Maid For You - A Cinderella Love Story (5 page)

A
va

T
he sun is streaming
through the curtains and I shift in bed, turning to my side. I’m nineteen years old today. My vision blurs and I choke back a sob, knowing I’ll never again be able to celebrate another birthday with my mother.

A knock on my door has me quickly wiping my eyes, and I sit up in bed. “Come in.”

The door pushes open and a smiling Gaby walks in balancing a tray. She stands still and begins to sing.

“Feliz cumpleaños a ti, feliz cumpleaños a ti, feliz cumpleaños querida, Ava, feliz cumpleaños a ti.”

I laugh and give her a clap as she takes a little curtsy.

“Your breakfast is served, senorita.”

I push the covers back and hop out of bed while she places the tray on my desk.

“I made blueberry pancakes, your favorite.”

The smell wafting from the tray makes my mouth water. It’s accompanied by a plate of freshly cut slices of watermelon, a mug of steaming coffee, and a glass of orange juice.

I pull her in for a hug and squeeze tightly, holding on for longer than normal. “This is amazing, Gaby. Thank you so much.”

She finally unwraps her arms, and I note her eyes are just as misty as mine. “Enjoy your breakfast, mija. I need to get back to work.”

“Thank you, I’ll join you soon.”

She waves her hand. “Take your time.”

I exhale as she departs and sink into the chair. As I look around, my eye catches a package on my bedside table. I’m puzzled as it wasn’t there last night. Rushing across, I see it wrapped exquisitely in pale gold paper. My hands tremble as I carefully open it and pull out its contents. I gasp, and my fingers fly to my lips as I’m holding what looks like a first-edition copy of Wuthering Heights. I run my fingers over the distressed front and sink into the bed, my heart thumping in my ears. A small handwritten note falls out of the wrapper and I retrieve it from the floor:

H
appy Birthday
, Kitten. I hope you like Emily Bronte. Be ready by 6, we’re celebrating. PS Don’t freak out, I’ve cleared it with Gaby.

A
lump forms
in my throat and I can’t help the tears that stream down my face, even though I’m smiling.

He remembered.

“
S
o
, where we going?” I’m grinning like a schoolgirl, but I’m excited at the prospect of what the evening holds. We’re walking along the path to their private section of the lake and the evening stroll is perfect, the air balmy with a light breeze. I’m carrying my wrap as it’s still too warm to need it.

Jax gives me the side eye. “Patience, Kitten. We’ll be there soon.”

I roll my eyes for fun and check for his reaction.

“I saw that.” He tries to sound terse, but there’s a small smile playing on his lips.

He’s dressed in faded jeans and a white button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. Every now and then, the breeze changes direction and I catch a whiff of his cologne, which plays havoc with my hormones. Since the other night in my room, I can’t stop picturing what it would be like to kiss him, to have his mouth on my breasts while his hands explore my body. Just the thought of it makes me flush and my nipples instantly harden.
God,
not now.

He looks so handsome tonight, the white shirt contrasting perfectly against his tanned skin, and even his eyes seem to glow even brighter than normal.

I
’m dressed
in a yellow maxi dress with tan sandals, nothing too over the top as I had no idea where we’d be going. My freshly washed hair is pulled up into a messy bun and I’ve accessorized with my silver hoops and my usual bracelet. I know I’m nowhere near as sophisticated compared to the girls he dates, but I don’t let it bother me – tonight, I’m Ava Cortes, not just the
help,
and it’s my freaking birthday.

I
n the distance
, I can see their log cabin nestled amongst the trees, but what catches my eye is the table set on the dock. I squint my eyes.

“Jax? Is that what I think it is?”

He follows my eye. “You mean that? Yeah, we’re having dinner on the water. No biggie.”

I stop and turn to face him, my lips stretched across my face. “You did this? For me?”

He shrugs and turns away, kicking a pebble. “It’s just dinner. Thought maybe you’d like to eat outside.”

Facing the dock once again, a waiter is now standing on the side, ready to receive us.

I can’t believe he’s done this for me and impulsively, I throw my hands around his neck and bury my face into his shoulder. “Thank you.”

It takes him a second to respond, but his arms come around my waist and he presses himself against me. He feels so good and I want to stay in his arms forever. I feel his hands lowering and before I can stop him, he’s grabbing my ass. I place my hands on top of his and narrow my eyes.

“That’d be all, Stud. Hands off.”

“Damn, and here I was thinking I’d cop a good feel at the same time.”

He sounds genuinely disappointed and I find myself laughing as I untangle myself.

He grabs my hand and leads the way. “Come on, I’m starving.”

This time I don’t stop the contact.

D
inner is
amazing and Jax is the perfect gentleman, resisting all sexual innuendos for a change.

I replace my fork and take a sip of my water. “You feeling alright, Stud?”

“Yeah, why?”

I glance at my watch. “Well, it’s been over an hour and for once you haven’t said anything inappropriate. I just want to check this isn’t my last meal or anything…”

He chuckles across the table. “You sound surprised, Miss Cortes. I can behave, you know.” He raises an eyebrow, eyeing me over his glass.

“Well, here I was thinking you just wanted me for my body.” I’m teasing him, but his expression changes and suddenly the air is charged between us. A shiver runs down my spine and I catch my bottom lip between my teeth.

“Don’t do that, Kitten.” His voice is deep and it sends sparks shooting between my legs. My cheeks warm under his gaze, the look in his eyes telling me exactly how much he wants me. I don’t know what to say so I fiddle with my glass. Thankfully, he changes the subject.

“So, how’s everything going with work?”

I smile, grateful for the neutral topic. “Great, I’m finding my feet and getting used to it all.” I hold up my crossed fingers. “No complaints so far. How about you? You busy at the office?”

He sits back in his chair and looks out to the water. “Yeah, it’s busy.” He sighs deeply. “Same shit, different pile.”

“You know, Jax, you should talk to your father. If it makes you this unhappy, how are you going to carve out a future in corporate?”

He laughs, but it has an edge to it. “Not so easy, Kitten. Michael Prescott doesn’t do compromise.”

It’s not my place to advise him even though I want to tell him to try, that it’s his life. Instead, I simply say, “I’m sorry.”

The waiter appears and after checking that everything’s to our satisfaction, he bends down and whispers a few words in Jax’s ear.

Jax nods and the waiter departs, only to reappear again a couple of minutes later. He’s holding a plate that has a big slab of chocolate cake, and it’s topped off with two sparklers, which illuminates his face.

My hand flies to my mouth and tears build up in my eyes. The waiter places the plate down and discreetly disappears. “
Happy Birthday, Kitten
” is written on the plate in chocolate drizzle.

I look at Jax across the table and silent tears run down my cheek.

I whisper. “Gaby?”

His smile is genuine and he reaches for my free hand. “Yes,” he replies. “She told me about the chocolate cake and sparkler tradition you had with your mom.” He knits his brows together. “I hope this is okay?”

I nod through my blurred vision, my throat too tight to speak any words. Blinking rapidly, I inhale a few deep breaths and squeeze his hand.

“Yes, this is perfect. Thank you, Stud.”

I
haven’t seen
Jax in a couple of days, not since my birthday. I’m still floating on a cloud of happiness from the perfect evening we spent together. He didn’t even try and kiss me goodnight, and although I’d no right to it, a shot of disappointment ran through me when we said our goodbyes.

After a quick supper with Gaby, I retreat to my room, hoping to get back to the novel I was reading. Sprawled across the bed, deep in concentration, I hear a knock on my door.

“Come in.” Not bothering to look up, I continue with my chapter. It’s just getting steamy, and I’m flushed and irritated with the interruption. Finally dragging my eyes off the book, I look up to see Jax watching me quizzically. My breath catches at the sight of him standing against the frame and our eyes lock for several moments, taking each other in. Wearing a well-worn pair of jeans and a black t-shirt that clings to his muscular body, he looks devastatingly sexy as his blue eyes blaze into mine.

I quickly sit up and rearrange my top. “Hi.”

“Good book?” He nods at the cover, and I flush deeper.

“Yes…it’s great.”

“Hmmmm. Maybe I’ll have to borrow it from you sometime,” he deadpans.

The thought of Jax reading a romance novel amuses me and I can’t contain my grin, which lightens the tension between us.

“What? So a guy can’t read that?”

I shake my head, laughing lightly. “No, not at all. You’re welcome to it…in fact, I have lots more where these came from.”

He continues to watch me intently and I shift uncomfortably under his gaze.

“Is everything alright?”

“Can I come in?”

It’s his house. “Sure.”

I admire the way his jeans cling to his butt as he walks over to the chair, and I quickly shift my gaze.
Too late
. He catches me looking and flashes me a lightning-fast grin.

“You like what you see, Kitten? You picturing it naked like the last time?”

I swear my face is about to explode from the heat it’s producing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

I roll my eyes so hard, I’m scared they’ll stick. “What’s up, Jax?”

His posture shifts and all the teasing is gone from his voice.

“I’ve some very important news for you. You better sit down.”

Any chance of lowering my heart rate has now firmly passed as it begins to pound in anticipation. Perching on the end of the bed, I cross my leg and fold my arms. My foot bounces and I’m waiting for him to speak. He looks conflicted, as if he’s trying to find the right words. Finally, he exhales.

“My guy has located your father. In fact, he was pretty easy to find once we got past the age on these photos.”

He stands and hands the small pile of photos back to me.

“He’s alive? In the U.S.?”

“Yes. Ava, what I’m going to say may come as a huge shock. But it’s definitely correct, okay? We’ve verified the information.”

I notice he’s speaking to me in a soft voice, almost like he’s giving a child some very important information.

With a sinking feeling, I began to imagine the worst-case scenario - perhaps my father is a serial killer or a fugitive on the run.

“What is it, Jax? Please, I can handle it.”

He sits next to me on the bed and takes my hand in his, his warmth distracting and calming me instantly.

“Your father, Carter James, is very much alive and well. But that’s not it.” He pauses. “He’s the co-owner of Carter McKenzie Communications.” A beat as I process the information, my eyes widening. “Does that mean anything to you?”

Carter McKenzie Communications?
One of the biggest advertising firms in the U.S.?
I know of them because I’m passionate about their ad campaigns. They stand out by being different, a unique voice in a crowded marketplace.

The blood drains from my face as I nod.

“That can’t be correct.” I shake my head in denial. “My father isn’t Carter James.”

“I understand this sounds crazy. But I want you to come to my father’s office tomorrow, okay? I’ll show you the paper trail we’ve discovered.”

“
Oh my God
.” I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. If this is true, why did my mother never reinitiate contact? Could she really have been so stubborn, so self-reliant? Why did she withhold this from me? I blink rapidly, my thoughts scattering at a million miles per hour. “I presume he has a family? He’s married?”

Jax nods slowly. “Yeah… and he’s got two kids - boys - aged twelve and fifteen.”

“Wow.” I feel dizzy, and my heart is accelerating so fast I think it may burst out of my chest. Jax draws me into his strong arms and I vaguely hear his voice in the background.

“Breathe, Ava. Deep breaths…”

My mom’s life could have been saved if only she’d put her pride on hold.

Our lives could have been so different.

I wouldn’t have to be a freaking orphan.

My father is a billionaire.

J
ax

S
he draws away from me
, and I’m worried as I’ve never seen her looking so pale.

I feel like crap for giving her the news, which I knew would be a bombshell. However, the lawyer in me is keen to present the facts, to help her see the bigger picture.

I pull her into my arms again, gently stroking her hair. Her clean feminine scent, laced with floral undertones from her shower gel, is a constant turn on. I want to reach out, tip her face up to mine, and feel her soft lips pressed against me - the lips, that sexy body of hers, all of it, which has been tormenting me since the day she fell into my arms. I blow out a breath; now isn’t exactly the time to think with my cock.

Breathing heavily, she pulls away again, examining her stack of photos until she find the correct one.

“Are you really sure? Is there a possibility that it’s a mix-up, that it’s not Carter?”

I shake my head. “No mix-up. Our guys ran the photos through some extremely sensitive software and conducted further investigation.” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “How ‘bout I lend you a laptop? You can do some research for yourself.”

“Really? You’d loan me one for a few days?”

“Sure, it’s no problem at all. Let me go grab it now.”

T
he news has stunned
me as well. Carter’s wealth is on par with my father’s empire, if not bigger. If she decides to seek him out, she would no doubt have a different future ahead of her, assuming he doesn’t reject her. She needs a break.

After searching around my room for the cables, I grab the spare and head back to her. When I turn the corner, I see her walking towards me.

“Oh hey, I’ve got it.” I hold out the laptop.

“Thank you.”

“Where you going so fast?”

She stops in her tracks. “I need to talk to Gaby. She’s finished for the evening. Will you come with me?”

Her expression is one mixed with apprehension.

“Sure. You planning on telling her?”

Her eyes flash at me. “Yes. And I’d also like to know why she kept the truth from me.”

Storming ahead, I drop the laptop onto the nearby console and catch up with her.

As we enter the kitchen, we see Gaby deep in conversation with Roberto, one of the groundkeepers. Both are laughing and animated in their talk.

Gaby looks up, still smiling. Seeing us together, her eyes lock in on both of us, and a quizzical expression replaces her smile.

“Gaby, can I speak to you, please?”

Roberto stands up. “Night, everyone.” A wink at Gaby. “Goodnight…and thanks for the cocoa.”

He departs from the kitchen and I hang back, giving Ava the chance to open the subject. As if reading my mind, she looks behind and slightly nods her head, giving me a cue to stand next to her.

“What’s going on, guys? You’re both looking very serious.”

Ava blinks rapidly. I reach out and squeeze her hand, a gesture of support, but not going unnoticed by Gaby. Frowning slightly, she sits up, looking at each of us. “Ava?”

I hear her draw a sharp intake of breath and she squeezes her eyes shut momentarily.

“Gaby. I want the truth, okay? Is Carter James my father?”

Gaby’s eyes widen. Standing abruptly, she pushes back her chair, busying herself with collecting the cups.

“Gaby.”

Ignoring us, she walks to the sink and furiously begins to rinse the cups, her lips pursed.

Every fiber in my being is tense, awaiting her reply.

Finally, she looks at us. “How did you find out?”

Ava sinks into the vacant chair like a deflated balloon.

“So it’s true?”

This time, Gaby’s voice is more forceful. “How did you find out?”

“I helped her, Gaby. We were looking through some of her photos and I suggested it.” My tone’s even but strong and I’m ready to defend our actions.

Gaby sighs heavily, her eyes accusing. “Why, Jax? Why couldn’t you leave well enough alone?”

Slamming the cups down, Gaby begins to pace the kitchen.

I look at Ava, tears falling down her face. Clenching my fists, all I can think is that I want to take her away from this.

“Gaby, please. Ava’s very shocked and upset by the news. Please try and be civil with her.” It comes out harder than intended, and her eyes flash at me, indicating I’ve overstepped the mark. She stops pacing and her expression softens.

“Jax, would you mind giving me and my niece some time alone, please?”

I flick my eyes to Ava, who nods.

“You got it.” I back out of the kitchen, leaving them to discuss the revelations.

F
uck
. What a turn of events. My head’s spinning with the many possibilities that Ava’s going to face. Pulling out my phone, I see a missed call from Logan and hit the re-dial button.

“What’s up, dude?”

“Yo. Not much.” I’m not about to share what I had discovered with anyone.

“Wanna hit Electric tonight?”

“Is Olivia going?”

He chuckles on the other end. “Nah, man, you’re safe. Just me and Bryan.”

A few beers at the hot nightclub will certainly help to take my mind off everything that’s going on down here.

“Sure, see you there at ten.”

W
e walk
into the small members-only club and push our way through the sea of bodies, the crowd gyrating and pulsing on the dance floor. With the music pumping, pretty soon the drinks are flowing and I begin to unwind, all former tension between Bryan and I dissipated.

“So, the girls are saying that Olivia is pretty devastated.” Logan places the beer to his lips, gauging my reaction. “She’s telling everyone it’s just a break, though, that you’ll come running back. Is that true, man? You gonna crawl back like a little bitch?” The guys break up in laughter.

I snort. “Fuck that shit. It’s over.” An image of Ava flashes before me. “She doesn’t do it for me anymore.”

I take a swig of my beer and see a trio of blondes approaching us, giggling and whispering together.
Here were go
. I sit back and lazily appraise them – objectively speaking, there’s no doubt they’re hot. Dressed in tiny shorts and halter tops, they have the perfect beach-bodied Miami look going on.

“Damn, they’re smokin’,” Bryan discreetly whispers. “I’ve got dibs on red top.”

“Hello, boys. Mind if we join you?” The one in front, clearly the alpha, is looking at me as if she wants to swallow me whole. I give her a crooked grin and her tongue darts out, licking her cherry red lips.

“Sure, squeeze in.”

Logan laughs and moves over, making room for number three in the white halter.

With Bryan staking claim to number two in red, I’ve little choice but to invite the alpha to take a seat next to me.

“Thanks. Hi, I’m Kirsty.” She holds out her hand and I place it to my lips, flirting right along. Giggling, she gestures to her friends. “That’s Laney and Charlie.”

Introductions are made and I signal the cocktail waitress to our table. The girls are good fun and Kirsty presses her tits against my arm. Normally I’d be on my A-game, throwing down my winning lines and inclined to fuck her out the back of the club, but for whatever reason, I’m not into it. Or her. Distracted, all I can think about is Ava.

Kirsty clicks her fingers in front of my face, and I look around to see that both Logan and Bryan have disappeared with the girls, leaving just the two of us together. I try to force my attention back to her.

“Sorry darlin’, just kind of preoccupied this evening.”

She leans into me, her intentions clear, looking longingly at my lips. Slowly sliding her hand across my thigh, she whispers into my ear.

“We could get outta here. Just say the word…I can take your mind off whatever’s bothering you…”

I raise an eyebrow, smirking at her directness, almost tempted for a fraction of a second, ready to smoke this joint.

But there’s nothing down below.

Zero reaction to her proposition.

What the fuck’s wrong with me?

She notices my hesitation and begins to pout, rejection clearly new to her.

I drain my beer, slam the bottle down, and give her a quick peck on the cheek. “Sorry, I’m not interested.”

Her eyes widen and her mouth literally drops open. I smirk and push out of the seat.

“Asshole.”

“Later.”

M
y cab pulls
up to the house and I’m not quite ready to hit the sack. I take a stroll out to the pool, contemplating sitting outside for a while to try to make some sense of the shit I’m feeling.

Rounding the corner, I see a silhouette in the moonlight of someone sitting at the side of the pool and gazing up into the sky. As I draw closer, it’s her. Ava.

It’s past one in the morning and she’s out here alone. The house is shrouded in darkness, so everyone else is asleep. I slowly approach her, mesmerized by her outline. The cooler night air is playing with her hair, very gently lifting it off her shoulders. She’s kicking her feet in the water, unaware of my presence.

I clear my throat. Startled, she looks up.

“Hey, Kitten, whatcha doing out here so late?” I’m still feeling the buzz from the drinks, not drunk like an ass, just nice and relaxed. That’s when I notice the bottle of tequila next to her.

In the glow of the full moon, her eyes widen and her eyes dart to the bottle next to her. She offers me a sheepish smile.

“Couldn’t sleep. Helped myself to a little of Gaby’s tequila - with her approval, of course.” She giggles and a little hiccup escapes. Her hand flies to her mouth in embarrassment and she peeks at me from under her lashes.

Freaking adorable.

I kick off my shoes, rolling up the hem of my jeans and sink down next to her, bumping her shoulders.

“Miss Cortes, you are underage, you know.”

“Promise I won’t tell if you won’t.”

We lock eyes with each other. With nothing but the moonlight casting shadows around us, I feel a magnetic pull towards her that I haven’t experienced before. The energy is highly charged and my gaze slides down to her lips. She parts her lips, and her breathing becomes shallow as I lean in closer. I catch the faint smell of tequila and lime on her mouth. Stopping inches from her lips, I want nothing more than to crush her lips to mine, to finally taste what I’ve been dreaming about for the past few weeks.

“Ava…” I reach out and lightly run my knuckles down her cheek. She closes her eyes and leans into me, a small sound escaping her lips. She’s fighting this just as much as I am. The sexual tension between us is palpable.

Abruptly, she pulls away and stands.

“What you doing?” I lean back, gazing up at her.

“I really, really want a swim.” Her grin is sexy and mischievous.

“Right now? Here?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “Why not?”

Then she lifts her dress.
Shit.
I feel like I can’t breathe as she stands there in front of me in just her bra and panties. My eyes feast over her curves and my cock springs to life.

So you do still work, buddy. Had me worried there for a little while.

“Join me?” She sashays around to the deep end, rendering me speechless, my eyes are glued to her tight ass.

Then like a fucking mermaid, she silently dives into the water and disappears under.