Five

“I'm sorry, all that happened to you. How is your father?" Jason asked, staring at her.

“Right now, I don't know how he is. But when I left New York, he was in a critical condition and it saddens me to see him that way." Said Ximena.

“The person I had thought would help me, discarded me like I was nobody to her. She didn't even turn to look back at me once." She added.

Her lips turned down in disgust as she remembered what had transpired earlier. She might have been delusional to have thought the woman would want to help with whatever she wanted.

Yet, she had been disappointed over again.

Jason couldn't imagine what she was going through right now. He was glad he had stepped on the break on time as soon as she had jumped in front of his car. He thought of what might have happened if he hadn't.

He didn't quite believe she was here until he felt the softness of her skin as he lifted her off the pavement.

"What brought you to that damned place in the first place?" Jason asked, his eyes left the road for a brief minute to gaze at her.

"Well, I was looking for a job," Ximena mumbled. Then grimaced as she thought of what the old geezer had tried to do with her.

She wondered what would have happened If he had succeeded.

Ximena shuddered as the image of his creepy smile kept playing in her head and she remembered the way her skin had crawled when he touched her.

"Are you cold?"

"No-no" I'm fine. I just thought of something."

"What happened back there?"

Jason watched as Ximena stilled from the corner of his eyes. He wondered if it was wrong of him to have asked the question.

The way she had darted out of the pub as if she was being chased didn't depict the person that had been offered a job. More so, he couldn't stop thinking of her tear-stained face.

Though she had told him about what her father was going through, Jason knew there was more to it and she didn't want to divulge it.

"What happened, Ximena?" Jason asked again as he received no answer.

Ximena's eyes lifted to glance at Jason. It was her first time hearing him mention her name because he always referred to her as a princess or snow queen.

She liked how sensual he made it sound, and it was odd that she wanted him to say it again.

"The manager tried to assault me," Ximena said in a small voice. She didn't want to lie because she felt he might get to know if she did.

"M****a!" Jason exclaimed.

Ximena noticed his knuckle had turned white as he clutched the steering, a vein ticked in his forehead and a scowl formed on his face.

For a moment, she thought he would turn the car and speed back to the pub. But, she was glad he didn't.

"I-I'm sorry, it's my fault."

"It's not your fault," Jason assured.

"It's the old geezer's fault for not being able to keep his hands to himself. I'll kill that bastard for attempting to do anything with you in the first place." He gritted.

It took all of the willpower in him not to veer the car towards the pub to smash the old geezer's face. But, he stopped himself as he didn't know how Ximena would react to it if he did.

Ximena liked how Jason was protective of her despite their indifference towards each other. But she didn't want him to kill anyone because of her.

"Thank you. But, I'm fine." She mumbled.

Jason despised weak women. He avoided them at all costs. He had been drawn to Ximena, not because of her beauty, but because she was strong-willed.

However, she looked vulnerable now and he loathed it. The urge to pummel the swine that placed her in this position surged through him, but he shook the feelings off.

"Don't thank me yet," Jason mumbled as an idea on how to help her father out of the situation he was in permeated his brain.

"I have a proposition for you." Jason paused, watching her eyes narrow. "I can help you if you'll agree to my terms."

Ximena wrinkled her nose and sighed. “You saying that, makes me think of what the bar manager had tried to do to me."

Jason eyed her as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself.

“I'm not a pervert, and I would never be. I can get any woman I want, and you are included." He stated.

Ximena rolled her eyes at his assertion before glaring at him.

It was the truth, Jason said to himself. He hadn't forced any woman to be in his bed, rather they strived to be in it.

“However, this is more like a business deal, and a no strings attached sorta thing." Even as the word left his mouth, he knew it was a lie.

Jason didn't want to scare her. Moreover, she thinks he was a pervert already and she looked like she would dart out of the car if given the opportunity.

He only hoped he wouldn't be tempted to do whatever will make her terrified of him.

“I'll ring you tomorrow. I wouldn't bother you with it right now because it might be too much for you to handle." He said, whilst watching her.

Ximena nodded slowly, and her shoulder drooped.

She was sleeping already, Jason mused, staring at her.

A soft snore escaped from her opened lips, and he watched her head loll.

He observed her as she slept peacefully, and he as well attempted to brace her neck so she would not hurt herself.

He hadn't asked her for directions to her house or the hotel she was staying in. But, he knew when she agreed to his term she would live with him to make it foolproof.

He parked in front of the penthouse garage and hoisted her out of the car.

Ximena fidgeted and mumbled in her sleep.

Her hand wound around his neck, and she sighed.

Jason took her to a room next to his and phoned a maid to assist her out of her clothes because he didn't trust himself to do it.

He had never taken advantage of sleeping women and he would never. But, seeing Ximena sleeping with her white hair splayed across his pillow was titillating.

She looked like a damned goddess in a hoodie!

Jason darted out of the room as his pants felt snug from staring at her for too long, discarded his clothes and stepped into the shower.

The cool water cascaded down his body, and he wondered the last time he had gotten laid.

It had been a while, and he was beginning to lose his self-control.

This would be the second time this week he was having a boner because of Ximena. Perhaps, after meeting up with her tomorrow, he would attend to his needs.