Chapter 3
1607 Words
Ariel the clients who hired me always saw me in disguise. Long brown hair, emerald-green eyes, and a face full of makeup. Never did I allow any of my clients to see my true self. The last thing I needed was for them to recognize me on the street. Plus, it was safer that way. I also never allowed them to know my real name: Ariel Winters. They only knew me as Emilia Pine. When you’re in the kind of business I am, you have connections. Connections that allowed me to obtain a fake ID, credit cards, and bank accounts in my escort name.
“Now you be good for Grandma.” I smiled as I brushed a strand of Stephanie's hair out of her face.
“I always am.” She grinned.
“I love you and I’ll see you in a couple of days.” I hugged her tight. “I love you too, Mommy.”
“Have a safe trip, honey,” my mom spoke as she hugged me. “Thanks, Mom.” I grabbed my suitcase and my bag, headed out the door and down to the lobby where Kyle was waiting for me. As I sat in the back of the car, I did my makeup and put on my wig. Every time I left Stephanie's, I felt a pain in my heart.
“Have a safe trip, Ariel. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Thanks, Kyle. I’ll see you in a couple of days.” I smiled as I climbed out and he shut the door behind me.
Walking into the airport, I checked in, made it through security, and took my seat in first class, compliments of Drake Williams. He had been a long-time client of mine. Four years to be exact. He was the CEO of William Vineyards in Houston. We met when I was out there with another client of mine. I was convenient for him and only saw him when he traveled. He was mid-fifties, six feet tall, salt and pepper hair that was perfectly kept and brown eyes. He and his wife Trish had been married for twenty-five years and they had four children. I was his escape. Something he desperately craved. We had become close friends over the past four years. He could talk to me about things he couldn’t with his wife and that took some of the pressure off him. That was what most of my clients told me. It just wasn’t always about the s*x. A majority of the time, it was about understanding and just being there to listen to them.
When I arrived in Texas, there was a car waiting for me to take me to the Rosewood Manor on Danbo hotel. When I walked into the lobby, I saw Drake standing there, looking dapper in his designer navy blue suit.
“Hello, darling.” He smiled as he took my hands and kissed my cheek. “Hello, Drake.” I returned his smile.
He took my suitcase and my bag from me and we took the elevator up
to his suite.
“Nice,” I said as I looked around. “So how’s Trisha doing?”
“She’s Trisha,” he spoke as he walked over to the bar and poured me a
glass of red wine. “Devonte moved out and now it’s just the two of us in that big house. So you can imagine how things are. It’s like we don’t even know each other anymore. Anyway, how are you?”
“I’m good.” I smiled.
“Business going good?” he asked.
“Yes. Business is really good.”
“Good. I’m happy to hear that. Tonight’s event is formal, so there’s a
dress I rented for you hanging in the closet along with some jewelry in a box on the dresser.”
“Thank you, Drake.”
He took the glass from my hand and set it on the table. Bringing his hand up to my face, he softly kissed my lips.
“It’s been quite a while since I’ve had s*x, so I’ve been looking forward to this since I booked you.”
After our romp in the sack, he ordered room service for us and we chatted about what was going on in his life and his business before we were to attend the event. While he showered, I touched up my makeup and ran a brush through my brown hair. After slipping into the strapless black form- fitted dress that was hanging in the closet, Drake took the diamond necklace from the box and slipped it around my neck.
“You look as beautiful as always, Emilia.”
“And you look as handsome as always.” I smiled as I straightened his bow tie.
The thing with these business events was I was never the only escort in the room. These types of men always brought escorts with them while their wives sat at home. They had a guy code: I won’t tell if you won’t.
The event was being held outside in the garden area, which was astoundingly beautiful. Waiters and waitresses carrying around trays of champagne and hor d’oeuvres were dressed in black form-fitting suits. Round tables that seated eight were set up with fine white linen and china. “Drake, it’s good to see you,” a devilishly handsome man said as he approached.
“Caden. How are you? I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
“It was a last-minute thing,” he spoke as his eyes raked over me. “Is she with you?”
“Yes, forgive me. Caden, this is Emmy. Emmy, this is Caden Oxlade.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He slyly smiled as he extended his hand. “And you as well, Mr. Oxlade.”
His fingers wrapped around my hand as his eyes stared into mine. A few moments later, everyone was called to take their seats.
“We’re at table fourteen,” Drake spoke.
“So am I.” Caden grinned.
Drake and I took our seats and Caden sat on the other side of me. I
wasn’t going to lie and tell you that I felt comfortable, because I didn’t. Mr. Oxlade made me very uncomfortable. I didn’t know if it was the way he stared at me with a hunger in his eyes or the fact that he was one hell of a sexy man. He was approximately thirty years old and stood six foot two with sassy light brown hair. He kept it shorter on the sides and a medium length on top, which was swept up, giving him an edgy look. He had a masculine jaw line, which sported a neatly kept five o’clock shadow, chiseled cheekbones, and deep blue eyes. I’d seen many men in my time, but no one that had ever caught my attention the way Caden Oxlade had.
After dinner, and before the guest speakers took their turn, I got up from my seat and headed into the hotel to use the ladies’ room. When I was finished, I couldn’t find Drake anywhere, so I went over to the bar to get a drink.
“What can I get for you?” the bartender asked.
“I’ll have a gin martini, neat, with a twist of lemon.” “Excellent choice,” I heard a voice say next to me.
When I glanced over, I saw Caden leaning up against the bar with a smile on his face.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll have the same except no lemon,” he spoke to the bartender.
“You haven’t by any chance seen Drake, have you?” I asked.
“His phone rang, and he walked away to take the call. I haven’t seen
him since. Did he hire you to spend the weekend with him?”
The bartender set our drinks down and I quickly grabbed my glass and
brought it up to my lips.
“That’s something you’ll have to ask him yourself,” I replied.
He stood there with his drink in his hand and narrowed his eye at me.
“I don’t have to ask him. I already know because there’s no way
someone as gorgeous as you would hook up with that old geezer unless you were getting paid.”
I raised my brow at him as I sipped my martini.
“There you are.” Drake ran over to me in a panic. “I’m sorry, but I have to get back to Houston. Trish had a heart attack and they’re taking her into emergency surgery.”
“Oh my god, Drake. I’m so sorry.”
“If anything happens to her, Emilia.”
I reached out and grabbed hold of his hand.
“She’s going to be okay, Drake.”
“Caden, when are you leaving here?” he asked him.
“Tomorrow morning. Why?”
“Can Emilia fly with you back to New York?”
“That’s okay, Drake. I’ll book a flight.”
“No,” Caden spoke. “You’re more than welcome to fly back with me on
my private jet.” “It’s fine. I’ll pull up the flights now.” I reached in my purse and pulled out my phone.
“I said you’re flying back with me,” he spoke in an authoritative tone. “There’s no sense in paying for a ticket change when you can fly absolutely free.”
“Thank you, Caden. I have to run. Emilia, I’ll be in touch, darling.”
- Writer
