Book 2
Thanks to WAA01, Killerarmyguy, and Taco for the edits.
******
Chapter One
"Umm..." Drake Lucian, aka Dante Cole, his professional name, stood very confused as he stared at the rather attractive redhead at his door. It was his house (unofficially, his father's name was still on the loan as well as his mother's), ever since his father skipped out on fulfilling his agreements. Thinking he or his brothers would allow their mother to go into foreclosure. He hadn't spoken to his father since he walked out on them with his mother's sister and moved to somewhere in Asia. Not that he cared, he got the woman he had longed for forever since he was sixteen. What his father and his aunt did was their business. "I'm sorry, no, I don't," he apologized; he would have remembered someone as attractive as she was; then again, with all the whoring that he's done, that could have muddied his memories. Seeing the woman's face heat when Emma's moans began to filter down the stairs. "Sorry about that," Drake said, a little embarrassed as he stepped outside and closed the front door.
"It's... okay, I came unannounced; you had no way of knowing you'd have company," she said bashfully, remembering how hot he looked at the club that night while she was serving out drinks. Now, now that she was less than two feet away, she was drooling in her mind at how drop-dead gorgeous he was to her. "I'm Samantha Carter; by the way, we went to high school together," she introduced herself as she extended her hand to him.
"Wait, not Samantha Carter, the head varsity cheerleader?" Drake asked, trying to recall where he's heard that name before.
"The one and only," Samantha said with an alluring smile as she slyly eyed how his t-shirt hugged his chest. Detailing every muscle, remembering how he didn't have said body back in high school. Wondering just what he's been doing over the past few years. She couldn't help it as his cologne filled her nose, heat began to form between her legs. She had no idea how or when he got so attractive.
"So... why look me up after all this time?" Drake asked, noticing how her cheeks blushed and her blue eyes glanced down to her feet.
"Umm... can we like go somewhere to talk?" Samantha inquired, trying to ignore the sounds that were coming through his front door.
"Oh?! Yeah, they're probably going to be a while," looking around for her car, not seeing one, "did you drive?"
"No... I took the bus," Samantha said, a little embarrassed.
"Coffee good with you?" Drake asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Mmmhmm," Samantha hummed with a nod of her head.
"Okay, let me grab my keys," Drake responded as he reached for the handle of his front door.
"Sure," Samantha chirped. Mouthing the words 'Oh my God' as the front door closed behind him. Breathing out slowly, trying to calm herself down, she didn't think Drake would take too kindly to her coming on to him when she would be asking him for a favor. Turning her head as she heard his garage door lifting. Her jaw dropped as Drake's BMW 8 series backed out, watching how the roof lowered once he was out from beneath the door. She had no idea he had that kind of money to afford a car like that.
"Hop in; I know this nice little coffee shop close by where we can talk," Drake stated as he peered over at her. Keeping his smirk to himself, he noted how she was gawking at the interior as she slid into the passenger seat.
"Nice car," Samantha said, trying to control her voice.
"Thanks, just got it a couple of weeks ago," Drake replied as he backed out of the driveway.
"So... I heard you went off to New York," Samantha said over the wind.
"I did; I head back in early August. Did you head off on some wild adventure once high school was over?" Drake asked as he stopped at a stop sign, hearing his blinker ticking away, waiting for the cars to pass.
"I wish," Samantha sighed.
"What happened?"
"I didn't do so well in high school; I allowed myself to think I had it made. Stupid mistake," Samantha said sadly. "I wanted to go to some far-off college to expand my wings, to see what I was made of, you know?" Seeing him nodding in understanding, "But I partied too much, studied way too little; in the end I'm stuck here. What's New York like?"
"Crowded, very fucking crowded. Noisy. Expensive, but it has its merits," Drake answered, taking a left and heading towards the shop.
"Oh? Like what?" Samantha asked curiously.
"I don't think you want me to answer that," Drake responded with a sly grin on his lips.
"Oh, I see; got you some ladies up there, huh?" Samantha teased.
"Quite the few," Drake admitted. Wondering if he would be servicing the same women he had done before he had left for Italy.
"Don't take this the wrong way, yet I don't ever recall you being so well off with the opposite sex," Samantha said as she noted how the strands of his black hair moved through the wind as the late morning sun played along his face. Her heart fluttered as Drake laughed; she did like the sound of it which brought a smile to her lips.
"Yeah, that didn't start till the last few months of my senior year," Drake replied with a charming smile on his lips. His mind flashed back to the day he first met his Madam.
******
Two years and a few months ago...
Drake stared nervously up at what appeared to be a simple ordinary office building. With its plain brick façade, its neatly spaced windows were the only breaks in the sea of red and brown. Hearing the noise of the city at his back, wondering if he could truly do this. If he had what it took to be a gigolo. Pondering if any woman would want to be seen with a skinny, virgin, eighteen-year-old high school kid. Blowing out a breath that he had been holding. Knowing he was there for a purpose, he just prayed that this would work out. He so wanted to get back at his mother for what she said to him. Hoping he could learn the skills he needed to make his mother lust after him like he knew she did with his older brothers. To make her yearn to have him like he's wanted her for so long before she said those hurtful words. Walking into the building, heading towards the elevator bank, he already knew where to go. The woman he spoke to informed him where their office was located. Her stern voice filled his mind as he looked at his phone, noting the time. Recounting what she had told him, if he couldn't be on time, don't bother showing up.
Swallowing hard when the elevator doors rolled open. Drake was expecting to step out into a hallway, not right into the middle of the heart of Winters Escort Services. Noting how the woman and man sitting behind the receptionist desk were staring oddly at him as Drake just stood unmoving. Feeling his heart hammering in his chest as their eyes bored into him. Clenching his fist, he came this far; he wasn't going to chicken out now!
"You lost?" asked a man with an Italian accent as his hand held the elevator doors open. Seeing the nervousness in Drake's eyes as the two of them gazed at one another. Arching an eyebrow when he noted how Drake's cheeks were heating. "Or are you here for a job?"
"J-job," Drake managed to say in a low whisper.
"First time in a place like this? Come on, the name's Simon," he greeted with a warm smile when he saw Drake's weak nod.
"Drake," he replied, taking the man's hand.
"Word of advice, in this line of work, women expect confidence," Simon stated, lifting Drake's chin up. He could tell Drake had been hurt and was seeking validation from someone or anyone that would give it to him. "Hey, Nancy," he cooed, putting on the charm he earned from his time in Italy, where he had first worked for the Madam of the branch there. "When you going to leave that big ol' lug of yours and let me have a taste, hmm?" Drake watched how his newfound friend didn't waste any time and how red the woman's face was getting.
"Simon, you know the rules; while I'm flattered, you would find this old woman alluring enough to line your arm for a night. Yet my heart belongs to that 'lug' as you call him," Nancy replied with a good-natured smile.
"Shame, and here I was wondering what you would look like spread out on my bed," Simon sighed, seeing how his new friend was studying him.
"Well, that's one thing you'll never find out," Nancy stated, yet that didn't stop her mound from heating. While she knew Simon was a harmless flirt around the office, he knew that was as far as it would ever go unless he left the agency. Even then, she wouldn't stray from her husband no matter how suave, and alluring Simon could be, and she knew Simon respected that boundary. "So, who's your new friend, Simon?" she asked, peering over at Drake.
"Ah, this here is Drake; he's here to see the boss," Simon stated, placing a hand on Drake's left shoulder.
"Oh? That so?" Nancy asked, looking over at Drake, who nodded.
"Yes, ma'am," Drake spoke when Simon gave him a look.
"Good, good, if you will just fill these out, I'll let Madam Winter know you're here," Nancy said, getting to her feet and handing Drake a clipboard with an employment application clipped to it along with a pen. "If you'll just have a seat there," she stated, nodding to the chairs. "So... what's up with the kid?" Nancy whispered, knowing teenagers didn't normally show up at their company's doorstep. If she had to guess, he looked close to her daughter's age.
"No idea, but he looks like someone hurt him or something like that," Simon uttered low.
