Safety With Benefits

CHAPTER ONE.

I ran so fast, my eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and my family killers were relentlessly chasing after me.

My heart pounded breathlessly, choking on my saliva, I could only spin around the woods in alarm, searching for an escape route.

The woods were thick, dark, and confusing; I felt like I was rolling on the spot desperately searching for the entrance to the woods.

I got out of the woods, only to be greeted by the loneliness of the street, it was proudly singing welcome to me. I screamed in weariness, my spirit, soul, and body were exhausted.

I promptly glanced around like an abandoned dog desperate to find a string of hope, but disappointment whispered to me, there was no car or people in sight.

Looking back at the woods, I could listen to the voice of my chasers laughing and yelling in happiness as if I had already been caught, as I replayed my father's last words before he was brutally wiped out by those ass wipes "Don't let them win Perlah, Run!" liquid substance gathered in my eyes as I remembered how my family was killed tonight.

The bright light and sound of a dangerously speeding limousine elbowed me out of my thoughts, and without a second thought, I ran to the center of the road, challenging my only hope to come to a halt, ignoring the danger.

I would either be saved or killed by the speeding car or be captured by my chasers.

In my desperation to be saved, the car stopped right in front of me, it was only an inch away from grinding me to pastes. I immediately puffed a sign of relief.

Although the car stopped, no one attempted to save me. It was as if they were silently asking me to leave the road so they could continue their journey.

So, I began screaming and wailing for their help. I cried so loud that no one in that car could deny not hearing my cry while I was fearfully observing my chasers.

A brightly young and handsome man accompanied by some armed men stepped out of the vehicle.

For a second, I forgot my worries due to the threatening cuteness of the young man, until I heard his manly lustful voice "I can only save you if you agree to certain benefits that I haven't mentioned yet. However, I must warn you that these benefits might be difficult to handle. You have two options: agree to my terms or let your chasers catch you and probably kill you." He harshly stated.

I looked at the young man who just said a billion words in a few sentences, I was thrown away by the thought that a benefit would be involved in my safety.

For seconds, I stood blank wishing for empathic accuracy, the power to read and know what the handsome young man had in mind, as innocent-looking men are not to be trusted.

He said no other word but instead attempted to turn and leave and I was forced to drag him by the collar, my silly act made our eyes lock and I quickly swept it away with my answer "I agree to your unknown benefits."

I said those words hoping not to be jumping from fry pan to fire but the fact states that I had less of a choice at that moment.

His men took me to the car, at this time, my chasers got out of the woods and we drove away. But my anxiousness only increased, "what exactly is this benefit?"

We drove for hours, making me wonder where exactly he was driving me to. "did I fall into the hands of a cute ass kidnapper? Is the benefit he stated to be kidnapped? Well, if that's the case, I'm down for the fantasy because he's damn cute! I'd let him kidnap me for free." I thought to myself amid my problem and scoffed.

We finally came to a stop, we seemed out of the city, it was more of a hidden mansion in a lonely area.

I waited to be led out by Mr. Handsome or any of his men, but no one bothered about me so common sense told me to get down myself.

Entrance to Rodrigo's mansion.

The mansion was hugely developed, but what got me wondering was who picked a location, far away from the cities to build such a sweet home and why?

Inside the mansion was properly decorated, and someone could live in it for years without an issue, there was a large swimming pool, a beautiful glass view, a personal cinema, a personal play house, and a beautiful garden aside from the rooms.

Questions gathered in my mind, like "What are we doing in such a lonely area," it felt like a hideout so I decided to ask.

"what are we doing here" I asked.

"what does it look like? He replied with raised eyebrows.

"Can you at least try and be nice while giving answers to my questions? I know nothing about you, I refuse to be stuck with a stranger." I asked again with a frown.

"then leave!" he retorted and matched towards the room. I didn't let it end there, I tailed behind him and when he got into the room, I followed and slammed the door hard as a warning that I walked into the room with him.

I watched his back for a while, he seemed unbothered and began taking his clothes off. I was immediately shy, but I didn't back down, instead, I continued to speak.

"I need some information about you and I won't leave until you give answers to my questions" I stated with a straight face.

"I love the confidence, you walked into the same room with a stranger and slammed the door, leaving yourself no opportunity to escape if I have something in mind. Or have you not realized I was taking off my clothes immediately after you shut the door?" he replied and smirked.

"I thought about those words for a while, and then the realization of what he meant hit me. What would this pervert do with me?"

CHAPTER TWO.

Fear swallowed me, I trembled at the thought that I was truly alone in a room with a stranger, and the fact that I foolishly entered myself made my heart wink at me, how dumb can I be? He stood there watching me tremble over his words until I was forced to clarify.

"I only wanted to know your name I promise," I said in a whisper slowly moving towards the door, getting ready to flee.

He watched me with a cold face and slowly stepped towards me, my breath seized. I hurriedly turned, trying to take a faster step towards the door to escape, but before I could take two steps, he dragged me to himself.

I hit hard on the bare athletic chest and felt him lean towards me.

"My name is Rodrigo Bayani, and not to worry, the benefit has no connection with my bedroom, but if you push me too hard, I won't stop myself," Rodrigo announced and left to resume what he was doing.

I puffed a sign of relief and quickly left the room, The mission failed, I didn't get to know neither who he was nor what the benefit was.

I was directed to my room, I loved everything until I realized I had no clothes to change into after I showered, I was dangerously broke and it was very late at night.

After trying to come up with a solution and finding nothing, my foot began walking straight to Rodrigo's room, a place I swore to never get into a few hours ago.

When I got to the door I knocked once and when I got no answer, I twisted the knob and let myself in.

I headed straight towards his wardrobe to pick one of his shirts and for one second, I thought I had everything planned out successfully until someone switched the light on.

I turned and found Rodrigo standing behind me, his expression asking thousands of silent questions.

"Please don't look at me like that, I also don't want to be here, I just had a bit of an emergency problem and we are the only two in the house," I said trying to justify my actions.

"there's three of us in this house, including the maid and you could easily ask her for whatever you want," he replied confused

"Oh, I think that's true but I tried to think of a solution a few min ago and I completely forgot we were three in the house," I answered again.

Rodrigo didn't reply, he just stared at me in anger.

"well, since I'm already here, can I just get what I came for?" I asked again, forcing him to break his silence.

"what is it that you want young lady?" he replied, giving me the opportunity, I had been waiting for so I began talking.

"Firstly, my name is Perlah Andrew. Secondly, I looked into your wardrobe and it was empty just like mine, can I please have the shirt you are wearing right now?" I said pointing at his chest.

I could see the expression on his face change from anger to shock, but I didn't change my mind because I needed that shirt.

"you want me to take off the only shirt I have right now for you and remain open," he answered confused.

"yes, because I need to take my clothes off, shower, and get into something else, which is that shirt you have on." I retorted shamelessly.

"what! Perlah, can I plead with you to please go take your shower, manage what you have on right now and we will get a bunch of clothes tomorrow" he asked calmly.

"Well, that's the problem, I'm proudly broke with no means of getting cash," I replied.

"you don't need to have cash, just manage the one you have on and I will send for some new clothes tomorrow," he said grinning. I knew immediately that he was only pretending and only wanted me to leave quickly, but I stood there wishing he knew how determined I was not to leave without that shirt.

"do you indirectly want me dead?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"What! And what does that have to do with this case?" he replied with a question holding his forehead from exhaustion.

"haven't you noticed my dress is too tight to sleep in? if I sleep in it with my eyes closed, it would choke me from breathing and I might die by mistake, I need that shirt!" I said pouting

"right then, sleep with it with your eyes open Perlah. I don't know where I got you from but I fucked up. Okay, come get the shirt you want." He replied staring at me.

"what do you mean by come get the shirt you want?" I asked for proper clarification.

"If you want it, come get it off yourself." He answered still staring at me.

I looked at his face for a while then to the shirt I wanted, then walked closer to him.

"Oh, okay then," I said and started unbuttoning his shirt. Rodrigo stared at me in disbelief, but I worried less because I wanted the shirt and he said his stated benefit has nothing to do with his bedroom, so what's there to be afraid of? He's human and not a vampire. I thought to myself while trying to take his shirt off.

"hm, can you please help me with the last button? It's stuck." I said grinning

The frozen Rodrigo returned to his senses and I heard his voice again.

"Is this how to act with strangers?" he asked looking down at me in shock.

"I haven't met anyone in a while, I was an introvert till I met you. Plus, you graduated from a stranger a few hours ago. The button please?" I said trying to avoid looking at his naked upper body so I could quickly leave.

He reached down to his shirt, and when I thought he was about to help me with the last button, he raised my chin to look at him, completely closing the distance between us.

I trembled in shock, what does this man want with me? And for the second time, I swore never to step foot in his room, that's if I can escape tonight.

I looked up at him, he was now an inch away from my face.

CHAPTER THREE

My heart was beating fast as I watched him lean forward to my lips, I closed my eyes in anticipation and when nothing happened, I opened them again and found Rodrigo staring at me.

"were you expecting a kiss?" he asked out of nowhere.

"a kiss? I closed my eyes out of fear." I said while trying to demonstrate the situation with my hands.

"Alright then, pull the shirt and get out." He replied harshly.

Why is he suddenly so harsh, was I supposed to say yes to expecting a kiss, or did my lines not go well I thought to myself.

I walked behind him and pulled off the shirt and he just stood there. I took his silence for a goodbye and went towards the door.

"don't step in here again!" he announced

"Never in my life! If I do, do whatever you want with me." I retorted.

"I will keep those words in mind," he murmured and went to bed, turning off his light.

I walked out of the room; I was lowkey disappointed. I replayed his closeness in my mind and tapped my head in shame.

Walking into my room, I looked at Rodrigo's shirt I was holding and unknowingly took it towards my nose and sniffed it. It smelled like him, a more advanced smell of a chocolate bar.

I walked into the shower, and after taking my bath, I put the shirt on, looking at myself in the mirror, I started laughing crazily, the shirt looked like I was thrown into it, it was extra cute.

The maid came to remind me of dinner and I was looking forward to seeing Andrew at dinner but disappointment slaps.

He didn't come down for dinner leaving me feeling bad for disturbing him in the first place, I guessed he couldn't come down shirtless so I asked the maid to arrange something I could take to him.

Standing at a door I swore never to get into, I didn't bother knocking and just went in. I slowly switched on the lights and discovered he was asleep.

I bent forward to catch a better view of his extra handsome face that I couldn't properly look at when we met.

I glanced at his closed eyes, then down to his perfectly shaped lips, and then back to his closed eyes.

My hand slowly started moving to his face, lightly stroking his hair and his face. When I caught myself lusting, the did have already been done.

I set the meal down on his bedside table along with an apology letter, promising not to bother him anymore, and then walked out of the room to rest.

RODRIGO'S POV

I heard footsteps and immediately knew who it was, surprisingly, Perlah didn't knock on the door before coming in, could she ever be scared of me? I thought to myself and hurriedly closed my eyes so she could think I was asleep and leave quickly.

After walking around, she switched on the lights and dropped the food at the bedside table. I thought it was over until I heard footsteps coming towards me and a figure crouching down at me.

Feeling uncomfortable, I tried to move until a little soft hand landed on my face.

Shocked I stayed in position and didn't dare to move, and then she started stroking my hair, I felt what I had never felt before, I felt a refill of the absence of a mother in my life, I felt peace and hoped it went on that way.

She suddenly stopped and rushed out of the room, I slowly opened my eyes to be sure she had left and then got up to see what she dropped on the table.

Getting to the table, I found food and a piece of paper, with an "apology letter" boldly written on it, and then picked the letter to see what was written in it.

"hi Rodrigo, after the little thing I did, I realized it must have bothered you and you couldn't come down for dinner because you were shirtless, I feel comfortable in our shirt and I'd like to let you know it would happen again, but please once it does, try and be tolerant for I will try to be out of your life quickly. But for the main time, I'm sorry in advance for more disturbance to come, I need you to know it's not intentional, things happen. Thank you for your kind understanding of this situation, I will also advise you to finish that food to generate strength, Perlah."

After reading the letter she sent, I concluded that she wasn't a normal person, I couldn't get how what she wrote was an apology, it sounded more like a warning that she would continue bothering me.

I dropped the letter and resumed eating the food, I might need that strength to conquer her inconveniences.

****************************

PERLAH'S ROOM

I got into my room and replayed what happened in Rodrigo's room, what was I even thinking I thought to myself holding my forehead. Gladly, he wasn't awake or caught me doing it, "it would be our little secret," I said to myself smiling.

"you know you could have just kissed me if you wanted it so badly, I don't bite." Rodrigo's voice suddenly ranged out of nowhere.

I looked at my doorstep and then realized I didn't shut the door and Rodrigo was standing right there staring at me.

I stood there in shock, trying to come up with an excuse for what I did but there was none, so I talked about the shirt instead, to divert attention.

"look, doesn't the shirt look good on me?" I said and immediately felt stupid.

Rodrigo stood there staring deeply at me, I felt like I had just tempted the devil "Why does trouble keep following me everywhere" I whispered to myself.

"I'm sorry, this time I swear I didn't mean to touch you, I was tempted and my hands acted on their own." I knew what I said made no sense but I had to do something.

"Come here!" Rodrigo commanded with a serious tone; his eyes filled with lust.