him I planned to start living on light alone, and when he realized I wasn't joking, he sighed softly.

– I'm not trying to buy you – he said, as if reading my mind, approaching me with his palms open towards me, smiling kindly. – You're not going to the ball in just anything.

– I don't have to go – I announced, looking away. – I can stay in the room.

– But I want you to go and be with me. – Victor was persistent. – Besides, just think, how will I look without a date? Should I take Marcel by the arm? Consider it part of my payment to you. You've already done a lot for me for free. Does that work?

He gave me a look full of polite expectation, and after a moment of thought, I nodded in agreement. After all, I was here because of him, not of my own free will. He wanted me to be with him, so it wouldn't be sponsorship, but barter.

– Then it's settled – Victor rejoiced, rubbing his hands together. – We're going shopping.