ᴇꜱᴄᴏʀᴛ ᴍᴇ

1.9

When he turned his back on you to pick up the drinks, you took this moment to trace the skin on your face that he kissed so softly as if you were something fragile.

You're not stupid. You knew that what you had with him was strictly business. You had heard enough stories about a girl who fell for her escort and ended up heartbroken when the contract ended. Still, that didn't mean you shouldn't open your heart for him.

After all, your purpose for hiring an escort is to fulfill your emotional needs, and putting up a barrier around him constantly would just exhaust you more than it would benefit you.

Hence, it would be alright if you let loose a little right?

Moreover, Kael had given you the green light to be selfish with him, something that even that person wouldn't have permitted you to do.

Who knows? Maybe through closer contact with Kael, you can understand that person better; and understand why that person would leave you alone just like that.

Your hand went to grab the hem of his sleeve.

"I want to understand you better," you said softly. "So thank you for telling me."

The male escort glanced at your rueful expression and smiled. "I also want to know you better, Sweetheart, so can you tell me what made you decide to break our contract? I was so surprised and sad when I heard that you know?"

The hand which was holding the piece of his cloth clenched tightly. It's strange but somehow, despite his cheery expression, you wondered if he was angry. You're not very well-versed in reading someone's mood but you had a feeling that he might not have been happy with your impulsive decision to end the contract earlier than what was decided.

Is it because he was afraid that the higher-ups from ROMANCE would criticize him? After all, you do understand that ending the contract earlier is equivalent to telling him that his service was unsatisfactory.

"I'm sorry. It's just that someone told me that you, uh, are an escort who's well-known in the industry for his masochistic tendencies and relentless endurance," you tried to quote her. "So I thought that maybe, since your preferences lean that way, maybe staying with someone like me was a hassle to you."

He grumbled, pursing his lips. "That's certainly not true, and what's the deal with that someone anyway? They can't just go ahead and expose the stigma of my past services just like that." 

He huffed, almost pouting, and you felt at ease when it seemed that he wasn't as angry as you thought.

"Are you ashamed of her description of you?"

He hummed in agreement, acting spoiled as he buried his face in the crook of your neck.

"Of course. It's fine if we shared the same preferences but the fact that we didn't and she just revealed that made me feel embarrassed," he whined. "I'm going to sue her for defamation."

You laughed a little, rubbing his back. "Even though it's true?"

"Doesn't matter. She ruined how you view me. Now I must have looked like a freaky manwhore in your eyes."

You deliberately teased him, repeating. "Even though it's true?"

"Sweetheart, why are you siding with her?" He bit your neck in frustration yet it was gentle enough for you to not feel pain. "You should have coax me, not agree with me."

You laughed.

"I'm sorry, I was just teasing you," you coaxed him. "But Kael, I would never judge you for your past or your preferences. Even if what she said is the undeniable truth, it doesn't change how I see you."

"Oh?" He pulled away. "And how do you see me, sweetheart?"

"I think you're cheeky," you answered honestly. "When I was scrolling through the pictures of ROMANCE's escorts on their website, you stood out the most. My first impression of you is that you look like someone who would utilize his handsome look to the max, and even now I don't think I'm wrong. Isn't that why you would always act spoiled around me? Because you know I would never get angry at you?"

The man smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he stared at your face intently. It was a mystery what he was thinking.

"If... If we had met when we were a childー"

"I wouldn't let you starve," you told him. "And most importantly, I would never let you believe that pain is pleasure. It's fine as long as you engage in moderate amounts of masochism. However, too much pain can be dangerous and cause irreversible harm or even death. As a client and as your companion, I care about you deeply, Kael, so I don't want to see or hear anything bad happen to you."

Kael remained silent. He was visibly taken aback by your words, yet his brain can't help but envision the future of what could he have had if only the two of you had met earlier.

Maybe he would not have been so alone and abandoned.

Maybe he could have had someone he could rely on and trust.

And maybe he would have been normal.

But there's no point in getting hung up over something that's never happened, isn't it? He thought silently and caressed your cheeks. What matters is the present and the future, plus, he doesn't think his life is as bad as you thought it was. 

Kael was then reminded of the joy and wealth he possessed after becoming an escort in ROMANCE. Moreover, his handsome face ensured that he would never starve anymore, and thanks to his occupation, he got to meet you.

So why would he deny the accomplishment he achieved for a possibility that could never be attained?

His eyes then went to your lips.

"Sweetheart, can I kiss you?" He asked. "It's fine if you don't want me to, but I want you to know that it's not because I'm starving, it's because Iー"

"You can," you answered with heated face.

He went silent for a second, as if not expecting that answer. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I've thought about it and there's no way I can make a move to kiss you so the only way is for you to kiss me instead," you closed your eyes. "So go on. I'm ready."

Was it a bad thing or a good thing that you've closed your eyes? If you hadn't, you would have seen his iris emitting a light glow and his round pupils suddenly changed their shape to verticalーa sign of excitement occurred only in Amorii.

He grinned, leaning down to place his lips against yours before you decided to chicken out and left him hanging.

ーthe prey has been caught.

ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

||KAEL'S LOVE STATUS||

❤︎❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪♡♡

KAEL: "and maybe he would have been normal."
 ME: as someone who knows your characteristics; no, you would have just gotten worse.

KAEL: "the prey has been caught."
 ME: is the one who has been caught the readerーthe one you will become crazily obsessed withーor you; the one who has gained another heart? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯