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

by Rhea Wilde

  Stephen barely addressed me when he ate breakfast that morning. Not only was there no mention of what we did last night but he seemed distracted. I took his lack of reaction to the breakfast I’d helped make for him as better than a negative one.

  After breakfast was over, I had a meal for myself and thought about everything that happened last night. I was into the routine of coming over to Stephen’s mansion for work but I wasn’t completely comfortable in my surroundings. It was still an odd situation to me and the outcome of how things would end up seemed so far away. Taking things one day at a time made every morning feel like an eternity.

  But I’d made the decision to stick around. Even Camille seemed to be warming up to me, despite her somewhat stern and icy demeanor. I could understand her frustration. I probably would have been offended if I were in her shoes and Stephen hired someone like me. She seemed to be taking me under her wing, however. It was all a step in the right direction.

  After breakfast, I took a moment to myself to rest and let the food in my stomach settle. I lounged on a couch in one of the rooms I discovered when I got lost one day. I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed a deep breath. There was still a lot of work that needed to be done.

  Chapter 19

  I stepped into the small changing room to get ready for my normal training session with Stephen after my early lesson with Camille.

  “All right. Let’s do this…”

  I was almost used to the early hours. Even though there were other things I’d rather be doing, it was less of a struggle to get to Stephen’s mansion on time for my lessons.

  I changed into my clothes but instead of seeing Stephen’s immaculate physique already glistening with sweat from his warm-up, I saw the exact opposite. Crosby stood there instead. Not only was the sight of the old man in the gym strange in itself, but seeing him outside of his usual tuxedo and in a loose t-shirt and sweatpants put a confused smile on my face.

  “What’s going on?” I said as I walked toward him. “Where is he?”

  “Master Stephen is busy with an important business meeting. His usual scheduled session has been delayed. He sent me down to the gym to assist you in your normal routine.”

  “Right… Um, okay… Are you sure you’re up to this?”

  “I am not physically capable of doing the things Master Stephen is but rest assured Miss Aria, my voice can issue the same commands just as well.”

  “So, you’ve seen him work before?” I said with a smirk.

  “Think of me as a physical and verbal representation of the voice inside of your head that pushes you.”

  “I guess I could do that. All right…”

  I got up on the treadmill and began walking upon it. Crosby stood next to me and observed the numbers on the panel in front of me. He peeked over the rims of his glasses. Even after just a few seconds, I admired his ability to stand there so still. He tied his hands behind his back with the patience of a saint.

  “So… An important business meeting?” I asked. “What’s it about?”

  “I am afraid I cannot discuss the personal matters of Master Stephen’s meetings.”

  “Personal matters? Is it personal or is it business then?”

  “One might say that Master Stephen takes all of his business personal.”

  “I believe that. He seems like he spends all of his time working. What exactly does he do? I mean, not right now. But what kind of business is Stephen in? He hasn’t told me a thing other than the fact that he’s interested in opening some restaurant that he wants me to be a part of.”

  “Master Stephen has his hands in several different ventures, including businesses in the city. He has a lot of stake in multiple assets. Most of his time is occupied with managing those assets and making sure he is maximizing their utility.”

  “That’s kind of vague… But I guess it makes sense. He’s a businessman and he’s got a lot invested.”

  “That would be the correct assumption, Miss Aria.”

  I nodded to Crosby then exhaled a deep breath as the intensity on the treadmill began to increase. My heart began to beat faster. The sweat cascaded down the sides of my face. I huffed and puffed as I kept a steady pace on the treadmill. All the while, Crosby remained calmly by my side and waited.

  “Very good, Miss Aria. Very good.”

  His words of encouragement made me chuckle. But even though he said it with a dull enthusiasm, it still kept me focused on the task at hand just the same. Crosby was a harmless old man who was helpful whenever I came across him. Having him here with me now made everything surprisingly easier than I thought it would be.

  “Well done, Miss Aria.”

  After thirty minutes on the treadmill, the machine stopped. I took a moment to catch my breath while Crosby handed me a small bottle of water.

  “Thanks,” I said before gulping it down.

  “Are you familiar with today’s routine? Or shall I remind you?”

  “No. No, you don’t need to do that. I know what today is.”

  “Very good.”

  I walked over to the set of machines for my legs. After working on a treadmill, I despised having to go through the usual routine Stephen put my legs through because I knew how sore I would be in the morning. But I knew that with Crosby here, maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as it normally was.

  “Quadriceps, hamstrings, thighs, calves, glutes… This is going to take awhile,” I said.

  “Rome was not built in a day, Miss Aria,” he responded. “Or would you rather hear another inspirational quote?”

  “No,” I said as I chuckled. “That will do fine.”

  I got up into the first machine and lifted it up like I was so used to. Every rep burned worse than the last one. But I managed to finish the set and finally catch my breath.

  “You have other quotes?” I said as I breathed deeply.

  “Many.”

  “Why? Where do you get them from?”

  “It is quite easy when you spend most of your time reading,” he said.

  “Ah. So you spend a lot of your time in the study room?”

  “Spent my time, Miss Aria. I have read more than my fair share of those books. Some of it is bound to stick with you.”

  “That’s a long time… How long have you known Stephen?”

  “I have worked for the Aldridge household well before Master Stephen was born,” he told me. “I helped raise the boy.”

  “Aldridge household? You worked for Stephen’s parents?”

  “I was fortunate that Mister and Miss Aldridge were looking for someone to come work for them. The opportunity arose and they presented it to me.”

  “I see… Are there any other Aldridge’s? Brothers? Sisters?”

  “Master Stephen has two brothers. Neither of them are currently living in this city. They reside back in their home state along with the rest of their family.”

  “Wait… Stephen is out here by himself? He’s alone?”

  “Alone is a subjective term, Miss Aria. But Master Stephen does maintain the current household and all of his holdings by himself.”

  I took the time to do another set on the machine I sat upon. While Crosby counted out every rep, I thought about everything he just said to me. Stephen wasn’t an old man. And he was certainly capable of making it on his own. But there was something odd about everything. I didn’t know much about Stephen but this seemed to explain things and make them more confusing all at the same time. I couldn’t help but think that there was more to it than that.

  Crosby handed me another sip of water after I finished my last set. All of the questions I had about Stephen continued to linger in my mind.

  “Why’d he leave?” I asked.

  “Miss Aria?”

  “Why isn’t Stephen with the rest of his family? Is it because he isn’t close to them? Or is he so successful that he decided to venture out on his own? What’s his relationship like with them?”

  I asked so many questions in the hopes that Crosby wo
uld give me the answers I was looking for. But as expected, he gave me a canned response to my obvious prying.

  “I am afraid that I cannot discuss the personal affairs and relationships of Master Stephen,” he stated bluntly.

  “Not even with me?”

  “As charming as you are, not even with you. Master Stephen’s business is solely his own and only when he explicitly states it is anybody else privy to it.”

  “Yeah… Yeah, that’s what I figured.”

  I sighed because I didn’t get the answers I was looking for.

  I’m so close to figuring this guy out. The answers are right there in front of me.

  “Come along, Miss Aria. Rome was not built in a day but it was eventually built.”

  “Yeah. And then it crumbled.”

  “After many years of prosperity. You can do this.”

  I smiled at Crosby then resumed the work-out. Every now and then I would ask him about Stephen but Crosby didn’t give me any personal details. Instead, Crosby humored me with stories about what it was like working in the mansion and his interactions with the guests that have visited. It was the only thing that made the entire experience tolerable.

  I sat on the gym mat in exhaustion and stretched when I finally finished. Crosby gave me another bottle of water and I drank it down.

  “Thanks.”

  “Well done, Miss Aria. You did a fine job today.”

  “I appreciate your help. You made it a lot easier for me to get through.”

  “Of course. If there’s any other way I can be of assistance, please let me know.”

  “Yeah… Actually…”

  “Yes?”

  “I was thinking… I might actually just spend the night here. You know, I’m going to be in the kitchen with Camille. And I’ll be working with her a lot. It might save everybody some time if I don’t have to commute back and forth. At least for tonight.”

  “I shall have one of the guest rooms made up for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “It is my pleasure, Miss Aria.”

  He bowed his head to me then excused himself from the gym. I chuckled as I watched the white-haired old man shuffled out of the room. When he left, I went through my normal routine at the end of every workout.

  The picture of Stephen Aldridge was a lot clearer than it was. It was the first time I learned anything about him. There was a man behind both my boss and the man I slept with. I didn’t know when I would figure him out but I knew I couldn’t rest until I did.

  Chapter 20

  There was a different feel to Stephen’s mansion at night. When the lights were dim, there were fewer servants making their rounds and tending to the nonexistent dust on all of the pieces of art and furniture spread throughout the corridors. The moonlight shined in through the windows and cast shadows that were eerie to look at. The fact that I hadn’t been through the entire place and could easily get lost gave me an irrational fear I had to try not to think about.

  I worked with Camille in the kitchen through the day. When we prepared Stephen’s dinner, he wasn’t there to eat it. I could have kept working but even Camille knew her limits. Night came and instead of being escorted to a limo, Crosby brought me to a guest room that was only slightly smaller than the apartment I stayed in but significantly more glamorous. The thought of moving in here permanently crossed my mind but I knew my employment with Stephen could have ended at any moment.

  I laid in bed late that night, trying to adjust to the comforts given to me.

  “Why is this mattress so soft? It’s like nobody has ever slept in it before…”

  I sighed as I sank into the bed and closed my eyes. But I couldn’t fall asleep. The room was more luxurious than I was used to but I wasn’t comfortable. In nothing but a pair of shorts and a tank-top, I stepped into my slippers and headed toward the only place in the mansion I knew I could locate.

  I walked through the corridors and made my way to the kitchen. I searched the fridge, searching for anything that might help me fall asleep. I ended up digging out a small pint of vanilla ice cream at the bottom of the freezer.

  A spoon in one hand and my ice cream in the other, I headed back toward my room. The halls were silent and the smack of my slippers against the marble floor echoed against the walls. A spoonful of ice cream calmed my nerves.

  As I neared my room, I heard a faint sound in the distance. I stopped moving and listened to it more closely.

  “What is that?”

  I whispered to myself as I tried to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. I kept walking down one of the halls and the sound grew louder. As I got closer to the sound, I noticed a door that was slightly open. I slowly approached it then peeked inside. There was someone there but the lights were so dim, I couldn’t see them clearly. Against my better judgment, I pushed the door open slowly and saw Stephen sitting there at a piano.

  His shirt was unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. His head was down as his hands moved up and down the keyboard. I looked around and there was nothing but empty chairs surrounding him. The chandelier hanging above the room was dim but bright enough for me to see him.

  I took a few steps toward him, his back turned to me as I ate another spoonful of ice cream. I couldn’t tell what he was playing. I didn’t have an ear for music. But it was clear that he knew what he was doing, as the melody was soft, light and pleasant.

  I stood there and watched him play. The rest of his body remained still as his arms moved back and forth in perfect rhythm. I closed my eyes for a second just to listen to the sound but after a few moments, Stephen finished and began poking at the keys one by one.

  I approached him from behind slowly, trying my best not to startle him.

  “You play the piano.”

  Stephen jerked his head around and stared at me. His eyes widened for a second before returning to their usual calm and emotionless state.

  “What are you doing here?” he said as he returned to poking at the keys one by one.

  “I heard music playing,” I replied. “I was just… wondering where it came from.”

  “No. I mean, what are you still doing here, in the mansion?”

  “Oh. I asked Crosby if I could stay the night. I worked a lot with Camille today. I figured I would save some time and just stay the night. It would give your driver the night off, too.”

  “I’m sure he appreciates that.”

  I moved up next to the piano then took a seat next to him.

  “What are you eating? Ice cream?”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “What is it with you and late-night sugar?”

  “I figure I’m awake now but this will eventually make me crash.”

  “…You’re right. It’s not the wisest strategy but it’ll work.”

  “That’s just how I do things.”

  Stephen stopped playing and stared at me. He softly exhaled a breath through his nostrils. I could see fatigue in his eyes. Even if I couldn’t, I knew he was tired because of how late it was. I smiled at him as I ate another spoonful of ice cream.

  “Do you want some?” I asked.

  “No. I shouldn’t.”

  “You shouldn’t do a lot of things. But I’m sure you do them anyway.”

  “Good point.”

  I scooped a bite for him and held it up to his mouth. I grinned at him as I playfully held the spoon out to him before gently placing it into his mouth. Stephen stared at me the entire time before swallowing it down and turning back down to the keyboard.

  “It’s good, isn’t it?” I said.

  “It’s good. Our sweet taste buds are always the easiest ones to please. That’s why everybody loves sweets. When they’re children and when they’re old. It doesn’t matter. Everything tastes better when it’s sweeter.”

  “But that’s not how you do things. You always try to make the bitter things taste better, even when you know they’re not.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

>   I chuckled at him. Stephen’s demeanor hadn’t changed ever since I first met him. But even though he was the same man he always was, I felt more comfortable around him. Sleeping with him certainly helped the fact but there was something else I couldn’t describe.

  “You read a lot of books,” I said. “You train every day. You have impeccable grooming and spend most of your time working and conducting business. You play the piano. Is there anything you can’t do?”

  “There are a lot of things.”

  “How many languages do you speak?”

  “Only four. Five if you want to count my broken Spanish.”

  “That’s a lot more than everybody else. What are the other three?”

  “German, Japanese and Mandarin.”

  “…Where do you find the time for all of this?”

  “Everybody has the same amount of time. We all just use it differently. That’s just how I was raised. There’s no better way.”

  I looked into Stephen’s eyes as he continued to poke at the keys. He tapped at them but didn’t play a melody. Still, it sounded like something more than just random playing.

  “I didn’t see you today,” I said. “Crosby said you were in an important business meeting.”

  “That would be the case.”

  “All day?”

  “All day.”

  “How did it go?”

  Stephen sighed then softly shook his head.

  “That bad?” I asked.

  “Worse.”

  “Well… It can’t be that bad, can it? I mean, it’s not the end of everything, is it? Crosby said you have a lot of investments, a lot of holdings or whatever. One bad deal can’t ruin everything… Can it?”

  Stephen didn’t say anything. My reasoning seemed sound. Then I remembered who I was talking to. A man who looked like a billion dollars but spent every morning training harder than anybody else. A man who walked around in an expensive suit even though his servants would be the only ones to see it. A man who never smiled or laughed or even hinted that he was enjoying anything he did.

  I looked at the disappointment in his eyes and felt bad for him. I barely knew him but I couldn’t just sit there and watch him in the current state he was.