THE DEVIL'S AFFECTION

4. SUGAR BABY

GOING FROM having nothing to your name and being taken advantage of constantly to being respected and becoming a rich man's arm candy is a huge 180. I didn't expect anything like this yesterday. I fully expected last night to be one of the harder nights to get through.

I don't fully trust this whole deal with Hanes. I mean, he could drop me in two days and I'd be on the street. Truth is, a large part of me wants to believe him but he's a man; he's just like the men who used to take advantage of me every other night. No, not all men are assholes but, typically from my own experience, men like him are pigs.

He has too much money and too little time. He focuses on himself before anyone else and doesn't have time for anything else. That's all fair until you begin taking advantage of those who have too little money and nowhere to go. I'll give him a chance. I don't have any other choice. At least I'll be staying in some nice hotels while this lasts. Maybe I'll get some clothes out of it since I'm going to milk this sugar baby deal. Besides, I'm really not feeling this horribly uncomfortable dress anymore.

Hanes returned a half-an-hour ago to the hotel room after being gone for four hours at a meeting. I've been sitting on the couch watching TV, unsure of what to do with myself. He claimed he'd be gone for the whole day but now he's trudging across the room in frustration ane I don't quite understand what it's over.

"Fuck..." he huffs, tossing his phone onto the bed.

"What's wrong?" I question, seeing as he is paying for me to be his friend.

"Mr. Jones didn't take the deal and I've been trying to get Jackson on the phone for an hour and if he doesn't pick up soon I'm going to find a new partner!" His tone is aggressive and harsh but I know it's not directed at me.

I get up from the couch and walk over to him. My job is to help him relax.

"Come sit with me." I put a hand on his back to guide him but he doesn't move.

"No. I need to do this."

"Pacing around the apartment while calling someone several times over isn't a productive strategy. Best thing you can do now is clear your mind and wait. Think about a new plan calmly while you sit."

I finally manage to coax him over to the couch and he takes a seat. I walk around behind the couch and run my hands over his shoulders. Massages used to be a part of my job at the end of the night. No, it's not a normal escort thing to do, but as far as Austin was concerned it's a necessity.

I begin to rub his shoulders and I can feel him relax into it.

"I could get used to this..." he closes his eyes and lays his head back.

"This is a part of the job, isn't it?"

"I guess it can be." He smiles. "I'd definitely pay for more of these."

His phone rings and he quickly snaps up and fumbles for it.

"Thank fuck," he stands up and takes the call. "What the hell, Jackson!!" He yells as he carries on to the other room.

I'm left bored again and unsure of what to do. Yes, I appreciate the fact that I'm not escorting some prick right now but I do need something to focus on. Having no task is really getting to me and I don't think I can watch another episode of this drama. The couple I wanted to get together are already with different people so they've lost my interest.

"I'll be there at 7:30. Don't fucking flake on me again, or else I will get a new partner!" Hanes angrily hangs up the phone.

He rushes towards the door and grabs his jacket along the way.

"Hey! Um... I need some new clothes. Could I get an advance on my pay check or something? I need something other than this dress..." I ask him before he goes out the door.

He looks around in a rush and reaches into his coat before tossing a card onto the bed.

"You have a two-thousand dollar limit today. Use it wisely."

TWO-THOUSAND DOLLARS!!

"Wait!" I call to him causing him to sigh as he pops his head back in the door. "You want me to use your credit card?!"

"Is that not a sugar baby thing? Don't question it. Take it. I don't have time to talk. I'll be back late. Be here when I'm back."

And with that he leaves and I'm left alone in the room with his credit card.

I'm still stunned by that whole interaction and the fact that he just gave me his credit card. I was partially joking about being a sugar baby, but I guess he wasn't. Sugar baby perks could be really nice.

I walk over to the bed and pick up the black credit card.

"Jesus..." I let out in a huff.

So, where do I begin?