Cartel│Mark Lee

Watch your step

Mark got out of the limo, slamming the door on his way out. His strides were long and fast as he went inside his house. I followed him, stumbling in my heals as they sunk into the damp ground. "Mark what is wrong with you!" I screamed after him but he still did not respond. "I'm so tired of this. You say that were partners? That were together? You don't even speak to me!" I yelled and slammed the front door behind me. My words made him stop in his place and he slightly turned around to face me. "What the hell happened tonight?" My voice quieted down at his sudden attention towards me. He scoffed and finally turned to me. "You act surprised that I'm being like this." I laughed at his choice of words. "I am far from surprised. I know you're a asshole who acts up when things don't go his way." The room went silent. I should of felt bad that I disrespected him or at least the tiniest bit of fear, but I felt nothing but the anger boiling inside of me. "It's not my fault you can't do the job I pay you for." His eyes were cruel and they digged in deep to mine. I was silent. "Know your role nessa." He spat at me. Mark always made me feel like I was below him but this time it was different. I felt like he was stepping on me, crushing my soul. I always knew he ran the game but it was never as hurtful as this. 

My mouth went dry and my eyes welled up. Tears threatened to spill out of them but I couldn't let him see me this low, I wouldn't. I held back my emotions and composed myself. My breathing was shaky and I looked at him. A stern look still rested on his face and I managed to smile at him. "You're right. I should know my role. I'm just a little piece to your puzzle right Mark?" His jaw clenched as I walked toward him. "I'm just a player in your game, I know that. But let me ask you a question." I stood in front of him now, only inches apart. My eyes stared right into his and he didn't budge. "Are you really winning?" A smirk appeared on my face as I watched him shrink. His pupils shrunk down to twice their size as I stood strong ,watching him crumble. "You may have money and a high status but I dont think your really winning at life. Do you Mark?" My words ricocheted in my head and in that moment I truly felt like a monster. Did Mark really create this version of me? He gulped and shook his head. "Are you winning Vanessa? At least I control my life. You don't." He seemed to have risen from his grave. The moments of him giving into my words were over and he took his seat back on the throne again. "Don't ever think for a second again you can speak to me like that. I could make your life a living hell." He looked at me with disgust written all over his face. 

My moment on top was over but the adrenalin I felt by talking to him like that made me ecstatic. He was right, I wasn't winning. Not at all. But I still felt the rush of power come over me and I was finally starting to accept my life for what it was at the moment. I smiled at him. "Alright, but just remember that contract lasts for a year. Partner." I brushed past his shoulder to walk up the stairs. He lost his footing and swayed to the side for a moment before regaining his balance once again. I almost made my way to the top of the master staircase when I heard him clear his throat. "You can never talk to other guys like that again. Do you understand?" I stopped on the step I was on and turned to him. "Why? You can talk to other girls, why am I not aloud." My face was unamused with uneasiness dripping from my voice. "Important people believe we are together now. One bad move from you could mess up this plan. It looks bad if you are with other men-" He paused. "Like that." 

I let out a breath and shook my head. "Same goes for you then. No more girls. It could look like you are trying to cheat on me." I raised an eyebrow at him and he gave me a smile. I was surprised by this action but I couldn't believe it when I heard the words, "Okay." I was stunned as he started walking up the stairs behind me. Was that it, was that the end of the conversation. The once uptight room suddenly was no longer tense. I began to continue walking up the stairs but there was a lingering distaste in my mouth from the end of our argument that made me turn around. "You know Mark this was not written down in our-" I then slipped on the train of my lengthy silver gown. My dramatic fall was cut short when Mark brought me into his chest, catching me. I opened my eyes to see that our faces were inches apart. "Contract." I whispered the end of my sentence. I was stuck in a daze by being this close to him, I felt alive. I could feel his breath on me when he exhaled and I was swooning over his dark brown eyes that were staring right into mine. I could feel his heart beating fast and mine matched his pace. We were completely in sync. All the anger I felt for him in the past moments completely disappeared as I breathed in his musk and felt his presence. 

His lips lightly brushed mine painfully slow. I wanted nothing more in that moment then for him to press our lips together I almost groaned. My eyes closed as I grew impatient. He stuttered his movements and my eyes opened to see him totally shocked. He pulled his head away from mine and stood me up stirty on the step above him. His eyes searched to focus on anything but me as he took in a deep breath. I stood still, confused and self conscious. Did he not want me? I was feeling insecure and he added onto that feeling when he walked past me. He stopped when he reached the top of the staircase and looked down at me. I was still stuck in the same place with my breath hitched in my throat. "You have to be careful Vanessa." He spoke breathlessly. I believed deep down inside he meant to say 'we need to be careful'.  I knew that he was implying that. "Watch your step." He mumbled and walked away, leaving my sight. He left me on the staircase brushing my fingers along my lips, processing what just happened.