If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 9

"Right now in this early hour, I profess all my love and I confess all my wrongs. I can't sleep, 'bout to take a hot a shower. Bet it'll help to wash this pain away."

- Insomnia by Sammie

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Aubrey...

Her name had been floating around in his head since he met her. Her name being repeated like a chant in his consciousness. He didn't know whether to just pop up at her door or to just leave her alone. She was making his head spin and he needed to know why. He wanted to know everything about her. What made her sad? What drove her to be wild? How she looked when her climax peaked... Payton quickly shook his head of his thoughts as he downed a shot of tequila.

Payton finally retired to his bedroom, but he could hardly sleep. Insomnia always seemed to kick his butt. Tonight was no different. All he could think about was her and it made him erect the whole night. Not even the shower from hours before could help him. This wasn't his typical behavior and he hated it.

Eventually he turned on the TV to find something to watch. Maybe that would occupy his mind. Criminal Minds was the first thing that popped up onto his screen. Something about learning about serial killers or watching their documentaries was soothing. Sleep eventually consumed him two episodes in.

Payton woke up to a burning smell—for the third time this week—and climbed out of his bed. After brushing his teeth and washing his face he groaned out loud knowing what was waiting for him. Once he exited his room he nodded 'hello' at the two guards standing at his door and also to the others scattered throughout the hallways before heading down the stairs to the kitchen.

The sight in front of him was the same one he had been woken up to the previous two times. His little minx's were running around the kitchen—in only aprons and heels—trying to cook him a meal. It was actually growing to be quite annoying. He would never punish them though, because he knew they were only trying to please him.

"Enough," he whispered and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was absolute mayhem and chaos swirling throughout the kitchen. "Enough!" came his smooth voice, a lot louder than before, and all three of them turned around. He looked each of them in the eye before speaking again. "Do not make me repeat myself."

The three of them looked down at the ground, speaking in unison. "Sorry, Sir."

"Go clean yourselves up," he spat distastefully.

They obediently scurried out of the kitchen. "Yes, Sir."

The kitchen wasn't even recognizable. Pots, pans, and a lot of mixtures of other things were all over. He really wondered what the hell they were trying to do in here. Payton had to call for his maids to clean up the kitchen so he could make himself breakfast. Cereal would've done him just fine. How come they couldn't do something simple? Did everything have to be extravagant? He was rich, but dammít he was normal too.

Frosted Flakes and Cinnamon Toast Crunch were his favorite cereals. And when you mix 'em together? Chefs kiss. Of course they didn't know that, but anything besides them actually making an effort to cook was fine enough for him. How he managed to become the dominant to three unskilled females was beyond him. It was way overrated.

He finished his cereal before noticing that it was only eight o'clock in the morning. A little early and he knew he had to head over to the facility in just a few more hours. He shook his head and put the remaining of his cereal in the sink and garbage disposal. It was then that he finalized his decision. He was going to go to Aubrey's apartment. Yes... at eight in the morning.