I most definitely didn’t know him.
“You,” just then, Max spoke, interrupting my thoughts, and I turned my head towards him with a frown. He and his womanizing act.
“I have a vision, Max, and in that vision, you are left with just one ball. So if you don’t want my vision to really happen, I suggest you start behaving.” I meaningfully narrowed my eyes at him, and he gulped. Apparently, he didn’t expect my threats to go this far. Maybe I should apologize? Just then, he smirked and was about to say something witty, but I shot him another glance, daring him to continue.
He pouted. He was just like a child sometimes. I saw why Melissa loved to tease him so much.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” he said and rushed to the toilet. I sighed. He probably went there to practice a comeback that I would accept without finding it bothersome like he always did. He would be late, though.
I turned around to deal with his friend; his friends always tried to hit on me whenever they came around. I sighed when I saw his friend begin to speak.
But what he said next, I could never expect.
“So you need money,” the stranger said. My eyes widened from that statement. How did he know? Did someone tell him? No. Who would? It all happened so fast. There was no time.
“I couldn’t help but overhear that conversation you had.”
My lips parted, not knowing how to respond to that statement. Was he stalking me? When did he overhear?
“I have a proposal for you.”
What the hell is he talking about?
“One night with me. I can do whatever I want until morning and will pay you as much as you want. Take half a million if you want for all I care,” he said, and my cheeks reddened in anger. My mind cleared as all I could think about was teaching him a proper lesson.
“What the hell are you…” I said and was about to leave when a single thought stuck my mind.
Ayden.
From his looks, he seemed like he was not lying about the whole deal. He probably had enough money to pay, but could I really…
Ayden.
It struck me again. As much as I hated the thoughts of sleeping with this guy, or even touching him, Ayden’s life was in danger.
With nothing I could do, I bit my lip before lowering my gaze to the ground. What choice did I have? This was the only thing I could do.
“Fine.” I almost spit at his face, and he only sighed and turned his head with an annoyed look.
“The name is Blake. Will tomorrow be fine with you?” he nonchalantly asked as if what was going on was no big deal for him. Was he for real? Didn’t he have a soul? If he overheard our conversation, he should know what I needed that money for.
“Peachy. It will do,” I replied, the venom in my voice strong as ever. I didn’t give a damn if he found me disrespectful or something, but this guy was a damn bastard I couldn’t stand with my entire soul. Never did I hate anyone like him, not even my aunts. And that said much.
“Half past six. Be ready, and give me your address,” he said, and I angrily scribbled it down before ripping the piece of paper and giving it to him who only glanced at it in confusion before putting it in his pocket. None of us dared to look the other one in the eyes.
Just before things got any chance to become more awkward, Max returned from the bathroom.
“I didn’t come up with anything this time, but that doesn’t make you a winner. Bring us chef’s specialty. I’d love to present this goof over there with the most delicious food on Earth,” he said, and I feigned a smile, trying not to show my rage.
“Sure. Anything to drink?” I didn’t pay attention to Blake anymore. I acted as if Max was the only customer I’ve been serving.
“Coke and…” He turned to Blake, who grunted in response.
“Same.” Max raised an eyebrow.
“Come on, man. Don’t be angry for not getting laid. I told you she’ll flip you over. She makes the best bachelors tuck their tails in defeat when they try to get her number, plus you’re ugly as hell. It’s no wonder she won’t go on a date with you,” Max taunted him, and I guessed that he didn’t really know what just happened here and Blake only told him to shut up.
If only he knew.
“Would that be all?” I asked, and they dismissed me as I retreated back to Ryan, trying to hide my frustration as I handled him the orders.
“Tim, can you take care of the table I just dealt with? They have two Cokes and specialties. I need to go to the bathroom,” I asked Tim as I noticed him come in the kitchen, and he nodded.
“Sure thing. Oh, and Stacy asked to take your shift tomorrow noon. She said that she had to go to the hospital in the morning,” he informed me, and I nodded. Could things be more in my favor? Or was it a curse?
“Sure. I’ll tell her right now,” I replied, taking out my phone.
Could it truly get any more convenient?
“Kaley?” Ryan called. “Is everything alright?”
I hope he hadn’t noticed.
“Yes, just your usual Max. I’m fine. It’s just the deal with Ayden,” I lied as he sighed understandingly.
But no.
Nothing was right. At that moment, I wasn’t sure if my present was the result of me fighting my destiny or if it was my fate to meet Blake. Either way, it was a double-edged blade, a chance paid with the price of pain. But would the result really be the way I want them?
I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything.
Which is why I accepted. It’s when we love that we sacrifice. The question lies in the price: is it worth it or not? Back then, I couldn’t even guess that the answer to that would give me more than I bargained for.
Chapter 3
All It Took Was One Night
Never judge a book by its cover, especially when someone else gives you their opinion on it.
The girl in front of me had perfectly curled blonde hair. Her lips were dyed red, and she looked so pretty. Her black dress went along her skin at her waist and then freely fell down to her mid-thigh. She wore black heels to match it perfectly.
This was not me.
“I swear, if I weren’t a girl, I would so bang you,” Melissa said. I moved my gaze away from the mirror to look at her. I asked for her help to prepare because honestly, I didn’t want to look desperate when I meet with that guy, and Melissa offered to help me.
“Thanks, but I think that I’ll be having nightmares because of that sentence.” I told her I was going on a date tonight, not wanting to tell her the real reason behind me going out. That guy, I think his name is Blake, told me to be ready by half-past six, and it was a bit before then.
Honestly, I thought that the whole reason I asked for help from Melissa was that I was scared to do this alone and somehow hoped that she would get what was going on and prevent me from doing it. But she didn’t.
Another part of me was telling me to put on a fake mask for Ayden’s sake and get through all of this.
I was a coward.
I won’t deny it. One part of me wanted to do this for Ayden’s sake while another was telling me to run and forget everything. Though the fear would always win the conflict in my head, I still couldn’t voice out my worries to Melissa. One way or another, my thoughts would always come back to one person.
Ayden.
After saying goodbye, Mel left. She said that she had some important business to deal with, and I was left alone for the next fifteen minutes to wait until he arrived.
I might have been a virgin, and I might have always planned on having my first time with a guy that would be my husband, the one that I was going to love, but fate has a funny way of trampling on our wishes. I could choose to follow the traces of my dreams and lose Ayden, or give up on the future I planned out and have the person who was most precious to me stay by my side. Truth be told, the choice was simple. It was so simple.
But I was afraid. What if it was all fake? How could I know for sure that he was going to keep his word? It was stupid of me
to trust so easily. What if he never even came?
When that Blake guy asked me for a one-night stand, I wanted to slap him. I really did, but then I remembered Ade. I had to be strong for him. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let him down. Even when I was still nervous and insecure, the only thing that didn’t waver even for a second was the fact that I wanted Ayden to live.
It all became clear after remembering that. Even if I tried to run, I’d always come back for Ayden. I’d always stay unchangeable and determined for his sake. Because he was precious.
Melissa told me that she managed to contact her brother she hadn’t spoken with in years, but she wasn’t sure as to how should she confront him. Not wanting to bother her since I knew that she cut connections with her entire family, I only told her that I found a friend from a long time ago that was willing to give me the money.
I then proceeded to lie that he met me with some nice guy who wanted to meet with me and talk about that, who was so passionate about it that I just had to accept. She was glad that my life went well.
Or so she thought.
It was for the best. It was the only choice I had.
My thoughts once again drifted to that guy. How could he have asked me something like that, especially after he claimed to have heard my conversation? I couldn’t understand him. He seemed to be rich since he offered me half million for one night as if it were just a few cents to him. He never really bothered to ask something or considered my feelings. Were all people who had money like him and my aunts?
Seeing a napkin, I wiped my lips. I no longer cared about the impression I’d leave on him when he saw me. I once again hated that guy’s guts.
Loathed even.
I kept chanting to myself: it’s just one night. One night and I will never have to see him again. I can do it. Sighing, I sat on the bed waiting, twirling my fingers in anticipation. All the courage I had just built up inside of me disappeared when I heard my doorbell; it meant only one thing. He’s here. I glanced at the clock, and my eyes widened. Just when did time pass so fast?
I tried not to look so shaken when I got to the doors. Instead, I just took a deep breath and opened them. There he stood, in black jeans and leather jacket over a plain white V-neck perfectly matching his messy black hair. He was leaning on the doorframe and gazed at me with his blue eyes that had been taunting me for an entire day. I only saw him once, he was in a suit, and he was definitely the most beautiful man I encountered. Or so I would have thought had I not discovered his personality.
“Are you ready?” he asked me without interest in his voice, and I nodded. He might have had the body of a supermodel, but his mind was that of an asshole.
I was not exaggerating.
“Good. Now, follow.” He headed to his car, and I went back into the house turning off the lights and then locking the door. As I turned around, I bumped into something strong, his chest.
Was I really that unlucky?
“You live alone?” Blake asked, and I nodded, ignoring the fact that I lived with Ayden. Why would he care anyway?
He just rolled his eyes and once again instructed me to follow him, and I did as I was told. He led me to a black SUV, and I wondered just how much money he really had. Igniting the car, he pointed to the backseat where there was a black bag.
“There’s your money. Check it if you want.” He opened it, but I didn’t really pay attention to it. I only gulped, praying that the night will end soon and I could be with my brother as he started the car and headed out to who knew where.
Ayden. He will be all right. He’ll have his future.
“We are going to a hotel in Vancouver. I don’t want to be seen with the likes of you here,” he said, not taking his eyes off the road as he drove off.
The likes of me?
He must have meant “poor people without money they needed to save their families?” That spoiled ass, he must have grown up in wealth with everything served to him on a silver platter. I stared through the window on my side, hoping that the night would end soon.
But since when was I that lucky? My life was filled with nothing but trouble ever since that night when I got in the car accident.
Not only did my aunts take all money and sell our house, but they also didn’t give us anything unless it was extremely necessary. I started working at Ryan’s and even sold some pictures I’ve been drawing for income, still keeping quiet about the mistreatment my aunts gave us. I didn’t want to be separated from Ayden, but now that I thought about it, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad. Maybe he’d have been adopted by some loving family and wouldn’t have to go through this. As I allowed myself to get lost in the forest of my thoughts, time once again passed without me noticing it.
We’ve been driving for over thirty minutes, neither of us saying a single word. It was when his phone started ringing and he answered that I remembered I left mine at home.
“Hello. Blackburn here,” he said, and his eyes softened when he heard a person speak on the other line. So his full name was Blake Blackburn? Somehow it rang a bell, but nothing came to my mind when I heard him say that.
“Sorry, I can’t tonight. I have some…Business to do.” He glanced at me, and I turned my head back to look through the window. We were in Vancouver now. I remembered the scenery. It wasn’t far from the place where the accident happened.
I sighed. I never thought that I’d be passing through that area again.
“I see. I’ll be sure to call you tomorrow. Want to take a bite or something? It’s been a while after all,” he continued and sighed. Why did I even care who was he speaking with?
I didn’t. So I zoned out.
When we got to the hotel, I was breathless. He got out and pointed to me to follow as he took out the bag from the back seat. Exiting, I saw him give his keys to another guy, probably to park cars.
He walked like he owned this place. I guessed that hotels were nothing new for him. But I had to admit that place was gorgeous, like a castle made for kings and queens. The Victorian style that could be found around every corner of the hotel only proved my point.
I was so out of that place. Did he want to brag about his money and influence by bringing me here?
“Come on. We don’t want to lose our precious time, do we?” he asked mockingly, now closer to me than I thought he was. I could feel his breath on my neck, which made me shiver. When did he come by my side?
“I asked you a question. That means you have to answer me,” he said through clenched teeth. I gulped and answered, “We don’t.”
I do.
“Good girl. Now go.”
That was the only thing I needed to hear before quickly walking in. Because of his fast pace, I didn’t get the chance to enjoy the view inside the hotel. But maybe it was better. The less I remembered, the faster it would be to forget what happened.
“How can I help you?” the girl working at a counter asked while pushing her chest out. Could she be more obvious than this? I didn’t belong with them. The world of grown-ups and those playing with power was something I didn’t want to be part of. The fact that she was biting her lower lip didn’t help at all, and I simply had a need to tell her to stop—that he wasn’t worth her time and that she didn’t deserve a bastard like him.
Yet I only kept quiet.
“Reservation under Blake Blackburn,” he snapped at her, annoyance lacing his words. She widened her eyes before apologizing and giving him the room key-card. Was he always this disrespectful toward women? Were women always acting like that when they saw their chance?
“Move,” he told me, still in a bad mood. I nodded and followed until we got to the elevator. He pressed the highest floor and leaned on one wall. I gazed at my feet.
The elevator ride was as silent as the car ride.
Unpleasant.
I couldn’t do nor did I want to do anything to change that. It would be faster to forget him if he didn’t say anything that will linger in my mind.
When we c
ame to the doors of the room we were supposed to stay in, he used the card to open the doors. I gasped; the place was twice the size of my old house.
I was not exaggerating when I said that it looked like royalty might be staying in there. The apartment was simply gorgeous. Closing the doors, he showed me into the bedroom with a king-sized bed. He sat on it after placing the bag with money on the floor.
I froze. It was now or never.
“Strip dance, and make it slow.” He gave me a grin, enjoying my fear, and I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath before opening them.
“I don’t know how,” I responded sincerely. I didn’t know what was I getting myself into, but I hoped that he wouldn’t be horrible.
Boy was I wrong.
“Well, now is the time to learn, sweetheart,” he mocked. “Or do we call off our deal? Take my money back and go our different ways?” he said, and my eyes widened.
Lightly cursing under my breath and having no say in this, I did my best to do what he said while enduring this humiliation.
***
A few hours later and he was asleep. Or at least I hoped he was. I threw a look at the clock and saw it was 3:15 in the morning. Soon, it would be sunrise, and I’d be free to go home, pay for the surgery, and enjoy the rest of my life. They say that the first time for a girl can determine her sex life. Well, mine surely wouldn’t have any repeats.
I thought that I would never be sleeping with a guy again.
I slowly rose from the bed, feeling sore. Glancing back on the bed, I saw my blood, sign of my taken virtue. I surprisingly didn’t feel sad.
There was no going back anymore. I understood and accepted, my mind surprisingly numb.
Dragging one leg after the other and shivering with every step I took, I got into the bathroom. Looking at the mirror, I saw that my face was pale and my makeup smudged all over it.
He was right; I was ugly.
Fighting another sob, I quickly dragged myself into the shower and took a quick one. I didn’t bother using the shampoo; it made me feel cheaper. I don’t know why or how, but it did.
One Night Stand with a Billionaire Page 3
