Chapter 3 I Want a Friend.

_Meghan

I lay awake on the couch. The fatigue I felt earlier when I left the club had magically vanished. After counting my tips for the night I was over the moon, I knew if I worked hard for the coming nights, I could have my place in a month.

Then came Neon with his outrageous offer. To be his eye candy or hostess. The job sounded easy enough. If I took the deal, with the money he was offering, I could have my place the following day.

It almost sounded too good to be true. What was in it for him? Who in their right mind hired a stripper for one night and paid them a lump sum for smiling and clicking champaign glasses? No one.

My phone beeped, it was a message.

'When are you coming to fetch your rags from my place?'

Ben.

Now I needed to find my place. I couldn't bring my stuff into Alicia's small apartment.

I took my phone and dialed Neon's number.

He answered on the second ring.

"I will take the job," I said into the phone.

"Should I send someone to come and fetch you?" his voice was raspy, did I wake him from sleep?

"No, il take a taxi."

"Ok. Il send you the address, see you at seven sharp." The line went dead.

If there had been any hope of sleep for me tonight, after calling Neon and hearing his sleepy voice, it was gone. I sat on the couch wide awake and alert, damn his sexy voice, I could listen to him all night rambling on and on about nothing.

The following morning. My body was heavy from lack of sleep. I showered and washed my hair. I wanted to do some shopping for tonight.

I was being paid a lot of money for me not to look the part. The look I was going for was simple but elegant. I didn't feel guilty about spending my tips money because one night working as a hostess was going to cover all my losses plus extra.

***

Later that afternoon, I was happy with my reflection in the mirror. The highlights on my hair gave my face a youthful glow. Hopefully Neon would be satisfied with his hostess for the night. I called a taxi and gave the driver Neon's address.

The taxi arrived just after six pm. I wanted to familiarize myself with the place before his clients arrived. One thing I didn't want from this meeting was to turn myself into a nuisance and embarrass Neon. Plus I had already blown last night's earnings fixing my hair and nails.

I pressed the intercom from the main gate and a male voice came on.

"Hello, how can I help you?" He asked curtly.

"My name is Meghan, I'm here to see Mr…Neon." my cheeks flushed when I realized I didn't remember Neon's surname, I'm sure it was in The business card he gave me. I was already showing signs of incompetence.

Ding.

The gate opened and I took the short distance to the main entrance. Maybe I should have agreed to be fetched from my place. My shoes were not made for walking outside on the gravel road.

Good thing I was early, I could sit a while before the guests arrived.

Before I could take my first step up, a slim figure dressed in uniform opened the big front and stood at the door, smiling.

"Good evening Miss. Mr. Petrov is expecting you."

He spoke very posh English. I strengthened my back and stood in front of him.

Petrov, so that was his last name was, Petrov.

"Thank you." I followed the man as he led me deeper into the house. He gestured into a comfortable-looking sitting area.

"Mr. Petrov will be you shortly, can I get you anything to drink while you wait?" He smiled at me.

"Water will be fine, thanks." I shifted in my seat.

"Still or sparkling?" He looked at me expectedly.

Good gosh. I swallowed, embarrassed.

"Still, thanks." He nodded and left. What was I doing here if Neon already had someone waiting on his back and call?

When the door opened again, Neon came in, looking stylish in a Navy three-piece suit. His only accessory was the vintage watch he wore on his wrist.

He looked handsome this evening. Or was it because he was in his environment, hence he was more confident?

"You're early." He said, walking across the room to where I was sitting.

"Yes, wanted to get a better idea of the place before your clients arrived." I stood as he approached, not sure what was appropriate.

His eyes met mine and for the first time, I notice he had that ‘Joie de Vivre' twinkle in his eyes. I must have been very tired last night not to notice his eyes.

He took my hand and his and we sat. I looked at him more closely. He was handsome in a classical fashion, with a strong jawline and a lean muscular physique, He looked like a man used to authority.

I wouldn't be surprised if Neon Petrov commanded attention in any room he stepped into.

"I like that. I hope you won't be missed much at the club." He didn't look too sad about that.

"I called in sick," I confessed.

"I see." he grinned.

The slim man came back with my water. Then nodded to Neon and walked out.

"I see you have met Simon." He gestured towards the door.

"Yes." Not paying attention to him. "What time are your clients arriving, shouldn't I be preparing for them?" I wiped the palms of my hand against my dress and looked around.

"It's only one client." When I looked at him, he was leaning back on the couch and looking at me, with his brows furrowed.

"Oh. What time is he arriving?" I avoided his eyes, I wasn't going to play this game with myself. He was too handsome, he should have on his forehead that says, 'lethal.'

"You will find that he is already here." He responded in a calm and collected demeanor.

I was puzzled. If the important client was already here, then why was Neon sitting with me like he had no care in the world?

"Il take you to the dining area, where we will be dining tonight." He suddenly snapped out of his daze and sprung to his feet.

When he stood up, he reached his full height, which to say the least, intimidated me a little, and he walked to open the double door that I had not paid attention to since coming into the sitting area.

The doors opened to a dining area, a table was already set for two in the middle of the room. The lights were turned low, and I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust my eyes to the dimly lit room.

I walked around the table, looking at the arrangements, beautiful. Neon pulled a chair for me to sit on.

"Where is your client, you said he was here already." I looked at the chair he had pulled out for me.

"Yes, I will be your client tonight." He said calmly and pulled out his chair.

I tried to swallow, I had been duped. Shock flashed through me like lightning, leaving behind a ripple effect throughout my body. As soon as my body got used to the shock, it was soon replaced by something else...rage, disappointment, or regret. I couldn't put my finger on it.

"You told me I was here for a job, not to sit and dine with you," I said standing up. For the first time gaining the advantage of looking down at him.

"I know. I think I also mentioned that you will receive training first." He gestured for me to take a sit.

Oh yes, training. I had forgotten about that. My anger deflated like a balloon. I rubbed my temples for lack of anything to do, to hide my embarrassment.

"But I called in sick at work. I won't get paid for tonight." I was eating a humble pie as I took the seat again.

"You will get paid for tonight. Consider it your day off from the club." He said quietly.

"Thank you." He was being generous. Maybe it was time I checked which side my bread was being battered.

"You welcome." He was smug.

"You don't even know me. You saw me last night dancing, how do you even know I will be able to chat without spilling my drink?" I pitched the inside of my palms.

"What I saw was enough for me-"

Simon came in then, wheeling our food tray. When he opened the plate. Even I had to admit. Money didn't buy everything but it did buy a good dining experience.

After finishing our first course, Neon stood up and extended his hand.

"Come, I have people I need you to meet."

I took his hand and we walked back, past the sitting area and up the upstairs, after walking for some time in the hallway on the second floor, we stood outside a bedroom door. He knocked, then my heart started drumming in my chest.

When the door swung open, a middle age woman with a French accent appeared. Her hair was snow white, she looked like she had just stepped out of the French catalog.

"Madam G will take care of you. Il be back to check up on you." He must have seen the horror on my face before he added.

"She's here for you to try on some dresses for when entertaining clients at your new job." He smiled gently and could almost die just looking at his smiling face.

"Oh." I walked into the room, Madam G spoke very bad English but her assistant sounded better. They stripped me naked and started taking out exquisite dresses after another for me to try on.

The quality of the clothes was not what I was used to. My new dress looked like a secondhand rag compared to the new arrivals. I must have fitted about twenty dresses, that Madam G approved of, she put them in a pile on the bed.

She made me wear a silver gown with a low neck, the soft material felt wonderful on my skin. The only downside to it, it fitted like a glove. For someone with an hourglass figure. It looked too sexy for the job I would be performing.

There was a soft knock at the door. Madan G opened the door with the biggest smile I had seen since I walked into the room, she was pleased with how her dresses looked on me.

When Neon walked in. The two women left the room. Neon stood behind me and looked at me in the mirror.

"What do you think?" I smoothed the dress of invincible wrinkles.

"I don't think…" He touched the dress at the back. Feeling the material through his fingers, and running his fingers through up and down the curves of the dress.

When his fingers came in contact with my skin, I felt all my juices pooling into one spot.

Our eyes locked in the mirror, I knew that look. I had seen it before, on so many men at the club. It was raw lust. He loosed his tie, suddenly finding the room too hot. Man.

"Too sexy for the job, right?" My voice was low.

"No. It's perfect." His eyes were misty, and he never shifted his gaze to the mirror.

"So..uhm" He cleared his throat. "These will be your clothes for when you work here at the house." He said, his eyes now on my back.

"I'm not paying for these, I have enough clothes."

"Your employer will pay for them, Meghan. consider them a part of your uniform." I turned around to look at him, he looked pained as if having a hard time breathing.

Oh. Where was I going to put all these clothes? "I think that might be a problem."

"What. You don't like them?" He asked quickly.

"I do. But I don't know where I will put them. I stay on my friend's couch and don't exactly have a closet for now." The last thing I wanted was for my future boss to know about my living arrangements but there was no place in hell I was going to be carrying these designer dresses back to where I was staying.

He looked at me suspiciously before his mask slipped back on.

"Ok. You can use one of the rooms here at the house, put all your stuff in, and you can change it before clients come. That way you will have a place to sleep if it gets too late to drive home."

I nodded.

"I have another proposal for you." He let go of the dress and put his hands in his pockets.

I looked up at him.

"I would like you to move in. You will have your own space, I don't use the house much, I have a penthouse that I use. You will have servants and security at your disposal. I only ask that you be available when I need you" He said in a business tone.

"Just because I'm still looking for a place, doesn't mean I'm up for grabs." I didn't care if he had a castle, rich men were problematic.

"I know that, but I need a friend, for talking to and for company." His business demeanor was gone and he was looking at my eyes again like I was the light that shone in his darkness.

"Aren't you supposed to be looking for a shrink for that?" I sighed.

"No. I want a real friend, not someone to psychoanalyze every word I say." He explained.

I swallowed air. If I moved in. It would mean saving on rent and earning from home, but then it would be like starting the Ben saga all over again. Letting a man take care of me. If there was anything I learned, man did not pay such a ridiculous amount of money for a friendly chat, didn't Ben show me that already?

"From what I can see, you seem to have everything or at least more than most people have, then why aren't you content being alone?"

"Is that what you want Meghan? To live alone for the rest of your life." His brows were high up.

"Of course not." god knew that was not my calling to live the rest of my life alone.

"Neither do I." He said, and touched both of my shoulders.

I knew I was reading too much into whatever this was. But whatever it was. The lines were getting blurry quickly.