“Mutual friend.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Friend may be stretching the truth, but you worked with what you had.
“Yeah, Jemma seems to be thawing him out,” Levi said as he smiled at me. I had no idea who Jemma was, but if this was the misconception he wanted to have, let him have at it. The alternative was way worse. “You sure you’re okay as a dishwasher, I could put you out front of house, that may be better for you?”
“No!”
Levi looked taken aback at my outburst, and I gave him an awkward smile. “I’m not good with people,” I offered lamely.
“Okay, well this is one of the worst jobs in the kitchen, but if you’re happy—”
“Over the moon,” I cut him off hurriedly.
Levi was now looking at me warily. “Okay.” He looked to the other dishwasher, who he introduced as Daryl, and left me with him.
“He tell you what to do?” Daryl asked, and I was terrified he would recognise me; however, he didn’t seem to.
“Yeah,” I said as I repeatedly wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“Okay, let’s get you set up.”
I was working in the kitchen of the bistro I used to sleep behind. As Daryl and I set up plates and got the cleaning area prepped, I watched the others come and go in the kitchen. Not one person looked at me twice. They were so busy and focused it was easy to see why they maybe wouldn’t recognise me.
My feet itched to go out back and check on Jimmy, but I was scared. I was scared he wasn’t there. And if I was honest, I was more scared he was and all this would be taken off me.
I was obviously a terrible person.
Bony Boy, Daryl, glanced at his watch. “Hey, Dev, it’s about to get slammed in here, I’m taking a quick break, you okay here?”
I nodded and then bravely asked, “Where do you go?”
“Fire exit gets open. We go out there to cool down.”
“Is it safe?” What is wrong with you?
“Yeah, used to be a homeless guy and some hooker, but they’re gone now.”
A hooker? “Excuse me?”
Daryl grinned at me. “Yeah, used to go outside, and he’d be getting sucked off and stuff by her, downright nasty, but Levi got rid of them.”
“When was this?” I asked. Jimmy had a hooker? What the hell?
“Few weeks ago. They were there for months, old guy used to eat the trash.” Daryl shook his head in disgust. “He should go get a job, know what I’m saying?” He high-fived one of the kitchen runners with an amen.
When I didn’t answer, Daryl left me, obviously pleased he had stunned me with his gossip and stunning insight. What he had stunned me with was his complete audacity and bare faced lies. I had never performed any sex act on Jimmy or anyone else in the alley, anywhere…well, not since becoming homeless. Daryl had seen Jimmy and me many times in that alley, and every single time, we had at least twelve feet between us because Jimmy hated anyone too close to him. Daryl was a lying scumbag.
Jimmy needed to get a job? They knew he was eating out of their trash cans, and instead of giving him food, they let him, like he was no better than an animal? This once-thought safe haven was nothing more than an ugly broken shell of a dream I had only imagined.
Angrily, I stacked plates into the dishwasher and dried the clean ones.
“It’s a dollar for every one that you break. You may want to be more careful,” Curvy Girl spoke to me quietly. “Ignore Daryl, he’s a dick. The old guy outside was harmless. He slept most of the time.” She smiled at me and held out her hand. “I’m Katie.”
I held up my rubber-glove-covered hands to show her I couldn’t shake. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Your first day?”
I glanced at her, surely she would know this. “Yeah,” I answered.
“I’ve been off for a few days,” she told me with an embarrassed smile.
“Okay.” I didn’t want to talk to any of them. My current feelings towards some of the staff were not friendly. “Is he gone?”
“The homeless guy? Yeah, been away for a few weeks,” she told me.
Please be a good thing, please let him be in a shelter. Nothing bad could have happened to Jimmy because of me. Please.
Katie drifted off when she realised I wasn’t big on talking, and I continued to work silently. Lunch service was over and dinner service was chaotic. Levi had been right, dishwasher was the worst job because it was the hardest. The noise in the kitchen was on the level of painful. Food orders were shouted constantly, Levi demanded things constantly, he barked orders like a general in a war zone. His assistant chefs, sous-chefs, and line chefs looked traumatised throughout. The wait staff ran back and forth like chickens, and yet the whole time, there was a laugh here or a snort of amusement there. They looked stressed, but they all seemed to enjoy the job. Except Daryl, who took more breaks than I remembered and who I realised was basically lazy. As well as completely unlikable.
However, the others, although busy, were polite. Katie was actually nice, and I noticed the sly looks she gave Levi, looks that he ignored. There was a story there, I was sure. Although there were a few times I caught myself looking at Levi covertly as he was even better looking in good lighting.
After many hours of hard slog, it was all over. I think I lost ten pounds in sweat alone, and all I had done was wash and stack dishes and cutlery.
As I helped clean surfaces, I started to panic that I had nowhere to go when the bistro closed. Levi was sitting out front apparently tallying numbers. I didn’t know if I was supposed to get him to call Aiden, and then where was I supposed to tell Aiden to take me? As it happened, the question was answered for me.
“Yo, Dev, some guy’s outside for you,” Daryl yelled.
I hesitated for a moment, and then being waved off by one of the assistant chefs, I dropped my hat, apron, hair net and gloves into a laundry bin.
I felt nervous again as I walked into the front of the restaurant. I hadn’t been paying attention when Aiden walked me through earlier, but now I looked around. It was nice. Cosy. Intimate table settings, tucked away booths, low lighting and big windows. I liked it, I would eat here. The thought was so random, considering my circumstances, it made me huff out a laugh.
Aiden stood waiting as he spoke to Levi. He assessed me critically when he saw me but said nothing. Levi waved as I left, and then I was getting into the back of an Uber with Aiden.
“How was it?” he asked me as he texted on his phone.
“Good,” I acknowledged. “Busy.”
“Good.” Aiden nodded and said nothing else until we were back at his condo building.
“Did you really design this?” I asked as we rode the elevator.
“Yes.”
“You should put stair risers in your staircases.”
He looked at me in surprise, and I hastily looked at my clasped hands. “Why? It ruins the aesthetic.”
“If your potential buyer has vertigo, they aren’t going to pay for floating stairs.”
“The stairs are beside a fully glazed wall,” Aiden said with a snort. “If vertigo is their issue, then they’re in the wrong building.”
I wrapped my arms around myself and conceded the point. The floor-to-ceiling window didn’t bother me, simply because I didn’t look down to the street below, I looked out and across. With floating stairs, I had to look down to descend or risk injury. It wasn’t my home, so I opted to say nothing else.
When we reached the top, Aiden crossed to the door and opened it with his fingerprint and an eye test thing. His doorway had facial recognition, were they freaking kidding?
I followed Aiden inside, and he turned and looked at me, considering me quietly.
“What?” I asked. Okay, maybe I was feeling slightly defensive.
“I can’t figure out why you’re here.”
Huh? “Um, you brought me here.”
“Why didn’t you run?” Aiden leaned against the sofa. “You looked ready to bolt when you stepped outside, but then when I leave you unat
tended, you work a full shift. You didn’t complain, you didn’t even take a break.” Aiden tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Who are you, Devon?”
“I’m no one.”
“You’re someone to Raphe.”
“He doesn’t know me.”
“Mm-hmm.” Aiden was obviously not convinced. “You’ll return tomorrow?”
“To the bistro?” I asked in surprise. “Um, am I allowed?”
“Yes, Levi suspects nothing, you did the job I told him you could do.” Aiden shrugged. “Can I trust you?”
“No.”
“Should I trust you anyway?” Aiden’s eyes reflected his amusement.
“Yes,” I answered, surprising myself.
“Why?”
“Because he will find me no matter where I run to.” I truly believed it. He’d told me once he would always find me, and I didn’t doubt him.
“Yes. He will.” Aiden grinned, and I realised he was just as unhinged as Raphe. Maybe they were related? “Well, the first part of my experiment worked. Welcome to the ranks of the working class, Devon. I think it’s been a while for you.”
I glanced around the penthouse. “You consider yourself to be working class?” I sniffed derisively, my opinion of that idea very clear.
“I work fourteen to sixteen hours a day, every day. Why am I different?” Aiden challenged me. “Because I have more money?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled. Okay, note to self, don’t poke the bear. He seemed to be as touchy as Raphe when questioned.
“I’m going to trust you,” he said, changing the subject. “Come.” He led me back to the main door as he pulled out his phone. “Hand on handle.”
I went through the same process that I did with Raphe. I waited for the eye scanny thing, but it didn’t happen.
“My face?” I asked.
“No.” Aiden gave me a tight smile. “The extra level of security is for all access. You have front door access. That’s enough.”
“Okay.”
Aiden handed me one hundred dollars. “Tell Raphe he owes me. I’m not a chauffeur, make your own way to work. Work starts tomorrow for you in the morning at eleven.” Aiden grinned, and then he left.
I stood in the living space and stared at the money after he had gone before looking around the room in a daze. Was this a dream? Was I really living in a penthouse, with a job and money in my hand?
I headed up to my room for a shower. I knew I was too sweaty to just fall into bed, although I wanted to. A quick shower later and dressed in the pj’s Raphe bought me, I climbed into bed, settling onto my side, staring in the direction of the door.
Where is he?
My mind wandered back to the day before in the den. Blowing out a sigh between pursed lips, I rubbed my eyes as I thought of him. No. He is not eye candy for you, Devon. Think of Levi, remember the chef, the one you drooled over every night for months and months.
Unbidden, my hands wandered again. Jesus, I was worse than a horny teenager. Just do it, get it over with, it’s healthy. I laughed lightly in the dark as I imagined the look on Father Argyll’s face if I had said that in Sunday school.
Levi was gorgeous. That white blond hair… His eyes were almost as glacial as Raphe’s, only Raphe’s weren’t pale blue in colour like Levi’s. Raphe’s were a cold arctic blue, like the colour of snow lying over icy waters to the frozen hidden depths below. The man was just as welcoming as the frozen seas too.
Levi, I corrected myself, think about Levi. My fingers started trailing over my breasts, you’re going to think of Levi. Only Levi. I nodded to myself, and irrationally, I looked over to check the door, ensuring it was closed and I was alone. With a deep breath, I slipped my fingers under my pj’s. How long since I had done this? I wondered idly. I shifted to get more comfortable. Okay, I was ready. Levi. Those nice strong forearms, clean shaven, curious eyes, strong legs, he definitely had strong legs. My fingers moved slightly faster, no longer exploring softly but keen to move this along. His hair would be soft, and it would fall over me as he moved over me.
His hair would tickle.
It needed to be shorter, with enough on top to hold onto. To hold in place when it really mattered. When those soft sensual lips covered my core and lapped at my centre. Yeah, I needed just enough hair to hold onto. His stubble would scratch my thighs, but the way he worked his tongue, did it matter? I gasped as I pinched my nipple, my fingers now moving through the wetness I’d created. As I imagined him on his knees while he pleasured me, I was glad no one could hear my quiet moans. I reached release to the sight of his glacial blue eyes watching me as I came undone for him. Under him. Around him. His name was a whispered cry in the dark of the room, echoed in the poorly satisfied pulsing between my legs. I drew in a shaky breath as I withdrew my hand.
Fuck.
Bright with embarrassment, I went to the bathroom and washed my hands and cleaned myself. Sighing in resignation, I met my reflection with a heavy grunt of displeasure.
It had lasted mere minutes, I was obviously more needy for the release than I thought. I rolled my head on my shoulders as I felt the tension in my shoulders. It meant nothing. It didn’t mean there was anything wrong with me. I didn’t need to overreact.
So I cried out Raphe’s name. Fine. He wasn’t here. He would never know. Never know that I just pleasured myself while thinking of him going down on me.
It meant nothing.
Climbing back into bed, I shut my eyes tight and clenched my legs to stop the throbbing. My core knew it had been cheated of actual fulfilment. My quick gratification had solved nothing, only fucked with my head like the man himself did.
With a frustrated scream, I shoved my head under the pillow. How? How did I just get off to the thought of Raphe? Squeezing my eyes shut and longing for sleep, I willed myself to remember…it meant nothing.
In the morning, I finished the laundry I hadn’t done the day before. Feeling like an idiot for doing it, I took his shirts and slacks to the dry cleaner. I asked the doorman if he knew which one he used. He assumed I meant Aiden, and I didn’t correct him. Aiden had told him I was a housemaid. A live-in one. There were too many questions if I was to dispute it, so I just didn’t answer when the doorman tried to make conversation.
The dry cleaner was on my way to the bistro, and when he asked if I should just charge it to Mr Ashford’s account, I said sure. I had no idea which one of them was Ashford, but I decided they were wealthy enough it didn’t matter.
With my money from Aiden, I got a lightweight jacket out of one of the thrift stores. Now I could walk home at night after work. I stopped dead in the street before giving myself a firm shake of the head. What was I doing? I could come and go as I pleased, only on the assumption that Raphe allowed it. I doubted he would; in fact, I should be running. Getting a bus ticket and fleeing. I had a little bit of money, I could start over. I could. I was still thinking about it as I loaded the dishwasher and ignored Daryl as much as possible without being blatantly rude.
I was still thinking about where I could go as I walked back to the penthouse. A frozen pizza and a hot shower were on my mind more than where the imaginary bus was taking me. The doorman nodded when I went into the elevator, and I hesitated. I didn’t have access to the penthouse, I got back out of the elevator and headed to the doorman.
“I need a key card to get to the top,” I told him bashfully.
“You didn’t get one?” He eyed me speculatively.
“No.”
“Well, only Mr Ashford has them.” He was still staring at me.
“Okay.” What did he want me to say?
“The service elevator takes you to the top floor. There’s a fire exit stair that will take you to the penthouse.”
“Thanks,” I looked around. “Where’s the service elevator?”
He took me around the back and, still eyeing me with distrust, watched as the doors closed, blocking me from view.
I relaxed slightly in the elevator and then followed the fire exi
t signs to find the stairwell. I climbed up the stairs and finally was in the foyer. I glared at the elevator as I opened the front door. I could go down, but I couldn’t come up. Story of my life. I held my breath the whole time, sure it wouldn’t work; however, it opened, and I closed the door behind me with a thankful prayer.
Peeling off my clothes, I headed up the stairs to the room. Pizza could wait until tomorrow. I needed to sleep. The hour-long walk home on top of the twenty stairs had finished me off.
Thankfully that night, I was so tired I didn’t need the extra relief to sleep. As I fell asleep, I was still wondering why he hadn’t returned yet.
In the morning, after having pizza for breakfast, I helped myself to one of Raphe’s oranges. I tidied the penthouse a little and then headed to work, slipping seamlessly into the routine of the day before. That night, after checking the entire penthouse for any sign of my elusive jailer, I went to bed thinking of him and the last time he had been here. I called his name out again as I moaned my release into the dark. Again, I was unsatisfied with my self-administrations and questioning my judgment on why I was thinking of him at all. Was it really because of the way he had held me against him in the den? Was I genuinely that hard up when it came to sexual inspiration? I worked with Levi, the guy I had been drooling over for months. It simply made me question my mental health as I closed my eyes.
On the fourth day of Raphe being gone, the door buzzer sounding scared the shit out of me. When I opened the door, I glared at the doorman who held Raphe’s dry cleaning. He obviously had a key card and just hadn’t let me use it. Asshole.
When I left for work later, I studied the bus stops as I walked the three miles to get to the bistro. Maybe I needed to investigate the buses more. At the moment, the walk was okay, but the nights were getting darker and I didn’t want to walk home every night after being on my feet all day. I pushed away the warning that I was making plans, settling down.
“Hey, Dev, you’re almost late,” Daryl greeted me as I took off my jacket and donned my uniform. So far, Levi hadn’t spoken to me, but I had seen him looking at my jeans more than once, and I noticed everyone else had black slacks on. I didn’t own black slacks, so I couldn’t help him. I wasn’t wasting money on slacks when no customers from the restaurant saw me anyway.
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