The Wrong Address

"See you around, Kev!"

Now that she had completed her three day performance at the hostess club, Natalie waved goodbye to Kevin who still had to perform his solo guitar for the rest of the night. Closing the back door behind her, she hoped this would be her last time leaving the place.

Never again. She truly thought that the money she earned was not worth all the stress she went through.

Natalie's mind was preoccupied with financial concerns as she rushed down the metallic stairs, clutching Kevin's old phone which she had borrowed, her eyes were glued to the screen, checking for the money that should have been deposited into her bank account, she anxiously refreshed the banking app every five minutes wanting to see the numerical confirmation with her own eyes.

"Good evening," a masculine voice greeted.

She stopped when she was one step away from colliding with the man who had appeared unexpectedly in her way. Wearing yet another entirely different outfit for the third time in a row while she persisted in draping the same jacket and scarf over herself.

Alonso Valois stood confidently in place, smiling down at her.

"…Ah, just the man I wanted to see."

Tucking Kevin's old phone into her pocket without breaking eye contact, she smiled up at him. "It must have been you who replaced my phone yesterday, right? Thank you for your generous gift."

He nodded, his eyes briefly glancing at her pocket before returning to her face. "I noticed you haven't started using it yet, but thank you for accepting my gift."

Alonso gestured with his manicured hand toward the Audi parked in the dark back alley, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Does this mean I'll have the privilege of driving you home tonight?"

Natalie gave him her sweetest smile. "Lead the way to your car, please."

It was a quiet and friendly stroll toward the Audi with the two of them exchanging smiles. When they reached the car, Alonso walked her to the front passenger door and opened it for her displaying the traits of a perfect gentleman.

"My, oh my, why thank you!"

Bending down, only Natalie's head entered the car, scanning its interior before rising back up. Although her head spent only a brief moment inside, she could already detect the intensified scent of expensive leather and his perfume clinging to her.

A look of confusion crossed Alonso's face as he heard her vulgar whistle.

Good.

Natalie reached into her purse, retrieved the phone he had gifted her, and casually tossed it onto the front passenger seat before looking up at him with a serious expression.

"You have the wrong address."

His frown deepened, "Excuse me?"

"You're one of those men who enjoy the hunt, right? I suggest you find someone who likes the chase because I certainly don't."

"Natalie, I—"

Pushing aside the gratification of hearing her name from his lips, she raised a hand to stop him from finishing what he was about to say, then casually slid both hands into her jacket pockets.

"Good luck with your club and have a nice life. If you'll excuse me."

Passing him by, she cursed the fact that she'd have to spend more money on an Uber again instead of taking the metro just to put distance between herself and Mr. Moneybags as fast as possible. The only thing consoling her was that she was already booked for a wedding the very next day.

She ended up entering the first Uber in sight.

"The same address as before, Miss?" Said the same driver from two days before.

"…Yes, thank you."

In a moment of pure curiosity, she turned around to see how angry or insulted Alonso Valois was after she had walked away from him, but to her surprise, Mr. Moneybags had leaned back against his black Audi, placed one of his legs up on the tire and folded his arms on his chest, grinning from ear to ear and nodding in approval.

Her first impression of him in that coffee shop must have been the correct one. This man must be crazy.