Ch1 - Jade
POV: KIANA
The taxi pulled up in front of a grand, luxurious hotel. It was clearly a place for the rich and renowned, and simply gazing at the towering building made me anxious.
“Come, Kiana,” my best friend Mia said, grabbing my hand and leading me inside.
I didn’t have time to take in the opulence of the lobby as Mia pulled me into the nearest elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.
I took a deep, steadying breath. It had been years since the last time I stepped foot in a place like this. I only hoped that I wouldn’t run into anyone I recognised. Or, more importantly, that no one here would recognise me.
I studied my reflection in the mirrored elevator walls, and although this was far from my usual sense of fashion, I gave myself a nod of approval. The strapless ruby red dress I’d borrowed from Mia was a perfect fit. My naturally wavy hair was styled half-up, half-down to hide the scar on my exposed collarbone. I might feel that I shouldn’t be here, but at least I looked as if I belonged.
My gaze shifted to Mia’s slender figure. She was stunning – as always – in her midnight blue dress, with her copper hair framing her pretty diamond-shaped face. She knew she looked good, and she wasn’t shy about flaunting it. I often wished I had her confidence.
The elevator came to a stop and opened to reveal a short hallway leading to a large white door at the end.
“Paris and my plus one, Jade,” Mia announced to the burly man standing guard at the door.
“Paris and Jade?” I asked, confused.
“We don’t use our real names at sugar baby parties. I didn’t have time to ask, so I hope you don’t mind. I chose Jade because it matches your eyes,” she replied nonchalantly.
So, I’m Jade for the night.
Perfect.
The security guard handed us each a stack of cards.
“Cards?” I glanced down and saw my new sugar baby name scrawled across the top of each card.
“We can hand out these out to any of the sugar daddies or mammas that we might be interested in. If you don’t give out any cards, they won’t approach you. That way, you can enjoy the party undisturbed.”
I nodded my understanding and tucked the cards into my clutch as the guard opened the door for us. However, I was not prepared for what I saw when I walked through the doors.
The penthouse was beyond magnificent. It was huge!
There was a long bar in one corner, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls offered a breathtaking view of the city below. The lights were dim, but bright enough to see the faces of the crowd. A disco light cast vibrant colour’s onto a small stage in the center of the room.
There were at least a hundred people there, mostly young men and women who I assumed were sugar babies at first. But peering around at the numerous seating areas scattered around the penthouse, I was surprised that everyone looked like they were in their twenties or thirties.
“I expected to see a lot more…~older~ people,” I admitted.
“A lot of the sugar daddies and mammas are quite young and come from either self-made wealth or generational riches and fame. Most choose a sugar baby companion because they want to be treated like a regular person. They don’t get much time to just be themselves. So it’s our job to help with that,” Mia explained confidently.
“Paris, I wasn’t expecting you here tonight,” a handsome man, who looked like he was probably in his mid-thirties, greeted Mia warmly, giving her a friendly hug.
I instantly disliked him when his eyes lingered on me a little too long, and I instinctively took a step back.
“Do you have a name?” he asked, turning his attention to me.
“Ki—I mean Jade,” I stammered.
“Ah, Jade. What a beautiful name.”
“Sorry, Frankie, she’s not working tonight,” Mia interjected smoothly.
“Ahh, such a shame. I would have liked to get to know you better,” he said, winking at me.
I remembered Mia mentioning a man named Frankie; she was his sugar baby.
“Walk with me, Paris. I have a job for you tomorrow night if you’re willing,” he said, offering his arm to Mia like a true gentleman.
She gave me an apologetic look as she took Frankie’s arm. “Sorry,” she mouthed to me before walking away.
Mia had assured me that no one would make a move unless I handed them my card. I had nothing to fear, and if I did, the bouncer at the door seemed capable of handling it.
I felt a few curious gazes land on me as I stood in the middle of the room. Regret slowly crept in regarding my choice of ruby red dress, which created a stark contrast against the dim lighting.
I could use a drink right about now.
I headed to the bar and, not wanting to splurge, ordered a vodka martini—my main concern at the moment was my wallet.
As I reached for my purse, the bartender stopped me. “Your drink has been taken care of by the gentleman over there, miss.”
I followed his gesture and found a young man looking my way. He was leaning against the bar, a smile playing on his lips. He was attractive in a geeky sort of way. I might have considered handing him one of my cards, but I knew I wasn’t ready to go that far tonight.
If I hadn’t just lost my scholarship, I never would have agreed to come to this party in the first place. Mia convinced me to tag along with her tonight to test the waters because I needed to find a way to cover tuition fast. Otherwise, I would have to take next semester off. I was already convinced that being a sugar baby wasn’t right for me, but I didn’t have a whole lot of other options right now.
I lifted my glass in silent gratitude and quickly retreated to a couch in a quieter corner of the room.
I let out a sigh of relief and took a sip of my martini, thankful for the distance from the throng of people.
But as the pricey vodka warmed my throat, I caught a whiff of something strong and spicy with a hint of woodiness. It was the most sensual fragrance I had ever come across—~intoxicating~ and ~captivating~.
I traced the scent to a man seated on the other end of the couch, with just one seat between us. He was quietly nursing his drink—it looked like straight whiskey with a single ice cube floating in the amber liquid—as he stared into the void.
I couldn’t help but notice his lavish silk suit, adorned with a thin line of Carmine diamonds along the hem of his jacket, glinting in the subdued light. His muscular form strained against the fabric of his suit.
~He clearly took care of himself.~
The man had a head of sandy blonde hair, neatly parted to the side, with a subtle fade around the edges. His chiseled jawline and full, enticing lips were impossible to ignore, making him a standout presence.
I saw the hungry eyes fixed on him, each one just as ravenous as the last, and I wasn’t surprised. His aura commanded attention, as did his demeanor, suggesting he owned the world with just a subtle raise of his sharply arched eyebrows.
He must be a sugar daddy. His appearance alone suggested wealth. But a man like him shouldn’t have any trouble attracting women; he was the definition of handsome. Or perhaps he struggled to find someone genuine, as Mia said most sugar daddies and mammas did.
I noticed the hefty stack of discarded cards next to him—it was massive, as if every sugar baby in the room had offered him one.
Who was this enigmatic man?
“Are you going to stare at me all night or give me your card, princess?” he asked, his tone dark, indifferent, and filled with unabashed arrogance.
“Excuse me!” I exclaimed, taken aback.
“Just give me the card and go,” he commanded, his patience clearly wearing thin.
The nerve of this man! He was as conceited as he was attractive, a combination as appealing to me as being doused with ice water in the middle of winter. “It looks like you already have enough cards to supply the entire party,” I retorted, taking a sip of my martini and deciding to ignore this high-class, egotistical jerk.
“Look, I’m as interested in you as I am in this pile of cards,” he said coldly, flicking them aside with his ring finger.
“Great, because all I wanted was some peace and quiet without any unwanted company. So, if you can keep your mouth shut, I’ll do the same, and we can both pretend that we’re the only ones here,” I shot back.
I could feel his eyes on me as I finished speaking. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and saw a puzzled expression on his face as if he wasn’t used to being spoken to in such a manner. Had he never been turned down before?
His Caribbean-blue eyes, as captivating as a clear ocean, studied me.
“What’s your name?” he asked, his tone revealing a touch of softened hostility. His gaze was intense, while his voice a rich, smooth melody that was just the right amount of husky.
“That’s not important.”
“Playing hard-to-get, are we?” he laughed, and oh, it was ~sexy~.
I felt a fluttering in my stomach as if butterflies had just taken flight. I bit my tongue; he was trying to get a rise out of me. “Jade,” I said flatly.
“I asked for your real name, not your stage name,” he retorted, his tone bitter. God, this man was patronising.
“Like I said, it’s Jade. That’s all you need to know,” I replied, taking another sip of my drink. “Why do you care?”
“Just curious,” he said, flashing a grin that could melt panties. I quickly looked away; his smirk was as contagious as Sam and Dean Winchester’s.
“Curiosity was the cat’s downfall,” I remarked. Just then, I saw a familiar slim figure approaching.
“I’ve been looking for you!” Mia exclaimed. “Sorry I left you alone. I had some work to take care of,” she apologised with a forced smile.
“It’s okay,” I told her, relief clear in my voice.
Mia took a moment to openly gawk at the man beside me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’m Paris. If you ever need a plus one, I’m your girl,” she told him, winking suggestively and placing one of her cards next to him. He didn’t even acknowledge her.
“Come on, let’s dance,” Mia said, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the couch.
I couldn’t help but look back at the man. A devilish smirk spread across his face; those mesmerising blue eyes still fixed on me.
