On the run

Seven

3 hours. I'd cleaned this flat for 3 and a half hours until it was spotlessly clean again. Scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees to make sure it was perfect. I'd been to the gym at my usual 5am spot, gotten home at 7, cleaned, taken a steaming hot bath, shaved and moisturized every living inch of myself, painted my nails and now I was nestling into my sofa, pizza cooking in the oven content and feeling somewhat relaxed. It's not the birthday most people would strive to have but I don't think I'd had a birthday where I'd actually been able to do what I wanted or needed to.

Dean had banned me from coming near the bar this weekend, told me he'd sack me if I did, that I needed a break and I sure as hell was getting it this weekend if he needed to lock me in my flat and confiscate the keys until Sunday night. While I know that's not something Dean would do, I took him seriously that it would cause an argument I didn't want.

The problem I was having was that outside the office and the bar, I wasn't sure who I was or what I wanted to do with my time. The closest I got to time alone normally was the hour I'd squeeze into the gym every few days and even then, I only want to make sure I could run and fight if I had to. I didn't want to go. I hated going. Hated working out in a gym full of people watching me, so in the open. That's why I went at such a stupid time. No one would be around so it was a lot easier to box or lift the weights, jump on the treadmill, and put my all into it.

I hadn't bought myself a book in at least a year and I was only just getting around to reading this one. I don't even remember why I bought it. I'd seen it teetering around online a lot and bought it in the middle of the night when I'd gotten irritated and decided I needed to know the rest of the plot I guess. I was 2 chapters in now and had been chuckling to myself since the first page so I guess that's a good sign.

I had some soft music playing in the background so I wasn't sat in silence, my usual candles on the coffee table, rest of the room lit by just the kitchen lights. This was any introvert's absolute dream. I was starting to think the longer I spent by myself, in my own head, the more it was changing who I was. I was definitely enjoying the quieter side of life now. Not partying my life away with people who didn't really care about me.

I turned my head at the 3 knocks at my door. Staring at it as my heart started racing. I hadn't buzzed anyone in, wasn't expecting anyone. No one knew I was here. Not even Dean knew. If he'd ever dropped me off, I made him drop me off around the corner and had only ever referred to the flat as home, never specifying if it was a flat or a house. This wasn't good. I put the book down quietly on the coffee table, standing up and moving to the door as silently as was humanly possible, looking through the peep hole.

I swallowed, not moving from where I was staring at Lord Douche, stood on my god damn doorstep at 7pm on a Saturday night. No phone call, no text. He didn't need me. Why the hell- HOW? My face was burning as I continued to look at him. His leather jacket fitting tight around his biceps, one arm on the doorframe as he leaned against it, looking down at his feet as they crossed at the ankle. Jesus Christ. He didn't even have to try. If I thought he was hot as hell in his business casual outfits, this was something else.

He knocked again and I could hear him sigh, standing up straight.

"You know I can see your shadow right?" I was shaking, eyes looking down at the crack under the door, and my outfit. An oversized jumper and knee-high socks. Because this was the perfect time for him to come over. Me dressed like this when I was supposed to be out with my apparent friends. I pulled the door open, putting my head in the gap and holding on so he didn't have any chance of opening it any further.

"You are a stalker."

"I thought you were going out tonight."

"Change of plans."

"What are you hiding behind the door for?"

"Because I wasn't expecting anyone to drop by you know you being unannounced and everything. So, I'm not exactly dressed for company." Stepped my body back behind the door a little as he looked at the gap. "What's up? Need to change a meeting? Last minute flight?"

"Why are you alone on your birthday?"

"What makes you think I'm alone?"

"The fact that you're not dressed for company and there's not been a single sound behind you since you opened the door."

"Maybe the person is busy."

"Busy not checking on a young woman living in a shitty apartment block who answered the door unexpectedly?" I didn't know what to say to that. "So, I'll ask you again. Why are you home alone on your birthday?"

"Because I wanted to b-"

"Lie."

"Okay. Is this about work or-"

"No-"

"Then it's not my business. Have a nice weekend." I pulled my head back inside, trying to push the door shut but Lord Douche stuck his yeti sized foot in the way. His hand grabbed the door, pushing it open gently. This was weird. So, freaking weird. And yet my stupid little girl brain took a shaky step back, not even wanting to put up a fight.

"I don't know much about you Penelope, but I sure as hell know enough to notice when you're lying." He stepped in, pushing the door closed behind him. "There's no one here is there?" I shook my head as he moved over, taking his leather jacket off and throwing it over the back of my sofa. "You never had plans tonight did you?" I shook my head again, backing up until I hit the table at the far end of the room, Alexander trying to close the space between us. He pushed the plant on the table back, grabbing my waist and sitting me on the table, blue eyes not leaving mine for even a second and I felt like I was about to combust.

"Y-you shouldn't be here." My voice came out a hell of a lot weaker than I have ever heard myself.

"I know. I tried to fight it. I swear." His eyes finally broke from mine, looking down at the outfit. "I was coming to make sure you were out. And if you weren't- I-" He looked back at me. "I don't know what my plan was if you weren't."

"Barge in apparently." I crossed my arms. "This is such an invasion of my privacy it's unreal." I didn't know what to do with myself. I looked around the room quickly and then back to him.

"And yet, you're not telling me to leave." His hands were back on my waist and I could feel my heart thudding in my chest, so heavy I felt like it had been soaking in cement. "Tell me to leave Penelope and I'll leave, never come back, I'll keep it professional." His grip on me tightened, pulling me to the edge of the table and I gasped at the sudden proximity. He was already over a foot taller than me, but right now, my head was inches from the centre of his chest and I was craning my neck to look at him. "Right now. Tell me to leave. If you want me to leave you need to tell me right now before I do something you're going to regret." I hadn't realised how close he'd got until his breath was fanning my face. "Because you are driving me fucking crazy Penelope." I felt sick, stomach flipping in directions I didn't know was even possible and he was barely touching me. "3 seconds Penny. That's all you've got." He counted down. Slowly, giving me a few seconds to tell him to leave if I didn't want him to do whatever the hell was going to happen.

But my god, right now, I wanted him to do whatever he pleased to me. This god of a man could get me to do anything for him right now.