His Amber

SIMOUN'S POV

"Your private jet is fueled up and ready to go by five in the morning. The pilot will be expecting you, and the second we land in Japan. There's a car I'll have waiting for us. We'll check in at our hotel, catch a bit of sleep, then prepare for our meeting with Onel Satoh that evening," Kai said.

"You have a penthouse suite booked, correct?" I asked.

"I do."

"And the car has tinted windows?"

"It does."

"And you'll be driving. Not someone else?"

"I'd never stick you with someone you haven't vetted yourself. Not since the incident."

"Good. You're the only person I remotely trust at the moment. And until we get through this stuff with Mr. Satoh, you're the only one I trust. We're there for the week, correct?"

"Yes, sir. One week in Japan, wining and dining Mr. Satoh until he can't do anything but say yes. However, there's one last preparation we need to discuss."

I shook my head as I swiveled my chair and gazed out the window of my office.

"We've been over this," I said. "I don't need a fake fiancée hanging off my arm during this trip."

"You told me to set this up so that you were in a position to win, no matter what. Onel Satoh comes from royalty. That's how old his money is. And since we'll be in his territory, we have to abide by his rules and traditions."

"And tradition states I need a fiancée?"

"Tradition states a man of your wealth and age should already be married with a child, but I'm settling for a fiancée."

"No."

"Sion, Onel's perspective concerning stability and security is paramount. He doesn't trust a man who doesn't have a woman at his side."

"Explain to me again why that is? Without throwing the word 'tradition' around."

"Where Onel comes from, if a woman approves of a man, then anyone else can. In his world, women are the strongest vetters of men there are. Onel won't trust or do business with a man without at least a fiancée because, in his eyes, if a man cannot get a woman to trust him, a man isn't capable of doing anything else. Plus, I've done some research into his other partners."

"Let me guess. They're family men," I said.

"All of them. Each with their own wife, children, and sometimes mistress on the side."

"Nice to know they have a moral code," I said flatly.

"You have to play the part if you're going to secure this for our company," Kai said. "At least until the deal is signed. The fake fiancée will give the perspective that you are stable enough to take this on, and then we can arrange some sort of argument. A dissolution of the engagement. You'll stand on your own, Onel will get a taste of how you stand on your own without a family, and all will be settled."

I shook my head as I ran my finger across my upper lip. I didn't like this. I didn't enjoy playing pretend. Fake wasn't something I did. Smoke and mirrors were something I avoided wholly. This was the part of my business I detested the most. Schmoozing future clients and partners and having to make all sorts of small talk. I wanted to get down to business. I wanted to strip away all the niceties and lay out the pros and cons of every move we were to make as partners from here until the end. That was how I operated.

But apparently, Onel Satoh worked under pomp and circumstance.

"I'm there to make a deal. Not play house," I said.

"And playing house is one of the ways to seal this deal. If you want to succeed, then we'll discuss what kind of woman you want hanging off your arm," Kai said.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I wanted this deal. More than anything. I'd lived it and breathed it for months, and the time had come to meet face-to-face and sign the paperwork. I knew there was a catch the second Onel didn't want to fly to us. He'd been flying into the Philippines from Japan every chance he got. The tables were turned, and I was being asked to step up to the plate, and I had to admit that Kai had never steered me wrong before. Even if his plans seemed a little off the rails.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay?" Kai asked.

"Yes. Okay. But I have no idea where you're going to find a woman that will impress the likes of old royalty like Satoh and hold herself with a poise expected of a woman at my side."

"A professional, of course," he said.

"A professional that won't want to sink her claws into Manila's most eligible and richest bachelor?"

"Nice to know you don't have an ego."

I turned my chair back around as a grin slid across my face.

"The magazine called me that. Not myself. And if we're going to do this, we're going to do it perfectly. I'll have picky standards, from how she looks to how she speaks."

"Hence a professional," he said again.

"I'm curious as to what you mean by that."

Kai began typing on his laptop as I drew in a deep breath. He'd been my right-hand man at G.P.S software ever since its inception. What began as a company developing GPS software with military uses grew into technology I spun off into a dozen different subsidiaries over the years. After the military made my technology standard in all their drones and newly developed ships, the money I raked in went to other projects I founded in different countries for different reasons. And Kai had been there to oversee every single one. A friend since college, an equal partner in my businesses, and the only person I trusted after my childhood best friend stole my technology right from underneath me and attempted to sell it as his own.

Good thing it was only the first beta and was riddled with bugs that needed patching.

I spent all my time working. It was the only thing I knew. I had an ensuite bathroom and small bedroom attached to my penthouse office suite on the top floor of my headquarters in Manila City. Besides the view from my penthouse apartment, it was my favorite place to sit and overlook the city. The press constantly hounded me about who I was dating, if I was married, if the woman that had come forward and professed her child to be mine was, in fact, mine.

But I didn't date. I had no time. No patience. No trust when it came to people.

I didn't enjoy the game of it all. The sitting down for dinner and plastering on smiles. The fake laughs at jokes that were never meant to be funny. And I sure as hell didn't enjoy women contorting themselves in bed to my every whim just so I'd pull out my wallet for them in the future. I didn't enjoy games and I didn't enjoy facades, so dating wasn't something I indulged in.

Work was the only thing that stayed honest and ungirded, raw and vulnerable without any shame or shadow.

Work was my only love. My only passion in life. And my bank account boasted of the success I'd had over the years.

"This is what I mean," Kai said.

His voice ripped me from my trance, and I watched him set his laptop down in front of me.

A website entitled "Executive Call Girls" sat on the screen, and I rolled my eyes. A legal prostitute. Great. I sighed and shook my head, my eyes closing as a headache began to creep up on me.

"Here, read their 'about' section."

"The callgirl site has an about section?" I asked.

"Just read it, asshole."

A chuckle fell from my lips as I opened my eyes. They flickered across the screen, taking in the promises the company said they could deliver on. Intelligent women. Decorous women. Discreet escorts for businessmen on the go. Discreet was nice. She'd have to keep her mouth shut on the deal at hand. But I didn't simply need someone intelligent; I needed a woman with grace. A woman with poise. A woman with a taste for muted decadence and one who would keep her legs closed around the rest of the rich men I'd be around for an entire week.

"You want to hire me a high-class call girl," I said.

"From the research I've done, they provide the most tailored experience and the best women to do exactly what we need for the next week."

"Did you try this out personally?"

Kai groaned as he reached over and clicked a button.

"Look through these pages. You can tailor down what you're looking for in a woman, though I already set a few parameters," Kai said.

"Foreign languages?" I asked.

"Yes. I already filtered it down to a woman who can speak multiple languages, a woman who has a bit of talent outside of sitting and drinking wine, and a woman with curvier features." My eyes locked on to Kai's as he sighed.

"Just look through the women. There's pages of them, Sion. We have to nail this. And if you want to nail this, then you have to pick a woman. Simple as that."

"I'm not nailing her, if that's what's required of me."

"Nope. Only the perception," he said.

"Good. The last thing I need is some call girl thinking this is a James Bond 007 movie."

"Nice reference drop. I'll applaud you later."

I pulled the laptop to me and began clicking through the pages. Women with jet-black hair and blonde hair. Brown eyes and green eyes. Some women had tattoos, and others were talented artists. Jugglers. Fire breathers?

No.

I clicked through four pages of women before my eyes fell onto one of them. Amber, no last name. I pulled up her profile and began to read her talents, and one of them jumped out at me immediately. The young woman was fluent in Japanese and also familiar with the world of finance. That would help me greatly during my stay in Tokyo. But when I clicked on her profile picture and toggled through the five photos she had on her page, I was blown away when I saw the sexy brunette with sloping curves and breasts that made me want her in front of me and not Kai.

"Ah, she's a good one. She caught my eye as I was flipping through the pages."

I jumped at Kai's voice as he peered over my shoulder.

"How long have you been there?" I asked.

"Long enough to see how long you've been staring at her picture. She'd be perfect for the role. Especially with that long neck. Slap a decent set of pearls on it, stick her in a black cocktail-"

"Find another one," I said.

I shoved the laptop to him before I scooted my chair back.

"But she's perfect."

"Find another one," I said plainly.

That was the issue. She was perfect. Too perfect, with those beautiful hazel eyes and long limbs that held curves I already wanted to sink my teeth into. I came across plenty of women my cock wanted throughout the day, but it had been a long time since I'd wanted to jump into bed with one of them. And the sight of Amber in those pictures alone made me struggle. No. She was the worst option. I didn't know if I'd be able to resist the temptation of what she held between her legs if she was at my side an entire week. I didn't know if I'd be able to not take advantage of all the talents a call girl had at her disposal.

"Are you sure?" Kai asked.

"Positive," I said as I grabbed my suit coat. "I'm going home to pack. You should do the same."

"Already have."

"Good," I said. "And seriously. Pick someone else."

"I heard you, sir."

I shot him a look as he packed up his things, then waited until he walked out of my office. I didn't care that he was upset. I also didn't care that she had the skill set I needed for this trip. If a pair of long, juicy legs like hers were pressed against me for any amount of time underneath a dinner table, I'd be paying Onel Satoh absolutely no mind.

Not when I was trying to bury my fingers into what I knew would be a warm, tight pussy.

AMBER'S POV

I sat in Matilda's office and tried not to cough through the cigarette smoke. My boss's office was disgusting. Old magazines everywhere, soaked in cat pee. Cigarette butts stuffed into every corner she could find. And so many cats. They were everywhere. I sat on the edge of the stained chair in front of her desk before I reached to pick up a white one. It kept twirling its tail around my ankle and purring at me. I set the cat on my lap and pet it as Matilda lit up another cigarette with the one she had just finished.

Then, she blew a cloud of smoke in my direction.

"I have an assignment for you," she said. "It's why I called you here so late. You're up for foreign travel, right?"

"I am," I said. "I don't enjoy staying in one place for too long."

"Good. Because this one takes you to Japan, if you accept. And you should. The pay is phenomenal, and it will really line your pocket."

And by "my pocket," she meant her own pocket.

I traveled with my job whenever I could. It was never safe to stay in one place for too long. Not when someone had my particular last name. After what my father had done to so many innocent people and the insanity it spiraled my mother into, changing shape and staying fluid was paramount to my survival. So long as I kept moving, I'd stay employed with Matilda. But once it got to be too stagnant, I'd have to move on.

"Tokyo? I thought Samara was given that assignment?" I asked.

"Her passport's expired," Matilda mumbled. "Either way, it doesn't matter. You're the best fit for this particular job after looking at the skills and qualifications Samara brought. The flight leaves in five hours."

"So, the assignment is mine?" I asked.

"What have I told you about asking idiotic questions in my office? I don't tolerate them."

She blew another puff of smoke in my direction, and the cat scrambled off my lap.

"Who's the client?" I asked.

"That's a better question. His name's Simoun... something. A tech billionaire who needs a fake fiancée to seal a business deal overseas. Your job is to be pretty, smart, poised, and help him get the contracts signed before the week is out."

"Any bonus duties?" I asked.

"None were requested. But you know what I said...?"

"Never count it out." I said.

"If they are requested, you'll accommodate the client. Unless he colors outside the lines. We provide a lot, but I don't take kindly to my merchandise coming back to me tattered and worn."

I folded my arms over my chest and sat back in the seat.

"You know I don't do straight call-girl work," I said. "You hand me the clients that don't request them at all, and I take the pay cut."

"You want this job? You keep yourself open to the idea of it. You don't want to? Then the job gets handed to someone else. And I promise you, if you fuck this up for me, you'll never work as an escort again. Not in this town."

"I'm sure other towns could accommodate just fine," I said.

"High-roller clients like this man who order escort packages like the one he's ordered might want to do more than just have dinner, and you need to understand that going in. He didn't specify any bonus activities, but plans change. Things change. The wants of a man change. The hefty premium he's paying both of us comes with the possibility of more."

I bit down onto the inside of my cheek as I stared the woman down. Matilda Morelos was not a woman to be fucked around with. She was slim, dressed in all black from head to toe, and wore her stark-white hair in a tight bob around her head. Her glasses were almost as big as her face, and she was constantly walking in a plume of cigarette smoke. She was my boss, and a former Manila nights madam specially on BGC's Club who'd clung to the arms of some of the world's elite. She was the first madam to step out into international waters and entertain foreign diplomats and businessmen in the city as well as in their own country. The reputation she'd established allowed her to open up Executive Escorts, a high-end call-girl business that operated off a website and word-of-mouth referrals only.

Her clients needed everything from arm candy to a sex toy, but I stuck strictly on the side of arm candy. Matilda, however, was placing me in a corner I didn't enjoy being in.

"How much money are we talking about?" I asked.

"Enough to take care of that mother of yours for a very long time," she said.

Another puff of smoke made its way to me, and I stifled a cough. I knew she was taunting me, luring me in with the financial gain I stood to accept after the week was out. And the truth was, I needed the money as well as the anonymity the job provided.

I didn't have to provide any records of who I was, and in Matilda's eyes, there was nothing about me she cared for if it couldn't make her money. She didn't even know my last name, only that men enjoyed the shape of my body, the multiple languages I spoke, the talent I had for piano, and the head for business I had.

This was all thanks to my father. Who'd actively ruined my and my mother's world.

"Okay," I said. "I'll take the job."

"Fantastic," Matilda said. "Here's your itinerary and a brief bio of your client. The address for where you need to be in a few hours is on the inside front cover. Happy travels."

Then, she turned her chair away from me, signaling that our meeting was over.

I took the packet off her desk and shoved it into my purse. I made my way home to my tiny one-bedroom apartment that was no bigger than most people's living rooms. Tossing my purse onto my bed that doubled as a couch, I began to pack. I pulled out all of my best outfits and made sure they were ironed, then packed up my best heels to match. Nothing slouchy, nothing baggy, and nothing cheap. I packed up jewelry and makeup and the finest things I'd purchased specifically for my job, then zipped everything up, threw my purse over my shoulder, and set out for my rickety excuse for a car, suitcase in tow.

I had one last stop to make before I ventured to the airport.

I pulled up in front of the mental health facility and parked my car. I stepped out and made my way up, anxious to see my mother before I left for the week. She'd been in their care full-time now for almost three years. Ever since my father had died.

Well, "died."

We didn't talk about that part much. Or at all.

She collapsed mentally a few days after we buried him, and she spiraled into a depression and anxiety that swallowed her whole. My chosen career allowed for my anonymity and safety and helped me to pay her medical bills. Which was why I couldn't take the chance of letting a bit of sex stand in the way of what seemed like it would be a lucrative week for me. If I could deliver on all fronts.

"Well, hello there, Miss-"

I held my hand up and stopped the front desk nurse in her tracks.

"Is my mother awake?" I asked. "I know it's pretty early in the morning."

"Late at night for me. Haven't been to sleep yet. Unfortunately, your mother had a rough night last night. Her sleeping medication has been tweaked, and we just got her down a couple of hours ago."

"What happened?" I asked. "Why didn't someone call?"

"She kept demanding we not call you. But she was wandering the halls dancing again."

"Was she calling out for my father?"

"No. This time she was convince that she was dancing with her husband."

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard before I drew in a deep breath.

"I don't care what my mother says next time. If anything like that happens, you call me. You ring my phone until I wake up."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll make a note of it."

"I like the fact that you guys try to give your patients as much independence and control over their life as possible, but she should not be the dictator of whether or not you contact me."

"I'm sorry, Miss-"

I shot her a look, and she shut her face.

"I'll be gone for the next week on business. Call my cell phone if there's an emergency," I said.

"Where are you headed?" the nurse asked.

"Japan" I said.

"I hope you have yourself a good time then. And don't worry, once your mother wakes up, I'll have her give you a call."

"I appreciate it."

SIMOUN'S POV

I flipped through my phone, checking my emails while my eyes darted to the clock on my phone. Not only was Kai in the fucking hospital with food poisoning all of a sudden, the woman he apparently hired to occupy my side was late. Kai's "bright idea" to seal this deal for me was fifteen minutes late. I hated it when others were late. I hated it more than not working. Punctuality ruled my world, and this sorry excuse for a woman already had me fifteen minutes behind schedule. A had a dozen different businesses I ran within a given day. I couldn't afford to wait hand and foot on a woman who spent too much time dousing on mascara and applying fake eyelashes.

I glanced out the window as I shot a text off to Kai. I didn't like that he was sick. Not only did that leave me down the only person I trusted in my world, but I couldn't stay behind to make sure he was okay. Kai was a bachelor like myself, so if the hospital staff weren't taking care of him, then he was in bed until things like this passed. I should've known things would go terribly wrong once he told me he was sick and not able to make it to Japan.

"Miss Villadoza?"

"Yes, Mr. Cardenas?"

"Go ahead and close the door. Apparently, my other passenger isn't going to be making it either," I said.

"Yes, Mr. Cardenas. We'll get you up in the air soon enough."

I watched my personal flight attendant walk over to the stairs to get them pulled up. I tried Kai's bright idea. It wasn't my fault the woman didn't know how to set an alarm. I tried it, and it didn't work. Which meant I was officially off the hook. Then, I heard the clicking of heels coming up the stairs.

"Sir?" the flight attendant asked.

"Yes?"

"I believe your party has arrived."

A woman came around the corner, and the second I saw her, two things happened. My cock stiffened against my pants, and my anger flew out of control. I gripped my phone tightly as the long-legged, brown-haired beauty came walking down the aisle with her head held high, her long neck accented with a dainty emerald necklace and her suitcase rolling behind her.

It was the beauty I told Kai not to hire.

When it rained in my world, it poured.

"Mr. Cardenas. I'm Amber. Your companion for the week."

She came close and held out her hand, and her scent blanketed me. Musky, with a slight hint of fruit. An expensive scent that forced all the veins in my groin to pulse. I looked down at her hand, at the dainty fingers decorated in the slimmest rings. Rose gold, a beautiful color that accented the lightly tanned nature of her softness. I was so distracted by her grace and her long, fluid legs that I'd almost forgotten to respond.

This was exactly what I didn't want to happen.

Exactly what I didn't need this week.

"Simoun Cardenas," I said as I took her hand. "But call me Sion. Or any other pet name you wish to regard me as for the week."

"I took a look at the file my boss put together on you. I thought something along the lines of 'honey' or 'darling' might suffice."

I whipped my gaze up to hers, and she graced me with the smallest grin. A sense of humor. A dry sense of humor.

My cock throbbed as I gazed into her hazel eyes.

Her long brown hair was set in natural waves that cascaded just beyond her shoulders. Her eyes were highlighted with a neutral eyeshadow and cat-winged eyeliner that drew me into her mysterious grace. Her shoulders were strong yet harnessed a delicacy that dripped into her voluptuous bosom. Her waist fell inward, beckoning to my hands as I took in the softness and warmth of her handshake. I released her, concerned that if I kept a grip on her I'd soon find my palms at her hips with my face between her thighs.

What I wouldn't give to toss those legs over my shoulders and fold her in half.

"Mr. Cardenas? Miss Amber? It's time to buckle up and take off."

I peeled my gaze away from her face and nodded toward my flight attendant.

"Of course, thank you, Miss Villadoza. Amber, won't you take a seat?"

"I'll get these for you," the flight attendant said as she took Amber's suitcase.

She sat down with ease into the leather seat across the aisle from me. Her deft fingers quickly buckled her body into the seat before she crossed one smooth leg over the other. My eyes drifted along her lines, along the long form she donned before taking in her heels-red-bottomed with a black, sleek outline. Saucy, but with a conservative cover. I felt the back of my neck heat as I cleared my throat.

I didn't have time for distractions. Not when a huge deal like Onel Satoh's partnership was on the line. I released the grip on my phone and opened up a text message to Kai. I had a very serious bone to pick with him.

To: Kai

What the hell is wrong with you? This was the woman I specifically asked you not to request.

He shot back with a response that made me chew on my inner cheek.

From: Kai

I did. Her name was Samara. But her passport was expired, and Amber was the only other woman with the necessary skills to pull this off. She'll be fine. Good luck.

I was tempted to shoot him a text message back to tell him to choke on his own vomit, but I resisted. The plane began to taxi on the tarmac, and I slipped my phone in my pocket. I needed to calm myself down. Take deep breaths and not think about the fact that the most beautiful woman alive was sitting across the damn aisle from me. I snuck a glance at her and watched her turn her head. That long, graceful neck swiveled, and her veins rolled underneath her glistening skin. I held back a groan as I watched her gaze out the window, losing herself in her own little world as she folded her hands in her lap.

She was perfect for the role. Even when she thought no one was looking at her, she held herself with a poise I only found in women raised with riches around them.

I wondered what her life was like outside of that website.

"Have you ever been to Japan before?"

Her voice caught me off guard as the plane leveled out in the air.

"I haven't," I said.

"It's a beautiful place. I enjoy walking around it at night. I went to see one of my favorite operas in the New National Theater Tokyo."

She turned her gaze to me, and I watched her eyes twinkle.

"You enjoy opera," I said.

"Very much so. My favorite Madama Butterfly , but Kurofune is a very close second. There's this bakery that sits not too far down from the opera house, actually. They make these wonderful apple strudels that make me salivate even before I turn the corner. And if you make your way to the 'snack market,' as they so accurately call it, there's this chocolate shop that has a small edible city that lines the wall of the shop. You can actually pay a small fee and choose what part of the city you want to devour and then watch them make a replacement in the back. It's incredible. One of my favorite places to go, by far."

I sat there, entranced by the look on her face. She talked as if she knew the place well. The sparkle in her lovely eyes pulled me in, but the lilt in her voice and the happiness she seemed to exude kept me hooked. She told me stories of strolling up and down the streets and the street performers that had pulled her into her acts.

I enjoyed listening to her talk.

"What do you do for fun?" she asked.

I drew in a deep breath as a small smile crossed her cheeks.

"I read," I said.

"Oh, so do I. Though I'm a sucker for my tried-and-true love stories. What do you read?"

"Technical manuals. Business books. Self-help things. I enjoy staying on top of my industry as well as my mental health."

"Mental health is very important," she said. "For many, it's a constant struggle. It's a facet of many people's lives that goes unchecked because of the stigma it comes with in this culture."

A sadness permeated her eyes for a split second, and I wanted to ask her about it. But she changed the subject before I could.

"What about movies? Do you enjoy any recent ones?"

"Not really a movie-goer," I said. "Don't own a television."

"Isn't technology your industry?"

"It is, but that doesn't mean I enjoy surrounding myself with it when I'm not working."

"Are you ever not working?" she asked with a grin.

I chuckled and shook my head. She was intuitive. Another facet of her I enjoyed.

This really wasn't good.

"Would either of you enjoy anything now that our flight has stabilized?" Miss Villadoza asked.

"I would love a mimosa, if it's possible," Amber said.

"I'll take one as well," I said.

"Anything to eat?" Miss Villadoza asked.

"I'm okay for now, but thank you," Amber said.

"Two mimosas will be all, thank you," I said.

I had every intention of ignoring the drink, but I needed to get into the habit of doing things alongside her. If she ordered something, then I needed to order something. That was how being a couple worked, right? I knew she was asking me questions and telling me stories so I had some so I had some sort of backstory on her, so I needed to make sure I got into the same groove-to learn the same kinds of things about her in case Onel started asking me things about my fiancée.

The flight attendant came back with the mimosas, and Amber reached for hers. And the second she did, her dress rode up her thigh. The soft skin came into view, riding up just beyond the middle of it, and suddenly I was reaching for my drink and taking it down in one gulp. My mouth felt dry. My cock screamed out in anger. She lowered herself back into her seat, but her dress stayed put, taunting me with its softness and direct trail to the place where a woman's body was always warm.

Before I knew it, I was on my third mimosa and feeling very mellow.

Damn it. This was the problem-the issue with women like Amber. I shoved my empty glass away and pulled out my phone, relegating myself to something else other than conversing with my call girl for the week.

"So, what exactly does your business-"

"I need to work," I said.

I felt her look over at me, and I forced myself not to look back.

"Then I suppose I'll take a nap," she said.

"Enjoy."

I started responding to emails and checking on certain things as Amber leaned herself back. I had no idea how long I was staring at my phone, but the second I heard soft, even breaths coming across the aisle, I could no longer keep my eyes away from her. I tried not to stare at her as the hours passed. I attempted to get as much work done as I could. But she was too damn beautiful, and I had way too much champagne in my empty stomach.

It was going to be a very long week.