2. The man upstairs

OLIVER’S POV

 “Oh my god, Ruby!” I exclaimed and snatched the dildo from her.

I locked it in my drawer and frowned at her, “How many times have I told you not to snoop around my bedroom?”

  Ruby was no fool.

 I knew that she had some knowledge about sex, but this was a part of me I had desperately tried to keep hidden for months. I rolled my eyes and dug my hand into my pocket once more.

   “Take this. It’s twenty dollars. Do something with it. Go on.”

“I don’t want your money, Oliver,” she said sternly, her eyes held the scorn my mother would have looked at me with, “I’m just curious to know what my big brother is doing. Makes me wonder if I would be proud to introduce you to my friends…or Jamie.”

  “Jamie? Who’s Jamie?”

She scoffed and walked towards the door.

  “Wait, Ruby,” I grabbed her arm and it shattered my heart when she wasn’t able to look into my eyes, “It’s not what it looks like. That…” I sighed, lost for words, “I have to do what I have to in order to take care of ma. I’m a man, sometimes I do not have a choice.”

  “So you are a sex worker?”

I shook my head, unable to come clean to her, “No. I…I sell dildos.”

She frowned and snatched her arm away, “You think I’m stupid, Oli and that’s what I hate the most about you.” She remarked angrily and stormed out of the bedroom.

  “Wait! Ruby!” I called after her, “Who’s Jamie?”

I sighed, “Fuck!”

My phone buzzed and I read the text from Mark.

  ‘Big day tomorrow. This is an awkward one, you are booked for the morning. Fancy woman, well under fifty. The hotel next to the bar. Room 27. Bring a dildo, would you?’

I threw my phone on the bed and walked into the bathroom. The sight of Ruby holding my dildo had me traumatized. What if she had…done some shit with it? There was no way I could ask her, she’d label me as a creep.

   After a quick shower, I left Mark’s message on read and checked my emails, hoping that one of my applications to the various companies would have been approved. I had lost count of the internships I had applied for, probably more than my body count.

It was the same reply I got every night, each letter beginning with,

Dear Mr. Sallow, we regret to inform you that-

“Bloody hell!” I exclaimed.

I wanted to tell Mark to go to hell and fuck the old lady instead, but I needed the money badly. My mother’s medications had finished that morning and I needed to get her more tomorrow.

   The next morning, I stood angrily in front of the receptionist desk. She smirked at me and said, “Hi, monster dick.”

I cleared my throat, “Room 27.”

  “Oh,” she drawled, “she checked in about thirty minutes ago. Beautiful lady, just a few wrinkles, sure you wouldn't mind. Third floor, eighth room to your…”

I frowned at her, “To my what?”

  “When will I have you again, Oliver?” she queried, purposely stalling, “I’ve missed you and you’ve decided not to make any more advances at me.”

I walked away with a frown, determined to find room 27 on my own. Luckily, I did and when I was let in by the older woman, I was hit by the rich fragrance that clouded the room. This one was easier for me, she loved to be in control, so basically, she was riding my dick for most of the time while I just watched with bored eyes.

   She came all over my dick again and fell on the bed limply. She pointed at the side stool and when I was done dressing up, I picked up the ward of cash and walked out of the room. At that moment, I made up my mind never to do this again. If not for anything, for Ruby's sake. I needed to be the big brother she was proud of.

   “Hey Oliver!” he said with a jovial smile.

I dropped a hundred dollar note on the counter without replying and walked into the inner room. When I returned with my apron, he was still there, giving me those eyes that sparked my curiosity instantly.

   “My answer is no.” I said firmly and attended to the bald man on the other side of the counter, “what drink, sir?”

“Ugh. He’s a billionaire, Oli. The richest client you’ll ever have, I swear!”

“No.” I said firmly, “I quit, Mark. I can’t do this shit anymore. I’m fed up of it, okay? If he’s so rich, why not take him on yourself?”

  “He saw you last night and he wants you.” His voice lowered, “he’s offering ten thousand dollars for tonight, Oli. Ten grand! That could put your mother in a good hospital! Think this through, Oli. And what do you mean by you quit? Your girlfriend doesn’t like it?”

 I glared at him, “You know I don’t have a girlfriend, Mark.”

“Why?”

“Who would date a bartender?”

“Good question, but I know a lot of girls that would date a bartender with ten grand.” He patted my shoulder, “think it through, Oli. Don’t throw this away. Ten thousand dollars, 8pm. He will be in the upper room.”

  I arched a brow at him, “You’re letting me have the upper room?”

He grinned, “This isn’t your regular client, sonny.”

  I was somewhat nervous when I mounted the stairs that led to the upper room around 8pm. My heart was pounding so fast that I found it difficult to breathe and my legs felt like lead. Mark had built so much tension around the man I was about to meet. I felt my knees buckling by the time I knocked on the door.

    “Come in.” A husky voice called.

I swallowed and walked in.

  Oh my god!

He was the sexiest man I had ever set my eyes on. His bare torso was perfectly built and the tattoos on his chest had me hooked for a few seconds. I gasped in shock and a strange excitement I never felt with clients bubbled up within me.

  His sexy cognac eyes seemed to stare into my soul and I felt goosebumps crawling over my skin.

Thank goodness I hadn’t rejected this particular client! The man in front of me had the body of a fucking Greek god and those eyes of his bewitched me effortlessly.

   “Hello.” I said in a choked voice.

He looked at me from head to toe and I could swear that he gave himself a nod of approval. He pointed at the door and I locked it without having to be told. When I turned around again, he was comfortably seated on the edge of the bed.

    “Strip.” His husky voice commanded.

I felt a shiver run down my spine; this was going to be one crazy night.