Silence Part 5
“Ali, I’m freaking out here!” Jane gushed on the phone as she followed
behind the handsome man’s amazing car.
“Jane, is this smart? Maybe he’s a serial killer or something and always
brings girls home for dessert? You need to be careful!” Ali always worried
about serial killers. She loved mysteries and crazy thriller T.V shows.
“I promise I’ll be armed with pepper spray in both hands. He’s rich, and
he’s frickin’ hot!” She heard her best friend giggle on the other line.
“Okay, but remember those ninja moves I taught you if he attacks you.”
Jane
smiled remembering the “ninja” moves. It was simply kick the guy in the balls
and run like the dickens.
“We’re here, gotta go. Bye!” She hung up the phone really hoping she
wouldn’t have to use any ninja moves on Paxton. It did feel strange. A
gorgeous, rich man interested in her? Inviting her to his house? Maybe Ali was
right. This was the beginning of all psycho killer movies. Dumb girl goes into
rich man’s house. Eaten by a T-Rex. She cautiously opened her door and stepped
onto the well manicured lawn. She could smell money coming from the pores of
this place. His house was amazing, and she could see a large building where she
believed would be a pool or an indoor tennis court. What did this guy do for a
living? She would love to have that kind of a business. She felt drabby in her
dress now as she walked toward the front of the house. He had pulled his crazy,
expensive black Lamborghini into a fancy garage that was three times bigger
than her place. She came up the stairs, and instantly the door opened. A plain
looking man in a nice suit bowed to her as he opened the door.
“Come in, miss,” he said in a stuffy voice. He had his own Alfred.
Fancy. Jane walked in and nearly choked on her own spit. The inside was like a
palace. Did she just suddenly land in a Disney film or what? Everything was so
pristine and clean, white walls, glistening wooden floors, a grand piano,
windows that rose high above her head. It felt like too much to take in all at
once.
“Mr. Clor will be with you shortly.” He led her to a sitting room with
dim lights, a fireplace crackling, and soft music playing. She smiled. Now,
this was just like every romance book her mother forced her to read. Handsome
man. Fire place, music playing. She pinched herself. She must have fallen
asleep on her date with Timothy because this was definitely messing with her
brain today. The butler man brought her a glass and filled it to the brim with
more wine. Paxton must really want to impress her with his fancy wine and fancy
house. Jane, just think how
happy your mother would be if you came home with that man! She smiled to herself and
sipped on the wine.
Pax
was hyperventilating. He’d done too much. He’d overtaxed himself. His mind
screamed at him for relief. If he over caffeinated eventually it didn’t work.
He needed his pool. He needed the silence. She was waiting for him. He could
sense her happy mood, but the noise of everything else over road her calm
feelings she invoked. Was that why he’d invited her home? She’d made him feel
relaxed?
“Ted, entertain my guest. I will be back in a moment.”
The
man nodded from the doorway as Paxton practically broke out in to a run toward
his pool. He thought he could handle it for one night. He was wrong.
Jane
waited patiently. She thumbed through a magazine, the strange, robot-like man
gave her. He had one expression. Seriously. Was he a robot? A beautiful face
with a flap on the magazine caught her eye. Was that perfume? She opened the
flap and rubbed the perfume on her neck.
“Eh, hmm.” Please God, was that…? She turned toward the sound to see a
man with light hair and a goatee.
“Hello, dear. My name is Thaddeus. Mr. Clor is indisposed at the moment.
Perhaps, I can be of some company for you for a short time.” He gave her a
smile. She smiled back at him nervously.
“Is he okay? He looked pale earlier. I can leave…” She started to say.
“No, no, no, it’s fine. He will be just a bit longer, darling. How about
we chat for a bit while we wait, for our dear friend.”
Who was this man? She should just leave this place. A shiver raced down
her spine. Could she leave? The man made light conversation with her, and Jane
found herself relaxing in his company. He was quite pleasant once she’d drunk
another glass of wine. She loosened up and began to tell this stranger about
her life. Her hopes, her failures, all about how disappointed she made her
mother. She hardly noticed when Thaddeus left the room, and she’d fallen asleep
on the couch by the fireplace.
Water dripped off Paxton as he sat on the edge of the pool. He held his
head in his hands. He’d failed again. He’d staid in the pool all night. He
coughed up water leaning over the edge of the pool. What had happened to Jane?
He stood to his feet chastising himself for being so weak. He couldn’t hear her
anymore.
“Ted?” he called as he exited the pool and slipped a towel around his
waist. The hired man approached him.
“Yes, sir?”
“Where is Jane?” He rubbed his temples slowly.
“She is asleep on the couch,” Ted said simply and bowed. Pax went to his
room to shower and change. He combed his hair, inspected his suit, and walked
out to where the girl was left. The fire had died. Sure enough, the girl lay
sleeping on the couch. Did she have a job to go to? He gently touched her
shoulder. Such a peaceful thinker. For one moment, it felt as if the chaos
ceased. His eyebrow rose as he gently nudged the girl again.
“Jane?” he said. She moaned in her sleep.
Jane awoke with a start and right away knew she had been drooling. Her
eyes darted up in surprise. Oh no. She was drooling in front of the rich guy.
She sat up trying to comb through her frazzled hair.
“Hi, I…” She looked around sleepily. She was still at his house. Oh no!
Ali was probably in panic mode! She’d told her she’d call her when she left
Paxton’s house. She grabbed up her purse and pulled out her phone. Twenty-five
texts and thirty missed calls. She instantly texted her friend that she was
fine and turned her head to stare at the man before her. Perfectly groomed
while she— She looked down at her appearance and could still feel a dab of
drool her face. What the heck happened last night? She remembered being offered
wine, taking to Thaddeus, and then blissful sleep.
“Where’s Thaddeus?” she asked as she accepted a cup of coffee that Ted
offered her.
“Thaddeus?” Paxton’s eyebrow raised a fraction in question.
“Yes, he talked to me while I waited for you last night. I thought he
was a friend of yours.” Silence filled the room as Paxton exchanged looks with
his hired servant. Who was this girl talking about? Paxton focused in on the
noise. He hadn’t heard the man if he had been in the house.
