26. Winver
TWENTY-SIX
I’ve felt so weird lately. Not in the sense of feeling under the weather physically, but mentally my mind feels so out of place. I haven’t been doing anything different, but maybe that’s the reason. I do the same stuff at home every day other than going to the store once a week and going on our date nights every Friday, which has just turned into meeting more people that all own some wealthy business. Axel said that it was my way of working and helping him. By showing up to these dinners and being a female face for him in terms of his hotel. I don’t really know what he means by that, but I guess if this is my role in helping him run Riviera, then I’ll gladly do it.
He still hasn’t proposed and it’s been a whole month since the first time I saw the box. Why buy a ring then wait so long to ask? I know that’s just the impatience in me showing, but what could he possibly be doing that has him holding back on it? He has the weekends off for the most part. That gives him plenty of free time to pop the question…
I take out the chicken casserole from the oven, feeling uneasy just looking at it. I haven’t been hungry lately, and it’s starting to show. I’ve dropped nearly fifteen pounds within the last few weeks. Food just doesn’t look appetizing and I can barely eat without wanting to barf it all back up. Axel sent a house doctor to come take a look at me and said everything looked perfectly fine, but I don’t feel fine. I feel weak, tired, and just overall not in the mood to do anything.
Letting the casserole cool I walk to the bedroom closet, rummaging through a lingerie set to put on. Picking out a black, lace teddy, I slip it on and go to the bathroom. Dark circles make a heavy appearance with how little sleep I’ve been getting. I put a generous amount of concealer on then some foundation, adding the usual smokey eye and red lipstick. I brush out my hair not wanting to do anything with it, calling it good.
I really don’t want to wear heels, but I know he loves it when I do. I skim through them, putting on my black ones with red bottoms and painfully walk back to the kitchen. Everything freaking hurts. My muscles are probably just too weak from not eating.
The elevator dings and out walks Axel, giving me a smile before coming up and kissing me on my forehead. “Hello, my beautiful Winnie.”
“Hi, my love,” I breathe out, trying to mask out how I really feel. I make him his plate, giving it to him before I make mine.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” he says, running back over to the elevator and bringing back a paper bag with something in it. “My buddy who owns a winery gave me this today at work! Go get some glasses and a wine opener.”
Doing just that, I hand him the glasses and opener when he then starts corkscrewing open a smell that makes my stomach turn. “What type of wine is that?” I say, airing out my nostrils.
“Marsannay, our favorite,” he says, pouring out the smell of pure garbage. There is no way that”s Marsannay. I might be nineteen, but my mother raised me to know my wines. He hands me the glass, raising his up to cheers.
“To us! The most powerful and soon to be wealthiest man in the world.” I disregard that statement, knowing that’s just his ego talking which sounds horrible to say, but it’s the truth. He works hard for what he does, but sometimes his ego gets the best of him.
“To us,” I say, clinking our glasses together and taking a little sip. Surprised it doesn’t taste how it smells, I take another generous sip. From how I’ve felt the past few weeks, this doesn’t make me feel bad at all. I take another sip, then another, and another until I notice I’ve downed the whole thing within a minute.
Axel chuckles. “Thirsty?”
“I guess so,” I chuckle back.
I take a few bites of the casserole before my stomach rises with the need to throw up. I push it away, watching as Axel finishes up his. Even watching him eat makes me want to puke.
“Excuse me,” I say, getting up. “I need to run to the bathroom.”
As soon as he’s out of view, I run to the bathroom and collapse on the floor, lifting up the toilet seat where I begin gagging. Nothing comes out besides a burp, but it’s right there just swimming around. I wait a couple of minutes, trying to see if anything comes up, but nothing does.
I walk back out and notice Axel cleaning the kitchen.
“Oh, my love, let me do that!” I say hurriedly, walking over to him.
“Let me do it, Winnie, I know you don’t feel good,” he says, kissing my forehead. “Just go lay down and I’ll be there when I’m done.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, feeling bad that he has to clean up after me.
“Positive.”
I fall into bed, not caring that I still have everything on. My eyes get heavy and the silk sheets make my skin feel like I’m laying on a cloud. I turn over on my side, nuzzling myself with the blanket. It’s not long before my mind is finally letting me rest, falling into a deep sleep.
“Fuck, she’s sexy.”
“Her body is divine.”
“How tight is she?”
I hear voices from all around as I flutter my eyes open, letting in the bright lights. Now gaining consciousness, I’m tied up on the same wheel, only this time the bright spotlight hides the people that stand before me. A flash goes off making me wince, as the man holding the camera comes up to me and pats my cheek.
“Wha-what”s going on?” I ask, but am completely ignored just like the last time. He trails his fingers on my necklace, looking at me in the eyes, smiling. “You’re perfect, Winnie,” he whispers, calling me by my nickname only Axel has ever said, but this isn’t him. His eyes glow red, and his teeth start to form into razor sharp teeth. I blink rapidly, not believing what I’m seeing. I look at the crowd, noticing all of them now have glowing red eyes.
What is going on?!
“Let’s start, shall we?” The razor toothed man calls out followed by cheers and applause.
“Tonight, ladies and gentleman, you get it all!” His voice is now dark and deep.
I try to twist my wrists out of the rope that ties me down, but I truly can’t even move.
“Hey!” I yell out to the crowd, but all they do is continue to clap.
“We’re going to start the bidding at one-hundred thousand dollars.” The crowd ‘oohs’ and ‘awws’ until someone finally speaks up.
“Five-hundred thousand dollars. Cash.” The guy on stage with me drops his mouth in complete shock.
“Five-hundred thousand going once…going twice… instantly sold!”
Cheers, shouts, and whistles can be heard when suddenly a man starts walking up to the stage, towering over me with his abnormally tall height. His jagged uneven teeth show me an evil smile, while his eyes start glowing lime green. Another flash sets off to the side.
“Can you hear me?” I ask looking up at him. He looks me up and down then leans into me, fanning his atrocious rotting breath directly on my nose.
“I always loved the struggle, but I can’t wait for it to be coming from you.”
“NO!” I gasp awake, hyperventilating from the nightmare I just had.
“Shhh…it’s okay, come here,” Axel says, pulling me into him like he always does.
These nightmares keep on getting worse and worse as the weeks grow. The people turn scarier and more monster-like each time I have one. I thankfully wake up before anything else happens but it’s the same thing: I’m tied, bid on, and then met with the highest bidder.
When I fall back asleep and wake up the following morning to tell Axel about it, he reassures me, telling me that nothing like that will ever happen as long as he’s around.
Not only do the nightmares get weirder, but my body feels so sore the following morning. Like I was actually tied up. It’s dramatic to think that these nightmares could actually take a toll on my body physically, but mentally it definitely has. I’m always feeling like I’ve been up for days on end and it’s starting to affect the way I feel about everything and everyone.
I turn over to my other side, nuzzling my head in his shoulder. I feel so bad that my nightmares are waking him up, but he’s been so kind hearted about it. Once I’m nuzzled in, he wraps around my waist and puts his leg over mine, cuddling me all while soothing me at the same time. I once again drift back off into sleep feeling so safe and so loved.