Page 3 of Allured
“I need a chef for the gala Saturday night. We both know that you’re a talented cook and you’re one of the only people I trust to get this done correctly, even with all of your antics.”
It wouldn’t be a true Knight compliment if there wasn’t a bit of criticism in there. Still, my eyes light up as he explains the help he needs. I fuckinglovecooking. I swear if I wasn’t dancing, I’d be competing head—to—head in some reality TV cooking shows.
Knight goes on about how the original chef his mom had hired wasn’t willing to make the two hour trip to his place instead. Hisestateinstead of his mother’smansion.He let me know there would only be about thirty people in attendance and I had full control of the menu with the exception of a couple of food allergy restrictions.
I’ve got to admit, the whole time he was explaining things I was trying to figure out what the Hell the difference between an estate and a mansion was. I still hadn’t come up with the answer by the time he hit me with his last question.
“Am I assured I can count on you, Aleksander?”
“Yeah, I’ve got you.” A genuine smile stretches across my lips. I can do this for him and I’d like him to know I’m taking it seriously. He may not think it sometimes, but I actually do care for this man.
“Let me know when you think it would be best to go shopping and I can either have someone grab the items–”
“Actually, I’d like to do the shopping myself. I wanna make sure to pick out the best stuff,” I interject. It’s something I’mpicky about. If I’m cooking I’d like to choose everything down to the type of salt I’m using.
There's a little pride showing through his businessman mask. I know he appreciates how thorough I like to be, ever since I helped him design the club.
“Why am I not surprised? Take this, then.”
The guy reaches into his freakingbreast pocket. You know someone is loaded when they keep their wallet there instead of in the back pocket of some worn—out Wranglers. I feel like I’m some peasant compared to his lordship.
With quick precision, he takes a black card out from his wallet. Meeting my eyes again, he slides it over the desk. “And I’ll have my assistant email you a copy of the dietary requirements for some of our guests.”
“Sounds good. See you Saturday morning, then? You mind me showing up early to prep?” I ask as I get up from my chair and lean over the desk, meeting his stare with one of my own.
“Of course. I will make sure Ernest knows of your arrival and that you’re not just some vagrant passing by.”
Ernest is his head of security and I swear I get the stank—eye from him any time I’m over. It’s been a freaking decade. Surely, the guy knows me by now but he still makes getting into Knight’s place like getting through the TSA.
Taking the card, I clutch it to my chest like he took a shot to my heart, dramatically stumbling as I start making my way towards the door. “You wound me.”
“Leave, now.” He’s reaching for his phone. I’m sure he’s got other fires to put out because of this surprise gala.
I wink as he begins to turn away and I fit his shiny black card between my index and middle finger.Oh damn, it’s embossed and everything.
Teasing him, I put my lips on the fancy card and blow him a kiss with it. “Thanks, Daddy!” I step backwards toward the door with a little wave of his credit card in goodbye.
“Stop calling me that.” The stoic man rolls his eyes in dismissal, but I know there’s no real threat in the command. If the man had any soft spots, I would be one of them.
“I’ve got your card, I’m gonna use your money– I think that’s thedefinitionof a sugar daddy.” A soft chuckle escapes my lips at the same time he lets out a pained groan. I can’t see him as I’m walking out but I know he has at least a tiny smile on his face. Whatever kind of smile the bastard can muster, at least.
“Hey everyone, I’ve got a sugar daddy!” My voice bounces off the walls of the hallway as I walk away holding more money than I’ll ever see in my lifetime.
CHAPTER THREE
ALEK
You better work, bitch.
Friday night hits faster than I expected it would. I spent my week training the new dancers brought onto the team and creating the menu for Knight’s gala tomorrow.
It’s still early September and nearing the end of our summer show season but we’ve got a lot of new material to learn for the fall. Typically I love showing the newbies the ropes and getting to know them. I’m ‘painfully extroverted’ according to T, but he’s a grumpy fucker. He’s one of the reasons this week hasn’t gone as great as it could have. He’s broken up over his ex—girlfriend and taking it out on people around him.
“Dude, they’re ready, you don’t need to be freaking out,” I reassure my brother. I catch T’s eyes through the dressing room mirror as I apply a second layer of mascara to my eyelashes. What can I say? It makes my eyespop.
“I know they’re ready, Alek,” he sighs and sets down one of his contour brushes onto the dresser. “I’ve just been in a funk.”
“Nah, really?” I ask rhetorically, a playful tone in my voice. “Didn’t notice that when you barked the newbie’s head off the other day.” Crossing my arms, I turn toward my brother to get a good look at him. Setting free a sigh of my own, I put down my mascara wand.
