Once Harold had left the car Donnella attempted to talk to Matthew once more. He had said very little the rest of the ride, and she was growing concerned. They were still in their early stages and she wondered if perhaps, he was having second thoughts. “Do you want out of the arrangement?”
He looked at her briefly, then ran his fingers down the bridge of his nose. “No. I don’t know. It’s just been a lot. Really quick.” He sighed heavily. Looking down at his now broken hand. He’d never hit anyone before. Never had a reason to. What was this woman doing to him? “I’m tired and in pain. They gave me a prescription I have to get filled. Can we swing by a pharmacy?”
“Yeah, sure.” She tapped the glass again. “Pharmacy.”
***
When they arrived back at The Stone Tower Matthew was already feeling the effects of the OxyContin the doctors had given him. He had taken twice the recommended dosage, to try and dull everything swirling around inside his head and all that managed to do was make the world around him spin. Donnella had Cordell help her get him into the apartment and past Pepper who barked aggressively at Cordell upon entering with Matthew over his shoulder.
“There’s a spare bedroom, just over there.” She pointed Cordell in the right direction as she calmed down the concerned pup. “Shh, it’s okay, Daddy’s just a little high right now. I’ll let you outside okay?” She knew that in a pinch Pepper would use the grass pad Matthew had bought for the terrace, and she considered this to be a pinch.
When she came back without Pepper she found Cordell still in the apartment waiting for her. “Ma’am.”
“Go home. I’m responsible for that mess in there, time I cleaned it up.”
“With all due respect, I think the man needs a break. More than just the one in his hand. We need recharging too, and this guy has been running ragged for you.”
She looked at Cordell. “I think that is the most you have ever said to me at one time… Like ever.”
“It needs being said, Ma’am. You’re other suitors… They didn’t take you into account. This one shows interest.” With those words Cordell turned and let himself out.
Donnella looked into the room, then at herself. Going back up the stairs, she retrieved Pepper and then silently took her leave of the apartment.
9
Matthew awoke to a throbbing hand and a quiet apartment. He looked around expecting to find some sign of Donnella milling about, sure she wouldn’t have left him in the state he had been in the previous night.
“Fuck, did I actually say I wanted out ?” He ran his hands through his shortened hair. Sort of missing how it used to fall into his face more and curl behind his ears. Now it faded up and needed product to look presentable. He was still in the tux, and the sling. Going upstairs he let Pepper out while he stripped, waited for her, then climbed into the hot shower. Glad for the massagers that were built in, as he felt like he’d been hit by a train. Of course showering with his hand hanging out of the stall was rather annoying, but he was tall enough to accomplish the task with ease.
Scrubbed, and dressed at least partly, as he had on pants he fumbled with his phone. Using the left hand was not a simple task, when he was not a lefty in the least. He saw he had a voice mail, and a missed call from Donnella. He hit the call back first but it went to voice mail. “Listen it’s me, anything I said last night. Forget. I didn’t mean it. Please call me.” He hung up. Then dialed his voice mail.
***
‘Matthew,
Last night you were so far gone I didn’t want to leave, but I took some good advice given to me. I may be pushing you too hard. I see that now. I can be ravenous at times and selfish. I have some business to attend to over the next few days. Some taking me out of town. So take that time to decide what you need.’
“What I need ?” He hung up the phone. “What I need is a kick
He looked at her briefly, then ran his fingers down the bridge of his nose. “No. I don’t know. It’s just been a lot. Really quick.” He sighed heavily. Looking down at his now broken hand. He’d never hit anyone before. Never had a reason to. What was this woman doing to him? “I’m tired and in pain. They gave me a prescription I have to get filled. Can we swing by a pharmacy?”
“Yeah, sure.” She tapped the glass again. “Pharmacy.”
***
When they arrived back at The Stone Tower Matthew was already feeling the effects of the OxyContin the doctors had given him. He had taken twice the recommended dosage, to try and dull everything swirling around inside his head and all that managed to do was make the world around him spin. Donnella had Cordell help her get him into the apartment and past Pepper who barked aggressively at Cordell upon entering with Matthew over his shoulder.
“There’s a spare bedroom, just over there.” She pointed Cordell in the right direction as she calmed down the concerned pup. “Shh, it’s okay, Daddy’s just a little high right now. I’ll let you outside okay?” She knew that in a pinch Pepper would use the grass pad Matthew had bought for the terrace, and she considered this to be a pinch.
When she came back without Pepper she found Cordell still in the apartment waiting for her. “Ma’am.”
“Go home. I’m responsible for that mess in there, time I cleaned it up.”
“With all due respect, I think the man needs a break. More than just the one in his hand. We need recharging too, and this guy has been running ragged for you.”
She looked at Cordell. “I think that is the most you have ever said to me at one time… Like ever.”
“It needs being said, Ma’am. You’re other suitors… They didn’t take you into account. This one shows interest.” With those words Cordell turned and let himself out.
Donnella looked into the room, then at herself. Going back up the stairs, she retrieved Pepper and then silently took her leave of the apartment.
9
Matthew awoke to a throbbing hand and a quiet apartment. He looked around expecting to find some sign of Donnella milling about, sure she wouldn’t have left him in the state he had been in the previous night.
“Fuck, did I actually say I wanted out ?” He ran his hands through his shortened hair. Sort of missing how it used to fall into his face more and curl behind his ears. Now it faded up and needed product to look presentable. He was still in the tux, and the sling. Going upstairs he let Pepper out while he stripped, waited for her, then climbed into the hot shower. Glad for the massagers that were built in, as he felt like he’d been hit by a train. Of course showering with his hand hanging out of the stall was rather annoying, but he was tall enough to accomplish the task with ease.
Scrubbed, and dressed at least partly, as he had on pants he fumbled with his phone. Using the left hand was not a simple task, when he was not a lefty in the least. He saw he had a voice mail, and a missed call from Donnella. He hit the call back first but it went to voice mail. “Listen it’s me, anything I said last night. Forget. I didn’t mean it. Please call me.” He hung up. Then dialed his voice mail.
***
‘Matthew,
Last night you were so far gone I didn’t want to leave, but I took some good advice given to me. I may be pushing you too hard. I see that now. I can be ravenous at times and selfish. I have some business to attend to over the next few days. Some taking me out of town. So take that time to decide what you need.’
“What I need ?” He hung up the phone. “What I need is a kick
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