Not.
He's so hot, and I like him too much at this point.
"You aren't listening, are you?" he said, bringing me back to reality.
"Right on the money."
"What's on your mind, beautiful?" And he looked at me with this loving look on his face.
"You."
"Me?"
"Yeah, it tends to be you now," I said, and I looked at him—his body, his legs, his everything.
Our eyes locked with intensity.
This was going to be my new reality, and I didn't know what I was going to do about it.
I guess I just like it. I can only do so much besides live my life how I want and not based on what other people think.
But then again, I don't even know. All of this is happening so fast that I just don't know what to do anymore.
The air was thick with tension, but I felt us grow closer and closer.
I could also see all of the things running through his mind—all of the stories, secrets, and every single thing. It was crazy.
Despite him telling me that he's a vampire and the fact that he can kill me just like that with no remorse, my stupid brain is still so in love.
Like something is pulling us together just like that. Like, it's that soulmate's bull shit or destiny.
But that doesn't exist, and neither do vampires, so I don't know anymore.
Maybe we were meant to be?
Maybe I was his soulmate like he had said.
I watched as he stepped closer to me, not leaving any room for Jesus. Oh my god.
The space in between us seemed to vanish just as quickly as it was created.
My eyes scanned the side of me, and then I looked at Mark in front of me. Holy fucking shit, what is happening?
My heart was pounding out of my chest. I felt my heart as I took each breath.
I felt a mix of danger and desire as he smiled at me. Oh god, he is so sexy.
My brain is telling me to fucking run and not look back, but he was impossible to resist.
Everything about him—his body, his face, his personality. Him. I didn't want to run just because it was him.
Our realities were becoming one.
"Are you just going to sit here and admire me?" he said, and I nodded. He was actually really nice-looking.
Everything about him: the light glowed so perfectly on his face.
I felt his hand on my back as he smiled. His touch was as light as a feather but still so rough at the same time.
I felt myself shiver as I felt his touch.
All negative thoughts were gone; I just wanted this handsome man to hold me and never let go.
"Can I?" he asked.
"Can you what?"
"Guess," he said with a smile.
I touched my lips.
He nodded with a smile
"Yes," I said. Consent. Yum yum. Ew, that was weird. I'm sorry.
I closed my eyes as I felt our lips meet in a passionate dance of love. It was only us now in this world, just us.
Fuck the dumb-ass fashion industry, fuck this life, this job, fuck all of the stuff I should be sacred, fuck Mark being a vampire, fuck his dad. Fuck everything.
This was our world; we were going to be happy at any cost.
I am sick and tired of people ruining my happiness and everything. I'm sick of that dumb ass shit.
We are going to get our happy ending and be happy one way or another.
We were going to shine brighter than all of these memories and all of the terrible things in this world.
He pulled back, and he looked at me.
"You're crazy," I said as he sat down on my desk.
"We are sweetheart, we are crazy," he said, flashing me a smile.
There was not a sound, no one. It was just me and Mark sitting and standing alone in the studio.
"What are you looking at now?" I asked.
"You," and he smiled at me.
I rolled my eyes.
"You're pretty; why can't I stare at you?" he asked, and I sighed and smiled at him.
There he goes again with the sweet talk, melting my dumb heart and dumb brain into all this mush. Now I don't even know how to act.
These few days have been one big blur. The studio was bright but still felt like dim romantic candlelight at the same time.
This was our inmate space, where the boundaries of reality aren't even there anymore.
I am free to be who I want and love who I want. Hence the reason why my dumb heart is still in love with Mark after everything he has told me.
"I've been waiting to do that; I hope you know," he said, beckoning me to come sit down on the chair.
"Don't beckon me," I said, walking towards him.
"It's working, isn't it?" he said as I sat down on my chair and him on the desk.
My heart was still beating for the kiss because, apparently, at 26, being kissed still makes my heart race like crazy. Like I'm still a teenager or something.
"I guess," I said, looking up at him as he looked down at me.
"Can you read my mind?" I asked him, and he shook his hand.
"No."
"Are you lying?"
"No."
"Why can your dad read minds and you can't?"
"He trained to do that or something; I couldn't be bothered; there's a lot of things that he can do and I can't," Mark said.
"Being handsome is not one of them," I said.
"Are you calling me handsome or my dad? Because I am confused-."
"Your dad," I said.
"Is that sarcasm?"
"Yes. I called you handsome. I hate your dad, and he hates me too; it's mutual," I said, and Mark nodded.
"What else can he do?" I asked.
"Read minds—the control thing. He can move people with his mind," he said.
"Wait, you can literally do that."
"Can I?"
"Yes, I swear you have done it before," I said.
"I don't recall," he said, laughing, and I laughed with him. Maybe I am just remembering it wrong. I tend to do that.
I smiled at him.
"Fuck the industry and your dad," I said. The fashion world was not going to stop us, no matter how hard they tried.
I have been confined to them for too goddamn long; I was sick of this.
I'm not sick of my money, though; I love money.
We would just have to figure out the emotion and the whole other ordeal later.
"I have a secret," Mark whispered, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"What is it?"
He leaned closer to me and said, "You are really pretty." and he smiled at me with this dumb smile on his face.
I shook my head and smiled.
He tapped my leg with his hands. It was giving itsy bitsy spider-type beat.
He continued to crawl up my legs with his fingers, humming some random tune as he did so.
His touch felt so nice, even if he was being weird. It made me happy, made me feel alive, and made me feel wanted and loved.
Glances and touches spoke so many more words than actual words did.
You can only say so much with words, but physical stuff in relationships is just so nice and makes me feel nice.
Mark leaned closer to me.
And he pecked me on the lips and leaned back up, giggling like he was a little kid.
He winked at me. He is so dumb.
I guess this will be our little forbidden love story. Because, oh no, his old-ass daddy doesn't want us to be together.
Yeah, how's your wife, dumbass? That's irritating. Stop dictating your son's love life and worry about your own old man.
"I don't care what my dad thinks," he said.
"You can read minds!"
"What? Why are you thinking about my dad?"
"Because he's annoying."
"I guess, but no, I was just thinking about what he was saying earlier and everything that my dad has said to me, and I realize that I don't care what he thinks; I love you and want to be with you. I don't care if our love is forbidden by my dad or whoever; I want to be with you, and I know it's going to be hard, but I am willing to take those chances for you, my love," he said.
"You're so cheesy, I can't take it," I said. My cheeks were starting to hurt because I was smiling so much at his stupid comment.
He smiled, put his pointer finger up to his lips, and winked.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"The kiss is our little secret, so try not to think about it around my dad if you can," he said, and I rolled my eyes.
"You too; he can read your mind as well."
"You're right, this never happened. I mean, it did, but if my dad is watching, it didn't. It didn't happen at all, and we are just friends, coworkers, not lovers; not my soulmate, not my future wife, not the mother of three kids, two cat children, one chicken, and two hamsters; no, you are my boss, and I work for you as a model-." Mark's pale ass face started to get redder and redder the more he spoke.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"It wasn't nothing, the mother of your three kids, cats, chickens, and hamsters?" I repeated, and he looked at the wall behind me like it was the most interesting thing this stupid world had to offer.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, and he kissed my cheek and quickly ran for the back door. I watched as he pushed it open.
He sure is a character.
"Good morning, so there's the thing I sent you last night, and I know you didn't look at it-."
"Oh, I did," I said to Asa.
"You did?"
"Yeah, it was the fashion contest; that's a couple of months away, but you wanted me to start early or something?" I said, and he nodded.
"That's a first; you never read the emails I sent you," he said, and I shrugged.
I looked behind Asa, and Mark waved at me with a smile.
I smiled back at him. What a cutie!
Every stolen glance.
The day went on as normal.
"Where'd you get that from?" Lindsay asked, eating her salad as normal.
"Oh uh-."
"I got it for her; I was in the area before work, so I got it for her," Mark said, putting both of his hands on my shoulders and smiling at Lindsay.
"Oo, very nice. Buy some for me next time," she said, going back to her salad.
Every touch.
Every second that passed today, Mark was trying to bend the rules—his touches, his glances, his comments.
"Let me help you with that," Mark said as I bent down to grab a box.
I closed my eyes and quickly shot up.
"You're insane," I said through my teeth.
"You have a nice ass; what can I say?" he said, followed by a cackle as he quickly grabbed the box from me before I could do anything.
And he just straight-up slapped my ass out of nowhere.
It's like he wanted to get caught or prove a point.
"Okay, I'll see you next week," I said, waving.
We had the weekend off for once, but I was going to stay and work because I don't really have anything better to do with my life besides fashion and flirting with a vampire. Joke made, but that's fine; it's still funny.
I pushed open the door.
"No smoking," I said.
"I'm not; it's just cold," he said, waddling over to me with his hands in his pocket, hugging me, and putting his head on top of mine.
"We were almost caught today because you want to be all clingy," I said, and he kissed my head.
"I just love you so much, and you are just so tempting and irresistible," he said, and I felt him pull back.
I turned behind me.
"Why'd you say irresistible like that?" I asked him.
"Sorry, I was just, never mind, just tired, I guess," he said, nodding like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me.
"Yeah, just tired," he said with a smile, and I could see his fangs were showing.
He looked at me with this unrecognizable look.
"Mark?" I reached out for him, and he looked down at me and walked closer.
He kept looking at me and looking at me.
He pushed past me.
"Give me a few minutes, okay, honey," he said, covering his mouth as he ran back inside.
Damn, what is up with him?
That was hot, not gonna lie. Everything that should make me go scream and run and hide is making me more and more drawn to him, and it makes me want to never leave his side. Ever.
We had the day off tomorrow; it was going to be fine. I was going to be fine. Mark was going to be fine. We were all going to be fine.
"I was waiting for you," I said, yawning, and Mark nodded.
"I'm sorry, I had to fix something," he said with a smile. He still had that same look on his face, but he was looking at me and talking, so I guess he was doing better than he was yesterday.
"Are you okay? You have an off vibe right now," I said, his left eye twitching, and he smiled at me.
"I'm fine."
"You're lying," I said, and he sighed and closed his eyes.
"I'm hungry, and uh, because we have the day off, I want to take you on a date," Mark said with a smile as he turned away from me and went to go get whatever he needed.
I smiled. He was so weird, I couldn't.
This little date would be our safe haven away from this terrible, fucking world.
"Where are we going?" I asked as we walked down the street.
"Uh, you'll see."
"You don't know, do you?"
"I do."
"Liar," I said with a smile, walking in front of him.
We strolled down the street, and I hugged his arm.
I looked around. There were not that many people out, but then again, I didn't want to take any chances.
Competition and coworkers lurked around every corner, and the fact that his dad didn't want us to be together also weighed into the fact that I shouldn't be holding his arm like we were on the date.
Eh, who cares what the media thinks?
Okay, and now people were staring. They were pointing and taking pictures as we walked.
Mark waved to someone taking a picture, and then the person put their phone away, embarrassed.
I forgot that he was mega-famous. Most people don't know designers, but they do know models.
People on Twitter are going to post, and my mom is going to know, and my dead grandma too. Stuff like this spreads.
"What's this?" I asked as Mark opened the door.
"Dance studio," he said with a smile.
"You can dance?"
"I can do everything," he said with a smile.
What an interesting date.
"I'm sure you can; I'm sure you can," I said, looking around the studio.
This was oddly romantic. I can't dance, but I think this is a cute date idea. Better than eating, that is.
"So are we going to dance or not? Because I can't-."
"I know," he said, interrupting me.
"What do you mean, you know?" I asked him, and he laughed.
"Lucky guess, we are just going to eat in here; I think it's cute," he said, and I nodded at him.
It is a little weird, but I guess it is still cute that he came up with this whole date idea.
He handed me a lunch bag.
"Pasta," I said with a smile. He knows me so well.
He handed me a fork, and the two of us just started eating.
I felt like we were teenagers again. Oh my god. The way he would say something in a hushed tone of voice, and I would giggle like a dumbass.
"Okay, so he was like-." I watched as Mark's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he started to lean back. Gone.
"Mark!" I called out. I put my pasta down next to me and crawled over to Mark.
He was pale; the problem was that he was always pale, so I don't know what is wrong.
"Mark?" I asked, sitting next to him and shaking him.
He shot up.
And he looked around frantically.
He stood up, and he ran out of the door.
What is wrong with him? He's so strange.
I mean, he left his phone.
I won't snoop, but I'm just pointing it out.
"He's a vampire; they need blood," Bryn said.
I looked at him behind me in the mirror.
"Wait, don't vampires not show up in mirrors?" I asked Bryn.
"You are being dumb; that's a myth," Bryn said, sitting next to me.
"What brings you here?"
"You."
"Me? Consider me flattered, then," I said with a smile.
"You are making him like this," he said.
"Making who like what?"
"Mark, you are making him all crazy like that; he has never been like this."
"Just because he isn't listening to you doesn't mean he is crazy,'' I said.
"You don't get it."
"Yeah, I do; you don't want us together,'' I said.
"That too, but you don't understand what he is capable of when he-." Bryn stopped and stood up.
I raised an eyebrow.
"He's coming back," and just like that, he was gone. Wait, what the fuck? What just happened?
When he what? I'm so goddamn confused.
He came back in with a smile.
"Hi honey, I'm sorry, I had to take that," Mark said, lying.
"Take what? I have your phone," I said and Mark closed his eyes and sucked his lips in.
"I'll tell you later," he said, packing up the food.
"No, tell me now."
"Eh, I don't think so," he said, helping me get up and then spinning me around.
"Let's continue our date, shall we?" He said this time grabbing my arm as we walked outside of the door.
"Mark can we-."
"Can we kiss? Only if you want to, baby," he said, smiling at me, and I rolled my eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing,'' I said, and the two of us continued to walk.
He was very good at making my brain go to mush and making me forget all of my morals and everything I hold dear in life. Is that a good thing? Meh, I don't even know.
We walked, and we blended in with the crowd of couples and people walking.
Everything was fine; we were fine, and I was fine.
I did feel my eyes burning holes in the back of my head, but they were probably Bryn or some jealous fan, both the same really.
"If anyone asks, we are friends," I said.
"Why don't you want people to know we are dating?"
"It's not that I don't; you and your dad have that crazy paparazzi shit after you twenty-four-seven, and I don't need that in my life," I said.
"You do need me, though?"
"I guess."
"I'll tell people we are friends," he said, smiling at me.
I smiled. He could only hold that promise for so long I knew that, but as long as he could hold it until I was ready. I will be okay.
We continued on our way.
"Dad, go away," I heard Mark say.
I felt a body separate us. It was Bryn.
"Hi son," he said with a fake smile.
"Dad, go away."
"No, I'm your father."
"Protector."
"Same thing."
"They aren't," Mark said, annoyed as we walked.
"I thought I told you, you can't date her," Bryn said, glaring at me like I owe him money or some shit.
"We aren't dating," I said.
"You are."
"Liar," I said.
Bryn gave Mark a look and then looked back at me.
"She's my soulmate, Dad; she can tell when we are lying," Mark said.
"So you told her?" Actually, you did, Bryn, but let's not talk about that, shall we? I hope you are hearing me right now, dumbass.
"I can't lie to her dad."
"Yes, he can," I blurted out, and Mark and his dad stared at me.
"My bad," I said, keeping my head down.
He mumbled something at Mark, and then, like that, he was gone again.
Weird ass family, oh my god.
Expectation is a funny thing.
Like I hate my job and everything it has to offer, but at the same time, it's my income, and I have an expectation to uphold.
I have the love I have for Mark, but I also have the responsibility of being a fashion designer and keeping my name out of people's mouths.
Each moment that me and Mark shared just keeps getting better and better, and I feel myself getting deeper and deeper into love, yet I have so much weight on my shoulders with my job and the fashion shit.
God, I don't even know anymore.
I have spent all these years working on my brand with all these different people, and the whole industry loves my designs and everything that comes with them, but me dating one of my models. God, those headlines are going to be horrendous.
It could ruin everything I have worked for.
Fuck I don't even know what to do. I love him, but at the same time, I don't know.
I looked over at Mark; he was also lost in thought.
I feel like he might have the opposite problem. But he still also struggles with his own internal battles, trying so hard to be human while also keeping up his vampire ways.
He, too, has so many expectations placed on him.
All of these years he's been on earth, and he is spending one of those many lives with me, but then again, he has a whole eternity waiting for him, and one day I will be nothing to him, just like all of those before me were.
He gripped my hand on his own and continued to look forward.
He was off recently. His eyes, his demeanor, everything—he was just being weird.
I think the whole me being human is getting to him because, at the end of the day, I'm his prey. That sounds weird—not into the whole predator-prey shit, but for him, I might be, if you know what I mean.
He has to keep himself a secret and do all of this stuff to keep himself a secret, and if any of this gets exposed, it's over for both of us.
We had different properties and loyalties, and I just didn't know. We are trying to balance those and our love at the same time, but one wrong step, and it all comes down.
I squeezed his hand, and he looked down at me.
He gave me a half smile. I smiled back at him. We would do this together.
"No, back up, secret, remember," I said. It was Monday, and everyone was here. We had work, and Mark was trying to kiss me at every chance he got.
"Sorry, you are just so cute," he said, mumbling into my neck.
I heard someone clear their throat, and I looked behind me.
"I thought you guys weren't dating," he mumbled. Fuck, can nobody mind their business anymore?
I mean, technically, we hadn't made it officially yet.
"We aren't,'' Mark said, getting to it before I could.
"You are a liar," Asa said, shoving Mark.
What is wrong with him?
"Asa! What is wrong with you? You are a grown-ass adult; if you have problems, we talk them the fuck out, not assault people," I said, raising my voice at him.
He backed up.
"I'll do it for her-."
"No, you are going to do it so you don't go to jail for assault charges," I spat at him.
He rolled his eyes.
Getting on my nerves for no reason.
The three of us stayed silent for a minute or two when Asa broke the silence. "You can't date your employees, Rosalind. I hope you know that."
I looked at him sideways.
"And who makes those rules?" I asked.
"I do," he said with a smile.
"And who pays your salary?"
"You-." Asa stopped himself.
"You're changing," Asa said.
"No, you are. You are Asa. You keep telling me about all the things I can't do and keep trying to hold me back. I don't care what you think of Mark; I'm going to be so honest. We are friends, even best friends, but the way you are acting is making me question this whole thing," I said, and he sucked his teeth at me.
He went to say something, but he stopped.
"You're doing all this for him, right? He wants you to stop being friends with me, right? He wants to because he's an insecure cunt-." I watched as Asa fucking jumped on Mark.
Fuck.
"Asa, get off of him," I said; he was not listening.
I tried my best to pry him off of Mark, and in the end, it worked.
"You have lost your fucking mind," I said, looking him in the eyes.
"You are making all of this stuff up about Mark, and I don't know why, but you need to stop. You are making yourself pissed off and angry. Get to know him, and you will see why I like him so much," I explained, and he sighed.
I sighed and closed my eyes.
"I'll be back, I guess. Work yourself out, Asa, before you come to talk to me," I said, and I felt myself walking away.
I love walking away from my problems.
I pushed open the backdoor and went outside.
The air blew through my hair, and I sighed. I just needed some fresh air. I just needed it right now.
I heard something crack behind me, and I turned around.
It was someone's knuckles. It was a person I couldn't recognize.
"Tristian. I'm Mark's cousin," Tristan said with his hand out.
And we have a liar on our hands.
"Nice to meet you."
"And you are?" he asked.
"I am Mark's boss," I said with a smile, and he nodded.
"You sadly don't know why I am here, but Mark sure does. He's gone about, eh, however long he's been with you without blood. See, I normally wouldn't care, but Mark is one of the strongest out of all of us, if not the strongest, and I can't really have him going all loose and crazy like he is right now; it's messing up everything," Tristan said with a smile.
I take it he is also a vampire—maybe some vampire council or some shit.
"What would you like me to do about it?" I asked.
"Well, you are his soulmate."
"And?"
"You aren't going to give your life for him?" he asked. Bitch, that's a lot of commitment.
"Not yet," I said.
"Fun."
The guy said that, and he started walking around.
"I'm here because I don't want him going on another killing spree," the guy said.
"Another?" I said back.
"Yes, he's a killing machine, really."
"Not really, if he hasn't killed anyone in a few months,'' I said with a smile.
"Are you getting smart with me?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I am. Because I hate liars. You aren't his cousin,'' I said, and the guy looked at me funny.
"You really are her."
"Really who?"
"You'll see," he said with a smile.
"Don't let him lose control, because trust me, he'll do a lot more than ruin you," the guy said with a smile, and he was gone.
Ruin me, how? Like sexually? Man, I wouldn't be opposed to that, I guess.
Fuck, now I have the vampire mafia after me. That's so irritating; I can't catch a break and just have a crush on a guy and want to love him in peace.
I pushed the door back open or I pulled them; I guess I don't know anymore.
Mark was nowhere to be found, but Asa was.
He scanned the room looking for me, and he started walking toward me once he had.
"Did you guys make up?" I asked.
Asa looked down at the floor.
"I'll take that as a no. Look, I know you don't-." I stopped myself, and I looked into his eyes.
"What's wrong with your eye?" I asked, getting closer to him to look at it.
"I didn't want to tell you, but Mark punched me," Asa said, and I sighed.
"I hate liars, Asa; you of all people should know that. There's ice in the fridge; you know where it is. Next time, if you don't lie, I might actually care,'' I said and sighed.
"I'm not lying-."
"You just lied again," I said, and he sighed.
"I don't understand what you see in him."
"There's a lot. He's kind, he's hot, he's funny, he listens to me, and I genuinely like him a lot now,'' I said with a smile, and Asa sighed.
"Okay," he said, walking away.
Okay, I did not smooth things over with him at all, but that's later me's problem, I guess.
I felt arms wrap around my waist and a headrest on my shoulder.
I touched Mark's hair, and I felt myself lean into him.
"What's wrong with you? Is Asa still being a little cunt?" he asked, and I shook my head.
All I could think about was that guy and everything that he said. Was it all true? I guess it was because I couldn't tell if he was lying or not.
"Nothing; I'm good. Just happy to see you." I smiled, and he turned me around so I was facing him.
"You'll tell me if you aren't okay, right?"
"Yes, when the time comes, I will," I said with a smile.
"I need you to tell me now, sweetheart. You know I always do that with you."
"Not about you being a vampire, though?"
"Okay, you're right. Tell me when you are ready; I will always be here to listen," he said, kissing my head.
I smiled at him. I didn't care what they thought at the end of the day.
Whatever Mark was going through, we could go through it together.