STONE COLD

chapter 22

Waking the next morning was greatly exhausting,after saying a short heart felt prayer,I glanced at the clock on my wall,and I was shocked to know it was still 3:30am,I mean why can't I ever sleep past that .I walked to my large sized bathroom to freshen up as usual,I put on clothes,walked to the side of my room and requested coffee,from the speaker and microphone hanging on the wall,after   switching it on,and as usual Mrs Gracie comes with her tasty coffee .

All this was all normal until I walked to the sitting room and saw a dark haired man shirtless and sipping coffee,while leaning on the wall in heavy thoughts,he was staring at the transparent glass wall like I usually did every Saturday morning,whilst Annabelle stared at him with her mouth open,I could hear a bit of their conversation even if I clearly did not care.

"Take you for the coffee,Annabelle". He said to Annabelle.

"Yes sir,em would you want anything else sir".she asked as she gawked at his abs,which were quite impressive if I must say,even though I had seen them before in his house,but this time I got a better view.

Katherine,shut up,its not that breathtaking.

It is actually.

"No Annabelle,am fine,but I'll inform you if I want something else".He answered her,as she stood there fixed,she was immovable,and it was annoying,not that I cared or anything.

"Okay sir".She said as she moved slowly,with a shy smile on her face,and red on her cheeks,and I wouldn't blame her,Clinton was a well sculptured specimen with great looks.

Wait a minute,why am I standing and staring.

Katherine get a grip on yourself.

"Good morning".He greeted as he looked up and found me staring.

"Good morning".I croaked,what is wrong with my voice? Everything.

"How was your night".He asked concerned,like I was the one drunk last night.

"I think am in a better position to ask you that question". I answered.

"And why is that". He asked with his eyebrow raised.

"Maybe because you were out of this world yesterday".I said as I sat down on one of the couches.

"You mean drunk". He asked.

"Off course if you put it that way".I shrugged.

"I wasn't drunk". He answered.

"Really".

"Really". He said as he walked towards me and sat by my side, which felt totally weird with his bare chest in front of me."Why did you think I was drunk".He asked.

"Maybe because you were passed out in the bar with a bunch of drunk griffins?or maybe it was the smell of alcohol on your shirt?or maybe-,

"I get it Katherine,but I wasn't drunk, I would never drink alcohol in a place like that". He said with a serious face.

"And why not,aren't you a man". I asked as I smirked at him.

"There is more to being a man than drinking alcohol Katherine,but I get your point". He smiled.

"So what were you doing at the bar". I asked,still pretty sure he was drinking back at the bar.

"Well the crowds were getting annoying,the girls were becoming aggressively clingy,so I had to get fresh air,I stopped at the bar but a man accidentally bumped into me and splashed alcohol on me,I still stayed though,I asked for water from some bartender and I passed out". He concluded his rather annoying story.

"So you see I wasn't drunk,not a single alcohol to my system".He boasted.

"Well that was a boring story".I replied as he frowned jokingly.

"So are you hungry". He asked.

"Yes.why".I raised my brows at his obvious question.

"Good.so am I".He joked as I rolled my eyes.

Soon Mrs Gracie had walked in with her face down and her hands behind her.

"Miss Katherine,Mr Clinton, breakfast is served". She said with her face still on the floor refusing eye contact.

"Mrs Gracie is something wrong". I asked her concerned at the way she looked down at the ground.

"No Madam am fine thank you".she said as she quickly walked away towards the dinning room.

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"Mrs Gracie thank you for the awesome breakfast,I was definitely starving".He said politely.

"I could tell".I teased him while I looked at Gracie's worried face.

"Hey!you were starving too".He joked.

"But I wasn't the one eating like a carnivore".I said glancing at his stained plate and his lips slightly covered with jam.

"Whatever the jam and bread were good". He said politely while Gracie came to pack the plates,I tapped her shoulder and she looked up,I could see the tears threatening to spill in her eyes,I knew something was wrong.
I stoop up abruptly and walked towards my room before I turned around.

"Gracie see me inside". I said as I entered my room and shut the door.

She came in rather too fast though.

"Sit". I ordered as she sat down on a vanity close to my mirror."Care to tell me what's going on". I asked.

"Well madam,I would have told,its nothing but I know how much you hate lies". She paused and looked at me as I nod,then she continued."The thing is my husband has left me for another woman and we haven't been able to find a place to stay ever since .My daughter's about to start college,everything is just so bizarre". She said as she stared at her hands and tears touched it.

"Is that all". I said as she nod."Well you can always stay here".I said as she looked at me with shock in her eyes."Plus I would give you a raise, but you would have to work for it".I said as she smiled and nod.