My biggest drive for a better opportunity stemmed from the fact that I shared an apartment with two people. It was very inconveniencing and I was tired of not having enough privacy.
Jed did not call me. I was disappointed but not the least surprised because it had happened before. Guys have taken my number before and never called. There was nothing I could do about it. I found it ridiculous, like, why take a number of someone you don’t intend to call.
The Mason incident was almost leaving my mind when Jenny called and asked me to report to her office. Jenny ran a club as well, and conducted her side business there.
“I have great news for you,” she said excitedly while I took a seat.
“What is it?
“Mason Steele wants you to perform at his house again. On Saturday.”
My heart leapt at the mention of his name. I thought I would feel angry but I didn’t. Deep inside there was a part of me that wanted to see the man again.
But my brain was wary. “Alone?”
She smiled. “Yes. I don’t know what is going on between you two but it’s good for business. Signing you was the best decision I ever made this year. Although it took a lot of time and money to get rid of that stage fright, it was worth it. You, my dear are my lucky charm.”
Typical. She cared more about profits than my wellbeing.
“You are excited about sending me to the lion’s den. You said it yourself, he is dangerous. I can’t go there by myself”
“Oh come on, that’s just silly gossip. No one has any proof that he is a murderous drug lord. It’s probably his enemies that started the rumors. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“How many people will I be performing for?” I asked.
Jenny looked at me like she didn’t expect the question. She kept quiet for a while before smiling. “About ten. There will be some women around so no need to worry so much.”
I sighed. After running it through my mind, I decided to milk the idea for all it was worth. “It’s going to be a higher percentage since I’m going alone and basically putting my life on the line.”
Jenny rolled her eyes. “Okay, whatever. More 5 percent.”
“Cool,” I said. Maybe I needed more of those lone gigs to boost my savings. The more I earned and worked, my chances of moving out of that crowded apartment increased.
After getting more details on the gig, I went to a fast food restaurant and picked up some food before heading home. Maria and Bea were painting their nails in the balcony. I shared my good news with them.
“Seriously April, this is not the kind of news you share in such a place,” Maria remarked after congratulating me. “I could push you over the railings out of jealousy.”
Bea and I laughed.
“I better get back in then before you both murder me.”
“Seriously though. You’re so lucky. We have been singing longer than you, and now you caught the eye of the hottest man in this city. Other rich people will notice and start inviting you too. I hope you don’t forget about us, your lowly friends.”
I laughed. “Come. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Wait till Kara hears of it. She’s gonna be mad.”
“Right. I’m going to rest now, and think of what I’ll be singing for these people.”
“Good luck.”
“Break a leg.”
Ever since I joined Wolfies, I had never sang alone. I knew that this is going to cause some friction. Jenny might even be accused of favoritism by my colleagues. Deep inside, I felt that things were about to change. What Mason was doing was going to bring problems, but I hoped they would not split us apart.
I decided that I’d make sure to ask him why he wanted me to sing alone, although the performances with my bandmates are so much better.
Three days later, it was Saturday morning. Everyone had heard of my solo, and as expected they were not very happy for me especially Kara. My roommates were the only ones who had supportive things to say, the rest not so much. However, I did not care. It was not my fault that Mason chose to invite me. I wonder if it was because I knocked him over or he actually liked the voice he had called ‘bearable’.
I had decided to go and do my final practice at the club because of convenience. After showering and dressing up, I grabbed a cross bag and headed out of the room. I locked my room and crossed the living room. It was silent as Bea and Maria were still sleeping.
The apartment building was quite silent. Humming, I headed to the stairs. As I was about to reach, I saw someone coming up. From the shape, I guessed the person was a man. He was wearing a black hoodie and looking down. I figured it was someone returning from a late night out.
As I was about to pass by him, he pushed me and I screamed before losing my balance and falling down the stairs. The person quickly ran down the stairs and dashed out of the building.
I looked up to see someone standing at the top of the stairs before my world morphed into darkness.
I regained consciousness sometime later. Looking around, I realized I was in a hospital room.
“You’re awake.”
I turned and saw Maria seated on a chair with a book in hand.
“Hey. Did they catch the person who pushed me down?”
“Mrs. Cross said she saw a man running out but it was too late for her to do anything. Did he push you?”
“Yes. Wait, what’s the time?”
“4.30 p.m.”
“I’m supposed to be at Mason’s at five.”
“Well you can’t go anywhere in your condition until the doctor says so.”
“I need the money.”
“I’m sure Jenny already cancelled the gig or sent someone else.”
“By someone you mean Kara? You know what, this has her name written all over. I think she planned it. What I don’t understand is how she knew I would leave in the morning, though.”
“Maybe it was just some drunk guy.”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m sure someone hired that dude. If he was really drunk, how did he know that he had to run? That person knew exactly what they were doing.”
“You don’t need that stress now. The doctors think you had a concussion. You’re lucky you didn’t die. Those stairs are high.”
“I can’t believe I almost died. I haven’t done anything remarkable in life.”
“But you’re on the way up, unlike some of us who have no hope. We’re stuck being backup singers and dancers. Life is so unfair.”
“I’m going to call my mother.”
My mother and I had not talked in almost a year. She was the reason I left home and moved all the way to Miami. After my father’s demise, she married Bert, a fat annoying and lazy man. I could have coped up with everything for the sake of her happiness but Bert was a pervert who tried to touch me whenever my mother was not around.
When I told mother, she refused to believe me. She took his side, and I knew living in that house was not safe for me because Bert could decide to do more than inappropriate touches one day. I wasn’t going to wait for it to happen so I left with the few savings I had.
I had roamed around, looking for gigs for a while until I met Maria at a soup kitchen. She heard me singing for the kids then referred me to Jenny who hired me almost immediately for a smaller pay compared to the others, of course. One of the girls had left a week before so I took her place. Back then Kara was the queen bee.
I felt guilty because I was having more opportunities than Maria who had helped me. If she felt any jealousy, it was justified. I would have felt jealous too if I were her.
I dialed the number, and waited.
“Hello,” I heard my mother’s cold voice.
I wanted to speak but I couldn’t. The words didn’t come out. Instead, I felt pain and a lump in my throat as I remembered that she made her choice. She chose him.
Removing the phone from my ear, I ended the call and turned it off.
I was not ready.
Two days later, I was discharged from the hospital. All my mates had visited except Kara. When Jenny found out I was incapacitated, she had called Mason and suggested to send Kara in my place, but Mason rejected the offer. On one hand, knowing that made me feel better. It meant he believed in me and wanted me to be the one to perform at his house. It increased my self-esteem. If a man like him could want to listen to me, then maybe I had a chance to become a famous singer which was my ultimate dream. On the other hand it scared me. What if Mason wanted more than just singing from me? What if he wanted to use me to satisfy his sexual desires and then toss me to the streets? Knowing the type of man he was, saying no would make him angry and drive him to destroy me. What if he enjoyed watching me like a pervert? The more I thought of it, the more I become thankful for whoever sent me hurtling down the stairs. It has caused a dip in my pockets but that is a good price to pay if it mean
Mason’s POVApril Hartfield was beautiful. The way she belted out words with her charming voice and danced around with her banging body had me all hot and bothered. I could not take my eyes away from her. As she moved closer, I felt like standing up, grabbing her and taking her right there and then. But, I swallowed and maintained my composure. Imagine my disappointment when she finished the songs and moved back, away from me. “What do you think?” she asked me when I didn’t say anything. I was too star struck. How a woman with such an angelic voice could be doing only small gigs. She deserved to be on top, on billboards, on radios, TV among other interesting places. I wanted to say excellent, but didn’t want to seem too excited. I was not yet sure what I wanted with her, and did not want her to start getting ideas too soon. So, I settled for a nonchalant response.“Good,” I said with a slight nod. “You can go now. Your payment will be sent to your boss.”Her shoulders drooped. She s
The downtown club was jam packed with patrons. The evening was young, and the air still fresh. A few people had started dancing while others were getting their first drinks and chatting with their friends. When we appeared on stage, they started cheering but soon quietened down as we start performing. I realized how much I had missed performing with the others. All was going well until I saw him.Mason was seated on the first table in the VIP lounge watching me with keen eyes. I faltered a bit after seeing him but somehow managed to get my composure back. Making a conscious effort to avoid him, I belted out words while gyrating my body to the beat. As the patrons started cheering and singing along some of the songs, my confidence increased and I drowned myself in the music forgetting about Mason and his steely eyes. As we started singing famous singing of other musicians, the crowd becomes livelier. I enjoyed myself and the attention we were getting. My favorite part about performin
What the hell, I thought as I sat up. He was the one who disappointed me but he had the guts to leave when I was asleep. I spotted a note on the stool and grab it.Had to leave for an early meeting with one of our distributors. Xo, Dave.My shoulders drooped. Getting out of bed, I stalked to the living room where I had left my bag. Opening it, I fished out my phone. It was 6:54 am. He had never had to go for meetings that early. Was he hiding or just so embarrassed about last night that he couldn’t face me. I realized I had to do something to make him feel better. Dave had great sexual prowess and I was not about to let one lousy night ruin our happiness and his confidence.Dressing up, I locked the apartment and leave, heading for mine after sending him a good morning message. Cold air bit into my skin as I stepped out of the building. Since I didn’t live very far away, I decided to walk. It was time for my usual morning jog, anyway.When I get to the apartment, it was quiet and I
After our performance at Mason Steele’s house, one of the servers asked me to follow her to meet a guest who had asked for me.I was shocked to find a glamorous beauty waiting near the pool. She was standing under the lights, looking spectacular in a bright red dress and black heels. The woman had long wavy black hair and a very pretty, older woman face. Her lips were painted bright red and I hoped the words that would come out were not venomous. When she saw me approaching, she smiled and took a sip of her drink. “So, you are April Hartfield?” the woman asked. Her tone sounded a bit condescending which put me off immediately.“Yes, I am.” I said, confidently staring at her.“What do you know about, Mason Steele?” she asked.“Honestly, not much. We were invited to perform here. It’s Jenny, our manager who handles everything.”“You have been here three times, I believe.”I nodded. “What does that have to do with anything?”“Everything, my dear. You see, that handsome man is not for e
After the heated dance with Mason, he excused himself and went to meet another beautiful woman who had been staring at us. Looking around, I didn’t see anyone I wanted to dance with so I decided to go and get a drink at the bar. I found Bea and Olivia standing there.“How?” Olivia asked, taking a sip of her drink.I raised my brows.“Stop acting like that was nothing, girl.” Bea said, nudging me. “You danced with Mason Steele, the Mason Steele. How are you not going crazy?”“It was just a dance,” I said before telling the bartender what I wanted. “Okay, you my friend, are the expert in pretending. It was not just a dance, and we all know that. I knew there was a reason he kept asking you to perform for him. The man is smitten. Oh my goodness! You’re dating a billionaire.”“Shush, stop being dramatic, Liv. A man like him could never date me. Look at the woman he is with now. Beautiful, glamorous, rich. I can’t even compete.”Thinking a man like Mason Steele could be interested in me w
Warning: Mature content 16+As soon as we got to the bedroom, Dave and I stripped. When we were both naked, he took me in his arms and started kissing me. My body was burning with intense need and I couldn’t wait anymore. “I need you, baby.” I said softly, not being able to take it anymore.Dave smiled and gently pushed me to the bed. He stared at me, making me feel hotter and wetter. I liked when he looked at my body like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Dave positioned himself between my legs and his lips touched my most sensitive part, nearly sending me over the edge.He pushed my thighs aside while I kept trying to bring them closer. As Dave licked me in slow circles, I arched my core upwards wanting him to go faster which he did to my satisfaction. The butterflies in my stomach were sending off waves of electric current through my whole body. As much as I was enjoying what Dave was doing, I needed another part of his body to bury itself deep inside me. When I w
There was a lot of commotion as everyone ran out of the auditorium. The fire alarm was ringing loud in my ears as I scrambled to run towards the door which was filled with hundreds of people trying to get out all at once.“Where is Bea?” Maria suddenly asked.I looked around but didn’t see Bea anywhere. Smoke was increasing and filling the building. “Find her, April!” Jenny shrieked. My mouth widened but I ran back to the room backstage. Wading through the smoke, I couldn’t help but cough as it filled my lungs. I didn’t know where the fire started from but there was a smoke everywhere and people were screaming and running around.The room was full of costumes and other equipment. It was one big mess. Bea was bent over, digging through some of the costumes and throwing things around the room.“Bea! Let’s go!” I yelled. “Come on, everyone’s almost out.”Bea looked up for a brief second. “I’m looking for my bag. It has my 500 dollars!”“What? Who cares about money right now? Let’s go.”
Mason’s POVA continuous beeping sound woke me up. Opening my eyes, I squinted at the brilliant white ceiling before closing them again. Whoever thought it was a good idea to use such a bright color for a hospital room must have been mad.I could tell I was in the hospital by the smell and beeping machine with a cord attached to my hand. After blinking several times to help my eyes get acquainted with the light, I opened them fully. I was alone, thankfully. I looked at the blue bed sheet covering my body and pushed part of it off.Memories of my last minutes of consciousness flooded my mind, reminding me of the problem at hand. Hannah was still missing. I pressed the sound button by the bed to get someone in the room. I needed to get out of there.Almost immediately, the door opened and Carolina walked in. I frowned. Was she the one taking care of me? I was definitely not happy to see her.“Finally,” she said, coming to the bed and kissing me on the forehead. “You’re awake. Was almost
April's POVImages, video footage and text swirled over the screen intermittently as a female reporter's voice spoke in the background. I backed off to the nearest chair, letting my body collapse on it. With wide eyes, I continued to stare at the screen, which had now switched to the station’s studio and listened to the news reader as he spoke about the shooting that had left Mason Steele in hospital fighting for his life.Despite knowing it was futile, I dialled his number and held the phone to my ear. No one answered just as I expected. I had been trying his number in vain for hours. Quickly getting up, I grabbed my purse from the table and walked out of the apartment.Chilly midnight air greeted me when I left the building and drove the car I'd parked outside. I drove like a mad woman, in the bid to reach my destination as fast as possible.My heart relaxed as the hospital came into view. After parking the car, I stalked to the building. A team of paparazzi hounded me but I refuse
Mason’s POV“You have to do everything possible to find her,” my aunt Eleanor said, clutching my hands over the table. Her grip was tight and her knuckles were extremely pale. I wondered what was wrong with her. She seemed so scared, even more scared than I was, and yet I was sure she didn't love Hannah that much. For the most part, they didn't get along very well.“I’m trying, aunt Eleanor. You know I will do everything possible to find her.”“You need to find her before anything happens.”“What are you scared of aunt Eleanor?” I asked. She quickly withdrew her hand and jumped in her seat. Her unexpected reaction was starting to make me feel suspicious. “What kind of question is that? Hannah is my dear niece. We might not get along all the time but I don't want to see her die.” “She will not die,” I said. “Please leave now. I have some work to do. I’ll call you in case of anything.”I felt more relieved after she left. Settling down, I started to do some paperwork. The cops had p
April's POV“It’s her,” I said thirty minutes later. We were in a private jet on our way to Miami. “It has to be.”Mason turned and gave me a confused look, his brows furrowing. “What are you talking about?” He asked.“Carolina Mendoza,” I replied. “I think she’s the one who has kidnapped your sister.”Mason’s eyes narrowed. He didn't seem convinced. He had probably never considered it, given that Carolina was a good friend of his. “Why would she do something like that?”“Because she wants to separate us.”“I know Carolina likes me but I don't think she would do something like that just to get rid of you. She’s quite stubborn but not immature enough to play high school games.”“You clearly don't know her well enough. You have no idea about all the things she has done to me in order to keep us apart.”“You never tell me anything. What did she do?”I studied his face, looking for signs that he would believe me. “She-”The door to the cockpit suddenly opened and the young copilot steppe
Two hours later, Mason and I were riding down a smooth footpath. Having never been on a horse before, the experience was quite daunting at first. Mason seemed like a reckless schoolboy ready for adventure when he climbed on a black stallion without fear. Meanwhile, I'd settled for a little brown mare that seemed almost as timid as I was when the stable boy helped me settle on it.Although I was very scared at first, Mason’s confidence soon gave me the energetic boldness I needed. Within a few minutes, I was racing him down the hilly path.Trading words every now and then, we found ourselves in a small artificial forest that we had been briefed about. It was a beautiful forest with many beautiful trees, well kept bushes, painted stones and manicured picnic lawns.“I wish we hadn't eaten,” I said, staring wistfully at one of the picnic areas. “Would have loved to have my lunch over here.”Mason smiled as he studied the area. “Certainly looks very nice,” he commented. “We need to get of
April.The single’s event was held in the resort’s conference hall. When I went in, a middle aged woman was giving a speech about how to interact with new people. Soon, she wrapped up.“We’re going to start with a game called lock and key,” she said. “For this game, men will be given a lock and women will receive a key. We’ll have enough time to mingle with each other. After speaking to a person, you’ll try the lock to see if it opens. If not, proceed to another person and try again. It will be a fun game. You all need to stand and let our employees move the chairs to the back of the room so that we can use the space for the game.”People stood up and started moving around, leaving the chairs. Suddenly, there was considerable silence. I turned to follow everyone’s gaze, then I realized why they had frozen.Mason Steele was walking into the room. He wore a dark blue suit and had his dark hair combed to the side. The tall and handsome man exuded sophistication and confidence which had a
April.If I had to do one more interview with Nicky Jones pretending to be deeply in love with him, I’d go mad. After a long day of interviews, fake smiles and kisses, I impulsively packed up a few things in a suitcase and left Miami. I switched off my phone to avoid calls from Nicky and Kylie who couldn’t get enough of the fake romance. I was done. I didn’t care about the consequences anymore. Faking it was not in me.When I arrived in the peaceful small town called Flowood, I booked a room in a midrange resort. I had the most peaceful night I’d had in a while. No one seemed to know me, or they didn’t care. I choose a quiet place in the bar and enjoyed a few drinks before going to sleep.As I had breakfast in the morning, I was given a flyer by one of the staff. It was for a single’s event, a matchmaking affair. I didn’t plan on attending anything that put me in close vicinity with other people. The town might have been in the middle of nowhere, but there was possibility of one of th
Mason.I woke up in an unfamiliar place. I could tell even before I opened my eyes. When I opened them, the confusion turned into horror as I saw Carolina lying next to me peacefully. Seeing that we were both stark naked, I figured we must have had sex. Although Carolina was a very beautiful woman, I didn’t want any of that to happen.I turned to lie and my back and stared at the ceiling, trying to recall the events of the previous night. How on earth did I end up in Carolina Mendoza’s bed? I remembered her invite and having fun at her game party. When everyone was gone, she poured me a drink and a few minutes later, I lost conscious.“Fvck!” I cursed loudly. And then I turned to look at the woman beside me. She looked so peaceful, and yet she was a conniving b*tch. I was sober when my cousin left, so how did half a glass of whisky make me drunk. Realisation dawned on me. Carolina had put something in my drink.I sat up. “Carolina.”She stirred in her sleep and her right hand moved to
Mason.“I can explain.”I was on a date with a beautiful nurse when I received the message from April after ignoring the calls. After reading it, I switched off my phone, feeling angry. How dare she? Did she think I was a love-struck fool who had lost his mind? She was living her best life, kissing her new boyfriend in front of cameras. I was angered by the fact that she thought I could listen to her. My days of being a simp were over. April Hartfield was not the only amazing woman in the world.I was a billionaire for fvcks sake, able to get any woman I set my eyes on. April slipping through my fingers did not mean I could not do better. There were many great women from all walks of life, and I could choose from a wide variety because of my status in society.“Are you okay?” Melanie asked, her blue eyes showing a great deal of concern.I smiled, looking into her mesmerizing eyes. She had a sweet smile to accompany them, making her easy on the eyes. Her only flow was the inability to