Chapter 1

The sunlight streaming into the room from the parted curtains on the window arose him. He squinted his eyes as he got up, combing his hair with his fingers. It had been a wild night, he'd gotten drunk but not drunk enough to not know what he'd been up to, he picked up his trousers from where he'd discarded it and wore them before pulling his shirt over his head, thankfully his Rolex wristwatch still laid on the bedside table, just as he was fixing it on his wrist, she woke up... Damn!

He couldn't recall her name, some dark-haired beauty from the club, she had approached him and he'd thought to himself how much he needed to release the tension, but he hated having them wake up to him, it was easier slinking away.

"Baby," She purred. Exactly his point!

"Hey," He said continuing with his wristwatch as his eyes darted about the room for his shoes.

"Come back to bed," She said pouting at him. He let his eyes roam over her naked body, she was good-looking, he had to admit that, but coming back to bed? On a workday? He doubted she was worth it, with barely any memory of their escapades from the night before, he couldn't say for sure so instead, he moved towards the other side of the room where his shoes laid and began to put them on.

"I have work." He said in a dry tone.

"I promise to make it worth your time, just like last night." She said giving him a knowing look that he couldn't relate to, he gave her a blank stare in return.

"You were drunk out of your mind," She said standing up in her full glory and walking up to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and let her finger trail his chest. "Let me remind you." She whispered.

Benson stared back at her with cold, uninterested eyes. "I'm good." He said.

Her face fell. "C'mon," She insisted. "You can't just leave like that. Okay, when are we meeting next? Dinner tonight?" She asked with a bright smile on her face.

He shook his head, she was making it harder than this was meant to be. It would have been better if he'd simply gone back home from the club last night, at least he won't have a naked woman hanging onto him and begging for another meeting that was never going to happen.

He placed his hand on hers gently pulling her away from him. "There would be no other meeting, do you understand that?" He asked.

Her face twisted in confusion. "What are you saying? Didn't last night mean anything to you? We had fun," She said wrapping her legs around him again. "I could show you how much more we could have."

Benson sighed, he hated shameless women, he preferred his women with a little bit of sense of self-worth but ever since he stopped giving a fuck who he spent the night with because that required a whole lot of energy and courting that he couldn't be bothered with, he was mostly stuck with women like this, the ones who approached him and clung to him without an iota of shame. He felt physically sick.

"This was just sex, I appreciate your efforts in trying to do more of that but I'm fine." He said moving away from her, she stared back at him, stunned.

Benson made his way back to the bed, picked up his phone, and headed towards the door and just as he was about to open the door, he turned to her.

"Get dressed, my assistant will be here shortly, you can give him a price then, I promise his compliance." He said and walked off shutting the door behind him.

He takes the elevator downstairs and heads to the garage, gets into his car, and drives off. Back in his building, he takes the elevator to the penthouse he owned. His strides were calm and elegant as he walked into his home, he was greeted by the peaceful ambiance of it, just as he'd always loved it.

At forty, Benson believed he was at the age where he deserved to relax and enjoy life as he'd always wanted it. It was why he lived alone and so far off from everyone else in the building, he kept to himself and simply enjoyed the bliss that came with the life he'd chosen, it was also why he never brought any of his flings home.

He was aware of the fact that he'd been described as a man whore considering his relationship with women barely ever lasted more than a night, not after that accident that is, the one in which he'd lost everything he'd ever loved, and the hopes he'd had included, it was a part of the reasons he kept himself secluded and unattached because he believes everything was temporary, and when you let yourself get attached to those things when the time to let go comes, the pain was simply unimaginable.

He slide his hand on his ringing phone as he made his way into the bedroom.

"Yes, I'm aware and I'll be there soon." He said in a curt tone to his secretary, she was informing him for the hundredth time about his meeting with the investors from abroad.

"Set up a meeting with John as soon as possible." He informed her before tossing the phone on the bed and getting into the shower.

He stared back at his reflection in the mirror as he buttoned his white inner shirt that was tucked into his suit pants. Benson Astor was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, he had the looks, fame, and money to go with it, he had been called one hell of a lucky bastard but Benson knew luck was far from it, luck had nothing to do with all he'd achieved, he'd worked hard and groveled his way into becoming who he was today, but saying all of that wasn't cute, it was easier to be who he'd been made out to be on TV and magazines.

It was ironic how his story was out there for everyone to see, anyone could read a few minutes read of his Wikipedia biography and think to themselves that they knew all there was to know about him, he'd had people judge him from what they'd read or heard, but Benson had long ago stopped caring, it was why he did what he wanted these days, drank when he felt like, clubbed where he felt like and most of all, fucked whom he felt like... Life had been much easier that way.

He'd turned to drink after his whole life had come to chaos a few years ago, but everyone else thought yet again he'd been one lucky bastard to have survived the accident, still, he was glad no one else knew because one thing he hated was being pitied, now being feared, envied, worshipped, that was something he loved and would forever enjoy the feeling that came with those.

He picked up his suit jacket and headed towards the main door, shutting the lights as he went, his housekeeper was sue to come later in the day, he had her come three times a week even though his mother had insisted he gets a live-in one.

Benson pulled the door and just as he was about to step out, his eyes settled on the bundle that lay in front of him, on the bare floor. His eyes darted around but no one else was here, who would've dropped this, it wasn't an apartment number mix-up, he was the only one on this floor.

Shock coursed through his body when a loud shrill came from the bundle, holy fuck, it was a kid! His eyes widened just as he bent down and picked up the paper sticking out, trying his best not to touch the child, he tore open the card and in scrawny, hasty handwriting, he read;

Take care of her.

Benson looked around him before letting the letter slide from his hand to the floor.

"What the fuck!" He whispered to himself.