2. A trip to Paris

Seth

“Edward, so glad you could make it,” Bianca said as she wrapped her arm around my waist. I scanned the man before me: the way his lean muscles pushed against his tight vest, the buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone revealing the pecs he must have worked out for.

He had a streak of white hair running along the sides, but that wasn’t even the most attractive thing about him, it was his blue eyes.

“What are we doing here?” I whispered fiercely to Bianca. She ignored me and continued to talk to Edward while I stood there like a doll, waiting for her to take me to the client that I had.

“He’s all yours, Ed,” she pushed me in his direction before she turned and left. I stood, frozen to the spot. She knew I didn’t really like male clients because it felt like a breach of the relationship I had with August. Of course, he didn’t know what I did for money, but still, men just made it too real.

At least, I could fake it with women.

“Sit, boy, I don’t bite, unless you want me to,” he winked before chugging down the wine in front of him. I hesitantly sat down in the empty booth.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty-two,” I said curtly before taking the glass he slid in front of me.

“I’m sixty-nine.”

I choked on the margarita, the liquid swiping into my throat. I slammed my chest as I went into a coughing fit. He easily manoeuvred behind me to administer the Heimlich.

I wiped the tears from my eye as we sat again. He didn’t even look a day over forty! He looked good for a man that was sixty-nine…too good.

“I will take that as a compliment, the cough. You most definitely do not believe me,” he smiled, dragging another long sip.

I nodded, eyeing the drink like the devil’s mix. Ten minutes passed and the only thing that went between us was the music from the club. He gently sipped his drink while his eyes latched on to me like I was a piece of food.

I exhaled, grabbed the fourth glass and chugged it, wincing at the after-taste.

“So, are we going…?” I wiggled my brows at him, suggesting we take it out of the club.

“Are you in college, Seth?”

I inhaled sharply. Bianca had used my fucking real name! Why the hell is he asking about college? I scowled at him. He raised his hands in defence.

“Yes,” I replied tersely.

“What college?”

“I thought we were going to-”

“What college?” he repeated firmly.

“Marrowgate.”

He arched his brow in shock, “Marrowgate?”

“I got in on a scholarship, okay? Not like I have the money to waste on the tuition there,” I muttered the last part.

“So why are you here? Shouldn’t you be studying?”

What the hell are all these questions? Was this what got the geezer off? Asking questions? Was he secretly wanking under the table?

“Look, are we going to fuck or not?” I asked bluntly. He smirked.

“Answer the question, Seth,” he smirked. Was he sure he was sixty-nine? Damn.

“I should be, but I am already flunking my classes and the reason that even got me into the school in the first place. Now, I have to cover the tuition f*e for the next session or I will have to withdraw.”

I had never admitted those words to anyone other than August. It felt…relieving to talk about it.

He dug into his pockets and pulled out a wad of cash with a card on top of it, “This is ten k, and my card. If you want to see me again, you know what to do.” He gulped the last droplets and left. A trickle of men from the other booth trailed behind him like guards.

I was stunned.

Who the hell was he?

I battled with it for four fucking days. I flicked his card between my fingers, flung it across the room before skittering to get it back. I hated the fact that he had just handed me money without me working for it. Anyone who did that definitely had ulterior motives.

It wasn’t till I was standing before Prof. Derrick that I made up my mind to call him. I needed all the money I could get. I whipped my phone out as soon as I got back to my apartment.

Edward had told me to dress nicely for the evening, whatever that meant. I dawned the best clothes I had that didn’t reveal the state of my penury and waited outside just like he had told me to. Around a few minutes past nine, true to his words, a limousine cruised to a stop by the street I had picked.

My heart flipped radically as I slid inside. The inside was even more breathtaking with the mini bar by the side, the television wedged on the partition between the driver and this compartment. The car moved at a crawl. I was the only one inside, which did nothing to calm my nerves.

By the time the door hissed one more time and opened, I was in some sort of…hangar? I whipped to the corner and there was a jet parked. The driver with the white gloves waved me toward the jet. Each step I took, my breath hitched a bit. What the fuck is going on?

The hostesses on the bottom step smiled and led me in. At this point, I knew I looked very similar to the scream painting with the way my mouth hung open. I had never been in a plane before, a jet was a whole new level.

“Welcome,” Edward smiled as he patted the spot beside him. I moved softly, swallowing as I sat on the plush cushion.

“Where are we going?” I whispered.

He smiled and dragged the night cloth over his eyes before resting his head. My heart wanted to burst out of my chest. Everything was happening too fast, too quickly.

If Edward had told me we were going to Paris, then I would have packed a suitcase. To him, that defeated the purpose. As soon as we touched down, we taxied toward a grand clothing store and he allowed me to pick. When he saw I wouldn’t pick more than the few I held in my quivering hands because of the price, he picked for me.

It was surreal. It was a page out of an entirely new book. The shopping, the tour around the city, our first kiss on the Eiffel Tower, the spa treatment. I could still taste the rich flavour of the best coffee I had while we were on the jet back home.

My heart thumped in excitement while he remained quiet, that sexy smile on his face. The car eventually came to a halt in front of my apartment. I didn’t even want to find out how he knew where I stayed.

“Thank you,” I said softly as I stared back at him. I leaned and placed a kiss on his lips, deepening it when he didn’t want to part his lips. I placed a gentle hand on his firm pecs before sliding it down to his abs. He held my hand and pulled away. His eyes glistened with lust, lust that I was starting to replicate.

“Goodnight, Seth,” the way he called my name sent shivers up my spine. I nodded, clutching the bags of items he still got as souvenirs.

I waited till his car rounded the corner before I made it into my room. I struggled with the items, dropping them carefully on the ground before flicking the light switch. My heart was palpitating, what was this feeling slithering through my heart at the thought of someone old enough to be my father?

Hell! He was older than my father!

As I took another step into the room, a familiar and very angry voice made my entire body freeze.

“Where the fuck are you coming from?” August demanded.