Crave - Part One: Aria's Song (Crave Series Book 1)

by Rhea Wilde

  While Stephen sat there calmly, he looked out of the window and down onto the city. It was late in the morning and the sun was getting close toward most of the buildings. I didn’t remember a time when I’d been in a room as luxurious as this. I sighed as I took a sip of juice and washed down the latest mouthful of food.

  “Listen,” I said. “I really appreciate this. All of this. It’s nice. But you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

  “What?” Stephen said as he turned to me.

  “I’ve done this before,” I said with a smack of my lips.

  “What exactly is this?”

  “You know… A one-night stand. It’s nothing new to me.”

  “I have no doubt about that.”

  “Ha!”

  I chuckled at his comment but Stephen remained just as expressionless as he always was.

  “I like that,” I said before taking another sip of juice. “You’ve got a real good sense of humor. It’s hard to tell but it’s there.”

  “You were saying…”

  “Right. This whole business. What happened between us… I don’t know how you usually do things but I’m fine with it. I’m not like most women. You don’t have to call me. You don’t have to lie to me and tell me you want to see me again. I’m not gonna fall in love with you. I mean… No need to make it awkward. I can walk away. It’s not a big deal.”

  “That’s good. I question any woman who would have an emotional attachment to a man after a single evening of exchanging fluids.”

  “Um… I’ve never heard it put that way but sure. That’s exactly what I was getting at. People have sex. Sometimes that’s all it is. In my case, that’s what it always is. You really picked the right woman.”

  “Indeed. I’m glad that’s out of the way.”

  “Yeah… Wait. Is there something else we need to talk about?”

  “I was watching you last night. I don’t know if you noticed it.”

  How could I not? Stephen was eyeballing me whenever I went near his table. I knew it just wasn’t in my head. But I never imagined that he might actually be up to something.

  “You had no idea what you were doing,” he said.

  “What? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You looked lost. For one thing, you never open a bottle of wine that close to somebody.”

  “Lesson learned,” I said as I shoved another piece of bacon into my mouth.

  “Your clothes barely fit you. You circled the table in the wrong direction. You didn’t know the difference between the silverware. You took longer than you should have to serve our table.”

  “…And don’t forget. I accidentally called you Stephanie.”

  I winked at him from across the table. I smirked but as I was so used to seeing, Stephen looked back at me plainly like he was waiting for me to finish.

  “All right,” I said with a shrug. “I messed up. It won’t happen next time.”

  “You’re right about that. Because there won’t be a next time.”

  “What?”

  “You were fired last night.”

  “Huh? Nobody ever told me—”

  “Why do you think I was talking to your boss? I said I would do the honors to make it easier.”

  “So, that’s why you invited me up?” I asked. “So you could tell me that I don’t have a job anymore. Ha! I guess the whole fucking-thing was supposed to be some consolation.”

  “No, I actually did want that.”

  “Good. That makes me feel better about myself. Now what am I gonna tell Leigh…”

  With the way things were going, I guess I should have expected it. I wasn’t too upset about losing my job after the first night. I wasn’t any good at it. But it meant I was still in search of something else I needed to do.

  “Well, thanks for the breakfast,” I said. “And last night, too. Don’t worry. I’ll be out of your hair—”

  “Hold on,” he said as he raised his hand. “I’m not finished. I have a proposal for you.”

  “A proposal? I thought we just talked about one-night stands and falling for one another. It never works.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know. It was a joke.”

  I smiled at him but it wasn’t enough to get him to crack.

  “All right,” I sighed. “What is it?”

  “I need someone. Someone to work for me. I’d like you to be that someone.”

  “You need someone to work for you? What do you want me to do? Do you want me to suck your dick? Because I do need a job but I’d like to think I’m not at that point yet…”

  Stephen pressed his fingertips together and stared at me from across the table. I scratched the side of my head and stopped talking. Then I shoved another forkful of eggs into my mouth to make sure that I didn’t say anything.

  “I’m opening a business,” he said. “I’d like you to work there. I don’t know what it was but I saw something while you were serving everybody last night. I could use someone like you.”

  “Someone like me? And what exactly is someone like me?”

  “I… can’t put it into words.”

  “Yeah, I’ll bet. And you assumed that just from watching me serve?”

  “Yes. And I confirmed it last night when you slept with me. And if that wasn’t enough, this conversation is all the evidence I need.”

  “Wow,” I said as I took another sip of juice. “I wasn’t aware I made that much of an impression on you. What kind of business do you need me for?”

  “It’s a restaurant.”

  “Ha! Okay. Now I know you’re joking. You just said that I have no idea what I’m doing. And you were right. I just got fired after one night. And now you want me to do the same thing for you?”

  “I don’t want you to be a server. I want you to work in the kitchen… with the food.”

  What kind of game is he playing? This has to be a joke.

  I stared at him. I couldn’t fight the grin on my face.

  “You know, you’d be real good at poker,” I said. “I can’t tell whether or not you’re being serious.”

  “I am serious.”

  “If you think I’m a bad server, you haven’t seen me in a kitchen. You want me to cook for you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You mean, like… be an actual chef?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t know what the hell you were thinking. I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. Just because a girl knows how to suck dick, it doesn’t mean she knows how to cook.”

  “I’m aware of that. I don’t expect you to do it immediately. I expect you to learn. I expect you to practice. I expect you to do everything you can until you’re fully capable. That’s my offer to you. All expenses paid. And there is some monetary compensation for you, as well.”

  “Okay, okay, okay. Let me get this straight. You’re offering me a job to become a chef at some new restaurant you’re opening. And you’re going to pay for my lessons. Is that what you’re offering me?”

  “That’s what I’m offering you.”

  It didn’t make any sense. I narrowed my eyes, staring at him in an attempt to try and read his face. But there was nothing there.

  This is a joke.

  “I should say that there is a catch,” he said.

  “Of course. Now you tell me. What is it?”

  “It will be a lot of work. The hours will be long in some cases. Even though you’re being compensated, this will not be an easy task.”

  “Yeah. That’s what I figured.”

  I tapped my fingers against the table. I looked down at all of the food. I didn’t know if it were frozen or fresh or somewhere in-between. But here I was, sitting across the table from someone who had enough money to hire any chef he wanted, getting an opportunity I’d never even dreamed of.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course,” he replied.

  “Why me? Why not someone who knows what they’re doing?”
<
br />   “I already told you. Women like you are hard to find.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “As it was intended.”

  Even though I didn’t have any prospects on the horizon, I didn’t accept his proposal immediately. The breakfast in my stomach seemed considerably heavier than it was just a moment ago.

  I can’t accept his offer just like that, can I? I barely know the guy. I can’t—

  “There’s no need to hurry,” he said. “Think about it. Take your time. I don’t need an answer immediately. But I do hope you take the time to seriously consider it.”

  “I will.”

  I nodded to him then returned to my breakfast. My appetite returned while Stephen picked his electronic tablet back up from the table to tend to whatever he was dealing with. I glanced at him, trying to figure him out.

  Who is this guy?

  “Are you sure you’re not doing this because you want another blowjob?” I asked. “Because you really don’t need to go to all this trouble.”

  Stephen didn’t say anything. He only sighed while continuing to scan the screen in front of him. I shrugged and poked at my food with my fork, the puzzling opportunity now at the forefront of my mind.

  Chapter 7

  I took a small sip of coffee then placed it back down onto the table. After the breakfast Stephen treated me to, a few hours was all I needed to remember that I needed caffeine to function properly. I looked over at my friend across the table and unable to indulge in any further details, I shrugged my shoulders.

  “And that’s it,” I told her. “That’s the whole story.”

  I told Leigh everything. She knew I had no reservations about talking about things like this, regardless of how intimate they were. I’d done it before. But last night with Stephen wasn’t just some hook-up I would forget about so quickly. More specifically, the offer he laid out on the table in the morning was something that would stick with me for at least a few weeks.

  Leigh slowly nodded in understanding after I spilled all of the details. There was a slight look of confusion on her face. I didn’t normally ask Leigh for advice. I knew what I wanted and how to get it. But since she was engaged to a billionaire, I figured the least I could do was get some insight into the wealthy man with an offer that was too good to be true.

  “It’s strange,” she said.

  “It is, isn’t it? What do you know about this guy?”

  “I don’t know anything about him,” she said with a shrug.

  “But you’re engaged to a billionaire. How many billionaires or millionaires are in this city? I’m sure they all talk to each other.”

  “That explains why Jacob goes missing at night. He’s off to the secret billionaire meeting that he doesn’t talk about.”

  “Leigh, I’m serious.”

  “You are? That’s strange. I can’t remember the last time when you were.”

  “Me neither. But this whole situation. This offer… This opportunity… Even the man himself. It’s like he’s up to something.”

  “Why do you assume he’s up to something?”

  “What else could it be? I stated it plainly that I would sleep with him if he wanted it. Now he’s telling me he wants more.”

  “And you’re afraid because…?”

  “It just seems too good to be true, that’s all. Things always have a way of working out for me but this… I never thought something like this might happen. I never thought I would actually meet someone with that kind of money. When I asked Jacob to hook me up with one of his friends, I was only joking.”

  “But you weren’t.”

  “…Half-joking.”

  My friend and I grinned at one another. After meeting Jacob, Leigh turned into a completely different person. I knew the two of them would eventually end up together. It was only a matter of time. I never imagined that I would even get a chance to spend time with someone that breathed the same air as a man like Stephen. A relationship with a billionaire or millionaire or whatever Stephen happened to be was a fantasy I never actually considered.

  I sighed as I took another sip of my drink. I looked around the coffeehouse Leigh and I always spent our free time. Nothing looked different from how it always was. But after last night, I definitely felt different.

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” Leigh said. “I don’t really know the guy. Jacob only has a small group of friends and this Stephen guy isn’t one of them.”

  “I’m sure they know each other though. Maybe they’re not friends but they’re associates or business partners or something. He must have some insight. Where is he? Is he usually this late?”

  “Speak of the devil.”

  “Devil indeed.”

  I looked toward the entrance and watched as Leigh’s fiancé made his way into the coffeehouse. Jacob greeted Leigh with a kiss and took a seat down next to her.

  “Where have you been?” I asked him.

  “I’m sorry,” he said apologetically. “I was in a meeting.”

  “Yes. The secret billionaires club,” Leigh said with a smirk.

  “What’s that?” he asked her, confused.

  “Never mind. Aria wanted to ask you something.”

  “Do you?” he said as he turned to me. “Is it about the job? How was your first night now that it’s over? Do you think you can do it again?”

  “Actually, I don’t think it’s going to happen,” I sighed. “I got fired.”

  “Oh…”

  “It’s all right. I wasn’t cut-out for that anyway. Besides, I got another job offer.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I actually needed to ask you about it.”

  “Do you need a reference? Would you like me to put in a good word?”

  “No, actually. The job is mine if I want it. I’m just… What do you know about a man named Stephen Aldridge?”

  “Stephen Aldridge?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let me see…”

  Jacob rolled his eyes up as if he was searching his brain for the information. I waited in anticipation of what he could possibly tell me.

  “You’ve heard the name before, right?” I asked. “What do you know about him? Is he crazy? Some kind of sicko? Does he treat his employees like dirt? What’s his deal?”

  “Stephen…” Jacob said as he continued to consider the name. “The blond young man? Early to mid twenties? Is that the one?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “I don’t really know much about him. I’m sorry.”

  “But you know who he is.”

  “Sure. I know who he is. But if you’re asking me about personal insights, I don’t—”

  “Well, what do you know about him?”

  “I know that most of his wealth comes from his parents…”

  “Ah. So he’s just some spoiled rich brat.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. I don’t think he’s actually close to his parents.”

  “I thought you said that you didn’t know that much about him?”

  “I don’t. That’s the thing. Stephen Aldridge is a quiet man. He doesn’t spend much time with a lot of other people. A bit of a hermit, for lack of a better word. I imagine he spends most of his time in his mansion by himself. In seclusion from everybody, his family included.”

  “Who lives in a mansion by themselves?” Leigh chimed in.

  “He does, apparently. Of course, he has servants and maids and people who work for him, as you’d probably expect. But I don’t remember a time when Stephen actually hosted a gala or willingly made his way out to the little soirees our type are accustomed to.”

  “What was he doing at the charity dinner last night then?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” Jacob replied with a shrug. “Maybe he was just bored. I’m afraid I can’t offer you any more information than that. Is there a reason you’re asking me?”

  “He wants Aria to work for him,” Leigh told Jacob.

  “Really?” Jac
ob said, an eyebrow raised. “That’s… interesting.”

  “Interesting?” I said. “Why is that interesting?”

  “From what I gathered about Stephen Aldridge, he wasn’t in the market for any help. But I guess that’s just me underestimating your charm, Aria.”

  “Charm. That’s one way of putting it.”

  Leigh giggled at me. I stared at Jacob and waited for him to continue but all he did was shake his head.

  “He’s not a sociopath, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Jacob said, trying to reassure me.

  “Maybe,” I replied. “But you don’t really know the guy.”

  I sighed knowing that I didn’t really have much more to go on. If I was going to accept Stephen’s offer, it was going to be without getting any further knowledge about who he was. For now, he was just going to be some mysterious man I hooked-up with that I needed to learn more about. There was only one way to get the answers I was looking for. And since I didn’t have any other options, my next step was clear.

  Chapter 8

  I took a day off to myself. With no job and nothing else to do, it wasn’t like I had a choice. But it did give me a chance to think about accepting Stephen’s offer. After 24 hours, it still didn’t make any sense to me. That wasn’t enough for me to refuse.

  When I called Stephen late in the night, he responded quickly. He gave me the address to where his mansion was and I ended up heading there first thing in the morning.

  He didn’t give me any other details. I didn’t know what I was going to be doing or what he expected from me the first time. I dressed up in a long black skirt and a short-sleeve top that matched. It was all somewhere between modest and sexy. I tied my hair up over my head and did my makeup like I usually did. It was almost noon when I took a cab over to the address he’d given me.

  I looked out the window and watched as the taxi zoomed by all of the buildings. I didn’t remember the last time I was actually out of the city. When the buildings were gone, the traffic almost disappeared. Moments later, shrubbery and trees replaced the skyscrapers I was so used to seeing. The cab drove through the rich-looking neighborhood and I wondered which mansion actually belonged to him. But the taxi kept going down the street.