Maid for Me (4 page)

Jaiden chuckled. Like any other typical Uptowner, she was ready to sue anything and anyone for big bucks.

Just like how those people tried to sue Mickey D’s for making them fat.

Jaiden knelt down beside the girl and scooped her up in his arms. She weighed even heavier than she looked. Carrying her, he thought his spine would snap in two.

What the hell? Why is he carrying me? Why isn’t he calling 911?
Mina caught a whiff of his cologne-he smelled soapy clean, with a hint of distinctly masculine spice. He reminded her of an ocean. Kit had a distinguishing smell too—a woodland scent.

Oh Kit…

Addicted to his scent, whenever she had a chance, Mina tried to sniff Kit’s clothes. Mina’s nose itched-she held back a sneeze to avoid blowing her own cover.

Jaiden eased Mina onto the sidewalk. He squeezed his fingers over her wrist.

“Pulse is normal.” He placed a finger over her nostrils. “Breathing regularly. There are no visible cuts, blood, or bruising.” Jaiden smirked, using the lingo and actions of suave TV doctors.

“There’s only one test left.” He squeezed her nose and clasped his hand over her mouth.

Crap! He knows! He’s suffocating me!
Mina could pretend to pass out. But before she could do so, she would have really passed out. She could feel herself turning blue. Unable to keep up her act, she gasped for air and pried the guy’s hand away from her mouth and nose.

Jaiden laughed. “I guess this means you’re okay. Ciao.”

Mina coughed and sat up. Pointing at him, she said, “You nearly killed me.”

“What are you, a drama queen? I do suggest you take some acting classes first.” Jaiden stood up and removed his shades. He stared at Mina with violet-blue eyes, framed by dark soot lashes. With an aristocrat’s sharp nose, defined cheekbones, and eyes that could belong to hot vampires (not the ones that sparkle in the sun like diamonds though, ack), the guy before her looked like a celebrity.

Or Prince Charming.

As handsome as he was, Mina had a feeling he was probably completely maggot-infested on the inside like Alyssa.

“Plus, the keyword here is
nearly
.” Jaiden arched his eyebrow. Like other girls, he knew this one here couldn’t resist his charms. Jaiden ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. He glanced at his red-faced Parmigiani Fleurier watch. “I don’t have time to deal with a malingerer. I assume it’s money you want, right?” Jaiden took out his dark red leather wallet and removed five crisp hundred dollar bills. He dropped the money on the ground next to Mina. Mina hesitated before taking the money.

She wanted to smack the little Mina-Devil on her shoulder.

Since when did I become such a horrible person? What am I, a con artist?

Before Mina could apologize to the guy and give him back his money, he disappeared into his car and drove away. She rubbed the money together in her hands and waited for her palms to burn.

Oh well. At least now I have one percent of the money Mom owes. Mom should be convinced I can pay off her debts if I give her this money.

She stood up, patting her dusty behind. Turning to walk away, she noticed a silver mirror on the ground. Picking it up, she realized it was really a cell phone.

Rich Boy must have dropped
it.
I guess the least I can do is return it to him.

Mina played around with the nifty piece of technology in her hand, hoping she could find some clues as to where the guy lived and who he was. The screen lit up and a shocking picture popped on screen.

Mina dropped the phone. “My god.”

*FOUR*

Fifteen minutes later, Jaiden walked into D.L.P.’s main corporate building in the center of South Uptown.

He reached into his trouser pocket for his cell phone, only to realize he had lost it.

Great. That silly girl must have it.

In the elevator riding to the thirtieth floor, Jaiden adjusted his white shirt collar and cuffs. He removed his shades and smoothed back his gelled hair. With long strides and a straightened back, he entered the CEO’s office.

Jameson Daniels’s city office was less spectacular; hence, he spent most of his time in this office, where he ran his own company and watched over the city’s finances. Behind his desk, the large ceiling-high windows offered a spectacular view of the city.

Jaiden groaned and felt his spine tingle the minute he stepped into the office. At the obsidian desk, sat his father and Michael Helwick, CEO of Helwick Incorporated. Michael was a longtime business partner and friend of Jaiden’s father. Not only was he a business guru and a finance-genius, he was the city’s Mayor and the candidate most slated to win the seat again this November.

His opponent had had his eye on the mayoral seat for years. Jameson ran against his friend.

In the Uptown, few men stood on a pedestal higher than Jameson. Michael was one of them.

The middle-aged men greeted Jaiden with controlled smiles. Jameson waved for his son to take a seat next to Michael. Unlike Jameson, Michael was short and stout, like a teapot, balding and pale. Jameson looked like a weathered version of Jaiden, with dark blue eyes and streaks of white and gray in his thick black hair.

“
We were just talking about you, son.” Jameson sat back. “Michael tells me Madison will be spending the summer here in the city.”

Jameson’s mentioning of Madison’s name made his son shudder.

“
She misses you so much, my dear boy.” Michael wiped his sweaty double chin with a handkerchief. “She constantly talks about how you two used to play together. How time flies.”

The older men chatted about the good old days. Jaiden feigned interest.

“
I can’t believe it, but they’re old enough to get married now.” Michael chuckled.

“
Michael means you two are old enough to technically get married, to whomever you two please,” Jameson added. The two older men shot each other knowing glances.

Just like women.
Jaiden, rolling his eyes, wanted to snap his fingers and disappear like Houdini. For years, Michael and Jameson (more Michael than Jameson) had hinted they wanted to become future in-laws and for years, Jaiden had dreaded this.

“
So, I would highly appreciate it if you can keep her company this summer-she’s been away for so long, the city is almost foreign to her,” Michael said.

Jaiden glared at his father and gave him a you-owe-me-big-time look.

How is it possible that the Uptown’s Mayor’s daughter feels like a foreigner?

Jaiden bowed his head at Michael. “It would be my pleasure.”

“
Excellent.” Michael tapped his fingers together, like a corpulent version of Mr. Burns. “Madison will be downstairs shortly. You probably won’t recognize her anymore.”

I doubt that
, Jaiden muttered in his head. A few years ago, Madison Helwick was a female version of her father, with a mop of oily auburn hair and a crater-filled face that could make the moon’s surface green with envy. As children, Jaiden teased her. Despite his bullying, Madison had always been his number-one fan.

“Excuse me.” Michael whipped out his ringing cell phone and answered it. When the call ended, he grinned at Jaiden and patted his shoulder.

“My Madi is in the lobby waiting. Have fun.”

“Oh, I will.” Jaiden turned and pressed his lips together at his father. Jameson shrugged.

The older gentlemen resumed their fond reflection of the good old days. Jaiden stepped out of his father’s office sighing.

Shouldn’t mayoral candidates be unfriendly and bitter toward each other? Why are those two so chummy?
Even their campaigns against each other were benign instead of smear.

Jaiden imagined an eighteen year old Madison to be a three-hundred pound walrus with the fashion sense of a clown.

To his surprise, his eyes enjoyed the sight of a young woman standing in the D.L.P. lobby. Tall, lithe, and stunning were words that described Madison. Her auburn hair was short in an A-line bob style. In a classy white dress-suit and three-inch heels, Madison looked like she had just stepped out of a Vogue magazine. She tilted her head and smiled.

“
Hi love,” she said with a French, nasally accent. Three years in a Paris boarding school did wonders for her.

“
I missed you.” Her scent invaded Jaiden’s nostrils-fragrant jasmine and roses.

“
Madi?” Jaiden rubbed the back of his neck. “You look good.” Though he didn’t lie, he did wonder how much Michael had spent to make her look this amazing. For one, her sharp, straight nose wasn’t the one God had given her.

Madison batted her green eyes and licked her plush bottom lip. Collagen injections, Jaiden guessed.

“
Thanks. I like what I see too. You’re as handsome as ever. Like Adonis.” She sauntered over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before wrapping an arm around his. “We have a lot of catching up to do. First, you have to take me somewhere fun, Jai-Jai.”

“
Somewhere fun? Want to play Space-Tennis? It’s tennis played in a zero-gravity court. They just opened up a place in West Uptown.”

Madison shook her head. The mini-chandelier diamond earrings hanging from her earlobes jangled.

“
No? How about horseback riding? Skydiving?”

Madison waggled her finger. “We’re adults now, Jaiden. Let’s do something fun adults do.”

“
Oh? What did you have in mind?” Jaiden cocked his head, ready for any game the plastic socialite wanted to play.

~*~

That night, Mina dangled her feet off the rooftop of her house and counted five stars in the sky. Last summer, she had spent every night atop the roof stargazing with Kit. Whenever Kit fell asleep, Mina would stare at him and her fingers would itch to caress his flawless face.

It’s not fair he’s so beautiful.

She looked at the house next door and her best friend wasn’t home.

He’s probably out with Alyssa again.
Mina wondered if the butterflies in Alyssa’s stomach did somersaults whenever she was near Kit. And if she knew at this moment she was the luckiest girl in the world.

Ripping her mind away from thoughts of Kit, Mina wondered what she should do to save her house.

Never a dull moment.

She took out Rich Boy’s cell phone and looked at the nasty picture again.

Should I call the cops? Or…

On the bright screen flashed a mutilated bald doll head with bloody eyes. The doll’s blood-smeared lips smiled, making it look like a masochist. The red-font message under the image was:

Death to the Daniels. The boy goes first.

If this isn’t a death-threat, then I can strut down any haute-couture catwalk and pose as a supermodel.

In the Uptown, only one famous family was associated with the name Daniels- Jameson Daniels and his son, the boy in the message, Jaiden Daniels, a.k.a. snooty Rich Boy in the red sports car that almost killed Mina.

Asides from being an active political figure, Jameson Daniels owned a corporation, D.L.P., that invested in multiple businesses in the Uptown.

After scourging the web for information, Mina discovered Jameson Daniels’s net worth was eight point eight billion dollars, slated to rise to nine billion before the end of the year.

How many zeroes are in a billion? Sheesh. He wouldn’t think twice about spending fifty-grand to ensure his son’s safety, right?

Jameson Daniels dealt with the Uptown’s budget, finances, and audited city agencies and businesses. He also managed eight hundred city employees-surely not all of them were happy with their affluent and powerful boss.