Taken (Dark Desires 1)

New York called me back, however. I missed the city lights and the bustle of the streets. I was ready to settle down for a while and continue my career in a more stable environment. I loved traveling, but I wanted to stay put for at least a little while.

That’s how I found myself in the apartment of my best friend, Miguel. He was from Bellefontaine as well and had moved to New York when I did, though he opted to stay in school and become a lawyer. Now he had a fancy pent house in the city and a handsome husband.

We stepped through the door and I toed my shoes off. It was a habit I’d picked up while traveling through Asia. “Thanks for picking me up at the airport.”

Miguel chuckled and nodded towards his black, patent leather couch. “Not a problem. I’m honestly just glad to see you face to face. It’s been years since we saw each other in person.”

“I know. I was just having a good time, you know? Enjoying the world.”

He poured me a glass of wine and handed it over to me, settling on the couch, sipping the pink bubbly liquid. “You were always a wild spirit. Are you sure you’re ready to stay for a while?”

“I think so. I’m an old lady now. I’ve sown my wild oats and I think I’m ready to stick around for at least a few years.”

Miguel rolled his eyes and snorted a little. “You’re an old lady, huh? At twenty-

seven?”

I grinned and shrugged, took a sip of the thick, red liquid in my glass. Miguel had damn good taste in wine. He reclined back into the couch and started to undo his tie glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

“Do you have a job lined up?”

“Mmmm!” My mouth was full of wine, but I waved my hand, showing him I had something to say. “Yeah!” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my messages. “So, I announced I was leaving Spain and the press got a hold of it pretty quickly and within like four hours, I had all these job offers.”

Miguel glanced at my phone, one eyebrow raised. “Impressive.”

“I know, right? I didn’t really expect to get this kind of response!”

“You are a world-famous chef.”

I beamed at him, my cheeks going a little red. I knew it was true. I knew I was good and I knew my talents were worth a lot to a lot of people, but I was raised in a humble family and sometimes I still struggled when it came to taking compliments.

“Thanks!” I sang, pulling up an email.

“I have an interview with this guy tomorrow.”

Miguel took the phone and glanced at it, crossing one leg over the other. “Oh boy. You’re gonna go work for this guy?” “I’m going to go interview with him. Why?”

Miguel chuckled and handed the phone back. “That is Jamison Whittle.”

“Yeah?”

“New York’s biggest playboy millionaire.” He put on a ‘rich guy’ accent and turned his nose up just a little.

“You know him?”

“My firm has done work with some of his businesses. He owns properties all over the world and his toe dipped in several industries. I guess he’s looking to get into the restaurant game now.”

“He has no restaurant experience?”

Miguel shrugged a little and finished off his glass of wine, taking it to the kitchen. He started to put it in the sink but then set it back on the counter, pouring himself a second glass. “I’m not sure. I don’t know him personally, but I think this is going to be the first restaurant with his name on it.”

“Perfect!”

“Perfect?” He asked, settling beside me again. “I would think that would be bad news.”

“Not at all.” I sang, grinning brightly. “If he’s never run a restaurant before, then that means he has no idea what he’s doing, right? It’s like getting a slab of clay thrown in front of you. I’ll get to mold that restaurant into what I want it to be and I won’t have to spend months trying to fix whatever the last manager fucked up.”

Miguel glanced at me and then looked away. “Unless the guy running everything is just as hard headed as you.”