PLAYING WITH THE PLAYBOY

Maame was slowly petting a lionfish, after giving it a makeover.

Its spiny dorsal fin always standing on end in delight after every gentle scratch, but Maame didn't feel as happy as she thought, in the midst of all the creatures around her, she felt lonely.

She then sensed a sound then kissed the top of the large creature and placed it to her side as it swam after her for more, then it was chased away by an angry eel which had lost its patience waiting for its turn.

She swam to the surface then saw something and frowned, it was Apollo, calling out to her, she knew he saw her and so knew he realized her rejection as she swam back down, but he didn't give up, and stayed there for several hours, singing her favourite song, the one she always sang with him for the children, she eventually had it and went to him.

She walked out of the turquoise waves in a dress made of sea weed, then asked,"What do you want?"

"Before you get mad, please just hear me out, I should have listened to you and taken things seriously when you needed, I'm sorry..."The two words she always wanted to hear,"...I just...I had always wanted to hear you laugh, it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard but you did it so rarely lately, so, I tried my best to make you do it again but, I guess I lost sight of what I was looking for and most importantly, how you felt, the kids need you, I need you and I didn't come to force you to come with me, I just came to say..."

She kissed him on the lips and first being surprised, he kissed her back and lifted her slightly.

When he placed her back down and she pulled back, she said,"Can't you just shut up for once and say I miss you?"

He smiled then said,"I miss you."

"And I love you."She said.

He smiled then yelled when Stacy bit his ear, hard then tried yanking the child off but her homodont dentition was specially adapted to tearing flesh.

He tried pulling her as Maame laughed then he suddenly stopped, squeezed her as she whimpered and let go, then he said,"You laughed, it's been so long."

"Well I guess the pressure was too much."She said.

"Then I promise to listen to you and be serious from now onwards."He said.

"And I promise to be more understanding and laugh at your jokes as well."She said.

"Yeah I don't think that's possible."

"Was that a joke?"She scoffed.

He smiled then said,"Now let's get back to your underwater spa session."

She smiled as he lifted her between his arms and kissed her, while walking into the waves.

***

The woman had been waiting for Curtis on his bed for a while, then when she heard the door click, she lay over and placed a rose in her mouth.

He walked closer then asked,"What are you doing in my room?"

"Y... you told me to..."

He grabbed her by the neck then threw her off as she screamed then he said,"I told you I was interested thirty minutes ago, you are no more appealing and if I find you trying to make any moves on me when I'm not ready, expect to lose business because your face will be scarred much more than your emotions."

He then kicked her out of the room, scantily dressed, as she cried on the floor, she didn't know what was up with him, he was just so hot and cold.

At one time, he'd seduce her and use sweet words to capture her heart, and the next he threatened and verbally abused her, but she couldn't help but...like it, she loved a challenge and found herself grinning between her tears.

Soon, Anneliese came to her, still on the floor, and said,"I'm sorry..., Curtis is like that, he's always been like that to Alexa but don't hold it against him, that's a result of his past, just try and get to know him better."

She nodded with fresh tears pouring down, then smirked at her back as Anneliese led her away, smirking herself.

Later that evening, ...was lying on her bed when she felt someone touch her and almost screamed but they covered her mouth and said,"It's okay, calm down, it's me, Curtis."

She scampered off the bed and said,"Master Curtis, I'm sorry, but, what do you want?"

"...I deserve that, I'm sorry, I was just drunk and stupid, but let me make it up to you, meet me in the garden at midnight and come alone."

He vanished before she could say anything else and fear gripped her heart, a lovely fear.

She didn't know what to expect but knew it could be dangerous...for his relationship.

She just took a deep breath then stood up to prepare herself and after she was content with what she saw, she left.

She walked into the garden then saw he had prepared a candlelit dinner for her and her heart melted as she saw him, with his long hair tied and his black tuxedo blending perfectly with the white glow of the scented candles and stream lights.

He walked closer and took her hand then led her to the table where she saw a floating crystal in the centre which changed shape and size over time.

When he saw her looking, he chuckled then said,"It's four dimensional, I made it that way, but anyway, I brought you here to say I'm sorry for how I treated you before, you were in need but I tried to kick you out because of some past experiences, you didn't deserve that, especially with eyes like those."

She widened her eyes as he placed his hand on hers then said,"The starlight fades at your gaze, the sun must give up her praise, your beauty is incompared so much so that I was scared, scared of commiting the greatest crime I could and that was letting my heart once again to thud, Alexa has left tis true, but all I see now is you."

Tears were in her eyes as he stood up and went behind her then placed a small red box before her, taking out a topaz necklace then she gasped as he took it to put around her neck, she didn't know what to feel, then burst into tears and ran away, despite him calling her back.

Curtis smirked, the plan was working.

He went to her locked room and knocked the door, hearing her sobbing inside and almost laughed, but composed himself, then teleported in.

She turned to him, with mascara all over her face as he slowly walked closer then sat beside her on the bed, then asked,"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."She said.

"It's okay."He said, drawing in for a kiss.

She pulled back then said,"Curtis stop, please, you're hurting me..."

' That's actually the plan. '

She walked away from him towards the window and said,"I'm not pregnant."

' Surprise, surprise. '

"...sent me to come and make you cheat on Alexa and come back to him and I can't make you do it anymore, please, just come with me and we'll run away, to some place where no one will find us and we'll live together, start a family, please."

He suddenly looked at her then couldn't hold it any longer and burst out laughing.

She gasped and asked what was happening as he said,"You fool! I knew it all along! That's why I did all this."

"What?"She asked.

"I'm sorry toots, but you're not my type, neither is that necklace, I don't patronize fake objects."

She gasped as he was walking off then ran and held his hand while going to the floor and begging him not to leave her, but he then glared at her in disgust and hatred, then said,"You tried to separate me from the love of my life, you deserve all that's coming to you and more and I'll be more than happy to watch."

He grinned as she screamed when the hair on his arm pierced her like a thousand pins and he walked off then shut her in.

Anneliese had been waiting in the living room, then asked,"Did it work? Did she confess?"

"Yes, but she was very idiotic, I didn't get much fun in the challenge."He said.

Anneliese then asked,"So what do you plan on doing with her?"

"Kicking her out for what she's worth, she would either face the music or run, I don't care which she does, they'll both be fun to watch."

"Curtis, I know you're angry but... couldn't you at least consider the fact that she's still human, with emotions?"

He lounged on the couch, crossed his legs on the table and took a sip of the whiskey in his hand then said with his eyes almost closed,"If she did have emotions, then why did she want to toy with me?"

Anneliese sighed then said,"Even if she was wrong, couldn't you find it in your heart to have mercy on her?"

He then said,"You don't know these people like I do, they give and deserve no mercy."

Then Anneliese went closer and said,"Please Curtis."

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes, then closed them again...

***

...was crying on the floor of the room when the door opened and she scampered to the wall in fear as Curtis said,"You wanted to go somewhere no one will find you? I'll personally take you somewhere no one will find you, pack all your stuff, you're going to Puerto Rico."

"B...but isn't it deserted?"

"I should ask the same about your heart, now get up before I lose my patience."

She stood up and hurriedly packed her bags as Curtis had a mental conversation with Anneliese, drinking a whiskey.

He took a deep breath, then led her out of the room, across the corridor to a bigger one better furnished, without tear marks anywhere in sight.

She was confused and looked at him as he was leaving, then she asked,"I thought you wanted to take me to Puerto Rico."

"I call this deserted room Puerto Rico, or did you have some other place you wanted to go?"

She shook her head violently, then he smirked and said,"Enjoy."