Sex Kitten

Chapter 7 - Poker Face

"You haven't said a word all week. Please tell me what's wrong."

Phoenix and I mop the floors of the larger-than-life ballroom, getting it prepared for tomorrow night's festivities. This is the first Saturday that I don't have off. Turns out it's His Highness' 21st birthday.

Ever since our confrontation, I haven't spoken a single word. What is there to say? I've basically been disowned by one of the only people that virtually gave an ounce of a fuck about me. But I pushed him away, so it's not entirely his fault. I don't blame him for giving up. I would've done the same. No way am I worth the fight.

I glare at Phoenix when she snatches the mop out of my grasp. "I'm trying to do my job. So if it's not too much trouble, could you please return my mop?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"I need you to talk to me, Aerie," she says as she pulls the mop from my reach.

My arms fold across my chest. "There's nothing to talk about."

Phoenix mirrors my annoyed look. "Don't you dare lie to me. It has something to do with Dominic, doesn't it?"

I feel my facade falter at the mention of his name. Trying to regain my composure, it's seems to be too late as a satisfied grin lights up Phoenix's face. "Uh huh. I knew it. Come on. Tell me what happened."

I snatch my mop from out of her hand and continue to swirl around the white strings of cloth across the pearl white marble floors. I used to admire Phoenix's persistence, but now she's just becoming a pain in the ass.

"Phoenix, I need you to go to the city with me and help me out with a few things."

My body involuntarily tenses as Dominic's commanding voice resonates through out the ballroom. But it doesn't stop me from completing my task.

"Well I still have a lot of things to do in order to prepare for the party," she says. "How about you let Aerie go with you?"

My knuckles turn white as I tightly grip the mop's handle. Please don't go there Phoenix.

Dominic scoffs. "I'll be waiting in the limo."

"Stop right there," Phoenix commands him. "Why can't she go with you? I've been to the city millions of times. Let Aerie experience the sights. I'm sure she'd enjoy it."

I shoot daggers in her direction, but she ignores me.

"I don't want her to go with me," Dominic says through gritted teeth.

My eyes roll. "Asshole," I mumble.

Phoenix looks over at me, indicating that she heard me and cocks a brow. Looking back over to Dominic, she folds her arms. "What the hell is the matter with you two? I've seen the way you've looked at her, Dominic. You haven't looked at a woman like that ever since-" She abruptly stops.

My eyes dart between the both of them, pleading for one of them to elaborate. Ever since what? Did something happen between him and a lover? Is there more to His Highness than I've been told?

Phoenix clears her throat and starts over. "You care about her, and I know it. Why're you treating her like this?"

His jaw tenses as he looks at me. I glare at him, and he rolls his eyes. "She's just my servant. What makes you think I care about her?"

"Because I know you, Dominic. You can't fool me."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "She has too many issues, Phoenix. I couldn't allow myself to have feelings for her."

Ouch.

"And you don't?" Phoenix challenges.

Dominic is silent.

Turning to me, Phoenix begins her assault. "What happened, Aerie? And don't you dare shut me out either because you look at him the same way. You might not know it, but I notice everything. Despite what you've been through, you've managed to allow yourself to feel something for Dominic. So tell me what happened."

I dare to take a glance at Dominic and instantly regret it. His smirk fuels my rage. So it's like that? Fine. You want to play dirty? Then let the games begin.

I mirror his smirk and focus my attention back to Phoenix. "What, you didn't know that His Highness can't handle rejection?" Phoenix's confused expression only adds to my excitement. "You see, last night, Dominic thought that it was cute to admit his feelings to me. He even had the audacity to try and kiss me. So I pushed him away. Jeez Phoenix, I wish that you were there to see how much he was begging for me to give him a chance. If you ask me, he looked pretty pathetic. I rejected him so many times that he threw a bitch fit and said that I was dead to him. For someone that rules over an entire population of people, he's pretty childish."

My laughter echoes throughout the room at the distraught look portrayed on Phoenix's face. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew that the man you work for is a coward."

"Is that really what happened?" she asks me in a hushed tone.

"Well he's not denying it."

She looks over at Dominic, whose fists clench and unclench as rage fills his bright orange eyes. Yeah, that's right. Be pissed off.

"Is that true, Dominic?" Phoenix questions him.

His gaze softens slightly as he focuses it on Phoenix and slowly nods.

"You can't get mad at her, Dominic. Do I have to keep reminding you what she's been through? If she doesn't want to be in a relationship right now, then you have to be considerate. Stop being a selfish brat..."

She continues her verbal assault, and I have to stifle a giggle. It still puzzles me 'til this day how Phoenix is allowed to lecture him as if she were his mother and he takes it. I wonder what their true relationship is.

I can no longer take the pained look on Dominic's as Phoenix continues to yell at him and to my shock, throws in a few colorful words. "Stop, Phoenix," I finally say.

They both look at me as if I've interrupted something. If I'm not mistaken, Dominic flashes me a look as if to say 'thank you'.

"But he deserves to be yelled at," she whines.

"It's okay. Don't stress yourself out. You and I both know that he won't change." Suddenly, reality hits me. I can't compete with him. I'm not as cruel and cols hearted as he is. Stooping to his level will prove nothing but that I am no more mature than he is.

"I want you two to get along, though. You do live in the same house after all."

I chuckle as tears start to pool out of my eyes. "I would want nothing more than for us to get along, but he doesn't want to."

"You don't know that."

"Maybe I don't, Phoenix. Maybe when Dominic told me that he couldn't be friends with somebody whose own parents didn't want her, I was just imagining that?"

Her jaw drops as sorrow fills her eyes. Bingo.

I pat Phoenix on the back and flash her a fake smile. "You two have fun in the city."

Taking one last look at Dominic's dumbfounded expression, I turn on my heel and exit the ballroom.

Upon entering my room and burying my face into the mounds of pillows upon my bed, I let out all of my frustrations.

One day. Just give me one day where everything goes how I want.

Will that day ever come?

Not likely.