The Wrong Side of Heaven

Chapter 3

Following him through the crowd, we make our way into the house where he takes me on a tour. The house and all of its furnishings are beautiful and well maintained. Nothing is out of place which is surprising considering how many people are here. He shows me his office but we don't go in. It's clear no one is allowed in here without his invitation. Next, we make our way upstairs. "So all of your employees live here?" I ask, confused.

He nods. "Yes. Apart from a few men who have families."

When we reach the third floor, we turn to the left and casually walk to the end of the hallway. The door at the very end is black unlike the rest of the doors. "That's your bedroom?" I ask, glancing over at him.

His green eyes meet mine. "Yes. And this is yours - if you agree to work for me."

He opens the door located to the left of his and gestures for me to enter. I hear the door shut behind me and my senses heighten. My mother would kill me if she knew what I was doing right now. I walked into a complete strangers house and now I'm locked in a bedroom with him, all because I wanted a job. I push my thoughts aside as I take in my surroundings. There's a Queen size bed, loveseat, desk, small closet and a large tv on the wall. Through the open door that's located on the same wall as the bed, I catch a glimpse of the toilet, sink and shower. I wander over to the window and look around the front lawn. I want this. I want it bad. But I don't even know what I'm getting myself into. "What are you thinking?"

His voice is soft and I know he's only a few feet away from me. "It seems to be too good to be true. What does my job entail?"

"Well... as my assistant, I'll expect you to do whatever I say. I need someone to arrange meetings, make reservations, book flights and hotels, pack my bags, run errands. Stuff like that," he shrugs. "Just help me lighten my load. You'll have access to a company card and vehicle. If you feel it's a good fit after a month, I'll increase your pay."

I feel as if there's a but coming but he doesn't continue. "But?" I ask, pushing him to continue.

He sighs. "But you will need to sign an NDA. You won't be allowed to speak to anyone about your job. Not even your family. As my assistant, you should also be discreet about some things we do and places we go. Once the contract is signed, I'll explain more on the business aspect."

I finally turn to him, my interest peaked. "I'll sign it."

He smiles slightly. "Good. Follow me, the papers are in my office."

We head back downstairs to his office. He hands me the NDA and a pen, leaning back against his desk. I give him one last glance before signing my name. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you make it to see your grandmother?" I ask, looking up at him.

He frowns slightly. "No."

His response saddens me. That flight was the last opportunity to see his grandmother alive and instead, he suffered his own tragedy. I'll never understand why it happened. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," he responds, collecting the papers and walking around his desk. He sits in the chair and tucks away the papers in a drawer. "I made it to the funeral about a week later. I decided to drive that time. I stayed by your bedside until then."

"Why?"

He shrugs a little. "I thought you could use a friend," he says, pausing for a short moment. "My turn for questions. Why were you running away?"

His question catches me off guard and I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "I wasn't."

"It seemed like it. I think your mother would agree."

"I've always wanted to move. Things just kind of fell in place. My boyfriend and I broke up, so I figured it was good timing."

"Why did you break up?" he asks.

Shaking my head, I close my eyes a take a deep breath. "He broke up with me. He was abusive anyways so it was for the best."

His eyebrows furrow slightly. "What did he do to you?"

Deciding I'm done with this subject, I redirect the conversation back to the job. That is what I'm here for after all. "So what's the big secret about your business?"

There's a knock at the door and I expect him to get up to answer it or call them in but he doesn't. He simply stares into my eyes, as if he's trying to figure me out. The person knocks again and he calls them in without breaking his gaze. "Medina."

"Yes?" Jay asks, finally turning his attention away.

I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. It must be serious because the men exit the room to discuss in private. My head is spinning with everything going on. I'm really doing this. The amount of armed guards outside tell me that his business may entail dangerous activities. But how dangerous? Is putting myself and my family at risk worth it? I'm getting ahead of myself here. He hasn't even given me any details on his work. Taking a deep breath, I attempt to calm my nerves. The door opens behind me and Jay comes back into view. "Where were we?" he asks as he leans back against his desk, with a new demeanor.

His mood has changed completely and the room is tense. I shrink in my chair, avoiding eye contact for a moment. "Um... you were about to give me a little insight on your business."

"Right," he sighs, standing straight once again. He walks over to the small bar area located in the corner of his office. "With power, comes enemies. I have many and continue to make new ones each day. As you may have noticed, we keep this place locked down and I am aware of every movement."

"I noticed. That doesn't explain what your business entails."

"Impatient." He shakes his head slightly, looking sort of amused. "First, I would just like to remind you that loyalty is extremely important here. Spies and snitches are always found and dealt with." I swallow nervously. Dealt with? What the hell does that mean? "With that being said, there are things we do that may not be entirely legal. As my assistant, you may overhear more business details than others. You are not to discuss them with anyone, not even my men. If you're uptight about the law and are too scared to live outside the box, then this isn't the job for you."

My mouth is dry but I give nothing away. I won't walk away from the opportunity without trying. "Do you think I'm fit for the position?" I ask curiously.

He nods once. "I do. There's something about you that caught my attention in the airport that day. I haven't figured it out but I plan to. I think you're more the capable of fulfilling my needs." His eyes are dark and mischievous.

"So when do I start?"

He glances at his watch. "You can stay tonight if you'd like. Dinner will be served shortly. I will introduce you to some people then you can stay in your room tonight to get a feel for the place." He grabs a small black box from the top drawer on his desk. "Here's your phone. My number is saved and I have your number. Use this for work only. There's also a credit card in there. Don't lose either."

I look down at the box - it's an iPhone 15 pro max. "What about clothes?"

"Come. I'll introduce you to Jade. She's in charge of clothing."

Overwhelmed, I stand and follow him out of the room. Although I'm not entirely sure what to expect, excitement blooms deep in my stomach. This is just another adventure in my journey.