Chapter 2: Humbly and graciously.

Day three of looking for a job didn't go as well as I thought it would. I still haven't told Evan that I got fired and I wasn't planning to. Instead, I told a little white lie about working shorter hours— and that's why I was currently looking for a new job. 

Evan didn't need to know it was because of my stupid manager that thought he was the monkey's eyebrows —just because he told a group of people trying to earn an honest living what and what not to do as well as tutored them on the proper and most effective way to kiss a customer's ass. 

"I admire you, April," Evan said, leaning over my coffee table and kissing my forehead. 

"Why is that?" I asked. 

"You're looking for a better job while your boss cut your shift hours. You have determination," please stop talking, "you're focused. Goal driven." He sang my praises. "You always get back on that horse and grab it by the reigns." 

Not the horse. 

The horse barely gave anyone a break. The horse seemed to dislike me and kept kicking me off its back. This time it kicked me off its back and I smashed into a Lamborghini. 

And then I lost my temper and swore at the man before driving away. In fairness, it wasn't my fault. He was being rude and I can very well understand I was in the wrong I just couldn't accept the way he spoke to me. 

So he could sit and stare at his banged-up car. Because I was more than willing to accept responsibility and he had to piss me off. He had to make me the jackass of the story he would tell for years to come. 

Evan went into my bedroom to get ready for work. We didn't live together as yet. We would have sleepovers but both our apartments were too small. I had my canvases and paintings everywhere and I did enjoy my own space for that reason. 

I couldn't tolerate anyone touching my stuff.  

Evan often complained about the smell of the paint interfering with his sensitive nose. I used all kinds of paints some oil based some water-based and even powders. 

But when you spend seven damn hours on a painting and someone off the street says I'll give you five dollars that shit hits deep. It made me think maybe I wasn't good enough and that thought alone gave me a bit of painter's block. 

Artist block. 

I went on my computer and started looking up jobs in the city. Serving ice cream didn't seem that bad. There was a vacancy at two scoops. 

Rain barged into my apartment and threw herself on the couch. She sighed and I ignored her. She sighed even louder and I still ignored her. She sighed and smacked me over the head with a pillow. 

"Can you explain why you have brought your heavy winds to my apartment?" 

Evan walked out of my room. "Hey Rain," he said and he was carrying his briefcase and now wearing his white coat. 

"Sup brother-in-law," Rain greeted. 

"Sup," he said back. "I'll see you for dinner, babe," he said to me and left my apartment. 

When the door closed Rain turned to me. "You're so crabby lately," She pouted, pushing my hair back. "I'm single and it's Saturday." 

"I thought you went home with Bob the other day," I recalled. If I had to describe Rain I'd say she had golden retriever energy. She was nice and friendly to everyone. 

"Yeah. We went to a bar and I vented all my frustrations out and then I went home." She leaned over me staring at my laptop. 

"Ever heard of personal space?" I asked. 

"Yeah, you lost that when our parents decided two is better than one... Why are you looking for a job?" She asked. 

"Because Phil that walking anal bag fired me." 

She laughed. "Because of your swearing problem?" 

"I do not have a swearing problem," I glared at her. 

"Hey tiger," the hair on my body stood and I turned to see the man whose car I smashed into, standing in my apartment dressed in a suit. 

I didn't even hear the door open. 

I screamed and Rain looked between us. "No fucking way!" Rain exclaimed, "you're sneaking around on Evan!" Her eyes went wide as a toothy grin spread her lips apart. 

I didn't want Rain to find out about the Lamborghini. She was my little sister and she would do anything for me. If she knew she'd want to help me pay it and I couldn't accept that from her. 

It was my fuck up I needed to fix it because if I didn't and everyone found out it would just prove that I needed someone like Evan in my life because I was irresponsible on my own.

"Rain could you excuse me and him for a minute," I said, walking over to the man and grabbing his hand. 

I pulled him all the way to my bedroom and slammed the door shut. "So fornication as payment then?" He smiled down at me. 

"In your dreams," I said. 

He nodded taking a step forward and I took one back. "How did you find me?" I asked, "I didn't give you my address." 

"I know," he smirked, taking another step forward. 

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked. 

He bit his bottom lip. "If I tell you that it will take all the fun out of it." 

"If you touch me I will cut your balls off." 

My back hit the door and he caged me between his arms. "You're still so cocky when backed into a corner?" He grinned. 

I reeled my hand pack to break his nose and he caught my flying fist in his hand. "No sweetheart," he smiled, taking a step back from me. "I guess. I'll just have to call the cops," he said, pulling out his phone. 

"No no, please. I don't want anyone finding out." I was begging him now. 

"Great then you'll accept my job offer." 

What... 

"Humbly and graciously, no." 

I smashed into his car. What kind of job would he give me. Most probably scrubbing his toilet and massaging his feet. 

And I hate feet. 

He smiled. "You have no filter do you?" He looked amused and took a step towards me, "you just say whatever you want to say to whoever you want to." His eyes landed on something behind me and he moved to walk past me. "Are you married?" He asked, holding up a framed picture of me and Evan at last year's new year's party. 

"No that's my fiancé." 

"I see." His face darkened. 

"I don't want him to find out about this either." 

"Hmm," he nodded, smirking like the devil that just caught his latest victim, "you have no choice then. You have to come home with me." 

"I don't even know who you are!" I shrieked. "I forgot your name." 

This seemed to make him laugh. "Sweetheart no one forgets my name. I didn't tell you my name." 

I heard shuffling coming from outside the room. "Rain you better not be listening at the door," I called.

"I'm not," she said and it sounded like she was. 

Mr Tall creepy and handsome went over to the door and pulled it open causing Rain to stumble into the room. "Hey sweetheart," he grinned at her. 

"Okay, April," Rain started, "you're my bigger sister and if you're getting pre-wedding jitters or whatever that's understandable. But you've been holding out on me," she grinned lopsidedly. 

"What exactly do you think is going on?" The man asked her. 

"Come on I'm not stupid. It seems like a one-night stand gone wrong." She gestured between us. 

"Is your sister the type to have one-night stands?" The man questioned. 

"I don't see how that's your business," I seethed.

"No not at all," Rain laughed, "you would be the first I heard of because she believes her body is a temple." 

"So I've heard." The man smiled.

What the fuck was going on right now.

The man looked at me, mischievousness dancing in his eyes. "But no not quite a one-night stand," he smirked devilishly, "I'd describe it as a hit and run." 

"Oh my gosh, you're cheating." Rain's eyes widened. 

"I am not." I wouldn't do that to Evan. 

The man was laughing and it seemed he enjoyed making me mad. "It's not like that," he said, "I need someone as sharp and quick-witted as your sister to work with me but she's refusing," the man explained. 

"I don't know him," I said, "he could be a serial killer or something." 

"Or something," the man smiled darkly. 

"Okay you two," Rain said looking at her watch, "it was fun meeting you but I have to go if I want to make it in time for the fifty percent off sale," she stopped to look at me, "but I am very interested to find out what's going on here later." She winked before moving to go out of my room. 

I so badly wanted to scream don't leave me alone with this man that just magically appeared in my apartment. But I heard my front door click closed and took a couple of steps away from the man. 

He smiled. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said. 

"Why should I believe you?" 

"Because I don't hurt woman," he bit his bottom lip. 

"Again why should I believe you?" 

He groaned. "I've been in your apartment for the last ten minutes or so and I haven't even laid finger on you. Don't you think if I wanted to kill you or some shit like that I would have done it by now?" 

"You make a fair point." 

"Accept my job offer, April," he said and I didn't like the way my name rolled off his tongue.  

"What job is it exactly?" I asked. "Kissing your feet?" 

He scrunched up his face. "No I already have someone who does that but if she quits you can have the position." 

"Ha ha." I rolled my eyes. 

"You'll be my personal assistant. You'll answer my business phone when it rings and close deals I don't want to close. You're more than welcome to tell a select few of my clients to fuck off. This job isn't for the soft-skinned and you seem like someone who can handle it." 

Swearing annoying people and getting paid. That sounded too good to be true. "And just what work do you do?" 

"You're not asking relevant questions. You're getting an income plus working off your debt to me." 

"I don't have any experience being a personal assistant." 

"Let me put it this way. If you don't you're screwed, sweetheart. I'll call the cops and they can handle it. Your future husband will find out that he is marrying a woman that has a shit load of debt." 

"Are you blackmailing me?" I glared at him. 

"Seems I am, tiger." 

I contemplated my options. "What's my pay looking like?" I asked. 

"Fifty thousand a month." He smiled. 

"Fifty what?" My eyes widened in disbelief as I felt myself drool a little, "fifty thousand rupees?" I had to be sure he wasn't bullshitting me.

He laughed. "fifty thousand dollars, sweetheart." 

Fifty thousand dollars was a lot of money... "Okay..." I was still skeptical but how bad could it be if the man wore a suit. 

"I have an appointment now. So I'll pick you up on Monday just so you don't forget, okay?" he smiled.

I glared at him. "Whatever." I gave him a fake smile. 

He chuckled and patted the top of my head condescendingly. "See you then." He moved to leave my room and all I could do was hope this wasn't too good to be true.  

I realized he still didn't tell me his name. "Hey," I called after him and walked out into my living room to see he was already gone. 

How was he so quiet...