Fourteen

It was almost eight in the evening when they reached the resort. Red is so hungry, remembering that the last time she had eaten was just earlier in that morning. She wished there is something to eat inside of that modern house beside the beach.

The driver took her luggage and carried it inside the house, she moved her feet to follow him behind. The house was empty and silent when they got in. He walked straight into the place of her bedroom. Then he opened the door and put her things inside. She felt no other presence inside the house aside from both of them. After making sure there's nothing left for him to do, the driver turned towards her to let her know that he is leaving.

"Thank you very much".

She thanked the man and felt the urged to ask him where her new employer is, at this time of the night but she quickly change her mind.

"Prego." (You're welcome) came out his short reply in a deep masculine voice and he went out of the room fast.

After he closed the door behind him, she went beside her luggage and looked for something to change. Then she headed towards the bathroom for a quick shower. The bathroom is clean and complete with all the modern amenities. It had everything she needed from shampoo, soap and shower gel, toothpaste, mouthwash and even new towels. Her employer must have prepared everything for her...or for the translator that he wanted to hire. But would he prepared everything for a woman. Was he really anticipating a female escort? Well, he definitely is..she told herself that, and felt something painful in her heart.

She hurried inside the shower and after twenty minutes, she came out of the bathroom refreshed, pwith just a towel wrapped around her body. She felt a little strange, she suddenly feel the tiny hairs at the back of her neck that are slowly standing up. It feels like someone is watching her. She turned her eyes around the room, searching for something. When she didn't find anything, she put out her pajamas and started putting them on.

She had on her cotton pajama top and bottom when she went down in the kitchen. Her stomach is growling since the moment she step foot inside the house. The fridge is stacked but she don't want to spend anymore time on cooking, so she settled herself for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and after that, she made herself a cup of delicious green tea with honey. While eating, she opened her phone and saw a message from Axel popped up.

"Hey,good evening. I'm gonna come late tonight so if you are back home,please help yourself in the kitchen".

She typed a message for him to confirm that she is already inside the house.

"Ok Axel, I'm home and no worries".

She continued eating and after that, she did her dishes. She’s not afraid to be left alone in a house but it's her first time sleeping at a stranger’s place without the knowledge of her family.

"I'll see you in the morning Red, be ready by eight am".

He means to make her start working as his employee early in the morning. She wanted to know what he plans to do but just replied a short “ok” to his text.

She kept her questions to herself and set an alarm before going to bed. She set an hour earlier so that she will have time to take a shower and get ready.

She'd been lying in her bed for hours but couldn't find the desire to sleep. Maybe she felt new to the room and her mind is restless with her current situation.

The night is quiet but suddenly it was stirred with the sound of a car’s engine. She looked at her phone in the bed side table and found out it's one in the morning. Maybe he finished late outside. She decided to get up from the bed and turned on the lights.

She pace to the bedroom door and turn the knob. Just in time when Axel passes by her door.

"H..hi! good evening!

She stuttered, surprised that he is outside her door. He didn't reply back, he just stood there in front of her room. Axel did not expect to find her still awake. She looked at him and find traces of fatigue all over his face, there was a dirt visible in his white button down shirt too. Her eyes travelled down to his chest and flat sexy stomach. She couldn't contain the silent admiration that raised from her heart. He's dropped dead gorgeous despite the looked of weariness in his eyes.

Axel arched one brow and took a few steps closer to where she stands.

"Shall i say good morning to you, because it's now past one in the morning. I thought you were already sleeping. What keeps you up this late?

His deep masculine voice immediately awakened all her senses. He stopped right in front of her. She was forced to looked up to his face, realizing the huge difference of there height.

"I'm not sure why, maybe because it's my first time in this place and i heard you're car from downstairs.”

"Oh,sorry for that amore please go back to sleep now. I'll take you somewhere tomorrow for a nice breakfast".

While he leaned closer, Red can smell his familiar perfume and the faint whiskey in his breath. He must have been drinking with his friends. Axel’s right hand moved to touch her shoulder but quickly drew back his hand liked he was burned by something. Her eyes followed his hand and she saw something different in his knuckles.

"What happened to your hand?

It looked liked it was bruised and there's fresh blood on the end of his sleeve! Acting on her instinct, she quickly hold his hand and brought it closer to her eyes. Axel just let her be. If it was another stranger holding him like this he would have snatched his hand away. Red wanted to asked him how did he got his hand injured but she thought it needed to be treated first.

"It's nothing Red,you should be more worried with what i did to someone using this hand because this blood is not all mine".

His voice course and challenging. Encouraging her to withdrew and step away from someone like him. Axel expected her to moved back, scared and sickened by the traces of violence in his words. But she did the exact opposite. Red pulled him to the room next to her. The big room which he occupies.

"Let's get you cleaned up and see if how much damage does you're hand have, beating someone up is not something you should be proud of.”

He followed behind her, amused by the sound of concern in her voice. He wanted to laugh at the last sentence she said. She spoke like she's older than him eventhough she's young. Axel wondered how she would react if she would know his total whereabouts.

She brought him straight to the bathroom of his room and opened the water in the faucet. She folded his long sleeves up until his elbow after putting his hand under the flow of the warm water.

The feel of the water washing away the blood and the cuts on his knuckles made it sting a little bit, but he doesn't mind, because he liked the feeling of her hands around his arm. Her touched is something he had been waiting for, all day.

"There's really no need for this Red."

He keeps saying the opposite but deep inside of him he wanted this night not to end. He had a really rough day but seeing her in his room right now and sensing her genuine concern is something that warmed his heart. No woman in his life have shown him a great sense of concern, not after his mother passed away.

"Oh we're almost finished, my God you have cuts all over your hand how sharp is that man's face?

She tried to sound more funny than worried. Axel laugh without humor. She took a small white towel and gently pat on his hands to dry. Maybe he was really tired because he didn't protest when Reda opened the first aid box and started pulling out the things she needed.

She paused and looked up at him, before putting on the betadine on a piece of cotton ball. She slowly dab it in his injuries.

When her gaze went up again to see his face, a gasp escaped her lips. She noticed that Axel it not looking at his hands that she’s treating but is looking at her lovely face. She is suddenly conscious of how she looked, but she tried her best to kick those feelings away and acted normal.

She couldn't guess what he is thinking. So Red continues to treat his hands. Gently she covered his knuckles with a bandage, hoping she's doing it right since it had been a year when she had her first aid training lessons and she didn't really had the chance to do it personally with anyone.

A low and desirable chuckle came out from the man in front of her.

"What's funny?

She looked up at him. Although hearing him laugh is something that seems to be rare for him base on his facial expression. That's why she had to see him to see that he's for real.

"You are funny, Red.. you don't have to be so gentle, as if I'm going to get hurt by just something like this.

I've been through worst amore. Some pain that is worst than physical is what would really hurt the most, specially for a man like me".

The comment he said drew a mark in her heart. She doesn't know why but she is really affected by him and the things he said. Her instinct told her this man is a troubled soul. She couldn't help but wonder who would have hurt him so bad. What is his story and why is he in the Philippines? It's not like he’s only here for fun. He exude a deeper meaning with the words he just said.