His Escort

Chapter 5

I'm in my apartment drying my hair desperately when my phone rings. I pick it from my bed and glance at the caller ID. It's a new number.

A new client?

I told the agency that I won't be escorting for the next two days so they are not supposed to send any clients my way.

I answer the call hesitantly.

"Hello?"

"Miss Ava?" A professional female voice talks and I crease my brow.

"Yes. How can I help you?"

"I'm calling from The Grapevine. I'm a journalist and I need you to clear up some issues on your relationship with Jesse Anderson."

I hold my face between my hands and I groan.

"No comment." I say, trying to sound calm.

How the hell do they have my personal number?

"No comment? You didn't exactly deny so I assume you are indeed his mistress?"

"I said no comment."

"Are you planning on seeing him after he gets married on Saturday?"

"No comment." I say between clenched teeth.

"Is it true that you are pregnant for him?"

I hang up. I dump my hair drier on the floor and stand up, walking to the mirror to touch up my make-up.

My phone ringtone blasts again and I jump up. Literally.

I grit my teeth when I realize it'a new number.

"Which part of no comment is so hard to understand?" I hiss into the phone and I listen as a sexy calm voice fills my ear.

"Who pissed off my favourite escort?"

I roll my eyes even as I heave a sigh of relief.

Jesse.

"How do you people handle being famous? I haven't physically confronted the paps yet and I'm already fed up! Those people know where I live and they have my number. My personal number Jesse!"

"Can you slow down a little bit? At least ask me how my day is so far."

"Really? I'm talking about a matter of life and death here!"

"Calm down, Ava. That was bound to happen. You'll get used to it."

"No thank you very much. I won't stick around long enough to wait for it. Those creepy stalkers will have to leave me alone once I'm done with you."

He chuckles with amusement. I can't even find the damn joke.

"I hear you. Now go downstairs. David is awaiting you in a black Audi. I hope that won't be too hard to trace."

"I guess."

I doubt whether anyone in our building can afford an Audi. They would have to move first. Yeah, we don't exactly live in a high end neighbourhood.

"Good. I'll see you in a few."

I hang up before dumping my make-up kit in my bag. My hands are kind of shaky and I'll keep poking my eyes with eyeliner.

The driver is waiting beside the car all dressed up in a black suit. First the paparazzi and now this. Jesse is really hellbent on making me uncomfortable.

"Ma'am." The driver acknowledges me politely while opening the back left door for me.

"Ava. Please." I say with a small smile but he doesn't return it. He closes the door behind me then walks to the driver's seat. I put on my seatbelt before leaning back on the seat and closing my eyes.

*Flashback*

Three years ago

"You look amazeballs!" Meg yells at me, running awkwardly in her high heels.

I roll my eyes. She is always silly when she's drunk. She's the main reason I don't drink at parties. Someone has to babysit her drunk ass and I can't trust anyone else with my drunk best friend but myself. I also happen to be her sober ride home.

"Give me a piggyback ride. I can't walk!" She whines and I wrap an arm around her.

"I love you bestie but you are too heavy for me. You'll have to walk to the car. Here, take my hand."

"To the car? I'm not going home yet. I'm having so much fun! You should totally drink."

"We're going home."

"Miss no fun at all. Party pooper."

"Yeah whatever."

I start to drag her to her car when someone steps in our way. He eyes Meghan then focuses his attention to me, a smile breaking in his face.

"I'm Shane." He says brightly. I know him. He is the college's badass and the one guy no one wants to mess with. I know, very cliché. He has slept with half the girls at school and he has ignored me since I stepped into that college. Well, I am not complaining. In as much as I found him hot as hell, I never wanted to be one of his night stands. I was pretty much a virgin.

And a prude.

"My name is..."

"Ava." He finishes for me then he laughs when he sees the surprise on my face.

"How do you know my name?"

"I found out."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to. Are you guys leaving already? The party just started."

"Ummmh.."

"Shoo." Meghan tries to push him back. "She wants to take me home so go."

Shane crosses his arms.

"You are drunk."

"And you are a manwhore. I bet your mind is small just like your penis."

I gasp but Shane just throws his head back and laughs.

"She's drunk." I explain desperately.

"I know. Do you mind if I drive you guys back home?"

Two months later, I was dating Shane.

End of flashback

"Ma'am, we are here." The driver is speaking to me and I open my eyes. He just cut off my small reverie. He is already holding my door open and I step out of the car. The weather is warm and it elevates my dark mood a little bit.

"Mr Anderson is expecting you." He explains patiently. "Just go to the reception and they will direct you."

I eye the tall building before me and for a moment there I feel like Anastasia moments before she met Christian Grey. I smile at my own private joke as I walk into the majestic building.

Jesse is no Christian Grey.

The receptionist smiles at me and when I mention that Jesse is expecting me, her eyes flick with recognition.

I feel bad all over. I can imagine what she is thinking. The slut who is sleeping around with her engaged boss.

I hold her gaze sharply and she looks away. I won't let anyone intimidate me. I'm only doing my job.

"Sixth floor. Use the elevator on your right." She explains and I turn on my heel without thanking her.

I stand in the elevator all alone and I focus on breathing. The more time I'm spending with Jesse, the more I'm ruining my reputation.

I take a deep breath when I hear the ping of the elevator before stepping out into the foyer.

Oh wow. The lobby is immaculate and I let my eyes skim the place. The desk on the side; which I assume belongs to his personal assistant is ostentatious. I roll my eyes at the silver chandelier hanging from the ceiling. What is this, a ballroom?

A tall woman who seems to be about my age steps out of the office and regards me coolly. Something shifts in her gaze when she recognizes me and she sneers. I guess that's what I'll be getting everywhere I go, thanks to Jesse and his irresistible offer of doubling my wages.

"Jesse is expecting me." I inform her in the coolest voice I can master and she finally blinks before walking to her desk.

"Go right in.'" She says unceremoniously. She really doesn't like me.

Not that I give a f**k. I have my mom's accruing bills to pay. I won't make any money if I care about every single person's opinion.

I push the door open and step in. Jesse is standing by the window observing the city below thoughtfully, his hands stuck in his pockets. He turns around and gives me a once over and I watch as his brow creases.

"You seriously need to shop. That dress is way too revealing."

"This is the longest dress I own." I deadpan and he lifts an eyebrow.

"Do I want to see the shortest?"

I roll my eyes, letting my eyes take in the opulence of the office.

"What do you use this huge conference room for?"

He walks to his rotating office chair and sits down before answering me.

"Work mostly and it's an office not a conference room."

"Of course. Now that that's all cleared out, why don't you tell me why I'm here?"

"I want us to go somewhere public for lunch."

I c**k an eyebrow at him.

"That's all?"

"Yes. What else did you expect? Skydiving? I'm sure that can be arranged."

I'm sure he's being sarcastic so I snort.

"I can't skydive. I'm scared of height."

He frowns.

"Really? Practice makes perfect, you know. You should live a little."

"No thank you. Anyway, It's so annoying when people keep staring at me with judgey faces because they think I'm sleeping with you. Half of the country now thinks I'm a heartless homewrecker."

"And you care so much about their opinions?"

"Not really but they still annoy the f**k out of me."

"You will get used to it. It's okay as long as no one tries to confront you or slut shame you in your face. If they do, I'll take care of it. You're safe as long as you do what I tell you to do.''

"How long are we doing this?"

"Are you tired of me already? I'm hurt." He says sarcastically, standing up and taking off his official jacket.

"I just want all this madness to be over."

"They'll still follow you around even after we are done with this. They will want to know if we are still together, whether we broke up, if you're seeing someone, what you had for dinner, what you think about my current hairstyle...."

"Stop. I get it. Maybe I'll move houses and change my number, disappear for ten years and change myself into a man."

"Good idea." He says with s smirk, then he laughs. A low laugh that warms me all over.

"What."

"You're funny. I mean, you're like a burst of fresh air. Let's go to lunch. I'm starving."

He takes my hand before walking through the translucent glass door to the lobby. The PA stands up immediately and I note how her eyes move to our joined hands.

"Cancel my meetings for the afternoon, Kaila." Jesse speaks to her, his pace never slowing down as he leads to the elevator. I cast her one last glance as the elevator doors close and she's staring at me.

"Your PA would kill me the very first chance she got." I say in a tired tone, closing my eyes and leaning back against the wall.

"That makes sense. She's Kate's sister."

My eyes shoot open.

"Then why did you tell me to come here? You knew she would see me!"

"That's the point." He says evenly and I blow out my breath. I keep forgetting why I'm with Jesse. He is using me to heartbreak his fiancée.

"The paps have already spread the gospel that you have a mistress. Isn't that enough?"

"No. We'll just keep going until Kate goes crazy."

"Are you sure about this?"

He gives me a bored look.

"I'm sure, Ava. Just do your job."

"You know you are killing your chances of her ever coming back to you. "

"She's not going to come back to me. I just want her to feel like s**t. It's lame and childish but I can't help it."

"It's not childish. No one should blame you for having feelings like a regular human."

"It is childish." He insists.

"It's not."

"It is."

"It isn't."

"It...."

'Babe?"

He looks shocked for a second there then he laughs, just as the elevator doors pull apart. He takes my hand and we step out together. His large hand engulfs mine and I swallow dryly. He gives me this sense of safety that makes me reckless. I'm usually very careful around my clients; not with Jesse.

"You took the name calling thing seriously." He states while whisking me past the reception.

"What do you mean?".

He releases my hand briefly when we get to the revolving doors but he is reaching for it again as soon as we are on the other side.

"Don't call me that again. That's sounds so wrong in so many ways."

I lift an eyebrow.

"Does it now?"

"Yes. It's so cheesy it makes me want to crawl into a hole and die."

"It was your idea, actually."

"Have you ever heard of sarcasm?"

"I have." I say evenly. "But it's obvious you haven't, otherwise you would know I was being sarcastic when I called you that."

"Just don't do it again. It sounds weird as shit."

"Oh, he uses cuss words."

He regards me with a resigned look while opening the car door for me.

"Yes. Now get in."

I note that it's different from the car the driver brought me in. I wait until Jesse is in the driver's seat before I turn to him.

"Where is David?"

"Busy." He replies curtly.

"You know he doesn't have to drive me around, right? He must be a busy guy."

Jesse ignores me so I keep talking.

"I mean, he has to drive you around, run errands, live his life."

He keeps his eyes on the road, his hands tight on the steering wheel.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." I conclude for myself and his face finally turns to me.

"Ava?"

I blink.

"Yes?"

"Keep quiet. I'm not used to so much talking around me."

I sink back on the seat , sulking, just as Jesse's phone rings on the console. He glances at the screen and a muscle twitches in his jaw.

His long finger traces the answer button on the steering wheel and a calm voice comes through.

"Jesse?"

His poker face remains perfectly in place.

"Kate."