Chapter 2

Roman

––––––––

"Yes. Yes to all of that. Make sure it gets done, and the papers are on my desk when I get back. Goodbye." I hang up my cell phone and sigh. Closing my eyes, I place my head on the head rest of the rental car.

Being a high-profile New York lawyer is a never-ending job. My phone never stops ringing, and I'm always in the courtroom or meeting with my clients.

It's kept me so busy over the past twenty years that I've hardly had any time to date. I'm forty, unmarried, with an adult daughter living a life of her own.

I feel like I missed so much of her growing up because of work. It's why I spend all of my free time with Tasha.

Like this week, I have a business meeting back in Philadelphia, my home city. I have one meeting with a potential new client, and then I'm taking the rest of the week to just relax.

I just won a big case, and it wasn't easy. They had a lot of evidence that made it seem like he was guilty. But after endless hours of work, I did it. I got the proof necessary for an acquittal, and we won.

Now I feel like ten years have been taken off my life. With each case, I'm starting to wonder if I should lessen my workload. Money won't be an issue in this lifetime, even if I do take on less. Perks of being a trust fund baby.

While I may be on the older side, I'm nowhere near retirement age. But I do want to enjoy my life before all my good years are gone.

"We're here, Mr. Knight," the driver's voice jolts me upright. I blink, looking out the car window and up at the Royal Heights Hotel and Resort. It's the only place I'll stay when I'm in town. I have my own penthouse suite, giving me all the space I need.

"Thank you, Jeremy." I clear my throat. "Sorry about that, I must have fallen asleep."

"You put in long hours. Take it easy and enjoy your time off." He smiles at me in the rearview mirror.

"I always do." I chuckle.

He gets out and opens the door for me, but when he goes to grab my bags, I wrap my hand around the handle. He chuckles and shakes his head. I'm a big boy, I can get my own bags, and he knows it. But it never stops him from trying, and I appreciate that. "Goodbye, Mr. Knight."

"Goodbye, Jeremy."

***

Once I'm settled into my room, I sit in the big leather chair and scroll through social media. I only have the account so that I can follow Tasha. I smile when I see she posted a new photo. She seems so happy. I'm glad. I've always worried that there was something missing in her life.

Tasha's mother, Nia and I, had her when we were both young. We were childhood friends turned high school lovers. Having children was never the plan, but things happen and Tasha was born. Nia never wanted to be a mother. She said children were nothing but an obstacle in the way of her goals.

Part of me understood. Nia didn't come from the same kind of money that I did. She always had to work harder to get to where she was, eventually becoming one of the best ballerinas in the world.

A baby would have put her plans on hold. She showed up at my parents' house with our two-week-old baby girl, handed her over to me, and I haven't seen her since.

At least, not in person. I've seen her on the news. She made her dream a reality.

But at what cost? Tasha is my whole world. I could never imagine giving her up for anything.

If Nia had stayed, I would have worked with her to make sure she was able to have her dream too. Unfortunately, I don't think that would have even mattered. She was dead set on not being a mother.

Me? I loved kids. Always wanted to have a good career, a loving wife, and a handful of kids.

But that ship has set sail for me. Now, I would just settle for falling in love.

I continue to scroll through the news feed but stop when I see a familiar face. "Ava." Her name is barely a whisper on my lips.

Ava Winters. My daughter's best friend. In this photo, she's with Tasha, and it looks like they're drinking at a bar. Both with big, carefree grins on their faces.

I bite my cheek, my thumb hovering over the link to her profile. I don't follow Ava. Too much of a temptation.

But the longer I stare at her, the more I feel my resolve start to crack. She's stunning with her icy blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and pouty pink lips. I've imagined what they would look like wrapped around my cock far too many times to be appropriate.

She's twenty-two, my daughter's best friend, and a girl I've known since she was a child. She was always a sweet girl, a good friend to my Tasha, and one of the family.

I'm not sure when I stopped seeing her as a girl, but if I had to guess, I think it was the night of her twentieth birthday.

I was in town on business and had asked Tasha if she wanted to do something. She told me she was going out to supper with Ava and invited me along. Later I found out the dinner was for Ava's birthday. I didn't even know it was her birthday. So I ran out, got her a gift before I showed up at the restaurant because it would be rude to show up empty-handed.

I was led to the table, and as they came into view, my eyes landed on Ava. From that moment on, I was a goner.

She was in a deep red dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her blonde hair was styled down in long waves. Everything about her was all woman.

The whole night, I was captivated. From the way her nose scrunched up when she laughed to the way her smile curved her lips so sweetly.

I could have stayed there for hours listening to her musical voice.

When I got back to my hotel room that night, I spent far too long with my cock in my hand and her face on my mind. I came with her name on my lips, and afterwards, I felt like the biggest creep.

After that, whenever I was in town, I requested it be just Tasha and me. I told her I wanted it to be our father-daughter time. And while that's very much true, I knew that if I saw Ava, my mind would go to that dangerous place.

This time, when I told Tasha I was coming to town, she mentioned Ava's been working like crazy and that she was worried about her, so I encouraged her to invite Ava out with us. Tasha was so excited, I couldn't feel guilty. It's been two years. I'm sure I can handle a dinner with them like a mature adult.

So then, why do I click on her link, letting it bring me to her profile, and spend the next half hour stalking her online presence.

I spend my time looking over every inch of her page, one photo after the other. When I get to the ones where she's at the beach, she's in nothing but a string bikini, making my cock stiffen in my pants.

"Fucking hell," I groan, forcing myself to stop, knowing I'm going to become obsessed if I don't.

It's funny that I'm pretending like I'm not already obsessed as it is. When I exit out of the app, I press on my contacts, bringing up Madame Millie's and clicking on it.

My hand falls to my cock, giving it a stiff squeeze to relieve some of the pressure. "Hello, Roman. It's been a while," her sultry voice rings through the phone.

"Hello, Madame Millie." I chuckle.

"So, to what do I owe this pleasure? Your usual?"

"Yes. But this time, I would like a different girl, although with the same requirements." As lovely as Rachel was the last time I was in town, she was far too meek for my needs.

My life feels like it's one big roller coaster, for the most part. So, when it comes to sex, I like to be in control, to have a partner who trusts me with their body. I like it a little rough, and I love it when they give me the power.

"So a young, blonde, tiny little thing, blue eyes, and pouty pink lips?" she asks. Yes, I know... she described Ava to a tee. I'm sick, okay? Whenever I'm in town, I order call girls who look just like her. It's the only way I can get off now. It's like the moment I came to the thought of her, it's all my dick ever wants.

I don't have enough time to date or even to find casual hook-ups. That leaves me with a lot of lonely nights with only my hand, calling out Ava's name every time I cum.

"Yes." I shift in my seat, my cock pressing against my dress pants painfully.

"Well, you're in luck. I have a new girl who just started tonight. I think you would be the perfect person to break her in."

My brows jump. "New? I don't know about that, Millie. You know my preferences."

"She fits your requirements to a tee, as well as you fit hers. I promise, you are not going to be disappointed. If she's not to your liking, you can always send her home."

I chew on my lip, wondering if this is a good idea. I let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. Send her over."

"Wonderful. You have yourself a great night. She will be at your hotel room at ten p.m. sharp."

"Thank you, Madame Millie." I hang up the phone and lean back in my seat. I trust Millie. She runs a respectable business. I wouldn't hire from any other escort service. I've been hiring girls from Million Dollar Babes for years now, and she's never steered me wrong.

Placing my phone on the table, I go over to the bar and make myself a drink. Checking the time on my watch, I see that it's only eight.

"Fuck," I groan, looking down at my cock, still hard and aching to be let free. But I don't want to jerk off. I'd rather wait and enjoy the night fully.

Pouring myself a shot of brandy, I down it and call room service.

I spent the next two hours eating, drinking, and somehow found my way onto Ava's TikTok page.

I feel like a fucking stalker as I scroll through all her videos; some of her doing cute little dances, others are of her just talking. Those are the ones I watch on repeat.

I hardly even know the woman anymore, and here I am, completely obsessed. No matter how much I try to get her out of my head, I can't.

But it's just a crush, a fantasy. There's no harm if I'm not doing anything about it, right?

There's a knock at the door, and I toss my phone as if I was caught doing something wrong. "Feels like it," I mutter. The girl is twenty-two. The same age as my daughter.

I look down at my watch and curse. It's ten already? Fuck.

Standing, I smooth out my dress shirt and roll up the sleeves before patting down my pants. I sigh heavily when I see the bulge in my pants.

I guess I can't be embarrassed about it, seeing as my guest is getting paid to have sex with me.

Putting Ava in the back of my mind, for now, I remind myself why I do this. I'm going to have a good night with great sex. I'm sure whoever Millie sent me will be a good time.

I walk across the room over to the door and wait a beat before opening it.

It takes a second for my brain to catch up with my eyes. I blink slowly a few times, sure that I must be seeing things. This girl could almost pass as Ava's twin. She's looking at the ground, though her head slowly rises as she takes me in.

But when this girl lifts her eyes to meet mine, I recognize them. Bright blue eyes and pink pouty lips. It's her. There's no doubt in my mind. I'd recognize her anywhere.

My lips part in surprise. "Ava." Only the way her name comes out doesn't give that away. No, I say her name deep, low, and husky, like a man looking at his woman.

Her beautiful eyes widen, and her lips parted in surprise. "Roman?" she gasps my name like she can't believe her eyes. By the way she bites her lower lip, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink, she doesn't seem upset that it's me standing here.

More specifically, that it's me who is paying to have sex with her tonight.

Holy shit. Ava is an escort. The idea sends a jealous rage through me that I don't expect.

There are two things I could do right now. I could send her back to Millie, but then Millie would just assign her to another client. And the idea of another man touching my sweet Ava has my fists clenching, my jaw tightening.

Or I can take this as a sign from the universe to use this night to live out as many of the fantasies I've had about Ava over the past two years—to make them a reality.

No, I won't be sending her away. She won't be sleeping with another man, at least not tonight.

But I do need to find out why she's taken a job like this. Is it for the money, or is it something she just likes to do?

So, I clear my throat and step to the side, allowing her room to enter while I say, "Come in, Ava. Let's talk."