The Man I Call Strong

Chapter 13: Hide, Seek, and Clicking Shoes

Rocco and Asher open the glass front doors to the extravagant house.

I walk in, my heart in my throat, as I see the double stair cases on opposite sides of the room go up and meet at the top again. Another double door entrance stands tall and proud on my left and my right.

A young, blonde woman comes down the stair case with a stack of freshly cleaned and folded towels in her hands. "Mr. Strong! What a wonderful surprise. Are you on vacation, sir?"

"No, Rose. I need a favor. My secretary is in need of a home and I said she could stay here." I blush violently as Rose looks over to me. "Oh, wonderful. I'll get the guest bedroom ready then."

"Thank you, Rose." I feel a hand touch my arm and it takes all of my power to not jerk away from the sudden human contact.

"Miss. LaRue, if you will, follow me. I'll show you to your room." I nod a little too violently as I follow Mr. Strong diligently. He walks to the room that sits just under the stair cases that meet at the top.

I take note of all the turns he takes and they are mentally placed in my mind. As we walk, I look to Mr. Strong as he walks ahead of me.

He walks with a prestige and power that only he could hold. We make our way down a hallway with many doors that lead to many rooms. I look at his physique as we walk. He has the makings of an Adonis. He turns to one of the doors to the left. I look at his profile and see his sharp, chiseled face. I can't help but become breathless at him.

Then he breaks the silence. "I hope to see you tomorrow, Miss. LaRue. Have a good rest of the day."

I smile at him shyly and wait for him to leave before I wander into the room. It was breathtaking. The walls are a warm cream, yellow. Tinting the room a yellow spring-like warmth.

The bed was pushed against the wall directly in front of the door.

It had an overhang and a red and cream colored duvet laying across the thick, plump mattress.

My eyes scan across the different furniture and desks and tables. Then I saw a mini-fridge sitting in a corner of the room. "A mini-fridge? No, way."

"Yes, way." I spin around at the sound of a soft, familiar voice. "They are bringing the rest of your belongings up and I was instructed by Mr. Strong to either let you rest or to bring you out clothes shopping."

"Clothes shopping?" Rose simply nods her head. "I haven't been clothes shopping in ten years." As I looked at Rose, I see pity and disbelief. "Would you like to go then, ma'am?" My smile fades. "Uh--." I smile hesitantly. This is going to be terrible. 'How can you go shopping when your back looks like World War II happened on it?' I shallow hard with anxiety. "Uh--" suddenly a surge of strength swept through me. "Okay. Yeah. I'd love that. I'll just see how much money I have in my wallet." I smile before Rose stops me. "Oh, no, Mr. Strong insists strongly that he would pay for all things necessary." I hesitantly agree before I change my mind wholly.

* * *

I look at the strapless dresses and crop tops on the racks and I sigh. My whole being wishes Ruby were here. "Is there anything you like, Miss. LaRue?"

"Can you please call me Aurora? Miss. LaRue reminds me of my mother too much." I hold back a tear that yearns to drop down my cheek. "Of course." She smiles lovingly, not knowing the sadness behind my words. I finally come to a rack with long sleeved shirts and sweaters. I smile and start to look through them. I bump into a taller, blonde woman. She grumbles an apology and that's when I know I've heard that voice before. "Tina?" The woman turns around and looks at me. "Miss. LaRue, what a ... surprise." She plasters a smile on her face. "Are you clothes shopping too?" She asks me. I nod and look around at the clothes. "Well, have fun." She grimaces a smile and then leaves.

"You would think that woman has enough clothes." Rose spits out. I shrug my shoulders and go about my business. I look up and see a man. My heart stops and it chokes me as it rises up my throat. "Warrent." I whisper. 'What the hell is he doing here! He was in Miami the last I heard. We should kick his sorry butt for what he did to us.' I shake my head frantically and dip down under the clothes racks. No, no, no, no, no! "Ma'am, is something the matter?"

"What? Huh- oh, no. No, no. Nothing's wrong. I just dropped something." I wait until the large burly, dark haired man leaves, his black boots clicking against the white, polished store floors. They echo through my mind, bringing back horrid memories of me hiding under the kitchen table. Those boots click against the marble floors, announcing the devil's coming. A tear of fear drops down my cheek. This is senecio is way too familiar; me hiding under something while he clicks around in his boots, playing his little game of hide and seek.

He's still humming that horrible song he always hummed while trying to find me under some piece of furniture. My heart resumes it station in my chest and I get back up, knowing he's gone and can't hurt me anymore. I grab a few long sleeved shirts and a few jeans that looked like they fit. I throw them on the counter and Rose pays with Mr. Strong's credit card. I breath heavily, desperate to get out of this store. When we do, I look around for any sign of Warrent and take long hasty strides to Rose's car.

Once inside, I look out the window and sigh, not saying anything for the rest of the trip. But my mind was anything but silent. Questions race through my mind as Warrent's face haunted my thoughts.

* * *

I come back to the palace that they call his 'playground'. I sigh in disbelief as I look around, my new clothes in hand. "It's a beautiful house, isn't it?" I hear a small, young voice sigh with enthusiasm.

I turn around and see a young woman, a little young than me, but the spitting image of Mr. Strong. I gasp at the surprise appearance. I recall my first day of work, how Mr. Strong mentioned his older sister, Lia. "Are you Lia?" I ask hesitantly. She giggles and puts her hand over her mouth. "No. I'm Selene. Pleased to meet you." She puts her hand out gently, as if not to scare me.

I smile and take her hand in mine. "Hi." Was all I could muster at the moment. "Oh, you went shopping? Can I see!" It was more of a statement as she enthusiastically grabbed one of my sweaters. "Sweaters? Wow." She puts the sweater back in my arms and grabs my arm. "You should come shopping with me. Come on." She left absolutely no room for argument as she pulled me towards the door. "Roses! We're going shopping!" I chuckle and look to Rose. 'Roses? Did she just call her roses?' My diva snickered.

Before I can blink, we're at the store and the moment we get out, I spot a ground of about six girls a little older than me standing in the parking lot by a car, I'm assuming their own. "Come on!" Selene drags me over to the group of woman. 'What is she doing? Is this a gang group or something.' I start to fidget, getting more than nervous. Who are all these girls? And why do they all, in a strange way, all look like either Mr or Mrs. Strong from thanksgiving diner?