Maid For You - A Cinderella Love Story (6 page)

A
va

A
mazing
. The warm water feels heavenly against my skin as I stroke across the pool. It’s refreshing and I feel at peace.

Surfacing at the other end of the pool and pushing my hair back out of my eyes, I look around for Jax, and when I can’t see him, I’m deflated. He’s obviously decided to go in.

I blow out a breath. God, I wanted him to kiss me so bad. I’m incredibly attracted to him. I can’t tell if it’s mutual, but I
think
he feels it too. Either way, a nagging voice at the back of my mind reminds me that I’m playing a dangerous game.

I’m treading water, and something grabs my leg. About to instinctively kick away, I almost shriek out loud when Jax’s face bobs to the surface, splashing my face lightly.

His bare chest is visible, the moonlight highlighting his muscled form. A tingling sensation begins to take place in my stomach and my heart begins to pound. Without thinking, I reach out and bring the tips of my fingers to his chest, tracing against his hard pecs and over the tattoo he has inscribed.

He stops moving, a small groan escaping from his mouth, giving me courage to explore further. I run my hand over his chest and then lower down under the water, over his taut abs.

“You must work out a lot.” My face heats up, even though I know he can’t see me.
What a dumb comment.

He places his hand over mine, wrapping his fingers over mine, and ceases my exploration.

I bite my lip. “I’m sorry.” I try to pull away, but he holds me firm over his chest, where I can feel his rapidly beating heart.

Encircling his other arm around my waist, he draws me closer to him so that my breasts are pushed up against his chest.

“Jax…” I don’t know what to do, how to respond. I don’t know anything except how to
feel.
And he
feels
so damn good against me. My eyes flutter to a close, enjoying being in his arms, skin to skin - something I’ve been dreaming of for some time.

When I reopen my eyes, he’s staring at me and as if in slow motion, he brings his lips to mine, his eyes seeking permission. I close my eyes, parting my lips in anticipation, and gasp as he caresses his tongue over my lips, darting slowly between them. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I register a small moan escaping from within me, which only spurs him on further, deepening our kiss. The water splashes lightly around us and I loosen my hand from the side of the pool and wrap my arms around his neck. He reaches under the water and tugs on my legs with his free arm, causing me to wrap myself around him, feeling his hardness through his boxers. His mouth is crushing against mine, demanding, as if he’d never get another chance.

I melt into his arms, the tequila loosening me up, and he kisses the hell out of me, as though he’s starving for the taste of my lips. A low growl comes the back of his throat as our tongues entwine and dance intimately together. He pulls me even closer and I love the way I feel in his arms - safe and protected, his skill and urgency hinting of things that could come. His erection pushes up against me, hitting my sensitive nerves and sending sparks of electricity to my groin, making me damp with need and desire. Shifting his leg, he presses and adds pressure between my legs, creating an intense ache of pleasure. Following my body, I grind against him, craving more, drowning in my new-found pleasure.

Finally, we come up for air, gasping, our breath panting over each other’s faces. His eyes are wild with lust, holding steady onto mine.

“I’ve been dreaming of how you’d taste for the past few weeks.” He pushes me against the side and untangling my legs, lifts me out of the water and onto the concrete. The change in temperature should make me shiver, but I’m radiating heat like I’m in the desert. “I need to taste you, baby.”

I’m speechless as Jax nips at the fleshy part of my thighs. He spreads my legs apart and with one finger, he pulls my panties to the side, baring me in front of him. My heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest, but I’m consumed with lust. I close my eyes but the next second, I feel a slight pressure on my hip and hear the tear of my panties.

“Sorry, baby, I’ll replace them.”

Then he bends his head and with his thumbs, he spreads me open and uses the tip of his tongue to touch down on my sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Oh…my…God, Jax.” I’m panting and squirming underneath him as I grip his head.

“I’ve been thinking about how you’d taste, Ava,” he growls against me. “I’ve jerked off countless times imagining this moment.”

I hear myself moan and I bite down on my lip to remember to be quiet. “No one’s…ever… done this before…”

He growls again, low in his throat. “God, I could eat you all day…you’re so fucking sweet.” He pushes my lips apart and dips a finger inside me. The pleasure is intense and I arch my back. “So damn tight.”

“Jax….I can’t…please, I’m going to come.”

My hips involuntarily rock against his lips and he continues to suck on my clit while he massages my insides with his finger. I dig my nails into his shoulders and my body spirals out of control and into orbit. My orgasm rips through me with unexpected intensity, white-hot and stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. I shudder and pulse against his finger, my breathing erratic and out of control. I take several deep breaths and he gently releases my legs.

“Fuck, Ava...”

My legs feel like jelly and I’m trying to find my equilibrium.

Like a cold bucket of water that’s splashed over my head, I pull my legs together. Reality and the consequences of my actions spoil the moment and I back away, grabbing my torn panties, unable to look him in the eye.

“Ava. Stop.”

I scramble away and grab my dress, shaking my head.

“I’m sorry, Jax…we should’ve never done this…”

“Don’t walk away, Kitten. Please. Stay…let’s talk.”

I shake my head again.
What have I done?

“Goodnight, Jax.”

I stop to pick up the bottle of tequila and slip on my dress. I’m shivering now and all I want is the safety of my room.

I can’t look back because all I see is hurt and confusion in his eyes.

T
hat night
, I toss and turn. My dreams are filled with Jax. I dreamed I was going to a party and all dressed up, I was ready to meet him inside. Walking into the room, I scanned and finally spotted him towards the back. As I got closer, I noticed Olivia and the other girls surrounding him, laughing at his jokes. My breath hitched. He looked so handsome dressed in his tux, with his dark hair gelled back. The tux looked custom-made, as it fit him to perfection. I ached to have his arms around me.

I called out to him, smiling, hoping he’d be just as happy to see me, but he didn’t respond. I tried again and again, becoming distressed, but he chose to ignore me, instead flirting with the other girls. I didn’t understand what was happening and spun around in confusion, trying to attract some attention, but everyone continued to ignore my presence. It was almost as if I were a ghost.

They all rejected me.

I
awake with a headache
, the events of the early hours crashing down on me. Oh God, I can still feel his incredible tongue on me, and my body begins to tingle in response. “
I’m gonna give you the best orgasm of your life, Ava Cortes.”
Jax’s words repeat over and over and I stuff my head under the pillow. I had no right to be feeling this when everything about last night screamed wrong.

Forbidden.

Trouble.

But it felt amazing, a little voice reminds me. I’d never been kissed so passionately and the way my body reacted to his,
craving
him, was an entirely new experience too.

What was going to happen now? I curse silently, tossing and turning, and finally give up on the idea of sleeping in. Thankfully, it’s my day off work and I treat myself to a leisurely shower.

A rapid knock on my door comes just as I’m brushing out my hair.

“Morning, mija. How are you feeling?”

I replace the hairbrush on the side of my sink.

“Not great.” I grin sheepishly. “That tequila is pretty strong stuff.”

She laughs and comes into my room, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I’m glad that I could provide some…distraction for you.”

Distraction?
If only she knew…

“So, now what? Did you think about everything we spoke of last night?”

Nodding my head in acceptance, I look into her dark eyes. “Yes, I understand. Mamá would have told me about him if she wanted to. I respect her decision.” I exhale heavily. “I won’t be pursuing this any further.”

She rubs my arm and draws me into her embrace. “It’s the right decision. I’d hate for your mother to be upset - wherever she is, God rest her soul.”

We embrace for a few minutes and then she pulls away and cups my cheeks, looking into my eyes.

“I know this isn’t what you planned for, Ava, but is it really so bad? We live in an amazing house, we’re paid well, and the rest of the staff are easy to get along with.” She looks at me expectantly. I realize she’s content. This was it for her.

Plastering a smile on my face, I grip her hand. “I’m happy here too, Gaby. Don’t worry about me so much…”

With a final nod, she stands up. “Good, I’m glad we got that cleared up. Right now, I have to get back to work, but I thought I’d stop in on you first. What are your plans for today?”

I shrug my shoulders. Jax is the first thought that comes to my mind, but I rapidly dismiss it. He’s probably at the office with his father anyway. “I’m thinking I may take a couple of books and head down to the beach for the day? I’m not really sure. What about you?”

“Elena has called in sick so I have to cover some of her duties…I’m afraid I won’t see much of you today. I’ll be run off my feet.”

“Can I help at all? I really don’t mind.”

Gaby’s smile widens. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. It’s not like I have firm plans.”

She walks towards my door, checking her watch. “I have to set the table in the dining room for dinner later – Mr. Prescott will be entertaining some clients. If you don’t mind doing that, I’d be really grateful.”

“Sure, no problem. Do I have to wear my uniform?”

She flicks her wrist. “Oh no…and there’s no rush. Take your time. And Ava?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

I flash her a parting grin and set about packing my bag for the beach. I decide to have a light breakfast to try and cure some of my hangover. After that, I’d get to work with setting the table. It wouldn’t take that long.

P
olishing the silverware
, I count out the correct number of cutlery items needed for the meal this evening.

The table is almost set, and I stand back, admiring my work. Another ten minutes and I’ll be out of here, the water calling to me.

Bending over to pick up the freshly laundered napkins from the basket, I hear the door open and close behind me. I assume it’s one of the other maids, checking up on me. I stand up to greet them, about to inform them that I’m nearly done, when I stop in my tracks.

Recognition quickly dawns that the male standing there is the one with whom Mrs. Prescott’s having an affair with.

“Christian…hello.”

He stands with his back against the door, making no attempt to hide his stare, which is frozen on my chest. Licking his lips, his eyes travel down my legs. In preparation for the beach, I’m only wearing my short denim cut-offs and a strapless tube top. A chill runs down my body at his leer.

Finally, his eyes return to mine, a smirk on his lips.

“Do you always dress like this for work, Ava?” Like a predator circling his prey, he approaches me. I stumble and step backwards.

“Er, no, I’m just helping out. It’s my day off…”

“Well, you sure like to tempt with that sexy little body of yours, don’t you?”

My feet are rooted to the spot. He’s now within a foot of me.

I attempt a smile, ignoring his comment. “Can I help you, Christian?”

He sneers at me. “Don’t you mean Mr. Caldwell? Tsk tsk, Ava. Such rude manners. Perhaps I need to teach you a lesson.”

My heartbeat spikes in fear. I back up farther until the back of my legs hit the side-board. “I’m sorry, Mr. Caldwell, I don’t mean to be rude.” Darting my gaze to the door, I mentally try to calculate if I can make a run past him. Sweat beads form on the back of my neck.

He must have caught my eye movement because with lightning speed, he grabs my wrists and pushes up against me.

“Don’t scream and I’ll make this quick.” His voice is cold and hard.

A scream begins to build up in my throat as he roughly tugs at my shorts.

“No, no, no, please, Mr. Caldwell….” My eyes fill with tears as I plead for mercy. He’s captured both my wrists with his one hand and pins them behind me, and I struggle and kick against him.

“I said quiet, you little bitch.” His other hand stops its attack on my shorts and he draws it back, making loud contact with my left cheek. My head flies back with the force of the slap and my lip tastes of copper. Helpless and hurt, I sob uncontrollably.

Finally, even though I’m fighting back with all my might, he succeeds in dragging down my shorts, his breathing heavy as he wrestles with the belt on his trousers.

A piercing scream escapes from my lungs.

J
ax

I
can’t stop thinking
about Ava. I swear I have been hard since last night. Being in the pool with her, feeling her body against me, what we shared together was incredible. Everything I had imagined and more. And when she isn’t running away, I think she feels the attraction too.

I eye the contract in front of me, trying to concentrate on the clauses. Thankfully, it’s a quiet morning at the office and I sit back in my chair, stretching and covering my yawn, when my cell begins to ring.

“Yo, Logan, what’s up man?”

I can hear the sounds of the freeway in the background and assume he’s on the road. His voice blares through the speaker phone.

“Fuck, Jax, you missed out. Where the hell did you go last night anyways? I tell ya man, you turned down some swheeeeet pussy.”

I laugh into my cell. “Just wasn’t feelin’ it, man.”

“Are you serious, dude? What’s up with you lately, anyway?”

“What you talkin’ about?”

“Can’t say. It’s like you’re all whipped or something, but I can’t even say that as Olivia’s out of the picture.”

Whipped. Me?
“You’re delusional, Loge…like I say, just wasn’t in the mood.”

“Yeah well, me and Bry been noticing that you’ve not been on your game for some time now. Like since the start of the summer. Come on man, what gives? You’re like the original party guy who eats pussy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” He cracks up at his joke, but it feels off. I’m not laughing. The thought of another girl, all doe-eyed and in my bed or on her knees in between my legs, doesn’t make my cock stir the way it usually does.

“It’s just starting to get a little old, man.”

“What? Says who? You know what…” he pauses. “I’ve got it. I
get
it.”

“Get what exactly?” I exhale, thumbing the paperwork in front of me.

“It’s your new maid, isn’t it? What’s her name? Ava?” He doesn’t wait for my response. “Yeah, that’s the one. The one Bry was talking about boning the other day and you got all up in his face about it-”

“Don’t fucking talk about her like that.”

“Easy, dude. See, there you go again getting all protective and shit. I’m telling you man, you’ve changed these past few weeks.”

“Whatever. Look, gotta go, I’m at the old man’s firm. I’ll catch up with you later, k?”

“You’re whipped, man.” He laughs again and the line goes dead.

Fucker.

M
inutes later
, I close the file and grab my cell. There’s only one place, and one person, who I want to see right now. Home and Ava. I need to make sure we’re still good after last night.

P
ulling up the drive
, I see Christian’s Mercedes parked and wonder what he’s doing here - again. I’m sure he has business to take care of with my father, but he’s at the office, so it makes no sense why Christian’s here.

Walking into the house, I greet a couple of maids and walk to the back and into the kitchen.

“Hey, Gaby.” Reaching over her, I select an apple from the fruit bowl. “I want to apologize if you think I overstepped the mark with Ava.”

“I know, Jax, it’s complicated. You weren’t to know. Besides-”

She breaks off and her eyes bulge out of the head. The plate she’s holding smashes to the ground and my apple falls from my grip. A piercing scream comes from the direction of the dining room, and I don’t need confirmation on whose voice it is.
Ava
.

I race out of the kitchen, my heart thumping against my chest, following the sound of the scream, which comes yet again, though this time not as loud as before. Adrenaline pumping, my heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest. The door to the dining room is shut and without thinking, I slam into it, bursting through.

My heart all but stops. Bent backwards over the side-board, Ava’s crying and struggling furtively against Christian, who is trying to force down her panties.

Every part of me sees red. I roar at him, flying into the room.

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD...”

He spins around, and his eyes widen as he pushes away from her.

I run at him and my right hook connects with his nose. The satisfying crunch of my fist resonates through the room and his head flies backwards as he stumbles to the floor. Gripping his bleeding nose, his eyes water and he begins to howl in pain like a fucking pussy.

Somewhere in the background I register more screaming. Like in slow motion, I turn to see Gaby running into the room with my mother standing behind her, a look of disbelief on her face.

A couple of hours later, we’re sitting around the kitchen table, a blanket around Ava’s shoulders because she’s still in shock. My fists flex under the table. I should have fucking
killed
him.

Gaby’s fussing over her, bringing her refills of hot sweet tea, tears staining her cheeks.

“Honey, you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

Ava looks up from wringing her hands together. “No, Gaby, I’m fine, thank you.” Her voice is almost a whisper, and I have to strain to hear it.

I feel so goddamn helpless. Gaby’s called the cops based on my instructions - it annoys me that my mother initially protested against it. She pulled me aside earlier.

“Jax, what were you thinking punching Christian like that?”

My nostrils flare as I try to breathe evenly and I‘m pacing up and down like a caged animal. “What are you suggesting, Mother? Isn’t it clear? He was trying to fucking rape her.”

She winces at my words. “You don’t know that…she could have been trying to lead him on.”

I freeze in my tracks. “What did you just say?”

Her dark eyes are like flint. “Look, Jax. She needs money…I’m just saying, you never know what she could be planning.”

“Did you seriously just say that?” I push past her. “That’s fucked up. Even for you.” I want to punch the wall hard but instead I take a few deep breaths before I enter the kitchen.

T
he cops arrive
within twenty minutes. Christian tries vehemently to deny his actions, but one look at the sight of Ava crying and shaking is enough evidence to see that the bastard is blatantly lying. Her face is still red from the force of his slap and her cut lip is now swollen from where he struck her. For that, I’d landed him some hard kicks to his ribs before my mother, screaming, managed to pull me off him.

My feelings overwhelm me and hit me hard - I can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to her. It physically hurts me to see Ava like this.

Sliding my hand under the table, I clasp her hand and give her a gentle squeeze. I’m flooded with relief that she doesn’t push me away. After last night, I’m not sure where she stands with me. She grips my hand like I’m her lifeline.

My mother enters the kitchen, and her lips flatten at the sight of me next to Ava.

“I just want to let you know that I’ve finished giving my statement. Christian has been taken away.”

I exhale loudly. The sooner that fucking asshole was out of our house, the better. I hope he’ll be spending a hell of a long time in jail for attempted rape.

My mother looks around her kitchen, refusing to meet Ava’s eye. My emotions begin to rise again - what the hell is up with her?

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” She nods at us and backs out of the kitchen.

A
nother hour passes
before Ava finally stops shaking. Some color is slowly returning to her face and she seems a little calmer now.

“Would you like to take a little walk?”

She simply nods, a small smile on her lips.

I look over at Gaby, who’s watching our interaction.

“We’ll just get some fresh air, maybe walk down to the lake.”

“Sure.” She smiles. “Look after my niece, Jax.”

I offer a small smile of my own. “Always.”

I
t feels
natural holding her hand, brushing against her maxi skirt that Gaby helped her change into earlier. We walk along in a comfortable silence and I glance out to the lake, hateful thoughts directed at Christian.
Bastard
.

When we reach our destination, I lead her to a bench outside the cabin. She snuggles up against me and I reach over and place my arm around her, drawing her closer.

“You make me feel safe. Thank you.”

Instinctively, I place a kiss on her head. “Kitten, I’m so sorry for what happened with Christian.”

“Me too.” Her words are shaky. “If you hadn’t come at that time…I don’t…I don’t…”

“Shhhhh. It’s okay. I’ve got you, baby.”

She cries into my chest and I stroke her hair, wishing there was some way I could take this away.

“Kitten?”

She wiped away her tears and sits up straighter. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry about last night too…I didn’t mean to scare you away…it’s just…”

She looks into my eyes and all I can see is trust. “That was totally different.” Heat floods her cheeks. “I wanted it too…what else were you going to say?”

I take a deep breath. I’ve never done this before and my palms clam up. “It’s just…I’m falling for you, Kitten.”

Tears well up in her eyes. “Really? What if I was to say I’m feeling the same?”

I hold my breath. This feels huge. “You are?”

A few tears slip down her cheek and I use my thumb to brush them away. She exhales a shaky breath and looks away. “But we can’t be together.” Her words are final and I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.

“Of course we can, Kitten.” I run a hand through my hair. “We’ll figure out a way to make this work.”

She shakes her head, more tears filling her eyes. “I don’t see how we can. You go back to college in a few weeks. I’m your employee, your mother hates me, we’re-”

“Stop, baby.” I shift and cup her face. “Let’s not worry about all of that for now, okay? Just know that I’ve never felt like this about anyone before…I want you to be mine, Ava.” I want to kiss her so bad, but her lip is sore and I don’t want to hurt her. “Take all the time you need, I’m not going to rush you into anything.”

She’s quiet as she snuggles against me and we fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.

“It would have been a terrible way to lose it…”

Fuck
. I take a deep breath, my nostrils flaring, and I pull her against me even tighter.

“There weren’t many chances for dates…and as you know, I wasn’t exactly serious with my last boyfriend…” She trails off, heat coloring her cheeks.

“You’ve nothing to be embarrassed about.”

I reach down and kiss her cheek. Soft skin mingles with the salty taste of her tears. I want to tell her that it’s awesome that no man has claimed her before…and I feel sick when I think of what could have happened earlier with Christian.

We sit there for some time, watching the water lap against the edge until I can feel her body finally beginning to relax.

“Jax?” Her hazel eyes are full of concern and worry.

“What’s up?”

She worries her bottom lip. “What do you think is going to happen to Christian?”

My body tenses at the mention of his name. “I’m going to make sure that asshole is put away for a long, long time.”

“Really, you can do that?”

“Damn right, Kitten. We’ll represent you.”

“But...how will I be able to afford your fees?”

“Please, don’t ever mention money again. We’ve got you covered. Just know that he’s going to be put away - with our combined statements, he has no leg to stand on. As far as I’m concerned, it’s an open-and-shut case.” I kiss the top of her head and grind out my words. “He’s never going to come near you again.”

“Thank you.” She leans up and places a soft kiss to my cheek, sending a shockwave to my pelvis.

God, I want her so badly.

“I’m feeling a little tired. Can we head back to the house now? I just want to lie down for a bit.”

“Sure.” I stand and take her hand, helping her up. She’s looking a little pale once again. Before we set off, I pull her against me and wrap my arms around her. We stand like that for a few minutes, and I breathe in her scent that I’ve begun to love, fresh and clean with a little hint of floral mixed in.

We duck into the laundry room to alert Gaby of our return, and she insists on making us lunch. Ava refuses at first, finally only giving in to some soup. I assist Gaby even though she tries to shoo me away, and pretty soon, we are sitting outside on the patio. Ava merely swirls the spoon around in her soup bowl.

“Just a few mouthfuls?”

“What?” She looks up at me and blinks a few times. I indicate her bowl. “Oh. Soup.” She picks up her spoon and manages a few token mouthfuls to appease us.

“I’m feeling really tired, Gaby. If you don’t mind, I’m going to rest for a little while.”

“Sure, mija. I’ll come check on you later.”

I walk Ava to her room and she crawls up on the bed, my heart pulling at the sight of her curling herself up into a tight ball. She gazes at me under her lashes.

“Will you lie down with me, Jax?”

“Sure, Kitten.” I pull off my shoes and join her on the bed.

She shifts up, a small smile on her face, and turns on her side. I slip up behind her and wrap my arm around her waist, drawing her against my chest. She sighs and wriggles her ass against me, getting comfortable. I actually pray that my cock behaves and try of think of my mother. Settled, she molds into me perfectly.

Finally, her breathing slows down to a steady rate. Then she’s fast asleep in my arms.