His Hired Girlfriend

by Alexia Praks

  Kelly chuckled. “Lawrence, you’re supposed to be gay.”

  Lawrence turned to Kelly and glared. “Darling, I am gay. I desperately want Alex’s lips because I want Jayden to notice me. Speaking of which, is he here?”

  “No he is not,” Kelly replied. “A lunch-date with Mr. Marcelo.”

  “Is that so?” Lawrence said, turning back to Alex. “Heard they have cocktail party tonight at the Marcelo’s Hotel. Speaking of which, better tell Amy to mess up Britney’s makeup. What do you think? Never liked that woman.”

  Alex laughed. She couldn’t help herself. Then she thought that not many people like Britney, except for Beth. “Does she come here often?” she couldn’t help asking.

  “Oh yes, sweetie, all the time,” Lawrence said. He made it sound as though the very thought of Britney coming was exhausting in itself. “Couldn’t get enough of us, even when we messed up her hair.” Another high pitch chuckle.

  The discussion of Alex’s makeover continue for another fifteen minutes and then they all stepped back, which Alex breathed in a sigh of relief because she found the cramped up space was beginning to suffocate her.

  Lawrence said, “I think I got it all sorted.” With his hands clasped together, he said, “Shall we begin, darling?”

  And so began Alex’s makeover of which she found herself being pampered and constantly surrounded with people. First she had her hair coloured, and while she waited, Lawrence made her have her manicure and pedicure done. Once her hair was washed off Lawrence dragged her to a cosy, private room where her legs were waxed, her whole body exfoliated, massaged and moisturised. She felt so good and relaxed that she almost fell asleep if not for the fact that she really needed to go to the toilet afterward that urged her to get up and rushed out the door.

  As she was trying to find where the bathroom was she heard voices from across the corridor in one of the other private room.

  “I heard she’s Jayden McCartney’s girlfriend,” a woman’s voice said. A massage therapist?

  “Jayden’s girlfriend?” another voice scoffed. Alex was sure this one belonged to Britney’s. “She’s not Jayden’s girlfriend. Besides, that girl has no backbone. What a total loser. If she is his girlfriend, she surely doesn’t behave like one. By the way, have you seen her? She’s so plain. Jayden would never date a girl like her. I mean why would he go for her when he has someone like me? I’m rich, I’m hot, and I’m fun. What more does he want?”

  The woman said, “That’s not what I heard.”

  Alex gritted her teeth in disgust. She had heard enough. That Britney was a bitch, and God how she wanted to go in there and slap that woman silly.

  So she didn’t behave like a girlfriend behave, did she? ‘Well, we’ll see about that’ – she thought as she marched down the corridor, her head held high.

  Alex was exhausted by the time Lawrence was finished with her that evening. Now she stood in front of the mirror and could hardly recognise herself. She was stunned, and by the look of it, so was everyone. But not Lawrence because he had a fat, satisfied smile on his face.

  “Oh my God,” Kelly said in some kind of awe.

  Alex bit her lip. Yes she still had on her skinny jeans and t-shirt but she looked utterly different. Her complexion was glowing with health, her light brown hair with blonde highlights was glossy and shining, her eyes were sparkling with vitality, and she felt different as well. Alex thought that the change on the outside had really changed something inside her as well – her confidence. She was still her yet she wasn’t her old self.

  ‘Jayden’ – she thought – ‘eat your heart out’. Then she wondered if he’d be able to recognise her. That thought brought out a laughter from her, and everyone smiled, knowing that they’ve done a great job.

  Alex had decided not to confront Jayden after all. Yes, he had lie to her in order to get her agreement, but then again she had agreed with her own free will. So she was going to get this over and done with – with the best of her ability. And Jayden? Well damn it! He can decide for himself when he wanted to tell her that he was not gay. And hell yes! She was going to have her fun and enjoy herself while she’s was here.

  It was about time she had taken control of this whole masquerade anyway. Jayden wanted her to pretend to be his girlfriend, Britney wanted to see her be Jayden’s perfect girlfriend, and everyone expected her to be in love with Jayden. Then so be it, she thought, her eyes sparking with plans and her lips curving with mischief.

  She will be Jayden’s perfect girlfriend.

  *****

  CHAPTER 15

  FOR THE FIFTH times that afternoon, Jayden felt his ears burning. He touched it and wondered yet again how the girls’ shopping trip went. He felt like such a jerk for leaving Alex. But Britney had been so insistent and in such a hurry that he hadn’t had time to see Alex.

  Lunch had been excellent with the talk of his interest in buying Mr. Marcelo’s island on the west coast. He had wanted to leave after lunch but Britney had insisted that he must come to the Marcelo’s Hotel to look at the property’s paper work – an invitation that he couldn’t resist. So he found himself in Mr. Marcelo’s office going through countless papers relating to the land. Before he left, however, Mr. Marcelo had invited him to join a cocktail party he was hosting, and refusing the powerful Marcelo was simply not done. Hence Jayden found himself rushing home to change into something proper, hoping to see Alex there. Only no one was home except for Beth who informed him that they had an emergency meeting with the wedding planner. Feeling deflated, he went upstairs and changed, still hoping that Alex would be home before it was time for him to leave again. No such luck, however, because the house was as cold and empty as a graveyard.

  Not long afterwards Jay found himself at the ground floor restaurant of the Marcelo’s Grand Hotel with Britney once again, who was even more sexy and elegant now dressed in her sleek beige, strapless gown.

  “Sweetie, you simply must meet Mr. Weatherson,” Britney said into his ear, giggling. “He’s such a darling.”

  Jayden knew Britney had a bit too much to drink that evening and that she had been giggling, clinging onto him and touching him intimately which he thought was very inappropriate.

  “Perhaps another day, Britney,” he said, scanning across the room at the elegantly dressed guests. Most of them were powerful business men from around the states, and with them their wives. Oddly enough he found it all very boring and dry, and he wished that he was back home instead.

  He was talking to Mr. Weatherson and his wife about his trip to New Zealand and the things he had done there when he saw them. His heart missed a beat then thumped furiously as he lapsed into a sudden silence.

  “And?” Mr. Weatherson prompted, waiting for him to continue.

  “Ah, you young men simply love danger,” Mrs. Weatherson said, shaking her head. “I couldn’t do it, you know. Heights...”

  “I never want to go to New Zealand. Don’t even know where it is,” Britney slurred and started laughing loudly. When she stopped, she took another sip of her champagne. Then she glanced at Jay. “Darling? Is everything all right?”

  Jayden blinked and nodded, clearly still gazing at the couple on the other side of the room. Britney curiously looked that way and saw Sarah and Kyle. “I had no idea Daddy invited them.” Turning back to the Weathersons, she said, “Excuse us.”

  They nodded politely, and she led Jayden towards the couple.

  Sarah was clearly uncomfortable when she saw them coming. She straightened up and folded her arms across her chest in a defensive manner.

  “Sarah darling,” Britney greeted, her hands tightened about Jayden’s arm possessively.

  “Kyle,” Jay said, his voice a polite mask.

  “Jayden,” Kyle replied, nodding his head stiffly.

  Jay turned to Sarah. “How have you been?”

  “Good thank you,” she replied coldly.

  “Who invited you?” Britney asked Sarah.

  “Why your fa
ther of course, dear Britney.”

  “Daddy should never invited the likes of you, darling,” Britney replied politely, her tone suggesting otherwise.

  The tension amongst the four people was thick, and Jayden felt sick just being there with them. He wanted to leave immediately. “You two have a good evening,” he managed to say and then turned away.

  Britney staggered. “Jay darling,” she moaned and then toddled after him.

  “What a stupid woman,” Sarah gritted out, glaring after the two people leaving.

  “And very sexy,” Kyle murmured, half smiling to himself.

  “Disgusting,” Sarah said, shaking her head.

  Kyle turned to look at her. “You want him back, don’t you?”

  Sarah glared at him, clearly telling him that it was none of his business.

  “I saw the way you looked at him,” he said, his face sneering.

  “So? Yes I want him back. I’m only playing hard to get. He’ll come back.”

  “What if he doesn’t?” Kyle raised the question.

  “He’ll come back. He loves me,” Sarah said confidently.

  “How do you know that?”

  “He’s still hurting when he saw us together. I can see it in his eyes,” she replied, staring off at Jayden who was now standing on the other side of the room.

  “Are we still together?” Kyle asked curiously.

  “Yes and no.”

  “Do you ever love a man for who he is, Sarah? Or you simply love a man because of what he has and what he can give you?”

  “I believe that is none of your business,” she snapped.

  “You only want him back because he’s now a billionaire,” he snapped back.

  “Better than you who’s gone bankrupt, right? And you better not gamble away all my money, too. I won’t let you, you swine!” she hissed near his ear.

  “Shut up,” Kyle growled.

  “You know where you belong right now without me and Daddy? That’s right, on the streets. And your bed partner is that girl cleaning the toilet at Boun Appetito.”

  “You’ve gone too far, Sarah,” he swore, his eyes dark and dangerous.

  “Have I?”

  Kyle gritted his teeth and stalked away, shaking his head. Sarah sipped her red wine, half smiling, half sneering. She knew he was going to see that bitch Britney again. But what the hell could she do?

  At first she had been very jealous after she had found out that Kyle had been seeing Britney and sleeping with her. After a while, however, after she had found that Kyle he had been sleeping with any sexy woman that caught his eyes while he had been dating her, she had turned cold towards him and now couldn’t care less what he was doing. In fact she had wanted to break up with him so many times, but he had kept crawling back begging because he didn’t have any where to go or any money to spend. Fact was he’d be homeless and starving.

  At least, she thought, after the hot sex he had had with Britney, he’d ask that woman for money to tie him over instead of coming to beg her because she wouldn’t easily give him any. She only gave him the bare minimum for his survival. In their broken relationship, she was the one wearing the pans. To her, he was just an item, an accessory.

  And he was going to be a useful one for once for what plan she had to get Jayden back.

  Oh Gosh! How she wanted Jayden back. How wrong she had been about Kyle. She had thought that he was such a good catch because he had boasted to her how successful his companies had been, making billions of dollars. Only there had never been any companies or business for that matter that he had own which made those enormous amount of money. He had lied to her. In fact the two or three businesses that he had been involved with had been small companies and even so he had only been merely an employee, of which he had managed to get his dirty hands in those companies cookie jars and had stolen millions for his gambling problem.

  Gosh how she wanted Jayden back. Jayden had been the perfect boyfriend. He could have been the perfect husband if only Kyle hadn’t tempted her with his smooth words and good looks. And yes she admitted to herself if not for the fact that she had cheated on him. But now, she vowed, she’d get him back – no matter the obstacles or consequences.

  ***

  “COME ON, JAY,” Britney said, dragging the reluctant Jayden along the hotel corridor. “You’re dragging your feet.” She laughed.

  Jayden just nodded and smiled politely as he followed her. Up at the top floor of the hotel, Britney unlocked the door of the penthouse with a swipe card. She leaned back against the slightly ajar door and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Come on in. What would you like for a drink?” she asked huskily, her lips near his as she moved her body ever so close to his – an invitation that no man would ever resist.

  Jayden said, “It’s very late, Britney,” and unwrapped her arms from his neck.

  “But don’t you want to come in?” she asked, pouting her lips to full effect so that he’d want to kiss her.

  “No. You need your rest. Good night,” he said and turned to go. He walked into the lift and a few moments later he was gone.

  Britney growled and stomped her feet. Once she thought she had gotten her frustration out off her system, she turned on her heels, shoved the door open and slammed it shut.

  “You’re not getting very far with him, Britney,” came the voice within the living room.

  Britney threw her clutch on the sofa and tiredly dropped herself there as well. She propped her feet up and said, “Why does it has to be him, Daddy?”

  Mr. Marcelo said, “Now you know very well why it has to be him. He has made more than a killing in these past years.”

  “He’s so damn slow and boring. I offered myself to him many times, but he hasn’t even yet taken the hint. He wouldn’t even kiss me just now.” She sat up straight as a thought suddenly struck her. “Do you think he’s gay, Daddy? Maybe that’s why he’s not interested in having sex with me.”

  Mr. Marcelo raised a brow at his daughter. “He’s not gay, Britney. A man knows when another man is gay.”

  “Oh,” Britney said. “Daddy, how much longer must we do this?”

  “Until we can get all the money we can get,” Mr. Marcelo said. He sat down beside Britney and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Sweetheart, we need his money to tie us over. We need his money if we are going to survive in this world. You know very well we are bankrupt.”

  “I know, Daddy,” Britney said. “But it’s just so boring. Jayden doesn’t want me. He’s not interested in me.”

  “Ah, but that’s what he wants you to think,” Mr. Marcelo said, touching the tip of her nose with his finger. “You’re a beautiful girl. Who wouldn’t want you? Now you be a good girl and do as Daddy says. I’ve heard Jayden has a girlfriend, is that true?”

  “Daddy!” Britney snapped. “That mousy girl is not Jayden’s girlfriend. I’m going to be his girlfriend.”

  “Then you better do something quick,” Mr. Marcelo said. “Beth said Kelly’s Hen’s Night is coming up.”

  “Ah, yes. Kelly’s Hen’s Night. I think I shall come along,” Britney announced. “Beth will welcome me with both arms.”

  “And do what you must do,” Mr. Marcelo said. “Good night, sweetheart. Don’t you let your old man down.”

  “Oh I won’t, Daddy,” Britney said meekly.

  Mr. Marcelo kissed her on her forehead and left. Alone, Britney went about showering and preparing herself for bed when the doorbell rang.

  “At this hour? Who the heck is that?” she groaned, stomping towards the door. She pushed the intercom button and shouted, “Who is it?”

  A male face appeared in the small LCD screen on wall to the left of the door. “It’s me, darling.”

  Britney’s face lit up immediately. “Oh, Kyle!” she screamed with excitement. “Come in. I’m so bored.”

  Once the door opened, Britney threw herself into Kyle’s arms and started kissing him passionately.

  “You missed me
that much, huh?” Kyle said once his lips were free.

  “Yes. Oh yes,” she said and enthusiastically led him towards the bedroom.

  *****

  CHAPTER 16

  THE DAY HAD been long, filled with unexpected events, and Jayden felt like a zombie as he drove home at three in the morning. At the same time, however, he also felt exhilarated, but he had no idea why. With the window down and the cool breeze against his face, he felt somewhat relaxed and at peace. It was therapeutic to say the least.

  Once home, he quietly sneaked through the front door and tiptoed up the stairs toward his bedroom. There he slid in and quietly made his way toward the wardrobe in the dark. He felt like a damn thief in his own bedroom, but he couldn’t take the chance of waking up Alex. She was probably very tired after her shopping expedition with Kelly and Stephanie. Knowing them they had probably made Alex try on every pieces of clothing they could find for her.

  He shut the wardrobe’s door and switched on the light. Once he had found his pyjama, he tiptoed into the bathroom to shower. Ten minutes later he was back into the darkness of his bedroom. The thought of sleeping on that uncomfortable sofa yet again caused him to groan unpleasantly. Perhaps, he thought, Alex wouldn’t mind him sleeping beside her on the bed. After all, she couldn’t very well protest when she was asleep.

  Mind made up, he went to the large, luxurious bed and slid in between the sheets. He rested his head on the soft pillow and sighed with satisfaction. Then he spread his arms out, hoping to touch the sleeping Alex beside him.

  There was only cold, empty space. He frowned in confusion and spread his hand out further into the forbidden side.

  More cold, empty space.

  He bolted up and switched on the bedside lamp. The room flooded with dim, glowing light. The space on the bed beside him was empty. He glanced around the room and saw a lump of a person cocooned under a mountain of blankets on the sofa with only a mop of dark hair visible.