Chapter 5: Ayden.

"You're ready to agree to my terms I take it?"

The young girl keeps her eyes on the floor and nods.

It's barely been a day since I went to ask her personally for this and yet I was met with a refusal. She asked me to give her some more time to think about it, and I expected that she would want me to come back to her school and ask her again.

There's a limit to the things I'll do to get what I want, but I was prepared to go after her twice just to make her agree.

Now she's here, of her own volition, standing outside my gate, under the pouring rain, and looking as downcast as a cat.

"Do you want to come inside?"

She shakes her head and sniffles.

"It's three in the morning. There are paparazzi around your house every minute of the day. If we're lucky they're all asleep by now. If we are not..........."

She trails off and I hear another sniffle before she clears her throat again.

"I don't want to be the center of gossip at school."

I can almost taste the despair in her words but I ignore it.

"You'll automatically be the center of everything if you accept this offer. If you're scared of it now then there's no use accepting it."

The water from the skies hits the floor around us like bullets from a battle. I have an umbrella over my head and I am standing on the other side of my gate. I had a woman in my bed too, we barely got past the second round before this young girl called. If it was anyone else I would have ignored it, but she's an important part of my plans now.

Important things should be treated importantly. 

"I have a son, Xavier Bravlov. He's my only child and much like you in a way. He's the reason I'm offering you this job so think well now. You're going to be in contact with me and my son a lot of the time, are you sure not being the center of attention should be at the top of your list right now?"

She shakes her head obediently and she sighs.

"I still can't come inside."

"Not even for me to explain exactly what you're getting yourself into by agreeing to this?"

She shakes her head.

"Not even for that, I'll be bad company. I just came to inform you of my decision Mr. Ayden. I'll be taking my leave now."

She does not look up while she speaks to me and I feel we'll have to change that. There's a limit to how much I'll tolerate and one of the reasons I picked her is because of her bravery. She might not remember me, but I remember her.

"Safe journey then Janette, and please, call me Ayden."

She nods again and I can tell she's crying. 

"If you need somewhere to freshen up before going to school, my gates are wide open."

She nods and begins walking, her skirt trailing behind her and her baggy shirt clinging to every nook and cranny of her skin now.

She's....... something, and hopefully, she's enough to help me get what I want.

"Should I follow her Alpha?"

I shake my head at the man in the shadows. Axel has been my right-hand man for a long time now, he'll follow her if I want him to, but I have a suspicion.

"She has nowhere to go. If she can survive till morning then I'll be more relaxed about her."

Axel nods and slinks back off into the shadows. I turn and go back in.

Xavier's silver eyes meet mine the moment I do but he doesn't act as if he feels me. His hands are bandaged and he's washing his face, soiling the bandages in the process and causing himself more pain too.

The minute he's done, he walks back up the stairs to his room and I walk back up to mine too. Miranda is still in my bed and when I come in she stands up. She's bare, with full breasts and the kind of shape any man will appreciate. Her hair is deep red, the color of blood and I feel desire flare up in me again at the sight of it.

"Can we pick up where we left off Alpha?"

I look at the time and shake my head. 

"That'll be all for today. I'm sure you can show yourself out."

She stands up, gives a small bow, and leaves with a swish of her hips. Each move is overly sensual and enticing, almost making me want to call her back.

I go to bed with the scent of sex enveloping me and it makes waking up a whole lot harder.

Axel's presence in the room brings me out of my sleep and as I open my eyes, he nods subtly.

She's here.

I check the clock at the far end of the room and as expected, she's not a minute late.

"Bring her in, show her to one of the guest rooms, and arrange something for her to wear. Today is a school day so make it something simple."

Axel nods and turns, but stops and turns back to me.

"Is she to see Xavier while she's here? They might bump into each other."

I groan because I know I am yet to inform my son about any of this.

"If they do meet there's nothing to fear. Just get her ready in the next ten to twelve minutes. The earlier the better."

Axel nods and walks out of the room. I sit up on the bed and run a hand through my hair.

This is the best option for him, for all of us.

I go into the bathroom, freshen up and slip into some black pants and a shirt. When I get down, Janette is waiting for me.

I nod to her and she nods back, eyes still on the floor. I can smell anxiety from her so when we get to the car, I motion for Axel to give us a few minutes alone.

When I get into the car, Janette is already seated and I take a look at what she's dressed in. Jeans and a simple deep pink shirt. Her hair has been swept back and tied behind her hair with a  band. She looks cute in a strange way, the only thing that's missing is a bag and her glasses. 

"You don't need your glasses, I'm guessing?"

She shakes her head. 

"No Mr. Bravlov, I mean Ayden. I'm fine like this."

I nod and look ahead, fiddling with the ring around my finger for a while before turning to face her again.

"We're headed to Cranduke right now, and I want to make some things clear before we go on Janette."

I turn to face her, our eyes meet immediately.

"From now on Janette, anything and everything you do is wholly confidential. Not a word of it to anyone else."

She nods and I chuckle.

"I'm not a kind man Janette, if you double cross me, you will regret it."

I hear her swallow and it takes a while but she nods her head again.

"I understand Ayden."

I nod and motion for Axel to get into the car.

He does and soon the engine comes to life. I sigh and look at my watch again.

"Good then, we can begin."