Part 2As Instructed

Bennett St. James. The man the entire elite business circle feared and respected.

Rumor had it he was cold, completely detached from worldly desires, and never let women get close to him.

My hands were shaking as I typed the text. I wrote it and deleted it, over and over.

Finally, I just sent: "Mr. St. James, do you have time to meet? Elias told me to... find someone to play with."

After sending it, I threw my phone across the room, my cheeks burning with shame.

Elias’s best friend shouldn't count as just a "random guy," right?

I just didn't know if he would agree...

Surprisingly, my phone buzzed almost immediately.

Just one word: "Yes."

The location was a very secluded, high-end tea house.

When I arrived, Bennett was already there.

He sat by the window. The afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, casting light over his handsome, aristocratic face, making him look even more aloof and unattainable.

His long, slender fingers held a teacup. The steam rose gently, blurring his striking features.

The air was filled with a calming scent of sandalwood mixed with the aroma of tea.

I was so nervous I was practically shaking. I sat opposite him, my throat dry. Every word I had prepared vanished from my mind.

He looked up at me, his eyes calm as a still pool, utterly unruffled.

"He told you to come to me?" Bennett asked after pouring me a cup of tea.

His voice was beautiful, too. Like cool, crisp water over stones.

I twisted my fingers together, lowering my head. My nose stung, and I nodded vigorously.

"Yes."

Silence stretched across the room.

Just as I felt I couldn't sit there any longer and wanted to bolt, he set his teacup down gently and looked at me.

"When you say 'play around'... what kind of playing did you have in mind?"