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Chapter Five

Birds chirped merrily. Kids ran about screaming and laughing. Dogs barked on leashes.
Adrianna opened her eyes and groaned. Her back was sore and stiff, popping loudly as she pulled herself up into a sitting position.
It had been a week since she’d come to London and nothing had turned up. She had tried everywhere that she could think of and yet, nothing. She was out of money and had nowhere to stay. For the last couple nights, she’d been squatting on a park bench in a more posh neighborhood.
At first, she had been afraid about sleeping out in the open, especially after her encounter with the nutter, but for the most part, people left her alone. They probably just assumed she was a tramp or a vagrant and thought it was best to ignore her. It suited Adrianna just fine. People just pissed her off.
She hugged the blanket that she’d stolen from the hostel and tucked it into her bag. Looking around, she yawned. People were at the park walking their pets or playing with their children. Time to get going, then.
She stood up, stretched, and started walking. Some of the children stared at her, but she just looked back completely emotionlessly. She’d been young once, innocent, curious. Her mum and dad had actually made an effort, at least she though they had, but truthfully, they hadn’t. They’d been too busy fighting and fucking around on each other. Now, she didn’t give a fuck about anything except surviving. Before her, the city loomed imposingly. A weaker person might have gotten overwhelmed and given up, but not Adrianna. She was going to make it. She would. Hiking her bag up on her shoulder, she kept walking.
The first place she tried was a floral shop. As she walked in the door, a small bell above the door dinged alerting the owner of her presence.
The elderly woman smiled at her warmly and for the first time since coming to London, Adrianna felt like something good might actually happen. “Hi,” she said, smiling.
“Hello.” The woman’s eyes shown with kindness. “What can I do for you, my dear? Flowers for your mum? Your sister? Your aunt? Your gran?”
“No, nothing like that.” Adrianna shook her head. “I’m looking for a job.”
The woman nodded sadly. “Wish I could help you out, love, but I just can’t afford to hire another worker. The flower business isn’t what it used to be. I barely make enough to live on as it is. The bloody recession in a right pain the arse.”
“Yeah, it is,” Adrianna agreed, shrugging. “Well, thanks anyway.
She turned to go, but the woman called out, “Wait!” Adrianna turned back, eying the woman questioningly. The woman sighed. “Danielle hasn’t shown up yet. That bloody girl is always late!”
“Yeah?” Adrianna pressed. What was the old bint getting at?
“Look, I need some flowers delivered. Now. If you could run them for me, I’ll give you £50. Plus tips.”
Adrianna grinned. “Okay. Where are they going? To be honest, I’m new to town. I don’t really know my way around yet.”
“They’re all in the neighborhood,” the woman assured her. “The farthest one is to one of the office at Canary Wharf. Just up the street.”
“Okay.”
“Do you have a car? A bike?”
“No,” she admitted, shrugging again. There was no sense lying.
“Do you have your driving license?”
“Yeah.” She’d gotten it earlier in the year so that when she’d saved up enough for a car she could take off and never look back.
“Great! Take my car!”
Adrianna caught the keys that the old woman tossed at her. “Just be careful, love. We don’t want any accidents, do we?”
“Can I ask you something?” Adrianna queried, chewing her lip.
“No, it’s got manual transmission.”
“Good to know, but that’s not what I was going to ask.”
“Oh.”
“Why are you trusting me? No offense, but I’m a total stranger. I could take your car and never come back.”
The old woman sighed. “You look like a nice enough girl. People probably judge you cos of the makeup and the clothes, but even I can see that you’re just a frightened girl desperate for some kind of kindness.”
Adrianna swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat. Spot on. The old bird might be ancient, but her intuition was sharp. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“The flowers are already in the car,” the woman called as Adrianna made her way back outside.
She got in the car and started it. It was a decent enough car. It looked to be well taken care of and it didn’t smell of old person. It had Adelaide’s Floral Arrangements stenciled on the side. So, that was her name, Adelaide.
Adrianna delivered all of the orders that were close by, paying close attention to the street names so she could make it back okay.
At the last local delivery, she got directions to Canary Wharf. She’d heard of the business district, but as she looked at the skyscrapers before her, she couldn’t help but feel awed. That was success to most people, working in Canary Wharf. From the towers, everything else seemed small and inconsequential. Must be nice.
She glanced down at the card hanging from the dozen roses wrapped delicately in her arms. To Adele, the woman who stole my heart, it read. She had to admit it was totally sappy, but a small part of her found it sweet, too. If she’d received flowers like these from Liam, she would have been utterly delighted.
Stop, she ordered herself sternly. That’s all in the past. Just forget about it.
Setting her chin, she walked toward the building. She breezed right up to reception and smiled at the pretty girl behind the desk. Her blonde ringlets framed her heart-shaped face perfectly. The girl caught her eye and smiled. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“Delivery,” Adrianna replied. “Flowers for an….Adele.”
“Oh, how sweet”! the girl gushed. “Thomas is such a dear.” She accepted the flowers, cradling them like a baby. “I’ll run them right up to her.”
“Okay.”
The girl reached into her bag and pulled out a £10 note. “And this is your tip.”
Adrianna grinned. “Cheers.” She chewed her lip. “Are there any job openings here? I could use some work.”
“Do you have experience in an office?”
“No.”
“Are you familiar with Excel, Powerpoint, Word?”
“Yes. I studied them in school.”
“Okay, that’s a plus. Not many people know Excel. What degree do you have?”
Adrianna frowned. “I don’t have a degree,” she admitted. The girl’s smile vanished. “But, I could be…a secretary or something. You don’t need a degree for that.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s not company policy…”
“It’s fine.” pocketed her money. “Have a nice day.”
By the time she got back to the shop, she was feeling slightly better. She’d counted her tips and had made £30. That plus the £50 that Adelaide had promised her was enough to have a meal!
She walked through the door and saw Adelaide talking to a girl with shoulder length hair that was either fuchsia or magenta, Ade couldn’t really tell which.. Must be Danielle, Adrianna thought.
“Oh, you’re back!” Adelaide exclaimed happily. “How did it go.”
“Fine.” Adrianna glared at the girl that was glaring right back at her.
“Excellent! Oh, where are my manners? This is my grand-daughter, Danielle. Danielle, this is….” Adelaide frowned. “I’m afraid I didn’t get your name.”
“Adrianna.”
“You didn’t even know her name, Gran! How thick are you!? You trusted a complete stranger with your car! She could’ve nicked it!”
“That’s enough, Danielle,” Adelaide scolded. “If it wasn’t for Adrianna right now, we’d be in quite a bind, wouldn’t we?”
“It wasn’t my fault, Gran. My car wouldn’t start.”
Adelaide ignored her grand-daughter and went into her bag. She counted out £50 worth of notes. “Here you go, Adrianna,” she said.
“Thanks.” Adrianna accepted the notes and tucked them into her boots before giving Adelaide back the keys to her car. She was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. “Well,” she said finally. “I’d better be on my way. Thanks for helping me out.”
“Thank you.” Adelaide smiled. “Do you have somewhere to go?”
“I’m…making do,” Adrianna replied.
Adelaide nodded. “Come back some time, I might have some work for you.”
“Okay.”
With one last glare at Danielle over her shoulder, Adrianna turned and walked out the door.
******************************************************************************************
A couple of hours later, Adrianna decided to stop and get some food. It had been a few days since she’d had a proper meal and over a day since she’d had anything at all. She was starving.
She stopped at a nondescript pizzeria on the corner of the street she was on. Yeah, pizza sounded well good. She hadn’t had pizza in ages, and it had always been her favorite. She’d worked for the £80. She deserved to splurge a little.
She pushed open the glass door and once again, a bell announced her arrival. The lobby was spacious, with black and white tiled floor, pinball machines for kids, booths, and a posh desk where your order was taken. Nice, she thought, looking around. I could dig it here.
“Can I help you?” a masculine voice asked, bringing her back to the present.
Adrianna turned around and her heart skipped a beat. The boy standing before her – he had to be about her age – was absolutely gorgeous. He was of Middle Eastern descent – her favorite – with almond shaped chocolate brown eyes, dark olive skin, a cute straight nose, plump pink limps, and thick black straightened hair. And he had the cutest London accent she’d ever heard. Thank God she’d somehow managed to stay clean looking.
She noticed that the guy was staring, too, trying not to make it too obvious. Gotcha, she thought.
She smiled and moved closer. “Can I get a small pizza, please? Extra cheese.”
“Is that all?” the boy was looking everywhere but into her eyes. Apparently he was as taken with her as she was with him.
“And a water. Thanks.” She grinned.
He punched it into the computer. “Okay. That’ll be £7.94, please.”
She handed him £8 and intentionally touched his hand when she passed him the notes. He swallowed nervously. “I-It’ll be about fifteen minutes,” he stammered.
“Cheers.”
Adrianna couldn’t help but giggle. She loved the effect that she had on men, especially this one. Sure, she cared about Liam, but this guy, he was too cute to pass up. Perhaps she could arrange a little fun for after his shift was over.
She caught his eye before he walked away. “What time do you get out?” she asked, her voice oily and sensual.
“Erm. Close.”
“When’s that, then?” She leaned against the counter, pushing out her bosom.
“T-ten.”
“Okay.”
“Do you need something?”
She opened her mouth to suggest a sexual rendezvous, but then she got a better idea. This bloke was well into her. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage to get a job here…. “I’m looking for a job. You wouldn’t happen to have any…openings…would you?” She finished it off with a suggestive lip-lick.
“W-we usually don’t hire anyone outside of the family,” the boy stammered. “But, let me talk to my dad. He has been saying that he needs more help.”
“Thank you.”
Adrianna went and sat in the booth that was within perfect eye-shot of the kitchen. She watched as the boy started talking to what looked like himself in about 35 years. He looked at her again and she smiled.
The older man came out and sat down across from her. “Hello,” he said.
“Hi.” Damn! He was hot, too. Maybe she could arrange something between the three of them.
“My son, Jawaad, says you’re looking for a job?”
“Yes.” Jawaad, that’s a cute name. “I’ve just moved to London. I need a job.”
“We don’t usually hire anyone outside of the Masood family. It’s a family business, you see.”
“Right.”
“But the truth is, we do need help. Have you ever worked at pizzeria before?
“No, but I’m a hard worker and I’m great with people.”
“Yes…I…bet you are.” He licked his lips and Adrianna an electric shock down in her nether region. She didn’t know which man she wanted more, Jawaad of his father. “How are you with talking on the phone?”
“Fine.”
“Excellent.”
“And I’m good with computers.”
“Great.”
“I’ve looked everywhere. No one will hire me. I’m desperate. Please.” She reached out and clasped his hand.
The man sighed. “I’ll give you a chance.”
“Thanks!” She felt elation shoot through her. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
“But I must warn you, this is not a fun job. The kitchen is hot. We’re busy nearly every day.”
“I can keep up.”
“All right.” He nodded.
“My name’s Adrianna by the way.” She held out her hand.
“Kabir.”
“Thank you, Kabir.”
Jawaad came out with her pizza and set it before her. “Here you go,” he said, trying again not to make eye contact.
“Thanks,” she said.
“One more thing,” Kabir said.
“Yes?”
“Do you live near here?”
Adrianna exhaled loudly. “I don’t…actually have a place to stay.” She wasn’t going to go into detail with these people. She didn’t know them.
“I see.” He nodded in understanding. “We live above the shop, in the flats. There’s a spare room in the back of this building. It used to be an office, but now it’s empty. You can use that if you want.”
“Really?” Adrianna almost spit out the piece of pizza she’d been gnawing on.
“You look like you need help. A young girl like yourself, alone in a strange city. Something bad could happen.”
“I really appreciate it…”
“But if I find one thing missing, so much as a pizza cutter, you’re out on the street.”
“Understood.”
A woman came out of the kitchen, breathing heavily. “Kabir, I need you in the kitchen. We just got a big order.” She was beautiful woman, Adrianna noted, with dark hair and pale skin. Could she be Kabir’s wife?
“Juliet, this is Adrianna,” Kabir said, motioning toward Adrianna.
“Hello.” Juliet smiled warmly.
“She’s going to work for us.”
“Oh, lovely. It’s about time you hired someone. We’ve been out of our minds with just the three of us.”
“I told her she could stay in the back room. She hasn’t got a place to go.”
A sudden sadness flooded Juliet’s eyes. “Of course.” She quickly pasted a smile on her face. “Well, Adrianna, welcome. I’m sure we’ll get on smashingly.”
“I hope so.” Adrianna smiled sweetly.
“We’re a family here. Soon you’ll be family too.”
Adrianna’s gaze flickered to Jawaad then. He was staring at her intently. She glanced down at the front of his trousers and could just make out through the cotton the distinct phallic shape, straining against the material. “I can’t wait,” she said.
“When can you start?” Juliet asked.
Adrianna glanced down at her food. “As soon as I’ve finished my food?”
“Excellent. Come on, Kabir,” Juliet pressed, dragging her husband back into the kitchen.
Adrianna chuckled and noticed that Jawaad was still looking at her. He noticed her looking at him and quickly looked away. “Sorry,” he said quietly. “They can be a bit much sometimes.”
“I think they’re lovely,” she said honestly. “I really appreciate what they’re doing.”
“They’re good people.” He cleared his throat. “I can show you to your room…if you want.”
“I’d love that.”
Adrianna stood and followed Jawaad through the doorway into the kitchen and down a corridor. There was a door immediately to their right. “That’s the bathroom,” he explained.
They passed a big open room and Adrianna glanced in. There was a dough mixer along one wall, a sink along another, and two long counters along the other two. “I take it that’s the dough room, then.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry. You won’t have to do dough. Dad and I do that. We know how much girls hate to get dirty.”
“I love getting dirty.”
He nodded and kept walking. Adrianna smirked wickedly.
At the end of the corridor, he opened a white door and reached in to turn the light on. There was horrendous brown shaggy carpet, a cot in one corner, an ancient 1990s computer, and a TV. “This is your room,” Jawaad announced dryly. “Not exactly the Hilton, but I’m sure it’ll do.”
“It’ll do,” Adrianna agreed, sitting down on the stiff cot. Still, wasn’t as bad as the bench she’d been sleeping on the last couple of nights.
“I’m Jawaad, by the way,” Jawaad said, holding out his hand.
“Adrianna.”
They shook hands. “I heard you tell my Dad that you were new here. Where did you live before.”
“Bristol,” Adrianna answered shortly. She really didn’t want to talk about her past, especially with someone she didn’t know.
“Are you parents here, too, or…”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay…”
They were quiet for a few seconds. Adrianne mentally kicked herself for snapping at Jawaad. Jawaad berated himself for being so nosy.
Jawaad cleared his throat and stood up. “Well, I should get back. Mum and Dad probably need me in the kitchen.”
“Wait.” Adrianna paused. “Is there some kind of uniform or something I should wear?” she asked. She was wearing a dress that barely covered her fanny, her boots, and fish nets….hardly appropriate work clothes.
“Not that,” Jawaad commented, eying her once again. “Let me grab you a shirt. You can borrow some of my jeans.”
A few minutes later, he came back with a dark shirt and a pair of jeans. “The jeans might be a bit big, so I brought a belt.”
“Thanks.” She accepted them and set them on the cot. “I’ll change and be right out.”
“Okay.”
As soon as the door was shut, Adrianna slipped the dress over her head and kicked her boots off. She peeled off her fishnets and pulled on Jawaad’s jeans. It was strange, but the second they were on, she felt safe, protected.
She fastened the belt and slipped the shirt on over her head. Looking in the TV screen, she took in her appearance. The look was less than flattering, but she had a job, that was the important thing. She wouldn’t have to worry about how she was going to survive or eat anymore. She had a place to stay. She could relax.
Adrianna shut the door behind her and went back down the corridor to the kitchen. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, she could feel the increased heat. It was literally like an oven in there!
Kabir spotted her and motioned for her to come over to him. “We’re going to have you top pizzas tonight. That’s the easiest job here.”
“Okay.”
Adrianna stood before the counter and looked at the ticket sitting in front of her. The pizza had pepperoni, ham, and mushrooms on it, simple enough. It wasn’t going to be a fun job, that was for sure, but it was job nonetheless.
Jawaad came and stood next to her, topping another pizza in a flash. She still hadn’t finished putting the pepperoni on. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You’ll catch up.”
“I hope so.”
She really did. The last thing she wanted to do was end out on the street again. And she didn’t want to pass up her opportunity to get to know Jawaad better. With a devilish grin, she picked up the pace. She wasn’t going to fail.

Description
Chapter Five

Birds chirped merrily. Kids ran about screaming and laughing. Dogs barked on leashes.
Adrianna opened her eyes and groaned. Her back was sore and stiff, popping loudly as she pulled herself up into a sitting position.
It had been a week since she’d come to London and nothing had turned up. She had tried everywhere that she could think of and yet, nothing. She was out of money and had nowhere to stay. For the last couple nights, she’d been squatting on a park bench in a more posh neighborhood.
At first, she had been afraid about sleeping out in the open, especially after her encounter with the nutter, but for the most part, people left her alone. They probably just assumed she was a tramp or a vagrant and thought it was best to ignore her. It suited Adrianna just fine. People just pissed her off.
She hugged the blanket that she’d stolen from the hostel and tucked it into her bag. Looking around, she yawned. People were at the park walking their pets or playing with their children. Time to get going, then.
She stood up, stretched, and started walking. Some of the children stared at her, but she just looked back completely emotionlessly. She’d been young once, innocent, curious. Her mum and dad had actually made an effort, at least she though they had, but truthfully, they hadn’t. They’d been too busy fighting and fucking around on each other. Now, she didn’t give a fuck about anything except surviving. Before her, the city loomed imposingly. A weaker person might have gotten overwhelmed and given up, but not Adrianna. She was going to make it. She would. Hiking her bag up on her shoulder, she kept walking.
The first place she tried was a floral shop. As she walked in the door, a small bell above the door dinged alerting the owner of her presence.
The elderly woman smiled at her warmly and for the first time since coming to London, Adrianna felt like something good might actually happen. “Hi,” she said, smiling.
“Hello.” The woman’s eyes shown with kindness. “What can I do for you, my dear? Flowers for your mum? Your sister? Your aunt? Your gran?”
“No, nothing like that.” Adrianna shook her head. “I’m looking for a job.”
The woman nodded sadly. “Wish I could help you out, love, but I just can’t afford to hire another worker. The flower business isn’t what it used to be. I barely make enough to live on as it is. The bloody recession in a right pain the arse.”
“Yeah, it is,” Adrianna agreed, shrugging. “Well, thanks anyway.
She turned to go, but the woman called out, “Wait!” Adrianna turned back, eying the woman questioningly. The woman sighed. “Danielle hasn’t shown up yet. That bloody girl is always late!”
“Yeah?” Adrianna pressed. What was the old bint getting at?
“Look, I need some flowers delivered. Now. If you could run them for me, I’ll give you £50. Plus tips.”
Adrianna grinned. “Okay. Where are they going? To be honest, I’m new to town. I don’t really know my way around yet.”
“They’re all in the neighborhood,” the woman assured her. “The farthest one is to one of the office at Canary Wharf. Just up the street.”
“Okay.”
“Do you have a car? A bike?”
“No,” she admitted, shrugging again. There was no sense lying.
“Do you have your driving license?”
“Yeah.” She’d gotten it earlier in the year so that when she’d saved up enough for a car she could take off and never look back.
“Great! Take my car!”
Adrianna caught the keys that the old woman tossed at her. “Just be careful, love. We don’t want any accidents, do we?”
“Can I ask you something?” Adrianna queried, chewing her lip.
“No, it’s got manual transmission.”
“Good to know, but that’s not what I was going to ask.”
“Oh.”
“Why are you trusting me? No offense, but I’m a total stranger. I could take your car and never come back.”
The old woman sighed. “You look like a nice enough girl. People probably judge you cos of the makeup and the clothes, but even I can see that you’re just a frightened girl desperate for some kind of kindness.”
Adrianna swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat. Spot on. The old bird might be ancient, but her intuition was sharp. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“The flowers are already in the car,” the woman called as Adrianna made her way back outside.
She got in the car and started it. It was a decent enough car. It looked to be well taken care of and it didn’t smell of old person. It had Adelaide’s Floral Arrangements stenciled on the side. So, that was her name, Adelaide.
Adrianna delivered all of the orders that were close by, paying close attention to the street names so she could make it back okay.
At the last local delivery, she got directions to Canary Wharf. She’d heard of the business district, but as she looked at the skyscrapers before her, she couldn’t help but feel awed. That was success to most people, working in Canary Wharf. From the towers, everything else seemed small and inconsequential. Must be nice.
She glanced down at the card hanging from the dozen roses wrapped delicately in her arms. To Adele, the woman who stole my heart, it read. She had to admit it was totally sappy, but a small part of her found it sweet, too. If she’d received flowers like these from Liam, she would have been utterly delighted.
Stop, she ordered herself sternly. That’s all in the past. Just forget about it.
Setting her chin, she walked toward the building. She breezed right up to reception and smiled at the pretty girl behind the desk. Her blonde ringlets framed her heart-shaped face perfectly. The girl caught her eye and smiled. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“Delivery,” Adrianna replied. “Flowers for an….Adele.”
“Oh, how sweet”! the girl gushed. “Thomas is such a dear.” She accepted the flowers, cradling them like a baby. “I’ll run them right up to her.”
“Okay.”
The girl reached into her bag and pulled out a £10 note. “And this is your tip.”
Adrianna grinned. “Cheers.” She chewed her lip. “Are there any job openings here? I could use some work.”
“Do you have experience in an office?”
“No.”
“Are you familiar with Excel, Powerpoint, Word?”
“Yes. I studied them in school.”
“Okay, that’s a plus. Not many people know Excel. What degree do you have?”
Adrianna frowned. “I don’t have a degree,” she admitted. The girl’s smile vanished. “But, I could be…a secretary or something. You don’t need a degree for that.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s not company policy…”
“It’s fine.” pocketed her money. “Have a nice day.”
By the time she got back to the shop, she was feeling slightly better. She’d counted her tips and had made £30. That plus the £50 that Adelaide had promised her was enough to have a meal!
She walked through the door and saw Adelaide talking to a girl with shoulder length hair that was either fuchsia or magenta, Ade couldn’t really tell which.. Must be Danielle, Adrianna thought.
“Oh, you’re back!” Adelaide exclaimed happily. “How did it go.”
“Fine.” Adrianna glared at the girl that was glaring right back at her.
“Excellent! Oh, where are my manners? This is my grand-daughter, Danielle. Danielle, this is….” Adelaide frowned. “I’m afraid I didn’t get your name.”
“Adrianna.”
“You didn’t even know her name, Gran! How thick are you!? You trusted a complete stranger with your car! She could’ve nicked it!”
“That’s enough, Danielle,” Adelaide scolded. “If it wasn’t for Adrianna right now, we’d be in quite a bind, wouldn’t we?”
“It wasn’t my fault, Gran. My car wouldn’t start.”
Adelaide ignored her grand-daughter and went into her bag. She counted out £50 worth of notes. “Here you go, Adrianna,” she said.
“Thanks.” Adrianna accepted the notes and tucked them into her boots before giving Adelaide back the keys to her car. She was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. “Well,” she said finally. “I’d better be on my way. Thanks for helping me out.”
“Thank you.” Adelaide smiled. “Do you have somewhere to go?”
“I’m…making do,” Adrianna replied.
Adelaide nodded. “Come back some time, I might have some work for you.”
“Okay.”
With one last glare at Danielle over her shoulder, Adrianna turned and walked out the door.
******************************************************************************************
A couple of hours later, Adrianna decided to stop and get some food. It had been a few days since she’d had a proper meal and over a day since she’d had anything at all. She was starving.
She stopped at a nondescript pizzeria on the corner of the street she was on. Yeah, pizza sounded well good. She hadn’t had pizza in ages, and it had always been her favorite. She’d worked for the £80. She deserved to splurge a little.
She pushed open the glass door and once again, a bell announced her arrival. The lobby was spacious, with black and white tiled floor, pinball machines for kids, booths, and a posh desk where your order was taken. Nice, she thought, looking around. I could dig it here.
“Can I help you?” a masculine voice asked, bringing her back to the present.
Adrianna turned around and her heart skipped a beat. The boy standing before her – he had to be about her age – was absolutely gorgeous. He was of Middle Eastern descent – her favorite – with almond shaped chocolate brown eyes, dark olive skin, a cute straight nose, plump pink limps, and thick black straightened hair. And he had the cutest London accent she’d ever heard. Thank God she’d somehow managed to stay clean looking.
She noticed that the guy was staring, too, trying not to make it too obvious. Gotcha, she thought.
She smiled and moved closer. “Can I get a small pizza, please? Extra cheese.”
“Is that all?” the boy was looking everywhere but into her eyes. Apparently he was as taken with her as she was with him.
“And a water. Thanks.” She grinned.
He punched it into the computer. “Okay. That’ll be £7.94, please.”
She handed him £8 and intentionally touched his hand when she passed him the notes. He swallowed nervously. “I-It’ll be about fifteen minutes,” he stammered.
“Cheers.”
Adrianna couldn’t help but giggle. She loved the effect that she had on men, especially this one. Sure, she cared about Liam, but this guy, he was too cute to pass up. Perhaps she could arrange a little fun for after his shift was over.
She caught his eye before he walked away. “What time do you get out?” she asked, her voice oily and sensual.
“Erm. Close.”
“When’s that, then?” She leaned against the counter, pushing out her bosom.
“T-ten.”
“Okay.”
“Do you need something?”
She opened her mouth to suggest a sexual rendezvous, but then she got a better idea. This bloke was well into her. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage to get a job here…. “I’m looking for a job. You wouldn’t happen to have any…openings…would you?” She finished it off with a suggestive lip-lick.
“W-we usually don’t hire anyone outside of the family,” the boy stammered. “But, let me talk to my dad. He has been saying that he needs more help.”
“Thank you.”
Adrianna went and sat in the booth that was within perfect eye-shot of the kitchen. She watched as the boy started talking to what looked like himself in about 35 years. He looked at her again and she smiled.
The older man came out and sat down across from her. “Hello,” he said.
“Hi.” Damn! He was hot, too. Maybe she could arrange something between the three of them.
“My son, Jawaad, says you’re looking for a job?”
“Yes.” Jawaad, that’s a cute name. “I’ve just moved to London. I need a job.”
“We don’t usually hire anyone outside of the Masood family. It’s a family business, you see.”
“Right.”
“But the truth is, we do need help. Have you ever worked at pizzeria before?
“No, but I’m a hard worker and I’m great with people.”
“Yes…I…bet you are.” He licked his lips and Adrianna an electric shock down in her nether region. She didn’t know which man she wanted more, Jawaad of his father. “How are you with talking on the phone?”
“Fine.”
“Excellent.”
“And I’m good with computers.”
“Great.”
“I’ve looked everywhere. No one will hire me. I’m desperate. Please.” She reached out and clasped his hand.
The man sighed. “I’ll give you a chance.”
“Thanks!” She felt elation shoot through her. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
“But I must warn you, this is not a fun job. The kitchen is hot. We’re busy nearly every day.”
“I can keep up.”
“All right.” He nodded.
“My name’s Adrianna by the way.” She held out her hand.
“Kabir.”
“Thank you, Kabir.”
Jawaad came out with her pizza and set it before her. “Here you go,” he said, trying again not to make eye contact.
“Thanks,” she said.
“One more thing,” Kabir said.
“Yes?”
“Do you live near here?”
Adrianna exhaled loudly. “I don’t…actually have a place to stay.” She wasn’t going to go into detail with these people. She didn’t know them.
“I see.” He nodded in understanding. “We live above the shop, in the flats. There’s a spare room in the back of this building. It used to be an office, but now it’s empty. You can use that if you want.”
“Really?” Adrianna almost spit out the piece of pizza she’d been gnawing on.
“You look like you need help. A young girl like yourself, alone in a strange city. Something bad could happen.”
“I really appreciate it…”
“But if I find one thing missing, so much as a pizza cutter, you’re out on the street.”
“Understood.”
A woman came out of the kitchen, breathing heavily. “Kabir, I need you in the kitchen. We just got a big order.” She was beautiful woman, Adrianna noted, with dark hair and pale skin. Could she be Kabir’s wife?
“Juliet, this is Adrianna,” Kabir said, motioning toward Adrianna.
“Hello.” Juliet smiled warmly.
“She’s going to work for us.”
“Oh, lovely. It’s about time you hired someone. We’ve been out of our minds with just the three of us.”
“I told her she could stay in the back room. She hasn’t got a place to go.”
A sudden sadness flooded Juliet’s eyes. “Of course.” She quickly pasted a smile on her face. “Well, Adrianna, welcome. I’m sure we’ll get on smashingly.”
“I hope so.” Adrianna smiled sweetly.
“We’re a family here. Soon you’ll be family too.”
Adrianna’s gaze flickered to Jawaad then. He was staring at her intently. She glanced down at the front of his trousers and could just make out through the cotton the distinct phallic shape, straining against the material. “I can’t wait,” she said.
“When can you start?” Juliet asked.
Adrianna glanced down at her food. “As soon as I’ve finished my food?”
“Excellent. Come on, Kabir,” Juliet pressed, dragging her husband back into the kitchen.
Adrianna chuckled and noticed that Jawaad was still looking at her. He noticed her looking at him and quickly looked away. “Sorry,” he said quietly. “They can be a bit much sometimes.”
“I think they’re lovely,” she said honestly. “I really appreciate what they’re doing.”
“They’re good people.” He cleared his throat. “I can show you to your room…if you want.”
“I’d love that.”
Adrianna stood and followed Jawaad through the doorway into the kitchen and down a corridor. There was a door immediately to their right. “That’s the bathroom,” he explained.
They passed a big open room and Adrianna glanced in. There was a dough mixer along one wall, a sink along another, and two long counters along the other two. “I take it that’s the dough room, then.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry. You won’t have to do dough. Dad and I do that. We know how much girls hate to get dirty.”
“I love getting dirty.”
He nodded and kept walking. Adrianna smirked wickedly.
At the end of the corridor, he opened a white door and reached in to turn the light on. There was horrendous brown shaggy carpet, a cot in one corner, an ancient 1990s computer, and a TV. “This is your room,” Jawaad announced dryly. “Not exactly the Hilton, but I’m sure it’ll do.”
“It’ll do,” Adrianna agreed, sitting down on the stiff cot. Still, wasn’t as bad as the bench she’d been sleeping on the last couple of nights.
“I’m Jawaad, by the way,” Jawaad said, holding out his hand.
“Adrianna.”
They shook hands. “I heard you tell my Dad that you were new here. Where did you live before.”
“Bristol,” Adrianna answered shortly. She really didn’t want to talk about her past, especially with someone she didn’t know.
“Are you parents here, too, or…”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay…”
They were quiet for a few seconds. Adrianne mentally kicked herself for snapping at Jawaad. Jawaad berated himself for being so nosy.
Jawaad cleared his throat and stood up. “Well, I should get back. Mum and Dad probably need me in the kitchen.”
“Wait.” Adrianna paused. “Is there some kind of uniform or something I should wear?” she asked. She was wearing a dress that barely covered her fanny, her boots, and fish nets….hardly appropriate work clothes.
“Not that,” Jawaad commented, eying her once again. “Let me grab you a shirt. You can borrow some of my jeans.”
A few minutes later, he came back with a dark shirt and a pair of jeans. “The jeans might be a bit big, so I brought a belt.”
“Thanks.” She accepted them and set them on the cot. “I’ll change and be right out.”
“Okay.”
As soon as the door was shut, Adrianna slipped the dress over her head and kicked her boots off. She peeled off her fishnets and pulled on Jawaad’s jeans. It was strange, but the second they were on, she felt safe, protected.
She fastened the belt and slipped the shirt on over her head. Looking in the TV screen, she took in her appearance. The look was less than flattering, but she had a job, that was the important thing. She wouldn’t have to worry about how she was going to survive or eat anymore. She had a place to stay. She could relax.
Adrianna shut the door behind her and went back down the corridor to the kitchen. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, she could feel the increased heat. It was literally like an oven in there!
Kabir spotted her and motioned for her to come over to him. “We’re going to have you top pizzas tonight. That’s the easiest job here.”
“Okay.”
Adrianna stood before the counter and looked at the ticket sitting in front of her. The pizza had pepperoni, ham, and mushrooms on it, simple enough. It wasn’t going to be a fun job, that was for sure, but it was job nonetheless.
Jawaad came and stood next to her, topping another pizza in a flash. She still hadn’t finished putting the pepperoni on. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You’ll catch up.”
“I hope so.”
She really did. The last thing she wanted to do was end out on the street again. And she didn’t want to pass up her opportunity to get to know Jawaad better. With a devilish grin, she picked up the pace. She wasn’t going to fail.