The Billionaire's Contracted Mistress

Chapter Three- The Reason Why

On the dot of five o’clock, Holly brought herself to the front of the grocery store and found a long black car pull up to the curb. The only reason this would have happened without Parker would be if someone was lost-as that was a common thing, but not for a car of this expense. It seemed almost as if was going to arrive in slow motion to her before a beautiful young woman exited the car in full chauffeur attire. She offered Chloe a smile, seemingly truly excited to see her as she opened the door, continuing with her polite nature and helping her into the back seat, waiting until she entered, and closing it softly behind her. Within a matter of seconds, she was at the driver’s side. She entered gracefully and turned on Siruis XM with no static while keeping quiet as she drove her to the location of the date. While driving down to the location, Holly’s eyes fixated on the city bustling around her as she became more and more anxious to see him. She wasn’t even sure what to expect or what it was exactly that he wanted. Irregardless, it was something that made her heart race in a way that wasn’t necessarily good.

Before she knew it, the car came to a stop and the door opened for her once more before she found herself standing in front of a large Italian Restaurant. A light cream color brought to life the elegant establishment as a valet lined the front row, eyeing her closely, confused as to her wearing a uniform from was from a place as low as the one she worked at and being dropped off in a luxurious car. To be fair, she was in the same mindset as she wasn’t quite sure why she was chosen for whatever it was he desired of her, but she went with it-feeling exhilarated in being sought after-even if his motives weren’t as pure as her fairytale mind wished they would be.

As she made her way up to the front doors, she found them to open with two women smiling at her from the inside. She was amazed, however at the fact the entire place had been cleared out with a single patron sitting in the center of the establishment. She could have seen him even from a mile away as he gave off this type of charming arrogance that was borderline confidence but obvious that he liked to use his money to impress.

“You must be Miss Blaire…” A waiter asked as she looked to him with a smile expressing her low self-esteem before being escorted to the table with Parker. He waited for her to sit before leaning forward onto his elbows. “What is your poison?” He asked as he handed her a menu of the alcoholic drinks. She scanned them, not familiar with any of the vintage wines or high class beer names. Not exactly proud of it, she only came to know the names of cocktails as she spent any time out with friends who could barely afford rent, not rent out an entire restaurant.

“This one?” I guessed as he smirked, nodding and then speaking the name in fluent Italian to the waiter as I looked to him, obviously impressed.

“Thank you for meeting with me tonight.”

“Yeah-I mean...of course.” She spoke nervously, feeling incredibly out of place due to the fact she wasn’t dressed for a date and still baffled at the fact he did all of this just for her.

“I am sure you are confused as to why I have asked you to meet me.” She nodded as he removed a large pale colored envelope that sealed with a small tie around two circular mechanisms that kept it shut. Upon the front had been her name written in perfect calligraphy as he looked to her with his devilish smirk.

“I simply ask that you wait to open it when you get home and we enjoy our time together tonight.” He continued with his smile as he watched her take it into her grasp and simply slide it to her side, her eyes constantly looking at it-curious as to what it was that was concealed so professionally and necessary to hand-deliver.

“I want to know about you,” He began his thought as he leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable while bringing the most expensive wine to his lips, drinking at least two hundred dollars in his sip.

“There isn’t much to know…”

“I doubt that…” He paused. “Tell me about your family.”

Her brows came together as her gaze fell to the table in front of her, growing nervous to explain such things.

“I’d rather not.” She finally spoke, hoping he wouldn’t push and luckily for her, he remained silent for such a topic.

“Tell me your interests then. What is it you like to do?”

“I’m afraid answering it will make me seem incredibly dull.”

He smirked. “Go ahead.” He waited for her to speak, now leaning forward on his elbows again, watching her every movement incredibly close. He noticed how she had looked to the envelope every few seconds as she would break her gaze from his. She would explain everything to him in a way of evading his actual questions as she began to loosen up when feeling the wine give her a light buzz after her third glass.

“I have a lightning round.” He teased as she nodded, smirking to him as he seemed incredibly serious about this, yet still humorous with a slight twinkle behind his eyes.

“Books or movies?”

“Books.” She answered, proud at the fact she was a bookworm.

“Introvert or Extrovert.”

“Introvert…” She said sheepishly as he seemed pleased by her answer.

“Wine or beer.”

“Wine.” She commented quickly, knowing exactly what her tastes were.

“Europe or Africa?”

She paused, confused by his question.

“If given the choice, where would you visit.”

“Africa.” His brows shot up in surprise.

“Really? Most girls would choose Europe.”

“Which is why I would want Africa. The culture there would be incredible to witness and music would be…” She shuddered in excitement.

“Hmmm…” He said to himself before finding their food, having been pre-ordered by him to be set in front of them; beginning with a small salad and a type of soup that had small dumplings within a broth littered with vegetables.

“It’s Gnocchi.” He spoke as he expected her to know what that meant. She simply smiled and brought the spoon to her lips, taking one of the dumplings between her lips as he focused on her mouth-trying to be subtle in this as silence momentarily filled them.

“Can I ask you something?” She finally asked as she just finished her fourth glass of wine and was now tracing the top of it with her finger.

“As long as it isn’t about business.”

She nodded. “Why is it that you paid for my father?” He smiled, wondering how long it would take for her to ask a question like that. He simply leaned forward before motioning to the envelope. “Everything you need to know is within that envelope. I promise you that it will answer all of your questions. But for right now, I just want us to get to know each other.”

“Why me?”

He paused. “I would prefer to hear it from you.” She explained as he then lifted his gaze fully to her. He was impressed with her forward nature as she seemed rather reclusive.

“I mean why me over Ruby from the store or Kendra from the hospital?” She asked, referring to women who were more set to the man’s ideal of a “perfect woman” with a large chest and hair extensions. He seemed pleased by her humbleness but also saddened at the fact she had this low of self-esteem. He paused for a moment, gathering exactly what to say before looking back up to her with an intense glare that could melt metal.

“Because you are the kind of woman that guys are lucky to have. The ones that always stand in the background but deserve to be front and center. You have all of his potential within you but you are so afraid so think of yourself that you push it deep inside. The fact that you have this selfless heart but hunger for something other than your everyday routine. And to be crass about it, you don’t put up with any of my shit.” She smirked, recalling how they first met and how he was apparently taken by her ability to speak to him with such aggressiveness. “The fact that you don’t care about money, and to be as direct as possible, the fact you are...you.” Tears swelled in her eyes as she hid her gaze while looking at the food in front of her.

“Did I say something wrong?” He wondered aloud as he found her gaze to keep from him.

“Nobody has ever said anything like that to me before…” She said with a sniffle.

“When I met you yesterday, I was shocked at how you spoke to me as nobody does that without repercussion. I was taken instantly...I had to get to know you and so I asked the receptionist and she told me everything with your father. When I found out where he was being treated, I felt as though I could help.”

“I could see a get well card but a million dollars….I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

“Money compared to what I can do to help with my money is no competition.”

“There are people more deserving of it though...little kids…”

He paused. “Little children are resilient. To me, you seem as though you need someone to help you in the only thing you can’t do to help….financially. Perhaps I should make you understand that I am interested in a proposition between us-the details which are in your envelope.”

At that very moment, a waiter came to the table with an apologetic look. “I know you spoke of no interruptions, Sir, but it is important.”

“If you’ll excuse me…” Parker left the table for a moment. Holly waited until he was out of sight before pulling the envelope to view and quickly opening it to understand its contents. She couldn’t wait another second as she pulled it to view to realize it was a set of scary legal documents. The first one was an NDA agreement for his company as she felt as though she had somehow found herself in Anastasia Steele’s shoes. As she flipped to the next page, she saw how there had been a thick contract with a title quite confusing.

Exclusive Role Contract.

Having never heard of anything like that before, she hesitated before reading the actual content of the contract. Her mouth fell open as her eyes came to the word “submissive” and “master”. Although she enjoyed the romance of Fifty Shades, she didn’t find herself keen on the idea of being a character in an unspoken sequel. Out of fear of having to face him while knowing the extent of the envelope and what would be expected of her, she took this time he was absent and removed herself from the restaurant. She somehow managed to do so with everyone’s eyes falling to her, almost as if they were watching an interesting cage match of some kind, waiting for the next hit.

“Is there something you need?” His chauffeur asked as she remained on a bench inside the restaurant. She now stood when seeing Holly look to her with a distressed expression.

Without a second thought, Holly set the envelope containing the contract and set it against her chest in a dramatic pause. “Tell your boss that I’m not interested.” She was truly shocked as she watched Holly walk out the door and into the night, without a ride, and without a clue of what she had just done.