YOU'RE THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE,
OH YES, YOU ARE, DEVIL IN DISGUISE.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

The employee's room is chaos.

Oliver stays put against the wall, like he's locked, while Holly and Maria bicker loudly over baby Priscilla.

"You've been holding her enough!" Holly points at Maria angrily, trying to snatch Priscilla out of her rocking arms, but Maria doesn't let her-

Shaking her head, "Because she likes me more than you, Holly darling!" My step-mother lifts one gloved arm in the air, as if raining hellfire upon Holly. "She doesn't cry when she's in my loving arms!"

Holly rolls her eyes into the back of her head and continues their banter through loud groans.

I press my teeth together, staring at Oliver for help. He shakes his head and covers his face with his hands in an attempt to trick me into thinking he's disappeared, like he does with Priscilla every day.

It's too late in the night, and all I want is silence.

I sigh, "Ladies!" With the clap of my hands, the two come to a rough silence, "We can't keep Priscilla here over night! Holly, you take her home again!"

My fingers point at Holly and Oliver, and Maria immediately turns to me with a glare. "I am a mother!" She exclaims, "I can take care of her the best!"

I roll my eyes and nod tiredly. "But you're staying here here at Andromeda! Do you have a house you can take Priscilla to?" Silence, "No! You don't!(!" I answer for her.

Maria looks down at the pink wearing baby, defeatedly handing her to Holly, who's smiling like she's won some kind of contest. Holly kisses Priscilla on the forehead and snaps her fingers at Oliver to gather the big, black bag with her diapers in it.

Once they're ready to go, I poke my head through the agape door to see if the coast is clear. Damian's gone home, but we can't let guests see the baby either.

The reception hall is completely empty, not a person in sight. I retreat back inside and nod at Holly before opening the door completely.

We cover Priscilla with a pink baby towel, just in case. Steady steps towards the entrance door, while Oliver follows us after, struggling to carry the big bag with him.

Maria on the other hand, sits upset in the employee's room.

Just when we reach the door-

Ding!

the elevator stops at main floor.

Panic ensues, and Holly rushes out of Andromeda in her Red Bottoms, whispering at Oliver to be quick. He nearly trips and falls, but redeems himself.

I shoo them out and turn to the elevator doors being opened to the Dutch couple holding Austin between them. His eyes are barely open and his head hangs low, so I rush over.

"What happened?" I ask them with wide eyes, trying to help holding Austin.

The couple struggles, they're on either side of Austin, his arms thrown over their shoulders while they grunt. "We were leaving but he came into the elevator and passed out!" The bald one, who's name I learned was Sanne, explains.

My hands were trying to get a hold of Austin. He clearly drank too much. Like most nights.

Once we reach the reception counter, I tell them to make him sit on the chair behind it, before I burst into the employee's room for water, and disturb Maria.

She jumps up, "Otillie darling? What's going on?!"

I don't answer, only grab a bottle of Evian and walk back out. Maria follows me, and gasps when hshe sees the Austin Butler unconscious, slouching on a chair.

While the couple gently slaps his cheeks, I open the bottle of water and splash nearly all of it at his face.

He wakes up with a gasp.

"Oh dear!" Maria exclaims, her gloved hands immediately making their way to Austin's wet face. "Are you okay, my darling?!"

All four of us watch with worried expressions, waiting patiently for Austin to catch his breath and adjust himself on the chair, that is now wet, too.

Droplets of water roll from his hair, to his temples, and down across his plump lips. "What happened?" A croaky, and deep voice, laced with rasp and nothing else.

"You passed out!" The one with the cap, who's name I also learned was Mees, tells him, leaning over his shoulder. "In the elevator!"

Austin narrows his eyes and wipes the water off his face. I press my lips together and, once again, empty my bag. This time for a packet of tissues.

My shaky fingers grip at one, before pulling it out and handing it to him. Austin whispers a low 'Thank you.' And dries his face clean.

Jesus christ. I shouldn't be thinking about how hot he looks when he's in a state like this. His wet hair sticks against his forehead, and his lips stay part, breathing heavily.

"Is everything okay, darling?" Maria asks again, this time nodding in relief when she gets an answer.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Austin whispers. He crumples the wet tissue and hands it back to me. I throw it in the trash and lean in close and press my palm against his forehead, he looks pale, and tired. "What are you doing?"

"Checking your temperature." I reply, facing him.

Sanne and Mees look at each other, both wearing a smirk on their faces, which I manage to catch.

Maria on the other hand, nudges my side with her elbow, and winks when I turn to her annoyed.

Then I feel it too. The tension. There's tension in the air. But it only suffocates me, everyone else is breathing just fine. When I try to find the source, my eyes meet with Austin's. Of course it's him. He looks up at me through half-lidded eyes, breathing deeply.

"I think we'll leave now." Sanne interrupts, not exactly breaking the tension, though easing it a little. He holds Mees' hand and takes him away.

I nod and wish them a great night out.

Then Maria yawns obnoxiously. She covers her red lips, and gawking mouth with her gloved hand. "Oh my!" She hollers, "I am so tired! I'll go to bed!"

Her eyes bounce between me and Austin's foxy face. He stares at me, doesn't take his eyes off of me, from head to toe, he devours me.

"My Ottilie pie!" Maria pinches my cheeks, and turns to Austin, "Mister Butler!" With a goodbye nod.

Austin nods back at her, but doesn't take his eyes off of me. His jaw clenches when he pierces through my eyes.

Maria finally leaves for the elevator, and I feel my heart sink. I'm alone with him now...

Austin leans back in the chair, spreading his thighs apart and letting his arms dangle on either side of him.

He licks his lips and I gulp; "Are you... okay?"

Austin nods. His stare is intensely glued to my thighs. I haven't changed out of the skirt, though I have folded the fabric out to make it longer again.

It stops a little under the middle of my thighs.

My hands tie behind my back, and my knees press together. As if his eyes have this magnetic force, he pulls me towards him without ever touching me.

"Ottie." He whispers.

"Austin." I whisper back.

Barely any inches between the two of us. I stand in front of him, his knees touch my legs and I shiver.

Andromeda feels empty all of a sudden. Like every floor, from bottom to top, is abandoned. It's only Austin and I. We soak in the essence of lust and desire. The atmosphere around us tightens, and my palms feel clammy. Sweat cascades down my back, and I drown inside his opal coloured eyes. He doesn't let me go.

We're caught in a trap. I can't walk out.

Passion stirs something in me. A Tsunami builds in the pit of my stomach. It kills every butterfly, making them stop their fluttering forever, instead, the flood begins.

Austin's hand touches the side of my thigh.

My eyes shut immediately. The flood. It takes over my entire body, rips my heart out of its place. Rough, salty water washes me to the shore, but it keeps flooding.

"I drank a lot of wine, Ottie." He whispers as his fingers close around my flesh and pull me forward. I stand between his spread legs, breathing like I ran a marathon. "But I know I'm gonna remember this."

His hand travels up, slowly, and pulls the edge of my button down, that I had tucked into my skirt, back out. His fingers hold the fabric up while his face latches on to the middle of my stomach. Right where the butterflies have died, and the flood has begun.

A loud gasp is forced out of my agape mouth, and it only gets louder when Austin squeezes my bare waist, and puckers his plump lips to press a kiss against my shivering skin. I feel him smile above all the goosebumps covering my body. I feel dead, though not as in I'd need burying, but rather I need ressurecting.

Ressurecting, which is none other than Austin's lips on my skin. I shut my eyes tight and let him have me.

Austin murmurs words against me, but I don't understand a single one. Just the bubbly vibrations from his throat, battling the storm inside me. The water from his face sizzles on my burning skin.

"Ottie." This word I understand. My name in his mouth sounds deadly, "I've been wanting this. Dreaming of it."

His grip tightens with each worth, and I feel his breathing quicken. My fingers suddenly get a mind of their own, and tangle themselves in his dirty blonde hair.

"Dreamin' of you." Words seem to spill out of his mouth like an honest waterfall. They fall and drown me, and I don't get a simple second to breathe.

Austin pulls me closer. Roughly. His hands move to my back, and press me against him until there's not an inch between us. His thighs close and trap my shaking legs between them. He slouches into my stomach and his head sits right under my breasts.

"Wanting you. Like crazy." As he's licking his lips, his tongue brushes over my bellybutton. "Ever since I saw you standin' here, all bored and alone."

He starts slurring his words, and I remember he's drunk. My eyes shot open in an instant, and once my vision clears, I look around at the empty reception hall.

"Austin..." I whisper.

His nails nig into my waist. "I wanna have you, Ottie." His arms sneak around me completely, and he holds me in a hug rather than a hold. "Right now."

Oh. My. God.

-

Seven in the afternoon.

I didn't see Austin leave this morning, or better yet, I was scared to see him... After what happened last night.

I can't help it, my brain keeps playing every moment.

My heart beats at an unnatural pace, but nothing will ever compare to how I felt last night. Crazy. Dumb. Greedy. Above all that, fucking incredible.

He must've left before my shift even started. I didn't spend the night in 225. No. That would've been the death of me. I don't think I'd ever survive that.

Holly and Oliver are off again, they're coming up with a different lie to tell Damian everyday.

Speaking of Damian-

"Ottilie Crawford!" He approaches me by the reception, his hands strictly sitting on his hips. He arches a brow and with a snarky tone, "I hope you're not planning to go out again, like yesterday."

I wince internally. Yes, Austin told me he wouldn't let me get fired, and yes, he didn't but... Now I have to live with Damian breathing down my neck all the time.

I sigh, "I'm not."

Damian puckers his lips in disgust, but his face suddenly drops. His head turns in the direction of loud heels clicking on the porcelain floors of Andromeda.

"My Ottilie pie!" Maria walks over to us, her hands slightly lifted, like always, to show us how elegant she thinks she is. "I thought I'd go out to eat this evening!"

I smile softly and lean my forearms on the counter in front of me, "Well then I wish you a delicious evening."

As Maria's thanking me, I notice the look on Damian's face. He's absolutely frozen. Not moving a muscle.

His eyes are glued on my glorious step-mother.

Maria notices too, maybe not the details like I do, but she sees the way he looks at her, and a pompous smile appears on her face. "You must be the manager!"

Damian nods awkwardly. He doesn't speak, and it's weird for someone that barely closes their mouth.

"Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you!" Maria steps closer and takes Damian's hand into her gloved ones. She really loves her red latex. "I'm Barlowe. Maria Barlowe."

What is this? James Bond?

I roll my eyes at her fixing her grandiose hair.

Damian clears his throat and shakes his head, but it's clear he's trying hard to shake his thoughts away.

"I'm D-Da, Damian." He gulps.

I chuckle under my breath at his state, amused.

Maria nods with a grin and turns to me. "I'll see you later my Ottilie darling!" And waves me goodbye before leaving a baffled Damian behind.

Did I just watch him fall in love?

Damian lets out a deep breath, fixes his tie, clears his throat, pretends I'm not right here, and leaves for his office.

I snort a laugh, "Wow."

Though my playful giggles all get stuck in my throat when the doors of Andromeda open again.

Seconds pass, and I recognize the man with black hair walking through. I'm almost certain my heart skipped multiple beats, and I forgot how to breathe.

Austin Butler...

With black hair.

My eyes follow him, but my heart wants to rip out of my ribcage and smother him with blood and love.

His eyes meet mine and I die.

For reasons I don't know, my brain plays last night again. I see him above me, under me, next to me, kissing me, breathing on me, eating me.

His fingers, which are no longer innocent to me, brush through his freshly dyed black hair, and suddenly time stops. His black t-shirt hugs his torso dangerously, and his biceps get to be in the spotlight. His black dress pants are brought to life with a gold belt, which matches his black leather Prada Oxfords with a gold logo.

Austin flashes me a downturned smile, before he makes his way here at reception, behind which I'm melting.

"Ottie," His elbows sit on the counter, and Austin winks. He remembers like he said be would.

I smile, "Yes?"

"I need painkillers again." He says.

Oh.

And just like that, he wipes the smile off my face. I was only delusional. Nothing more.

I nod defeatedly and open my white handbag to search for the box of painkillers. That is all I seem to be doing these days. My eyebrows draw closer at the thought.

This is his fourth time asking for painkillers. Is that even healthy? I sigh, having to empty my bag again.

As I'm doing so, "Ottie." Austin whispers.

I don't look up, but my knees start to burn. Just like last night when he whispered my name, and I died.

"Yes?" I question.

Austin chuckles deeply, that goddamned voice that will someday wipe me off the face of this earth. He slouches over the counter and watches me through half-lidded eyes. My body shudders.

"I can't stop thinking about last night..." He whispers.

"Austin-"

"Ssshhhhh, Ottie. We both know you want me,
you can't resist me."

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

➥ IN THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS

(chap. 9)

Ottie can't help but think about last night.

(chap. 10)

Holly and Oliver find Priscilla's dad...
or so they thought.

Austin gets candid about his addiction.

Maria gets intimate with Damian,
while Sanne and Mees get drunk.

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