Cruel

2 Weeks earlier

Caleb

“Have you found anyone yet or have you decided to stick with fucking prostitutes for the rest of your life? You know there’s nothing wrong with finding a real girlfriend, it’s been long enough.” Ben says to me from the passenger seat on the drive to meet Miranda for lunch at some deli around the corner from her office. She’s been raving for months about how good the food is, trying to convince me to come out there. Miranda’s persistence finally wearing me down, getting me to agree on today.

“I’m sick of whores, and I’m sick of constantly getting questioned and harassed by everyone that I always have a different girl on my arm when I go out. Everybody’s always nagging me, like you, for example, that it’s been long enough and I should start getting serious with someone. You know more than anyone that that can’t happen, so don’t bring it up again. The plan sticks, I find someone to fuck, go out in public with and shut everyone’s mouth up for a few months, and then I find someone new to replace her.” My response is decisive, Ben knows it and doesn’t bring up the subject of a real relationship again. With the knowledge of my past, he knows better to entertain the idea, but he does it anyway, only tapping into my anger. I’m not allowed to love. I’m not even sure if I know how to anymore and I don’t like being reminded of the fact.

“Well, have you at least found someone? You can answer that much.” Ben asks, not realizing that it’s not easy finding somebody to meet the necessary criteria.

“No. I need a woman who is desperate enough to agree to my terms and arrangement, and she needs to have a brain. She needs to be smart, presentable, believable, so no questions are asked. Women like that don’t just grow on trees.” I glance at him sarcastically.

“And nice tits.” He adds, tenaciously amused with himself grinning.

“And nice tits.” I imitate him dryly. It will definitely be a quality I’m looking for but not a priority.

We arrive at the deli and I park my Benz, ending our conversation. Walking inside the little eatery, I spot Miranda in her pants suit, hair tied up looking professional, sitting at a secluded table in attempt to avoid the noise of other’s conversations. Her attention is locked in on her tablet hard at work even on her lunch break. That’s my baby sister, all work no play. A common trait in our family.

“Hey sis,” I walk up and greet her with my arms held out.

“Glad you could finally make it.” Miranda scoots back from her chair and stands up giving me a hug, then turns to Ben, also welcoming him with a friendly embrace. “Let’s go get in line and order, I’m starved.”

“What do you recommend?” I ask as we make our way over to the front counter.

“You two are both trying the Chicken Chesapeake. It’s so freaking good.” She raves, so we let her order us three and each grab a bottle of water before heading back to our table to wait for our food.

Ten minutes later, our meal is ready and brought out to us. I take a bite into my sandwich and it melts in my mouth. Quickly, I’m salivating craving another. The crab dip on it is perfect. I can taste the mixture of cheeses with quality meat that doesn’t have that fishy taste like the cheaper brands some places use to cut costs. That shit makes me wanna gag.

“Fuck, this is good.” I tell her after I’ve digested it all down.

“You’re not kidding.” Ben says in a joyous surprise with his eyes widening, taken aback. Neither one of us expected it to be that good considering how low key this deli is.

“Told you,” Miranda gloats with a smirk. She loves being right and rubbing things in our faces knowing that we had our doubts. She nods her head towards the kitchen door and that’s when I see her, “There goes the cook right there.”

I only see the young woman for a second before she enters the door back to the kitchen, but immediately I can’t help noticing how strikingly beautiful she is. She’s perfect, her body shaped like a dream with creamy beige skin and long black hair. Raw sexuality emanates off over her. It’s her, she’s the one I want.

I find out everything I can about this woman from Miranda. She’s exactly what I’ve been looking for and even if she wasn’t, I was going to find a way to convince her to take the job. Two weeks later, I tell Miranda to give her my card because I’m looking for some extra help with cooking and cleaning, then I get the call.