THE SOLDIER

Kayla

Lara calls when I get back from the spa. At first, I just stare at my phone, not sure I want to answer. Not sure whether I’m going to tell her what happened.

But after spending two and a half hours having my feet massaged, my nails painted and my face peeled and moisturized, I’ve come to a realization: Pavel takes care of me.

He takes care of me like no one in my life ever has-and I had a nice, wholesome upbringing with two parents who drove me to every rehearsal and never missed a single performance.

So I’m going to surrender control and let Pavel take care of Blake Ensign and forget about my good-girl misgivings over what he’s doing.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Hi Lara.”

“I just wanted to check to see how the audition went yesterday.” she asks.

I appreciate the check-in, even if it’s a day late. “Um, not great. But that’s okay. I’m chalking it up to experience. At least I made call-backs.”

I wish to hell Blake Ensign hadn’t ruined that high point for me. For a minute there, I’d been damn proud of myself. Of my success. Of actually doing the thing I came here to do. I’d gone into that first audition as an empty vessel, and I’d filled it with the part I was supposed to play. I’d moved them, just as Pavel had promised.

The fact that I got a call-back proves it.

I shouldn’t let a first class asshole like Blake Ensign diminish that little win.

If I did it once, I can do it again. Now I know what it takes. Stripping myself bare. Dropping all pretentions. Just being. All the things Pavel has demanded from me. I’ve been worried that he was distracting me from my career, when, in fact, he was the ticket.

“Oh.” Lara sounds disappointed. “All right, hon. We’ll get you another one. I’ve gotta go. Have a good rest of your weekend.”

“You too,” I singsong, even though I know she’s already hanging up.

Crawling onto the bed, I open the reading app on my phone and find a romance novel to read-a sexy werewolf one because I love me an alpha male, but Pavel walks in before I even start it.

“Master!” I scramble up off the bed and throw myself at him.

He bands his arm around my back and lets me smash myself against his body. “That’s… sweet.” He sounds surprised. I guess I haven’t greeted him this way before. His body is a tense rock against mine, like he’s bracing himself. Or holding himself back.

“Thank you for the spa day. It was so nice.”

He fists my hair and pulls my head back. “I want to do bad things to you.” I guess he’s already over his misgivings about hurting me.

“Did you… um… were you visiting Blake Ensign?”

“I took care of it.” There’s a finality to his tone, but I still push.

“What did you do?”

He disengages himself from me and steps into the bathroom without answering. I hear the sound of him washing his hands. I follow him in. He rubs a washcloth over a dark spot on his hunter green shirt, and I see the remainder of blood there.

“You said we don’t lie to each other,” I accuse.

Pavel turns and raises his brows, pinning me with a sharp look. “I won’t lie to you, Blossom. I will also never make you an accessory to a crime. My job is to protect you. That’s what I will do.”

My breath leaves me in a whoosh. Like every time he reveals this side of him I’m simultaneously shocked and turned on. Afraid and swoony.

I move forward and insinuate myself into his arms again. “I like what you do,” I murmur.

Pavel lets out an exhale. His body relaxes a few degrees, and he kisses the top of my head. “Clothes off, little slave. I need to be inside you.”

Kayla

I hate Sunday nights after Pavel leaves when every inch of my body still feels him, yet he’s hundreds of miles away. My heart gets on the plane with him, abandons me and leaves me with a gaping hole in my chest.

Monday mornings are even worse. Every weekend feels harder than the last, and the fact that now I feel like I can’t talk to my roommates about it makes it even worse.

It’s a form of sub-drop. The endorphins from the high of the weekend with Pavel wearing off and leaving me blue. Not like the burst into tears kind I hate but low nonetheless.

I force myself into the shower, recalling every moment of the weekend-good and bad.

When I get out, my phone rings. I pick it up and swipe across the screen when I see it’s Lara.

“Hi, Lara, what’s up?”

“Well, I’m not sure. The casting agent from Black Diamond studios called-you didn’t get the part.” She adds the last bit quickly, like she didn’t want me to get my hopes up even for a second. “But she would like you to come back in to audition for the next season of Bad Boys.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I guess she really liked you. Sounds like maybe she’s in your corner now.”

My optimistic spark flares to life, and I start feeling more like myself. “That’s amazing. Oh my God, I’m so happy. So when’s the audition?”

“Well, it sounded informal-I don’t think there is an actual audition. She wanted you to come down to the studio to read lines for the part. Kayla, I don’t want to jinx this, but it sounds like you’re on the short-list for this part!”

“What’s the part? Do you know?”

“No. I don’t think it’s a lead role, but regardless, it would be a great opportunity.”

“Of course, it would! I’m thrilled. When do they want me?”