by Sandi Lynn
“Emmy?” he spoke as he stepped inside.
Cocking the gun, I pointed it to the back of his head.
“Put your hands up and slowly turn around,” I spoke.
“Holy shit. Are you pointing a gun to my head?”
He did as I asked and slowly turned around.
“How did you know what room I was in?”
“I asked the front desk which room was Derek’s because you left your phone on the bar downstairs. It’s in the left pocket of my jacket. Feel free to get it yourself.”
With the gun still pointed at him, I reached into his pocket and grabbed my phone.
“Thank you,” I said.
“You’re welcome. I can see you’re overly cautious and that’s great. You should be. But do you think you can put that thing down? It’s making me really nervous. Please.” He begged.
I put the safety back on and lowered my gun.
“Thank you.” He let out a deep breath. “I will say you are the first person ever to point a gun at me.” The corners of his mouth curved upwards.
“A woman can never be too careful.”
“Hey, I totally agree.” He put his hand up. “Anyway, I just came here to give your phone back. I’ll see you on the terrace tomorrow morning. Have a good night.”
“You too, Mr. Chamberlain.”
“Please, just call me Caden.”
Caden
Damn, she didn’t play around. My heart was still beating out of my chest. But I wasn’t sure if it was from the fact that she could have shot me or that she looked incredibly sexy pointing that gun at me. I went back to my suite and poured myself a drink. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and the moment we got back to New York, she’d be mine for one night.
Chapter 5
Brielle
As I sat in the warm, bubbly tub, I sent my mom a text message.
“Change of plans. I’m coming home tomorrow instead of Sunday.”
“Why? What happened?”
“His wife had a heart attack and he needed to leave.”
“Oh dear. I hope she’s okay.”
“Me too, Mom. Tell Stella I love her and I’ll be home tomorrow.”
After I finished texting her, I sent a message to Ben letting him know of my change of plans.
As soon as I finished my bath, I put on the fluffy white robe in the closet and sat down at the computer to find out more about Caden Chamberlain. He was thirty years old, just as I suspected and was the President of Chamberlain Essence, a billion-dollar flavoring company. His status was single, and he was one of New York’s most eligible bachelors. Clicking on the images tab, I found there were several pictures with him and a string of women on his arm.
“You are quite the playboy, Mr. Chamberlain,” I said as I logged off the computer and went to bed.
The next morning, I showered, put on my wig, my colored contacts, a face full of makeup, and dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a tank top. Grabbing my purse, I headed out the door and to the terrace to meet Caden for breakfast. When I arrived, I saw him sitting at a table, so I walked over and took the seat across from him.
“Good morning.” He smiled.
“Good morning.”
“Coffee?” He reached for the small stainless steel pot that sat on the table.
“Please.”
“How did you sleep last night?” he asked.
“I slept good. How about you?”
“Not so good. All I kept seeing when I closed my eyes was a gun pointed at me.” He smirked.
“Again, I’m sorry about that.”
“My plane has already arrived, so we can head to the airport as soon as we’re finished with breakfast.”
“Sounds good.”
“By the way, Emmy. What is your last name?” he asked as he sipped his coffee.
“Why?” I gave him a smirk.
“I have an event next Saturday night that I have to attend, and I would like to hire you to go with me.”
“Why?” I narrowed my eye at him.
“Because I think you’re a beautiful woman and I’d like your company. Good enough reason?”
“But you can have any woman you want for free.”
“True. But I’d like to take you.”
“I’m already booked for next Saturday night.”
“Cancel the booking. I’ll pay triple your rate and I promise I’ll be much better company than the old geezer who booked you.”
“And how do you know he’s an old geezer?” I cocked my head.
“Because I don’t think there are too many thirty-year-olds who hire escorts. Am I right?”
“Yes. I suppose so. He’s a new client, though.”
“Good. Then it’ll be even easier to cancel.” He grinned.
“You have to go through a screening process first.”
“No problem. I want you for the entire night. You can leave the next morning.”
“I’m assuming you want sex,” I said as I sipped my coffee.
“You assumed right.” He winked. “And a couple other things.”
“Twenty thousand,” I spoke.
The corners of his mouth curved upwards into a sly smile.
“I know damn well you don’t charge that.”
“You were willing to pay that last night,” I said with an arch in my brow.
“Fine. Twenty thousand dollars for the night and you’re all mine.”
I reached into my purse and pulled out my business card.
“Call the number on the card, go through the proper channels, and I’ll make sure I’m available that night.”
After breakfast, I went up to my hotel suite to grab my luggage. Pulling my phone from my purse, I called Sasha.
“Hey, Brielle. How’s Texas?”
“Eventful to say the least. I’m going to be heading home today. Derek’s wife had a heart attack and he needed to leave last night.”
“That sucks. I hope she’s okay.”
“Listen, I need you to cancel my appointment for next Saturday with that new client. A gentleman by the name of Caden Chamberlain is going to be calling to hire me for that night. I’ve already met him here in Texas. Screen him anyway. He wants me for the entire night and he’s paying me twenty thousand dollars.”
“Holy shit. For one night? How did you manage that?”
“He was willing to pay it last night after Derek left and I turned him down. He really wants to spend the night with me, so I told him twenty grand and he agreed.”
“Damn, Brielle.”
“He’s the president of a billion-dollar flavoring company. Twenty thousand is pennies to him.”
“Umm, Brielle. I just googled his name. He’s thirty years old and he’s fucking hot as hell. Shit. I’d let him fuck me for free.”
I let out a light laugh. “If we had met when I was Brielle and not on the job, I probably would have.”
“Gotta go, the other line is ringing. It’s probably him. Have a safe flight.”
I ended the call, grabbed my suitcase, and headed to the lobby where Caden was waiting for me and talking on the phone. After he ended the call, he looked at me.
“Damn, you put new clients through an ordeal.”
“Like I said, a woman needs to protect herself.” I smiled as we climbed into the back of his limo.
Chapter 6
Caden
“I can take you home if you need a ride,” I spoke as the plane landed.
“I have a car waiting for me. But thanks for the offer.”
We unbuckled our seatbelts, grabbed our luggage, and exited the plane.
“I would like to have your number in case I need to speak to you before Saturday.”
“Only regular clients get my number.”
“I see. And who’s to say I won’t become a regular client? But I am paying you twenty thousand dollars for one night, so I think that should include a phone number.”
“You think so?” She cocked her head.
“I do. We ha
ve entered into a business arrangement and usually phone numbers are exchanged.”
“Okay then.”
I pulled out my phone and entered the number she rattled off.
“Thank you. I’ll see you next Saturday.” I smiled.
“Are you not going to give me your number?” she asked.
“I’ll be in touch.” I gave her a wink.
“Okay then, see you next Saturday.”
I watched her as she walked away, rolling her suitcase behind her. I followed her into the airport, keeping my distance so she didn’t see me. She went into the bathroom and I waited at the Starbucks across the way for her to come out. I stood there in shock when she walked out.
“I’ll be damned,” I whispered to myself.
She was no longer a brunette, but a blonde. A very sexy and beautiful blonde-haired woman. She disguised herself for her clients. Smart woman. I pulled her card out of my pocket and stared at her name: Emmy Pine. I would guarantee that was fake as well.
I headed home to my Park Avenue penthouse. When I stepped off the elevator, I left my suitcase in the foyer and walked over to the bar and poured myself a drink. Taking it out to the balcony, I leaned over the railing and thought about her. I thought she was sexy as a brunette, but after seeing her as a blonde, it took my excitement to a whole other level. Now she was more of a mystery and I was going to find out exactly who she was. I finished my drink, set my glass down, and headed out of my building to go see my brother Kyle. He was the founder and owner of Upscale, a fine dining five-star restaurant in the Financial District.
“Good evening, Mr. Chamberlain.”
“Good evening, Allison. Where’s my brother?”
“In the kitchen.” She smiled flirtatiously at me.
The place was packed like it always was. To get in, you had to make reservations at least two months in advance. My brother was an excellent chef, which had been his passion since he was a kid. He tried the family business and it made him miserable. The only thing that made him happy was being in a kitchen. He wasn’t an office, sit-behind-a-desk type of guy. He was my older brother by three years, and he was also my best friend.
“Hey bro. Nice surprise.” He grinned as I walked into the kitchen.
“Hey.” I grabbed a bacon-wrapped scallop from the aluminum pan sitting on the counter.
“You’re just in time. I was going to take a break. Did you eat?”
“No. Not yet.”
“Marcus, put a plate together for me and Caden and bring it in back,” he spoke.
“Sure thing, boss.”
We walked to the small room off the side, which was where parties were held. Taking a seat at a table, Kyle handed me a bourbon.
“Thanks.”
“How was Texas?” he asked as he took the seat across from me.
“I was there one day, and it was eventful to say the least.” I arched my brow as I took a sip of my drink.
“Eventful in a good way or a bad way?”
“Depends on how you look at it. I met a woman at the hotel and there was something about her that caught my attention very quickly.”
“Like?”
“She was sexy, poised, smart. Someone I wanted to fuck very badly.”
“I take it you didn’t?”
“No. She turned down my offer.”
“Offer?” His brows furrowed.
“I offered to pay her twenty thousand dollars for the night.”
He chuckled as Marcus set our plates down in front of us. “What is she, an escort or something?”
“Yeah. She is. She was with Derek Willows and he had to fly out due to a family emergency.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Dead serious.”
“Why the fuck would she turn down twenty grand, and why didn’t you just call her agency?”
“She doesn’t work for an agency. She works for herself. She has a screening process that all clients have to go through first. Wait, it gets better.” I smiled. “She left her phone on the bar, so I went up to the suite she was in to give it back to her. The door opened and I didn’t see her, so I stepped inside. That was when she pointed a gun to the back of my head.”
“Oh my god.” He laughed. “What did she think? You were going to rape her or something?”
“I guess so, since she had a gun pointed at me. I explained to her that I was only there to give her back her phone, which she left down at the bar.”
“She sounds like a psycho.”
“She’s not. She was being cautious, and I admire that. It made her sexier in my eyes.” I smirked. “Anyway, she lives here in New York and I offered her a ride back on my jet. She accepted and I’ve hired her to attend an event with me on Saturday night.”
“At what cost?” His brow raised.
“Twenty thousand.”
He sat across from me and slowly shook his head.
“You’re seriously going to pay her twenty grand for the night?”
“Yes. I am. I know she’ll be worth every penny. I can feel it.”
“Are you bored or something? There are women lining up all over the city trying to sleep with you for free and you’re going to pay some escort?”
“I can’t figure it out myself. All I know is there’s something about her that intrigues me. Anyway, it’s only one night. Once I fuck her, I’ll get her out of my system and send her on her way.”
“Good luck, brother. I hope she’s worth the money.”
Chapter 7
Saturday
Brielle
I was making breakfast for Stella when my business cell phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize. I declined the call and a text message came through.
“It’s Caden Chamberlain. I’m going to call you again. Make sure you answer. I need to talk to you about tonight.”
A moment later, it rang again, so I answered it.
“Hello, Mr. Chamberlain.”
“Hello, Emmy,” his low voice spoke.
“If you’re calling to cancel—”
“No. I’m not cancelling. I have a request for tonight.”
“And what is that?” I asked.
“I don’t want you to wear your wig. I want you to come as your natural self. Not in disguise.”
“Excuse me?” I started to tremble.
“I saw you come out of the bathroom in the airport and your hair was blonde. I would imagine your eye color was fake as well as the brunette wig you wore. I want the real you tonight. Plus, there are going to be a lot of high class, influential, and wealthy people at this event and I’m sure someone will recognize you if you’re in costume. Truth be told, I really don’t want anyone to know that I’m bringing an escort as a date.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. What the fuck was I going to do?
“I’m sorry, Mr. Chamberlain, but I only work in disguise. If you’re embarrassed that someone will see you with me, then maybe we should just cancel our date.”
“No,” he abruptly spoke. “Thirty thousand.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“Perhaps I am. Come as yourself and I will pay you thirty thousand for tonight. If you’re worried, don’t be. I already know you’ll be bringing your gun and I really don’t feel like being threatened with it again.”
“I have to go. I’m in the middle of something. Let me give it some thought, and I’ll get back with you.”
“You have two hours, Miss Pine.”
I ended the call and took in a deep breath. There was a knock at the door and I jumped. Placing my hand over my heart, I unlocked it and Sasha walked in.
“Good morning. I need coffee bad. Please tell me some is made.”
“There’s a full pot. I need to talk to you about something, but not in front of Stella.”
“Sure. Okay. Where is she?”
“In her room. But her breakfast is ready. Stella?” I shouted. “Breakfast is ready.”
She came running into the kitchen in her jammies and wrapped her arms
around Sasha’s legs.
“Good morning, princess,” Sasha spoke as leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“Are you staying for breakfast?” Stella asked her.
“Of course. It’s not that often I get to have breakfast with my favorite girl.”
I set a plate of waffles in the middle of the table and grabbed another plate for Sasha.
“Don’t forget you’re spending the night at Grandma’s. Mommy has to work.”
“I know. Grandma said she’d play Monopoly with me tonight.” She grinned.
“Awesome.” I smiled as I got up from the table and poured some more coffee into my cup.
As soon as she was done eating, I told her to go get dressed and I’d take her to Central Park for a while.
“What’s going on?” Sasha asked as soon as Stella left the table.
“Caden Chamberlain called me right before you got here. Apparently, he saw me come out of the bathroom at the airport without my wig on.”
“Shit. Was he following you or something?”
“I don’t know. He must have been. Anyway, he wants me to come tonight out of disguise and he said he’ll pay me thirty grand if I do.”
“Shit, Brielle. What are you going to do? I mean, for thirty grand, I think you should. What’s the harm? He already saw you. So if you run into him on the street, he’ll know who you are anyway.”
“I don’t know.”
“There shouldn’t be a hesitation. It’s thirty thousand dollars for one night. Thirty. Thousand. Dollars. You’ve never made that in one night alone. Plus, he’s young, hot, and a billionaire. Aren’t you dying to see what he’s like in bed? It’s been a hot minute since you’ve slept with someone that young.”
I sighed. “I know, and there is something about him that intrigues me, but also scares me.” I took a sip of my coffee.
“You’ll have your gun. If he tries anything unwarranted, shoot him in the balls.” She smiled. “Plus, you’ve taken plenty of self-defense courses. I don’t think you have anything to be worried about. He’s just a billionaire who’s bored.”