by Nicole Casey
Again, I shook my head. “Not once.”
“Don’t you miss them?” she continued to press on. She put a hand on my chest, endearing and warming.
“I think about them every day,” I answered. “Not a day goes by where I don’t ever miss them.”
Lyla’s face twisted in sadness and I could see she was heartbroken. “I’m sorry to hear this,” she told me. “I can’t even imagine how hard it would be if I were estranged to my dad. I love him a lot.”
That warmed my heart. I looked at her and the way she stared back at me. For the first time in my life I felt genuine affection from a woman. She actually cared about me. It was just really sad that if I didn’t have any money she might never even pay any attention to me. The moment I stop paying her she might stop coming over. Not only would I lose the great sex I have with her, but I might lose her entirely.
15
Lyla
The weeks passed quickly. All I could think of were the job I applied for and Preston. I had visited him more frequently and every time I did, he snuck in a check for a few thousand dollars into my purse. It was sweet but I didn’t really need the cash. To be completely honest, I didn’t even want the money. I just wanted him.
Tonight, however, I wanted to just relax and have fun with my friends. I hadn’t seen Karen, Mikaela and Jennifer in a while. They wanted to hang out at a new club and I figured I owed a fun night out.
We were at a nice, round table with high stools close to the dance floor when Mikaela brought up the billionaire’s auction.
“So, I heard you went,” she said out loud, a little too loud for my comfort. “Who bought your virginity?”
I blushed but I was fortunate enough to have friends who didn’t judge me. Karen just laughed and Jen seemed genuinely intrigued about the whole deal. It wasn’t until much later that I learned she too sold her virginity at a similar auction event for her twenty-first birthday.
“Well, tell us all the juicy details,” Karen said before she gulped down on her beer.
I bit down on my lip and looked at them one-by-one, anticipating how they would react. “Okay,” I relented. “I did go. First off, they bought me for fifteen thousand dollars.”
All three of my friends looked at me with their jaws dropped and their eyes wide open in shock.
“Holy shit, that’s a lot of money,” Jen said. She shook her head in disbelief. “I figured girls at the auction earned only up to ten thousand or so.”
“That’s not all though,” I teased them further. “Guess who won the bidding? Guess who paid the most to get a taste of my pussy.”
My friends laughed. They’d all heard me talk dirty before but back then it was innocent fun. I was a virgin back then. This time, however, I actually meant what I said.
“If you mean Richard Blaine, I’ll lose my freaking mind,” Karen said. “Richard’s been my dream boy for years but he’d never buy me at an auction like that. He only likes redheads and I’m as blonde as they come.”
I giggled and shook my head, “Nope. Actually, my buyer was Preston Maxwell.”
Everyone cheered and as they started babbling off about how it was fate that I met him in that hospital room months ago, I noticed my phone buzzed. Someone had texted me. I took my phone and opened the message, only to see it was Preston and he was asking if we could meet tonight.
“Speak of the devil,” I whispered. I quickly replied, “I can’t tonight. I’m out with some friends at the Riverside Club. I can go visit you though when we’re done here.”
He didn’t reply afterwards but I didn’t want to think about it right now. All I wanted to do was get drunk and dance the night away. Mikaela even congratulated me for taking that bold step and she promised not to say another word to my father about the ordeal. She even apologized for letting that detail slip when she saw him at the grocery store.
I didn’t mind and we all had a good time. By midnight I was already feeling a little wasted, more than usual in fact, and figured it was time I headed home. I could take a nap in my car for a bit until I was sober enough to drive.
However, just as I was preparing to leave, I saw Preston walk into the club and he waved at me, motioning for me to come out with him.
“Oh my God, he’s here,” Jen stated when she saw him waving at me.
I wanted to feel warm and fuzzy inside but oddly I felt nothing but frustration. I bid my friends good-bye and stormed out the club. Preston quickly followed me to the parking lot and walked right beside me as I made a beeline for my car.
“Hey,” he tried to call me.
I turned around and shoved my finger at his face, “Why are you here? Didn’t I already tell you I just wanted to hang out with my friends and then I’d come over?”
“You were ignoring my calls,” he told me. “You were ignoring me.”
I opened my purse and checked my phone. It turned out he did call me but I was too busy chatting with my friends to notice.
“I wasn’t ignoring you, Pres,” I reasoned with him. “I was just busy with my friends. Don’t read too much into it, okay? I was drunk – I still am drunk – and I was busy dancing around and that’s why I didn’t see your calls.”
“Is it money?” he suddenly asked me and that just made my heart sink. “Come on, come home with me right now. If you do, I’ll pay off the remaining debt your dad owes for his mortgage. I’ll buy you a damn house and a better car. Just name your price for one more night with me, please.”
For a moment, time just seemed to stop for me and all I could do was process everything he just said. He really thought I was sleeping with him just for the money.
“Preston Maxwell, you’re a fucking idiot!” I screamed at him, my wrath howling out of me like a caged animal gone free. “I’m not seeing you for the money anymore. I’m already way past that. I’m way fucking past that. Don’t you get it? I’d sleep with you even if you never gave me another cent! I’d sleep with you because I want to, because I want you!”
He remained silent and I knew I struck a chord. I didn’t stop though, “Look… just leave me alone tonight. I wanted to just spend time with my friends and you just had to come along and fuck it up.”
“There’s no way I’m just going to let you walk out of my life like this,” Preston argued.
“Really? Is it because you’ve already spent so much money on me? Am I going to become a wasted asset for you?” The words just spilled out of my mouth and I didn’t even know where I was going with my ranting. “Look, it was fun. I needed money and I sold my fucking virginity to you… but damn it, Preston, can’t you see I’m not seeing you anymore for the money? You can take it all back if you want.”
Preston just looked at me with hurt eyes and said, “I don’t understand what you’re saying. All I’ve known my whole life is that girls only come to me for the money and you did too. That’s why I keep giving you cash each time you come over to have sex with me.”
“I’m not your prostitute,” I pressed on. Tears were flowing down my cheeks and I knew my makeup was totally ruined. “Maybe I was once but there’s something more now. I want something more than just money from you Preston. If you can’t figure that out, you’re a fucking moron, and I’ve wasted my goddamn time trying to let you know how I feel.”
I didn’t waste another second and, without looking back, got into my car and drove away.
16
Preston
I watched as Lyla left. I watched and stood in silence, in solitude and in regret.
“Fuck this,” I told myself. “If she doesn’t want to get paid and have all her problems solved then so be it. I can always get another girl.”
There was no point in hoping Lyla would call me or drive back. She was mad as fuck and I didn’t want to deal with that. I got into my car and drove straight for Mercury Wild. Unfortunately, most of my friends weren’t there but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t have fun.
The only person I noticed there was Trevor but that was expected; he o
wned the place, after all. However, I saw his girl Jasmine come out of the office and noticed how sweet they were together. She snuggled into his arms when he embraced her and they shared a sensual dance on the floor.
I wanted that but man, things got so fucked up so quickly.
I didn’t even have to work hard to get the attention I wanted. Just a few drinks in, a dance here and there, and soon enough I had a bombshell babe sitting on my lap licking my neck and moaning loudly into my ear whenever I’d slip my hand under her shirt and give her tits a squeeze.
“What’s your name?” I asked her before I leaned in forward to kiss her lips.
“Melody,” she told me and she reached down and grabbed my junk. “But you can call me whatever you want.”
“You’re such a naughty little slut,” I told her as I smiled and bit down on her lower lip. She giggled and kissed me back. That soft kiss went in deeper and soon enough she was grinding on my lap. I didn’t want to make a scene so I picked her up and brought her to the men’s room and took her right into a stall.
I shut the door, opened my zipper and let her hold onto my raging cock.
However, even as we made out, I felt an odd knot in my gut just grow. It was like there was this heavy void that even this voluptuous, naughty woman couldn’t fulfill. Here I was, already half-naked with a gorgeous girl but I wasn’t happy. I didn’t want to hook up with just anyone.
I wanted Lyla.
“I-I’m sorry,” I told Melody and pushed her away. She looked up at me with confusion but I didn’t say another word and stormed out of the bathroom. I just gave Trevor and Jasmine a quick nod when I passed them by and headed straight for my car, never caring to look back to check on Melody or anyone else.
As I drove, I dialed on my phone. “Come on, Lyla, pick up the phone.”
She didn’t answer. I tried again and again but each time I did I was only greeted by silence. By the time I got home to my penthouse suite, I had called her number a good fifteen times but to no avail. I even texted her while I was on the elevator but she didn’t send anything back.
Inside my suite, I threw off my clothes and just crashed onto my bed.
“You’re an idiot,” I told myself. “Why didn’t you just go out there to say you love her?”
If I could slap myself and scold myself to death I would. I felt like the biggest idiot in the world right now. The girl of my dreams was right there in front of me and she was always here when I called for her, but now I just had to fuck it all up. I ruined everything.
With a heavy sigh of disappointment I tossed my phone to the floor and went to sleep.
17
Lyla
I thought about what happened that night. The words we exchanged during our argument kept ringing in my head for days. All I could think about for a week was the way he insisted to pay me for more time.
Maybe I gave the wrong impression. Maybe he thought I was still prostituting myself to him all this time. Maybe I should have told him how I felt.
Preston did call, almost every day in fact, but I never took the chance to answer him. I ignored him and hoped that all these issues would just come to pass. I had earned enough from being a whore and now it was time to leave that life behind. I needed something real.
My first sign that things might change for the better was when I woke up the next Monday morning and got call not from Preston but from the medical center.
“Hello, Lyla?” Doctor Holland greeted.
I was still a little groggy but did manage to recognize his voice. “Oh! Good morning Doctor Holland. How may I help you?”
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” he said on the other line. I told him he didn’t even though in all honesty he kind of did. I was awake a few minutes prior but it was the phone ring that truly got me up on my bed. “Will you be able to drop by this week?”
My eyebrow twisted as I thought about it real quick. I had one more interview somewhere but it was in a hospital on the other end of town. That was my only real schedule for the entire week. “I’m free all week except this Thursday.”
“Well, I hope it isn’t for another job because we here have decided to hire you!” Doctor Holland told me. “We want you in now just as a nurse but to consider taking the head nurse position. This means you’ll have an office all to yourself and will be managing all of the nursing staff in the facility. Of course, we still need you to come here soon so we can discuss compensation and bonuses.”
Everything just sounded like the universe singing my personal theme song. I was in pure Nirvana knowing that finally I landed a job.
“Absolutely,” I answered. “I’ll be there today if you’re available.”
“Sure, we’d appreciate that,” he said.
I looked out the bedroom window and saw it was starting to get a little gloomy. “What time can I go there, doc? It looks like it might rain today.”
“You can drop by anytime,” he replied. “Just let me know when you’re on your way so I can get your paperwork ready in time.”
“Thanks sir,” I said. “I’ll see you later then. I’ll send a text message when I’m on my way. Good-bye!”
Click.
I crashed back down on my bed, tossed my phone to the side and let out a sigh of relief. Finally… just, finally… everything was turning out okay. After all the mess I’ve been through lately it was nice to know that life hadn’t given up on me just yet.
Of course, I didn’t want to waste time so I took a shower and decided to just have a sandwich on the way out. I had nothing to do anyway so I might as well just head there, sign those papers and hopefully get a sign-on bonus too.
For a moment I was tempted to put on a sexy mini-skirt and a black tank top but then I remembered one crucial detail: I wasn’t going to be seeing Preston anymore. I didn’t have to dress so slutty anymore.
Instead, I settled for a pair of jeans and a plain pink shirt. I put on a coat, anticipating the rain, and headed out of the house.
18
Preston
Why wouldn’t she pick up any of my calls?
Here I was again, getting drunk at Mercury Wild. I had Dylan with me and he was the first of my circle of friends to point out that Lyla may be the one I’ve always been waiting for. Maybe she was the woman who would fill in the void that no other woman could ever dare to do so. Maybe Lyla was like Jasmine to Trevor.
“I don’t know man,” I told him as I sipped on my beer. It was early in the morning and yet we were drinking so much beer. I was already on my third bottle. “Come on, she was a nurse but out of desperation she became a fucking whore. If it wasn’t for my money she would have never given the time of day.”
Dylan shook his head, “We don’t know that, dude. All we know is that you two got together and now you blew it. Admit it, man, you fucking blew your big chance there.”
“What do you think I should do then? She won’t pick up any of my calls. How am I supposed to tell her I’m sorry and that I really want her in my life?”
My friend patted my shoulder and laughed. “Come on, man,” he told me. “That should be easy as shit. You know where she lives. You know how you feel and how she felt. Get the fuck out of here, head over there and make your case. Don’t let her leave until you’ve said your piece.”
“And if she still leaves?”
“Then let it go,” Dylan said. “At least you’ll be at peace, man. At least you can say you genuinely tried and this time without offering money.”
His words were the words of wisdom and I smiled in agreement. I took one last gulp at my drink and then thanked him for what he had to say. His advice convinced me I still had one shot – maybe just one shot – at fixing this.
When I was ready, I bid farewell. I left Mercury Wild and drove all the way to Lyla’s home.
It took me nearly thirty minutes to get there due to traffic and how far her house was from downtown. I did get there though, roughly fifteen minutes before nine o’clock in the morning. I could see
her car was still parked so she must be inside. That made me sigh in relief; at least I knew she was home and that I could talk to her.
For a few minutes I just sat in my car, pondering on what to say and how to say it. There was a myriad of ideas popping in my head and all of them might end up with her leaving. The fact that the sky was grey and gloomy wasn’t helping one bit either.
“Come on, you can do this,” I told myself, attempting to boost my courage.
19
Lyla
I had to leave but as soon as I walked out the door, I saw Preston parked right outside my apartment. It was beginning to drizzle a bit and he didn’t even have a jacket or umbrella.
“What are you doing here?” I yelled out. I kept on walking but tried to keep my distance, aiming to just reach my car parked across the street.
“You weren’t answering my calls,” Preston answered back.
I didn’t have time for this. I didn’t want this. I rushed as fast as I could and made my way passed him and towards my car. All I had to do was just hop in, drive off and ignore him… right? Once I get to the medical center he can’t bug me anymore.
Just as I walked passed him, Preston reached out and grabbed my arm.
“Let go of me!”
He pulled me in closer and said, “Listen to me! Just listen to me. If you don’t agree with anything I say then fine, leave if you want!”
As he spoke, heavy rain began to wash down on us. The drizzle grew in strength and we were both getting soaked, standing outside in the street. I just looked at him and never said a word, just waiting for him to say whatever he needed to say.
“Look,” he then began. “To be honest with you, when I first met you I was already obsessed with how freaking hot you are. Ever since I met you in that hospital I couldn’t help but get horny picturing you in my head. I’m not the kind of guy who goes for romance and falls in love or other shit like that… but then you actually came into my life and all this shit changed.”