His Escort

Chapter 4

My phone ringtone wakes me up. I roll over in the king size bed and grab it from the night stand.

Jesse is lying on the couch where he slept, and I watch for a second as his chest rises and falls rhythmically as he breaths.

Yes, he finally mentioned his name last night and he offered to sleep on the couch. We didn't talk much since he was drinking half the time and I honestly don't understand why he bothered calling me at all and why he is paying a small fortune to stay with me. He barely even acknowledged my presence the entire time.

I check the caller ID and I groan when I realize that it's my roommate. She is an escort like me but she makes a shitload of money from hooking up with high end clients. She is hot as hell and she never lacks a rich client to entertain. She thinks that I'm a fool for not earning extra money by sleeping with those people.

Away from all that, she is my best friend and she always has my back. We met in college, persuaded the same degree and we rented an apartment together after graduation.

We were already neck deep in the escort business so we kept doing that. Finding a real job crossed my mind many times but I never really bothered, mainly because I need the quick money for my mom's huge hospital bills.

I answer the call then I press the phone to my ear, noting that it's a little past six am on the wall clock.

"What do you want!" I grunt in irritation and I hear Meghan snort on the other end.

"Good morning too. Where are your manners?"

"Meg, it's six in the morning."

"Oh really? I had no idea. Where the f**k are you? I was worried sick about you."

"I'm fine."

"You know our rules, Ava. If you're sleeping out, you are supposed to tell me so I won't think some psycho killed you!"

Jesse stirs on the couch and I know he is going to wake up any minute from now.

"Look, Meg... I have to go. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Wait, so you and Jesse? I can't believe you never said anything!"

My feet grow cold.

"How do you know about Jesse?"

"Word travels fast. It's all over the internet. You told me you can't do a married man, Ava. That guy is getting married in four days and you are screwing him? His fiancé must be feeling like s**t!"

"Honestly, I have no idea what you are talking about?"

"Are you with him right now?''

"Yes, but that is beyond the point. He called me and we only met last night. How do you even know about that?"

She sighs.

"Have you seen today's paper?'

"No. I just woke up. What's in it?"

"Well, I purchased a copy when I went jogging this morning and the cover page is a photo of you and Jesse. He has an arm around your waist and you too seem to be all cozied up. So?"

It all hits me then and I face palm myself.

"Oh s**t. Am I in a black dress?"

"Yes."

"That was last night. I told you about the guy who saved me from the drunk moron and his friends. It's the same one."

"Jesse Anderson saved you? Lucky b***h. So why was he holding your waist yet he was aware that the paparazzi were taking photos?"

"He was just walking me to my car, okay? I was scared shitless and the cameras were freaking me out. I guess he didn't want me to faint on him."

"Very funny. So you agreed to meet again after he saved you."

"It's a long story Meg."

"I bet. What time are you coming home? We really need to talk. Everyone including reporters and news anchors are thinking that you are Jesse's mistress and it's gonna get really messy. Come home Ava."

"I will. Don't leave yet, okay?'

"I won't. See you."

I walk to the bathroom and turn on the heat in the shower. I retrieve a new toothbrush from the holder and I take my time brushing my teeth, waiting for the water to heat. Jesse walks into the bathroom just as I rinse my mouth and he says an absent "good morning" as he takes a toothbrush from the holder. I have this vibe that he really doesn't like me but it doesn't matter as long as he is going to pay me.

I change into my spare dress which I always have in my bag for times like this and I let my hair down. I apply my makeup carefully. I know that men like it when one is lathered in makeup. It makes me look stunning but it's just too much work.

Jesse steps out of the bathroom wearing his clothes from last night and I say a quiet thank you to whoever made that T-shirt. The way it clings to his chest makes me gulp.

"I think you've already established the fact that you really like my chest. You can blink now." Jesse says from his position at the couch's armrest where he is waiting for me to finish combing my hair and I keep my eyes on the mirror.

He eyes my short dress with disapproval but he doesn't say anything as I follow him to the door.

We walk in silence to the reception and I stand nervously beside him as he checks out. I've never been here with a client before so it's just my luck that no one recognizes me. That would be so awkward.

The receptionist says something and Jesse turns to look at me with a grin. I force a smile as he walks to me and slips an arm around my waist.

"Did you know that the photos the paps took of us last night already went viral?" I ask him as we step out of the hotel.

"I figured that out." He says evenly, like he couldn't care less.

"How? Is that one of your talents, figuring things out?"

He gives me a blank stare for a second.

"I'm flattered that you think that highly of me but no, the receptionist mentioned something about you looking familiar. I expected that to happen."

"And you obviously don't give a damn."

"Right. That's what I'm paying you to do. Anyway, I have a meeting with the board members at eight so I can't drive you home. I guess you'll have to drive your car just for today."

"Just for today?"

"Yes. I'll assign you a driver who will double as a bodyguard."

He is acting like that's no big deal and I glare at him.

"I didn't sign up for this, Jesse. The agreement was that I spend time with you in public for a day or two.''

He leans down until our faces are leveled.

" I'm a public figure, Ava. The media will be all over our case. Paparazzi and journalists will be all over you everywhere you go and this will get out of hand. I can't leave you unprotected. "

I take a small step back before blowing out my breath.

"What should I say when they ask me questions?"

"Just say no comment. Ignore them totally if you can. Don't be scared or they will harass you."

"I hate publicity."

"Me too."

We are standing beside my car and Jesse eyes it with pure distaste.

"I honestly don't understand how the traffic police let you drive this. Is it roadworthy?"

I roll my eyes.

"If you say s**t about my car I will punch you."

He lifts an eyebrow.

"For saying the truth?" He reaches to open the driver's door for me and I get inside. The car takes a while to start-up and Jesse is looking down at me though the window, giving me the 'I told you look.'

I scowl at him and he laughs. I'm starting to believe that he is not what I thought. Most rich clients are bossy, rude and arrogant.

Not Jesse.

I briefly wonder why his fiancee cheated on him.

Ah, none of my business.

He places his arms on my window which is rolled all the way down and leans in, his eyes on my face.

"Give me your address."

"What? My personal address? Never!"

He lifts an eyebrow.

"You think I'll stalk you? Give me the damn address Ava."

"We don't give addresses to clients. That's dangerous."

"The fact that I saved your ass last night is enough to tell you that I I won't hurt you."

I roll my eyes.

"You're not gonna let that go, will you? Will you keep rubbing it in my face?"

"Yes. Every single time you try to make this more complicated than it should be. I keep grudges, Ava."

I sigh in exasperation.

"Why do you want my address?"

"I'll need an hour or two with you over lunch hour."

"Then I'll drive to wherever you want me to."

He shakes his head.

"I want my driver to pick you. I'll feel better knowing that you are safe.''

"I'll be safe."

"Yeah, right. Address?"

I sigh before reading it out to him. He won't give up and I need to go. Meghan is usually very impatient.

He smirks at me.

"I'll see you at exactly noon. David will pick you at eleven forty."

"Okay babe." I say sarcastically.

He shakes his head while looking at my scowling face.

"I'll wire your money for last night directly to your bank account."

"I didn't give you my account number."

"I'm good at finding things out.''

"Stalker much?"

"If you insist. Go now. I'll see you at noon."

"I might just decide not to show up." I tease and he c***s an eyebrow.

"I'm paying you double, remember?"

I reverse and pull out of the parking lot. I watch in the side mirror, noting that he stands there looking at my car until I'm safely out of the lot before he walks to his car.

I smile despite myself. Cocky bastard. He is basically paying me for sitting around and looking pretty. And he is paying me double. What the f**k?

I buy a newspaper from a vendor along the way and I gasp when I see what Meghan was talking about.

I'm wearing the black dress I wore to see the client who almost r***d me with his friends before Jesse saved my ass. The picture was taken at the very entrance of the restaurant and Jesse's arm is wrapped around my waist to infinity. He is looking directly at the camera and I am looking up at him.

I read the caption with a sinking feeling.

RENOWN TYCOON JESSE ANDERSON CHEATING ON HIS FIANCÉE FIVE DAYS BEFORE THEIR WEDDING?

I laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation. She cheated on him and he is the one getting blamed for cheating on her? This is indeed a girl's world.

Again, I wonder what exactly happened.

I do a double take when I get to our apartment building. Outside, a group of paparazzi is waiting with their cameras on standby.

Holy s**t. They already know where I live? Those nosy bastards. I realize they will probably embarrass me once they see me. They will call me names if I ignore them since they all think I'm a slut who is screwing someone's fiancé. I can't stand there explaining s**t so I drive past the apartment to the hospital.

It's too early to visit but the doctor now allows me to visit as often as I want. I have a very bad feeling that my Mom will never wake up from the comma, that's why he is nice to me. I refuse to entertain that thought. She is the only family I have. She just can't die.

I walk to her hospital room and a lump grows in my throat like it does every single day when I visit her. The tubes and the beeping machines have been driving me crazy since the first time I saw her in that position two years ago. I'm used to them now but my heart breaks every single time I see my mother in that position.

She has been in a comma for two years now.

And I did this to her.