It wasn't what they expected, but it wasn't different either.
As the guards checked into their hotel rooms, they were excited to see that the beds were comfortable, but the beds were over-decorated. "Who needs all this crap. Beds are for two things: sleep and sex. What the hell" Raphael exclaimed.
The others couldn't help but laugh at him, as they all did the same with the beds that they had.
The first thing the three of them did was remove all of the scratchy pillows and itchy comforter cover. The big, fluffy, soft pillow and comforters were all okay for the time being. It was certain that if they got hot, those would also go.
They were hoping that wouldn't be an issue, since they noticed that their rooms were all individually temperature-controlled. They liked that. Arctic temperature settings were set, and smiles followed.
They felt like they held the key to a luxury that they never thought they would.
Sure, they had homes that were nice and cozy.
This was all on another level.
The three of them felt fancy in this upscale hotel with the three bedrooms they had acquired.
They were blissfully unaware that they had secured a three-bedroom villa suite, which most common people could only dream of.
In addition to that, they enjoyed the personal fridge and full kitchen, individual TVs, personal bathrooms with walk-in showers, and the views the rooms offered.
They essentially had a temporary apartment.
If they didn't enjoy where they lived so much, they might move to the city and move in.
The idea was definitely tempting.
Better than all of that was the nightlife that was coming alive all around them.
The allure was calling to them.
At night, they were in their element. It was like the moon called to them, no matter what phase it was in.
They never felt more alive than when the beams grazed their skin.
In a way, Ayla felt it too, because she was always outside in one way or another at night.
She would find a rooftop, or a field, it didn't matter. Somehow, she found a way to soak up some moon rays.
With the guards settling into their new digs for the night, they decided to watch a few shows to acclimate to their new surroundings.
Those included shows like bounty hunter shows, and party life shows. Not sure if it was actually helpful, but they enjoyed it, nonetheless.
Not far from them, Ayla was putting on a brave face.
She decided to have faith and continue as planned, following Alexander to his home.
Before they made it there, they stopped and picked up the few things she had stashed around the city.
Clothes here, and odds and ends there to go with it.
She didn't have much, but it wasn't nothing.
Actually, she had a little bit more than she thought originally, but that just made her feel better.
As they made it to the door of his apartment, her nerves were having a hard time settling.
Alexander was very perceptive. It was possibly because he was trained to be a perceptive person, but he knew she needed a little something to help.
Without saying a word, he pulled up the hand he was holding and gave it a gentle kiss.
She smiled a little, and she let out a tiny puff of air that told him she exhaled a little.
He did it again, and she looked at him.
That was his goal; once her face was looking in his direction, he planted just a tiny kiss on her supple lips.
Her eyes closed, and she felt like she could breathe. Goal accomplished.
All he wanted was for her anxiety to calm down just enough for her to be able to breathe.
However, his hands were full. He had her clothes in one hand, and he was holding her hand in the other. Alexander didn't want to add to the stress by telling her what to do or guiding her with words. Instead, he used his instincts and hoped she would follow.
"I'm okay. Really, I am. I want to do this" she said as she stood in front of the door.
"Okay" he said, "Whenever you're ready, we will go in. No rush. I know it's a big change for you. Everything is different. I will stand out here as long as you need. I'm here to protect you".
After he stopped talking, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"It's not what you think. I'm ready to be here. I want to stay. I can't remember the last time I had a real home with someone who actually wanted me. It's just"
There it is, she was about to tell him why she couldn't do it. The reason she couldn't go through those doors and be with him was...
"Well, if I'm being honest, I didn't get all the facts before agreeing to this".
His face became flat. Unable to show any emotion as the words met his ears.
"I am not quite sure what you mean. I'm going to need a bit more information. In my mind, I feel like I am fairly certain I gave you all the information" he explained, with his best attempt to stay neutral in his feelings.
"No, you misunderstood what I said. Yes, you told me everything from your side. I, however, don't have all the facts. I don't know anything about your roommate except that he will hit on me. I don't know whether I need to worry about him. Is he a threat to me? What does he look like? WHO is he? How can I stay somewhere and feel safe if I don't have all the facts about where I'm staying" she asked.
That's when it clicked for him.
Everything is different for her. Not only is she in constant fear of being kidnapped, but she is also a female with normal fears that every female has.
It isn't right, but they all have the same fears. They had to be extra cautious about everything.
He felt so stupid for not thinking about it.
It took him a minute to come up with a remedy and give her a response.
"My roommate is home now. If you would like to meet him, I would be happy to be there and stay by your side. I won't let anything happen to you. He is a good guy and would never let anything happen to you. He will help protect you just as I will. He, too, is a bodyguard. I know I said he would hit on you, but I only said that because I was trying to sound like a macho guy. Again, whenever you are ready, when can go in. If you changed your mind, I could take you wherever you decide to go instead".
She knew she didn't want to leave.
Standing outside the door made her feel like an idiot.
There was only one choice left.
She took in a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.
"I was supposed to do that for you, ma'am" he said as he placed the hand that was once embracing her other hand over top of the one now holding the knob. "Together it is instead" he smiled.
Alexander was doing his best to subdue her anxiety, and it was working in a way.
He got her to open the door.
Then, he got her to step over the threshold and then close the door again behind them.
That was a major step. If it were anyone else, maybe it wouldn't be, but this was the lone girl who had survived for so long, without anyone.
She allowed him to bring her home. It was more than that. She let him take her into his home and protect her.
Now it was time to show her that he was worthy.
Alexander didn't expect this to be easy, but he was willing to work for it, because somewhere deep inside, he knew she was worth it.
Just as the door closed, he could hear his roommate coming around the corner.
"Julius, we have a guest. Please be respectful" he shouted.
Ayla looked over at Alexander, confused as to why he would shout that instantly.
"I thought you said he was a good guy. Why would you have to remind him to be respectful and tell him you have a guest" she asked.
"You will understand in three...two...one...SLAM"
She could hear feet running away from them and a door slamming shut almost as soon as he finished saying one.
"He was naked, wasn't he"?
Alexander couldn't help but laugh as he nodded.
"Thank you for saving me from being scarred. I don't know how I would have handled that" she smiled.
"How you handle everything else from this point forward. With my help" and he bent his head down to kiss her.
It didn't take long for Julius to re-emerge from his room with shorts and a t-shirt this time.
He was curious to see just who his roommate had brought home with him.
There was no sense of privacy as he hollered down the hall, "So, is this who you disappeared with for all this time"?
It wasn't hard to get that answer when he rounded the corner, "Yep" he said out loud. "She is gorgeous. How did you get your hands on her"?
There was nothing secretive or private about this roommate of his.
"It just happened".
"Does she know it happened" he chuckled.
"Of course she does. That's why she has decided to come stay with me".
Julius about choked on the orange juice he had started downing.
"I'm sorry. You guys met how long ago? Like last night. Had to be, because you never mentioned her before that. You went out to get dinner and never came back. It's been like a day. What is going on? Is she, like, a witch or something? Are you okay? Blink twice if you need my help, either of you".
Alexander started laughing and shaking his head.
"Speaking of dinner, I'm starved, want to order in with us" he asked his roommate.
It was clear that he was avoiding the topic and didn't want to discuss it.
Something was clearly up, but it wasn't his business.
"Is she staying, staying, or just staying" he asked to clarify.
"I don't really see the difference. Just know that she isn't going anywhere. She is with me, and I am protecting her" he said with a tone of finality in his voice.
Julius nodded in agreement at the last statement his friend made.
"Then, I will protect her, too. If she is with you, then she is important" he said, as any true best friend would say and mean.
"Now that everything is settled, let's order some food. I know the two of us are hungry. After that, maybe we can think about hitting up the town.