All I Need

Chapter 39 - Whore

Kaia

Why.

Out of all the hotels and elevators in the city, he chose to enter this one, at this exact time and this exact moment. The night couldn't have gotten more fucked even if I wanted.

When I told Elias that the nonexistent ex-boyfriend who tampered with my car was called Ian, it had completely slipped my mind that I actually knew a man with that name.

He strode across the elevator, opening his arms to hug me. He would have succeeded if it weren't for Elias, who had seemed to regain his consciousness of the situation quite quickly.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Ian, but nobody calls me that anymore. I go by my middle name, which is Malik." He backed away, sizing up Elias, and then Alexander. The left side of his lips tipped up in amusement. "This is a pleasant surprise, Natalie. When did you start taking two at a time? If I had known, I would have asked."

Why can men never shut the fuck up and mind their business?

I prayed that the last part went over Elias's head, and he wouldn't ask me about it later.

Ian Malik Harrison was one of my old clients. He was a regular, and probably the only tolerable man I had ever slept with in my entire time as a sex worker. He always took me out to dinner, kept good conversation, and tipped well at the end of the night.

He was also friends with my father. If he told him that he saw me here, I would be in big trouble. Risking my life to go to Bianca's wedding was not a part of the plan, and I knew I would get shit for it.

That was if Elias didn't rip him to shreds first.

"This...this is Ian?" Elias drew out the question. Stumbling towards him and fixing his posture so that they were eye to eye. "You're a fucking cunt, Ian. I hope you know that you are a worthless human being."

A rush of anxiety crawled up my back, causing the hairs on my neck to stand up and my cheeks to burn red with embarrassment. Why? Why did he have to be here now? Out of all the people we could have run into. And after surviving Bianca's wedding, I still couldn't have a moment to relax.

"Why do we hate Ian?" Alexander inched closer, running his finger along Malik's bicep. "I don't hate Ian. I think Ian's kind of hot."

Malik's eyebrows rose, the sense of confusion was clear on his face. "Is he seriously flirting with me?"

I nodded uncomfortably. "Yeah, he's flirting with you."

"Well, sorry to disappoint. I don't sleep with men." he carefully removed Alex's hand off of his body and turned to stare at Elias once more. "And I don't know who you are, but I feel like I should." Malik lightly touched my shoulder, searching my gaze for answers. "Nat, who is this man-"

Just as the doors opened on our floor, Elias pulled out his gun. He pointed it directly at Mr. Harrison's head and started forward. He was forced to step back out of the elevator and into the hall.

Alexander and I followed. Helplessly, I grabbed onto Elias's arm, trying to get him to drop the weapon. I didn't need this right now. If Malik died, my father would throw a fit. He was the richest client our company had, and if that was lost, it would be hard to find a new one to replace him.

"Her name is Kaia," Elias stated firmly, ignoring my attempt to stop him. "And if you touch her again, I'll paint the hotel walls with your blood, got it?"

"Hmm, this little boy's got a mouth on him, doesn't he?" Malik pulled his suit jacket on and continued to smooth out his button-up shirt, completely unbothered that he had a firearm shoved in his face. "I'm surprised you care so much for a common whore. And besides, I've already-"