After I Fall (Immortal Billionaires Book 1) Read online

  Enzo, so far the nicest person other than Piper that I had met in New York, nodded and scanned my resume with an arched brow. He stared at the one page as if the words were going to change before his eyes.

  “As I said, I know it’s not much, but I really want to learn and this place is…perfect,” I continued.

  “Your internship at Ozi Wines, in Italy, how did you like it?”

  He was either making fun of me now, or genuinely confused as to how someone like me ended up there. I shifted back and forth on my throbbing feet, wishing I had worn flats instead.

  “It was amazing. That experience taught me everything I know about wine and how it pairs with food. It made me want to become a chef.” I glanced down, embarrassed that I had just bared part of my soul to this man I’d known for about fifteen minutes.

  Enzo handed me back the resume. “You start tomorrow. Be here at 4 PM sharp to fill out paperwork. Wear black pants and black shoes. Make sure they’re slip resistant. We’ll provide the shirt and apron. Ozi will be pleased to hear we have given a job to one of his former interns.”

  I nearly fell over from shock. What were the odds? I had never met Ozi, but his contributions to the culinary world were legendary. His wines were world renowned and his restaurants were award winning. Not to mention he was also gorgeous. He was frequently photographed in those fancy society magazines, usually with a different woman on his arm every time. Not that I was paying too close attention. After what Alex put me through, the last thing I needed was to fall for another man with a wandering eye. My only focus now was my career. Love just wasn’t in the cards for me.

  “I’m hired? Thank you. You won’t regret this. I promise.”

  Enzo gave me a wink. “See you tomorrow, Raven.”

  The pain in my heels seemed to melt away as I floated out the doors of Dolce Sale. Who would have thought that a summer internship five years ago would help me get a job now? Only one day in New York City and I was starting to think I made the right decision to move here after all.

  “Enzo. Let the staff know I’m throwing another party tomorrow night. Double their pay.” I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, waiting for his response as the skinny blonde I’d picked up this morning at the gym slid her lips up and down my dick. What was her name again? Ericka? Erin? I didn’t really give a shit. They were all starting to look the same from this angle anyway.

  “Si, Signore. I’ll get everyone on board,” Enzo answered back.

  I clicked off the phone without another word and grabbed a fist full of blond hair. “That’s it. Just like that. Don’t stop.”

  She moaned in delight and sucked harder. They always did. All the blood in my body surged as I throbbed inside her mouth. It didn’t take much to get me off these days. Partly because I was so bored and partly because I couldn’t wait to get them out of my sight.

  The curve of her back would do. The tip of my dick swelled, tingling as all of the blood rushed forward. I pulled out right as I was about to hit my peak and yanked her head forward. I exploded onto her lily-white back, rubbing myself back and forth as I dripped all over her.

  “Fuck,” I yelled.

  She giggled and squirmed. “I would have swallowed, you know?”

  Of course she would have. She took one look at my thirty-thousand-dollar watch and decided she would do just about anything. “Tasting me is a privilege. One you haven’t yet earned.” And one she wouldn’t get a chance to.

  I wanted her out of here so bad, I didn’t bother to take the time to fetch a towel from the bathroom and instead used my shirt to clean off her back. As she got dressed, she eyed me like I was her prey. Little did she know.

  “When can I see you again?” she whined.

  I gave her a wink and flashed her my sexiest grin. “I’ll call you, bella.” She ate it up like candy. That Sicilian charm, the accent, it worked every time. I walked her to the door and did my best to avoid her lips, instead offering her my cheek.

  She almost looked offended for a second, but another wink and she was back to having stars in her eyes. “You’ll call me, right?”

  “Si. Ciao, bella.”

  I shut the door before she could utter another word. Did she sound that annoying at the gym? I wasn’t trying to be an asshole and I was always respectful to their faces, but no matter how nice they were, I had no desire to get to know any of them.

  Once I was sure she was gone, I exited the guest cottage and trekked back to the main house. I tugged at the collar of my shirt. Coming always made thirsty. It made me crave blood. Drinking blood was an enhanced kind of pleasure. More intimate. But the world was a different place now. I couldn’t just go around drinking from the vein. Not unless I finished the job. I was a monster in many ways, but I wasn’t a murderer. Not anymore.

  I jogged down to the cellar and quickly emptied a blood bag into a crystal goblet. The taste of the room temperature blood had been hard to get used to. There was something so informal and empty about drinking it that way. Nothing compared to the taste of flesh, the warm blood pumping from the vein into my mouth. The scent of fear and excitement as they would writhe underneath me. They enjoyed it too once they got past the initial bite. The penetration, the exchange of blood and sex, it was the greatest pleasure on earth. But I didn’t really enjoy either these days. The parties were just another distraction. A way to make the nights go by faster in an endless eternity of existence.

  After a quick change of clothes, I headed up to the landing pad on my roof. The helicopter was already geared up for my trip into the city. My penthouse residence in Manhattan was the best place to entertain. And it was close to my restaurant, Dolce Sale, so the staff could be at my place to set up within thirty minutes. My parties always started late and continued through the night on most occasions. Last week, I’d found myself in an orgy with two supermodels and a ballet dancer. And it hadn’t even been my idea. Most women were chomping at the bit to get a piece of me and I was happy to oblige. As long as they didn’t want anything more.

  A real relationship with a woman was not an option. The magnitude of what I was could never be comprehended by a human. I learned that lesson a long time ago. They might fantasize about it through books and movies, but the reality of a vampire in the flesh was too much for them to handle.

  In just thirty minutes, we arrived at JFK airport and I climbed into the sleek black town car that was waiting for me in front. I gazed out the tinted windows as we pushed through the traffic. I loved this city at night. All the buildings lit up like stars. I sometimes wondered about the people behind those windows. I imagined them falling in love and fucking and drunk off each other. I imagined all the sinful pleasures they were enjoying and hated them for it because it was all still new and exciting to them. I envied them and their naked, quivering bodies. And I hated their humanity.

  My phone beeped and a text message from my assistant, Charlie, came through.

  Everything is set up as you like it. And there’s a little gift waiting for you.

  A smile curved on my lips. Charlie was a good man. He knew what I liked and never failed to deliver.

  The town car pulled up to my building and I was quickly greeted by the doorman. He grabbed my bags and followed me inside to the elevator. I swiped my card key before the elevator started climbing. I had the entire thirtieth floor and only few people had access—Enzo, Charlie, and myself. The doorman dropped my bags inside and gave me a nod as I slipped a hundred-dollar bill into his gloved hand.

  I let out a deep breath. The views from up here got to me every time. The floor to ceiling windows led out to a terrace that was the size of a small football field. I could see the whole city from up here. But the view standing in front of it got me even harder.

  “Welcome home, Mr. Fabiano. I’ve been waiting for you,” the half-naked brunette cooed.

  Her wavy hair stopped just short of her white breasts, exposing her taut nipples. Her stomach was flat and smooth, her hips barely holding onto her black lace
panties. She leaned against the glass, parting her garter-clad thighs just enough to reveal the slit down the middle of her panties. Charlie knew me too well. She even had on fishnet stockings and five-inch black pumps. Fuck, this was going to be fun.

  Her eyes called to me, begging me to devour her. I undressed slowly as I walked toward her, my dick fully erect. “Ciao, bella.”

  I caught her scent before I reached her—blood mixed with cheap perfume. I could hear her heart race. She licked her lips and traced her fingers around her nipples, goading me. In one swift move, I flipped her around, pressing her tits up against the glass, and slipped my fingers between her thighs. Damn, she was so wet. The window fogged from her heavy breath. I reached around for her breasts and squeezed. The raspy moan that escaped from her lips sent me into a frenzy.

  It was in these moments of raw desire that I forgot how miserable I was. She backed her hips into me, urging me. “I need it, please.”

  I slid my finger down the string between her ass and moved it to the side. “Bend over,” I whispered into her ear. Her body shuddered as she leaned over the chair next to us. Hunger and desire took over. I pushed inside. She was so warm and wet. I almost came right then.

  I used her hips to anchor me as I slid in and out, faster, and harder with each thrust. She cried out, bracing herself on the arms of the chair. Her ass bounced up and down, sending shivers up my shaft. The tip of my dick tingled as the blood rushed through, swelling, ready to burst. I couldn’t hold it in much longer. Vampire senses heightened everything. The slightest touch could send me into an orgasm. This chick was saying all the right things and moaning at all the right times. “Harder,” she pleaded.

  And I lost it. I pounded into her, my fingers digging into her hips so deep it left red marks on her white skin. “Yeah, there we go,” I muttered. The tingling intensified and I squeezed into her, crying out with each ripple of pleasure.

  She grunted and dragged her nails across the velvet chair, writhing and rising her hips toward me. “Yes.” I grinded into her as I came. Fuck, she was good.

  I ran my fingers down her spine and then pulled out slow. The brunette giggled as she reached for her coat, wasting no time to get out of there. “We should do that again sometime.”

  She was good, but not that good. Yet I always placated them at the end. I laid back on my couch, still naked, and let out an exasperated sigh. “Charlie will call you when I’m back in town, bella. Now if you don’t mind, I need to get some sleep. I have a long day tomorrow,” I lied.

  Vampires didn’t sleep. But if she stayed any longer, I was going to want to feed on her. After sex, the thirst for blood was stronger. And if I drank from her, I’d have to either kill her or turn her. I couldn’t let a human run around knowing our secrets. Knowing we existed. There was no telling what would happen if the world were to find out that vampires were real.

  She didn’t bat an eyelash, as if she were used to these sorts of arrangements. She got off, got me off, and Charlie would make sure she was taken care of in other ways. Maybe she needed a favor or an introduction that could help her career. Either way, we were using each other. That’s how it always was.

  Without bothering to dress, I poured myself a glass of bourbon and gazed out the window. Alone at last and that’s how I preferred it. It was the only way I could ensure that no one got too attached. Myself included. Immortality had its benefits. Emotional connection was not one of them. There was a time when connection was all I wanted. Someone to cling to in the eternal darkness. I thought I’d found her. The perfect mate. I still remember the fear in her once loving eyes as I fed her my blood. The horror on her face as she realized her human body was dying. Then the rage that erupted in her as she took on her new vampire form. The love was gone—snuffed out with her humanity. I was alone again. And so I have stayed.

  There was something sensual about the way chandelier light bounced off wine glasses, casting an intricate pattern across the table. The way it highlighted yet masked the intimate smiles and longing glances between lovers. The shared hunger in their eyes and bellies, their appetites wet as delectable dishes were placed before them. I loved the way food could make you feel things. It could sweep you away and transport you to exotic places. Make you laugh. Make you want to rip your clothes off. And it could even make you cry.

  The first time I made Alex a chocolate souffle, he didn’t let me leave the bedroom for two days. That’s when I realized the power of food. And the appeal of a new relationship. The passion and luster quickly faded, but my desire to become a chef grew every day. Food gives you the power to create memories. To make people’s fantasies come to life. To let them taste their dreams, if only for a night.

  For now, I would have to settle for serving them beautiful plates and living vicariously through their faces. The not so subtle expressions of joy and awe as the sauces swirled against their tongues, morsels of tender meat chewed slow and savored, and then finished with sips of wine bursting in decadent flavors across their lips.

  “Hello, Raven? Are you listening?” The cute perky blonde server waved a wine glass in front of my face.

  “Uh, yeah. Sorry, Tori. I’m just taking it all in.” Well, that wasn’t going to make a great first impression.

  She looked at me like I had two heads. “There’s a lot to learn here, country girl. If you can’t handle it, let me know now so I don’t waste my time.”

  Country girl? “No, I’m good. I promise. Please, continue.” Ever since I was a kid, my mind would wander off, daydreaming about this or that. It took a lot of focus to stay present.

  I scurried after Tori throughout the restaurant as she rambled on about the menu, employee gossip, and which guests were the most important. She offered suggestions on the best ways to deal with the kitchen and showed me how to make a tableside Caesar salad. She showed me where the linens were, how to avoid locking myself in the walk-in fridge, and the Dolce Sale way to approach a table—which was by greeting them in Italian.

  “Buonasera. Good evening. Welcome to Dolce Sale, can I start you both off with a couple of drinks? I’d highly recommend trying one of our famous Bloody Manhattans,” Tori chirped. She was good at this. The couple didn’t even hesitate and agreed to order whatever she told them to.

  I checked the cocktail menu for reference. Bloody Manhattan—bourbon and red wine mixed with simple syrup and garnished with a black Italian cherry. Sounded fancy. It was shaken and then poured over ice into a martini glass. The handsome bartender—Max—poured some into a shot glass and offered it to me. “You gotta know what it tastes like if you’re gonna sell it.”

  I took a small sip so as not to look like I enjoyed drinking on the job. “Delicious.”

  Max grinned. “It’s our most popular drink. Made with top shelf bourbon, they go for twenty bucks a piece.”

  It made sense that Tori was pushing them on almost every table. At least on the ones who weren’t already starting out with hundred-dollar bottles of wine. Everything was expensive here and the clientele proved it. While I didn’t recognize all the important faces, Tori made sure to point out who was who. Everyone from supermodels, movie stars, business tycoons, to tech magnates and even politicians ate here.

  The tables filled up fast and by eight PM, there wasn’t an empty one in the whole place. The bar was so packed, I could barely see Max through the crowd. It made me nervous. The way Tori navigated through her section like she was throwing a party in her home, it was intimidating. Small talk didn’t flow as easily for me. Back in Maplewood, I knew everyone, so there was none of that awkward ice breaking happening. And the expectations weren’t exactly five star.

  “Keep up, country girl. I need you to run that plate to table five and get the drink order at table three. I don’t have my normal food runner tonight because of you so you better not put us in the weeds,” Tori yelled as she sprinted to table six with a charcuterie platter in one hand and a plate of truffle gnocchi in the other.

  I suddenly felt like I w
as in one of those dreams where I was naked in a room full of people. I stared down at the perfect chocolate souffle I was holding and was tempted to just chuck it and run. Get a hold of yourself, Raven.

  I gathered myself and found table five. I set the plate down with two dessert spoons and hurried over to table three. The rowdy group of guys barely noticed me over their hollering and fist bumping. In their three-piece suits and pearly white teeth, they looked like they had walked straight off the runway. If they were this attractive in person, I could only imagine what their social media profiles looked like. We just didn’t have people who looked like that in Maplewood.

  “Buonasera,” I said. They didn’t even make eye contact. All four of them carried on with their obnoxious antics as if I weren’t even there. I leaned over the table. “Helloo. Anyone thirsty?” I may be out of my league tonight, but I wasn’t going to let them just dismiss me like I was less than.

  The blond one glanced up and wrinkled his nose at me. “Seriously?”

  “Just bring us the usual, darlin’,” another one with jet-black hair chimed in.

  I was going to scream. “Mmm-k. Great. I’ll get right on that.” What am I psychic?

  They had already forgotten about me as I stormed my way through the crowd in search of Tori. She was kneeling down next to a table full of more designer clad perfect looking people, giggling and nodding like she was their lap dog.

  I leaned down and whispered in her ear while still keeping a fake smile plastered to my face, “You could have told me that table three were a bunch of asshole regulars.”

  If I’d offended her, she didn’t show it one bit. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back with your entrée’s.” She spun on her heel and grabbed my arm hard, dragging me away toward the bar.

  “How dare you approach me like that at a table,” she snapped through gritted teeth.