Nairn leaned back in his seat, lips pursed as the pretty woman pinned him in place. Her nails dug into the arms of his chair, and she was standing over his lap. His arms were crossed.
Ema was young, much younger than Nairn; about ten years between them. But she was a smart girl, red hair mimicked her mercurial temper. He'd swear, when she was mad, her hair looked even more red than usual. She'd been the top-asked after girl in a Darktown brothel, and he'd dug her out of her hell and brought her up in the world. If you could call Lowtown being brought up, that is. If one looked at Ema too closely, they'd see scarring to one side of her face, as if she'd been repeatedly burned.
"Thought you'd like some. Was cleanin' the storeroom." She nodded to the bottle she'd sat on the desk. "Figured you might... wanna celebrate your upcoming wedding," she settled onto his lap, and reached for the bottle.
She didn't move, opening the bottle and drinking deeply from it. "I loved you. Did you know that?" Her voice hitched, and she sniffled, "You never loved me, but you might've... might've grown to."
He was quiet, as she continued, "I cared for you. I made sure this thing," she hit his chest hard with the bottle, "kept workin' when you were too sick to sit up. I made sure nobody put a hit on you! I made sure the Coterie kept runnin'."
She took another drink from the bottle in her hands, and he reached to snatch it from her.
"Why don't you love me?" She pleaded, loudly. Any passerby in the hallway would hear her.
Nairn placed the whiskey on the floor, just under the chair they were seated in. While doing this, he didn't see her reach for a knife he'd been sharpening before he'd interrupted her. She held the blade under her chin, and sniffled.
"You're all I've ever known, you know. You saved me and I... I kept your place in the C until you could take it back. Without you, there's nothing. Managing the brothels and running your errands means nothing, when you look at her the way that you do!"
He sighed, sweeping a hand through his hair.
She was watching him, hanging onto his every word, but the knife was still being pressed too hard against her throat to risk getting it from her. She was trembling, and the knife shifted slightly,
Nairn leaned towards her, and her mouth sought his; the knife for the moment forgotten. As they kissed, he felt her lowering the knife, leaning hungrily into the kiss. He broke the kiss, just as the door to his office opened—startling him, and he let go of Ema's wrist, causing the woman to bring the knife back to her throat as she scrambled off of his lap. His irritation at the interruption was brief, as he made one last attempt to snatch the knife.
@Megara Neirdre
How can I help you, Ema?She seemed unsteady, and smelled of alcohol. It was unsightly, if he was being honest.
Ema was young, much younger than Nairn; about ten years between them. But she was a smart girl, red hair mimicked her mercurial temper. He'd swear, when she was mad, her hair looked even more red than usual. She'd been the top-asked after girl in a Darktown brothel, and he'd dug her out of her hell and brought her up in the world. If you could call Lowtown being brought up, that is. If one looked at Ema too closely, they'd see scarring to one side of her face, as if she'd been repeatedly burned.
"Thought you'd like some. Was cleanin' the storeroom." She nodded to the bottle she'd sat on the desk. "Figured you might... wanna celebrate your upcoming wedding," she settled onto his lap, and reached for the bottle.
Ema, get up.
She didn't move, opening the bottle and drinking deeply from it. "I loved you. Did you know that?" Her voice hitched, and she sniffled, "You never loved me, but you might've... might've grown to."
He was quiet, as she continued, "I cared for you. I made sure this thing," she hit his chest hard with the bottle, "kept workin' when you were too sick to sit up. I made sure nobody put a hit on you! I made sure the Coterie kept runnin'."
She took another drink from the bottle in her hands, and he reached to snatch it from her.
That's enough. We're nothing but business partners, Ema.She was still on his lap, sobbing now.
"Why don't you love me?" She pleaded, loudly. Any passerby in the hallway would hear her.
Nairn placed the whiskey on the floor, just under the chair they were seated in. While doing this, he didn't see her reach for a knife he'd been sharpening before he'd interrupted her. She held the blade under her chin, and sniffled.
"You're all I've ever known, you know. You saved me and I... I kept your place in the C until you could take it back. Without you, there's nothing. Managing the brothels and running your errands means nothing, when you look at her the way that you do!"
He sighed, sweeping a hand through his hair.
Ema, put the knife down.His voice was quiet, as his hands settled on her hips, to make sure she stayed within reach. She shook her head, and pressed the tip of the blade firmer against her skin, until blood began to trickle. A minor scratch, for the moment.
Ema, would you believe me, if I said that I loved you right now? Look at where we are. Look at what you're doing.He reached to drag his thumb through the blood on her neck,
You did good, holding me up when I needed it. And you've been an amazing manager.
She was watching him, hanging onto his every word, but the knife was still being pressed too hard against her throat to risk getting it from her. She was trembling, and the knife shifted slightly,
Give me a kiss, Ema. It's the most I'll do, while you're like this.
Nairn leaned towards her, and her mouth sought his; the knife for the moment forgotten. As they kissed, he felt her lowering the knife, leaning hungrily into the kiss. He broke the kiss, just as the door to his office opened—startling him, and he let go of Ema's wrist, causing the woman to bring the knife back to her throat as she scrambled off of his lap. His irritation at the interruption was brief, as he made one last attempt to snatch the knife.
@Megara Neirdre
11-14-2024, 05:16 PM
