Saving Melissa

Chapter 2

Gavin

Present

I f.ucking hate going to s.hit like this. A bunch of uptight, rich, a.ssholes spending money they'll never miss at a gala they don't care about, all so they can act like they're such good people. Act like they're nice and wholesome helping the unwashed masses but they don't give a s.hit. They probably don't even know what charity this gala is supporting, and after tonight they'll go home to their mansions while the poor people this charity supports try to get another measly year or two of operation out of the donations from tonight. Meanwhile, one person here could probably donate enough money to support the charity for the rest of its existence. But I was here for a reason. The security firm that I started had taken off but I wanted to get into the corporate security game. I had been trying for months to get a meeting with Shawn O'Connor, his company was huge. They had a hand in almost every major industry and taking over their security would be a big win for Sinclaire Securities.

It takes me about ten minutes of wandering around the event to find Shawn. He's sitting at a table with James Gray which wasn't a total shock. The two of them were thick as thieves in college. I was surprised though that James was here at all given how uncomfortable he always was with the scar on his face. I actually thought it made him look distinguished somehow, maybe because it gave him an air of mystery. Regardless, I knew that James had always hated it. Then I caught sight of the woman sitting next to James and judging by the looks in their eyes while they exchanged stolen glances, I'm thinking she has something to do with his new-found confidence.

It would be nice to reconnect, but that's not what I'm here for, I'm here to seal the deal with Shawn. "Hi Shawn," I greet him with a handshake. I was a bit confused by the cold greeting he returned. We had never been close but I had thought we were at least friendly acquaintances.

"Gavin," he returned my greeting with a cold tone, I guess that's how we're playing it huh? "You know James, this is Bianca and Gavin, this is my wife Jennifer."

"Of course, James, it's great to see you," I told him with a cordial handshake, he was always warmer than Shawn, however marginally, nice to see that hadn't changed. Then I turned my attention to Shawn's wife. She was a very beautiful woman and I kind of wanted to piss Shawn off for that greeting. I knew it might damage my chances with him, but then again, if I could get on his wife's good side she might put a word in for me with him. "Pleased do meet you," I told her as I took her hand and kissed it.

It was kind of funny to watch her check me out, I seemed to have left her speechless since it took her a minute to respond to me. I decided to push her a little more, "Would you like to dance?" I half expected her to say no, stay by her husband's side like the good little wife she was, so I was rather surprised when she agreed. Before she could follow me out on the dance floor though Shawn grabbed her and kissed her, hard. I guess he wanted to send a message, I wasn't the cheating type, and his wife certainly didn't seem like one either so I was sure he had nothing to worry about. But I guess jealousy can make us all do crazy things. I know that only too well.

As I continued to dance with Jennifer I realized she was nothing like the trophy wife I assumed Shawn would have on his arm at something like this, she had more than air floating around her head. And she seemed to be incredibly kind if the way she swindled me out of providing free security services and equipment for the women's shelter was any indication. Although to be honest I wouldn't calling it swindling, when she told me what charity the gala was supporting I would have volunteered to donate my services without her cajoling. It was just the cherry on the cake that she offered to get me that meeting with Shawn in exchange for these services.

Her husband came over to take her away after I kept her out there for three dances. He had a serious jealousy problem where his wife was concerned, I found it kind of funny. I decided to walk around the room, make some more connections, network, and shake hands with men and women that would have sooner spit on me than offer me a hand up before I became a part of these social circles. I had just finished talking with a hedge fund manager who said he could use my expertise to safe-guard some of their digital banking information when I saw Jenni come out of the room Shawn dragged her off to and bump into a woman running towards the room. It looked like they shared some heated words which I found interesting.

This had been a hell of a night, I promised tens of thousands of dollars of an in-kind donation to a women's shelter, got my target's wife to agree to set-up a meeting between us, and made a few connections. I was about to leave when Jenni came up to me as I made it to the door. We were talking for a minute before Shawn and the woman I had seen bump into Jenni came up to us. I really didn't know what was going on with the three of them but the mystery woman called Shawn honey and was trying to drag him out the door. This surpassed interesting. As soon as they left Jenni took me to find the Executive Director of the women's shelter.

She introduced us and told Ms. Jones what I had promised to do for them, she was elated and called over the woman she had apparently brought with her that had used the services of the shelter. As soon as out eyes met I was blown away. The woman was f.ucking gorgeous. She had the darkest eyes I had ever seen, so brown they were almost black and they matched the hair that curled around her beautifully round face. And those curves, the soft roundness I could see on her stomach through her dress, Jesus Christ. Ms. Jones introduced her as Melissa and I knew then and there I was screwed. Jenni left not long after she introduced us and I continued to chat with the two women until Ms. Jones was pulled away.

"Well It's been a really long night, I'm going to go ahead and head home," Melissa told me after we stood there talking for a few more minutes.

"Perfect, why don't I walk you out."

"Oh, no really you don't have to do that."

"Please, you'd be doing me a favor. I've been trying to find a way to leave this place for a while now."

"If you're sure," she said softly.

"Come," I told her pulling her close and putting her hand around my arm. I ignored the way she flinched at my touch since she settled her hand into the crook of my elbow after a moment; I didn't want to bring attention to something that might be uncomfortable for her. It wasn't hard to put two and two together, and I wouldn't bring up something that might ruin her night. I led her out the door and was prepared to wait with her for an Uber. When she still hadn't called one after standing there for a few moments I offered to call her an Uber from my phone.

"Oh no," she said looking down at her feet, "my apartment isn't far from here I'm going to walk."

"Like hell you are," I growled at her. "It's late, and dark, and you're a beautiful woman. You're not walking back to your apartment alone." She looked at me like I had ten heads, then she shook her head like she was trying to gather her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, it's okay though, really. I'll be okay honestly, I walk everywhere by myself."

"Just order an Uber I'll wait with you," I told her getting annoyed that she wouldn't just call herself a taxi. Her face started to turn red and she was biting her cheek. What the hell, why was this so difficult? She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before lifting them directly to mine.

"I work part-time and I go to school part-time, I have responsibilities and bills to pay. I cannot afford to take an Uber so you will excuse me if I ask you to please stop trying to pressure me into doing something I don't have the money for." Well s.hit now I felt like a f.ucking a.ss. I gently put my hand on her shoulder trying not to spook her as she turned away.

"Let me drive you then, I rented a car tonight I have a driver. We can sit in the back and you can tell me more about the shelter."

"I couldn't put you out like that."

"You're not," I told her as I texted my driver. My driver pulled up a few minutes later and I opened the door motioning for her to get in. She hesitated but after a minute she got it, and I followed, her sweet smelling perfume lingering in the air behind her. "Where do you live?"

"Oh, um I live on west 33rd," she said shyly.

"Excuse me," was she serious, that was an almost ten minute drive it would have taken her at least forty minutes to walk home.

"What?"

"That's a long walk this time of night."

"I'm used to it."

"To walking everywhere? In heels and a ball gown?"

"Maybe not in this type of dress, but-"

"But, nothing. Do you know what types of sadistic a.ssholes are out this time of night? You know you could be seriously hurt by someone."

"I hardly think anyone would take a second look at me."

"Why? You're gorgeous, you'd be in quite a bit of danger on these streets."

She laughed at that, she freaking laughed at me, "I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude it's just look at me, I'm hardly the type of person some a.sshole on the street is going to pay attention to."

Was she serious, "are you serious?"

"Um, yes," she gave me that freaking ten heads look again. I don't know what the hell is going on with me, I don't know what kind of spell she cast over me but there is no way this woman can think she isn't an absolute ten. Slowly, so she can see the trajectory of my hand I move it to her cheek then up into her hair, and tilt her head towards mine.

"You must be out of your f.ucking mind if you don't think you're drop dead f.ucking gorgeous," I tell her before I seal my mouth over hers and take her lips in a slow-moving kiss. She just sits there frozen for a minute, so long that I'm about to pull back when she finally relaxes into me and kisses me back. If it isn't the best f.ucking kiss I've ever had in my life, I don't know what was. She tastes like innocence and lust all at once. As I try my luck at skimming my other hand up over her breast and her tight, puckered n****e, she pulls back with a gasp. I give her a smirk, I know she's going to say she shouldn't have done that or something equally stupid so I stop her. "We're here."

"O-okay, thank you for the ride," she tells me before practically jumping out of the car without waiting for me to open the door. I watch as she walks into her dilapidated apartment to make sure she gets in safe before sitting back in my seat and promising myself I will never go near Melissa again, she's way to f.ucking good for the likes of me.