37 - REALLY

The knock came just once, but it was a bit bolder than the one that woke her and lured her into the pink room the previous night. Her eyes blinked open with difficulty. Her head was heavy and her arms and legs were weak, but she managed to look towards the door.

“The door is open,” she hollered.

The door handle was twisted and the door was given a gentle push from outside, but before the person at the door took one step into the room, his perfume announced him.

Grey!

She shrugged off from bed she wasn’t fast enough. He caught up with her and sighed at what he saw. The bathrobe had somehow lost the grip around her waist, so, she was nearly naked.

“You know there is no need to hide your body from me,” he said without a smile. It’s not his thing though and she was already fond of him.

She fixed the bathrobe.

“Good morning, sir,” she said gently.

He nodded and shut the door with his left hand.

“I believe you should be smarter than this,” he walked over to her at the corner of the bed where she stood. The window side that had been lit by the sun’s light.

She flinched but he didn’t stop, he was up to play a love mate, she thought, but she couldn’t imagine how he would look in such a role.

He stopped before her and reached out for her hair. He allowed him. She couldn’t have stopped him even if she wanted to. He picked a pink tape off from her hair. On the tape was inscribed ‘welcome’.

“You know you shouldn’t address me with sir when you speak to me,” he said.

She raised a brow. They weren’t into anything romantic, so, what the heck does he wish to be addressed as if not the rightful word for a boss who had her toss her into a contract relationship and potential marriage?

“Sorry, but what should I call you?” she asked.

“Call me anything other than sir,” he said and brought his finger down to her face. “I wanted to ask you how you spent the night, but this tape meant you were with my sisters last night.

“Sure, I was with them,” she faked a smile.

His face chilled up. He wasn’t glad with her response. He threw the tape away and turned to the big drawer in the room. Maybe the drawer was the most appealing object he could see in the room.

“Here are the rules you ought to keep, dear,” he started. “You must be aware of my sisters. They are friendly and brilliant but they are spoilt bastards.”

Lola’s chest skipped a beat. Why would he use such demeaning words on his sisters?

“You shouldn’t speak of your…”

“ I didn’t apply for your response,” he snapped.” They can lie about my relationship with them, but trust me, they are a bad influence and I won’t let you glide with them.”

Lola said nothing. She couldn’t possibly exist in the mansion without the two ladies who were all over her. Their warmth and the love they already had for her were unmatched by any she had seen so far.

“You can’t risk it,” he added, “they will spoil you with parties, alcohol and hookah.”

The same things she saw last night. She swallowed hard. His sisters were truly spoilt but such a life as theirs wasn’t a thing she hadn’t seen before.

“Breakfast is ready,” he announced, “go get something in your stomach. I’ll be off till tomorrow.”

“Your mom spoke of a pre-wedding event that should commence today,” said Lola.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have time for that.”

***

First, she found her way to the bathroom. It was a land all the ladies from last night were day in the massive pool that popped steam in the air. A warm bath in a massive pool. She had never done such, but it looked good with the ladies busy.

“Here comes the lady of the hour,” one of them hollered. It was Auralia. She was seated on the edge of the warm pool with her legs in the water. “Take off your clothes and come bathe at my side.”

The ladies had their eyes on her, but it seemed they took little notice of whom she was because none of them was all over her like Morgan and Peniel.

“Who is she?” one of them asked

“Tobi’s fiancee,” Auralia announced.

Everyone stopped what they were busy with and turned to Lola. Who wouldn’t like to see Tobi’s fiancee? Who wouldn’t like to make friends with her? If not for anything, they would at least seal their bond with the Greys through her.

“She’s beautiful.” Came the first whisper.

“I like her posture.”

“And her gentle demeanor.”

Lola stopped behind Auralia. “I never asked you to tell them, Auralia.”

The ladies laughed. She can’t tell why but they did.

“They should know because it’s crystal clear you are in the wrong place at the right time,” said Lola.

“Why not, she’s new in the mansion, or are you jealous of her?”

“Let Auralia be, is she the only one who has a crush on Tobi?”

The ladies laughed.

Lola smiled and gently took off the bathrobe. Their eyes fell upon her. She slipped into the pool and gasped in pleasure and relief from the stress of night’s wake.

“Did you see something?” Morgan was at the doorpost with Peniel.

“She is a virgin.”

“Unbelievable.”

***

“Mother,” Morgan was the first to push the door and stump into their mother’s room, followed by Peniel whose face was riddled with a smile.

“What do you want?” Freya said from the bathroom in her inner chamber.

They made for her and found her busy in the bathtub. Her hair was covered with a plastic hat and her tub was foamy. They stopped a little distance from the tub.

“Mom, guess what,” came Morgan.

“I’m not up for that, girls.” Freya snapped.

“Mom, you can’t believe it.”

“Lola is a virgin.”

“What?”