A/N: This is yet another one of my rewritings which I started writing a long time ago. I was originally going to continue it and take it forward, but then I didn't. I'm trying to get back to things here, so this is a start, I guess?

The story is loosely inspired by 'Secret Diaries of a Call Girl', which is a TV show starred by Billie Piper. Please don't be mad at me in case you feel offended, for whatever reason. I love Caroline and I do not mean for this story to be diminishing or insulting to her character in any way (and I really don't think that it is). I also do not mean to delve into the very deep and very complicated subject of prostitution, which deserves much more complex and bigger discussions than a fanfiction could ever offer. The views in this story aren't necessarily my personal opinions on the matter, but, as I said, the story is based on 'Secret Diaries of a Call Girl'.

If for whatever reason this isn't your cup of tea or you don't feel comfortable with this, please consider not reading.

I apologize for any mistakes you might find. English isn't my first language and the story was not beta'ed. All mistakes are my own, but ask you to be kind. Hope you guys enjoy it. :)

Look me in the eye and tell me you don't find me attractive
Look me in the heart and tell me you won't go

Mikael is a powerful man.

So much power invariably comes with a little evil. There's no way to climb as high as he has and not be a little ruthless, a little unmerciful, a little grim. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, isn't that what they say? There's no in-between with Mikael; people either love him or fear him, and even those who do love him, do it so with hesitation. Mikael makes life very hard for his enemies; but he makes it harder still for those who care for him.

Caroline... Well, she tries not to pass too much judgement. Not openly, anyway. She isn't exactly in a position to do so. Mikael isn't her favorite person in the world, but he's not the least favorite either. Their relationship is strictly professional. Aside from being a boring, arrogant prick, he's never caused her too much trouble, never asked for anything she couldn't deliver and always rewarded her handsomely for her efforts. In her line of business, that's saying a lot. Other people's problems with him are other people's problems.

He can be charming, she guesses, if you go for the psycho cold eyes and commanding ways. He does, however, exude confidence, the kind that only a man with the whole city of New York wrapped around his little finger would have. Some people might find that attractive. Not her case but, then again - not important. Mikael is her best client, financially speaking. One job with him is better than five with anyone else. And that's all that matters, really. Of course things tend to flow better if she's attracted to the guy, which thankfully happens to be the case for her more often than not. But that's secondary. She's been with gorgeous, charming men who couldn't find a G-spot if it hit them on the face or were awful people in general, and with not that physically gifted ones who were incredibly generous, in and out of bed.

The thing about her work, though, is that it's not so much about physical attraction or sexual chemistry as it is about disposition. It takes a certain frame of mind for things to get going. And tonight, of all nights, she is so not in the mood. The whole week she's been feeling a little under the weather, was determined to take the whole weekend off, but then Katherine called with a special request from Mikael and, well. There's no saying no to that.

A lot of people seem to think that being a high profile escort is easy. A lie back and think of England kind of thing, just getting paid fat amounts of money to let rich, frustrated jerks screw her for an hour or two while she pretends to enjoy it. It's a common misconception and, frankly, one Caroline finds a little insulting. It couldn't be further away from the truth. Like spreading your legs for money, however large your fees may be, is ever easy.

The sort of job she does for Mikael - he fancies himself as a bit of an entertainer. His business deals and partnerships always happen amid fanfare and lechery. He likes to throw parties - yes, that kind - to persuade the more difficult associates or to celebrate his success. And he does so by hiring luxury escorts of the highest caliber through the most exclusive agencies in the country. And it is... Exhausting, to say the least.

It's not just the sex and the handsy dudes thinking that because someone paid for her to be there, everyone gets to have a share - the richer the guy, the harder it is for them to understand boundaries. No, it's not just that. It's everything else. There are certain expectations that one has to meet in order to be considered for those types of jobs. You have to be smart, and witty, flirty but not vulgar, tempting but not slutty. She has to impress, make those men (and the occasional woman) feel like they're the masters of the universe and like she can barely resist keeping her panties on around them. They have to believe.

Being picked to that kind of job can make or break a career. Fail and you'll never have a second chance. Succeed, and you'll have every millionaire in the East coast calling in to schedule a private encounter.

Every time Mikael has a really important deal he wants closed, he asks for Caroline - well, Cara. He doesn't know her real name. None of her clients do. Cara is his favorite, something she is a little proud of. Pleasing that man has to be amongst the most impossible tasks known to human kind.

Even understanding the importance of the work and knowing that she can look forward to being a few thousand dollars richer by the end of the night, it still takes a particular mindset to be able to carry out her role to perfection. And it's just not the case tonight.

She could've said no, sure. But Mikael is not the kind of guy who deals well with being rejected, especially by someone like her, who he undoubtedly considers an inferior. To him, she is lucky to be chosen. And maybe she is. Caroline has been working for him almost since the beginning, when she had barely any experience. Amongst dozens of boys and girls who were all trying much harder than her, she managed to catch his eye. Mikael likes who he likes and he rewards his favorites extremely well. Saying no means getting permanently dropped and losing tons of other clients by association. It's career suicide.

Normally, this wouldn't be such a problem. Caroline can pull these things off even at her worst; half-assed her is better than most, but there's just something off tonight. She's tired and bored and testy. Her patience for small-talk that mostly consists on congratulating a bunch of middle-aged men for being the kings of the world and acting like that turns her on is just non-existent. Maybe she really is coming down with something. Katherine is going to kill her if she knows she showed up for a job sick; but she'd kill her if she'd turned down this job too, so. Pick your poison.

It's just... Somedays it's so hard to find that fine-tune that gets her into the right spirit. Caroline lives this double life: there's her, Caroline Forbes, small-town girl who just wants to be left in peace, and then there is Cara, a professional - and phenomenal, if she may say so herself - sex worker. The separation between herself and her character is what keeps her mental health in check. There's a world of difference between who she really is and the person she becomes when she puts on her heavy make-up, her ridiculously high heels and fancy dresses.

Except Cara, it seems, is trying to screw with her tonight by playing hard to get, which is leaving Caroline edgy.

As soon as she arrived, Mikael pulled her aside, took her to his office and, after offering her a glass of really expensive bourbon, briefed her on the evening's job.

"I have some really important partners in potential here who have all heard wonders about you. I want you to impress them, make them want you like they have never wanted anything in their whole lives - and make it very clear that you're mine. I want you to pretend that you're considering all of them, but I want you to choose only one. A man named Silas. He's the one I want to close a deal with tonight, and you're going to make it happen," he said.

Great, she thought. Just when she feels least like working, she has a major assignment ahead of her. No biggie. It's not like Mikael will be very disappointed if she doesn't deliver and this Silas guy decides not to close the deal; of course he won't blame the prostitute for his failure in reaching a trade agreement with the man.

Cara - she would never let something like this slip. She would make this the best night of her life and would leave the penthouse counting the zeros on her check. Caroline, on the other hand, just wants to go home to her bed and kind of doesn't give a shit about any of it, which is... Potentially problematic. If she can't find a way to shift her personality switch soon enough, she might as well just give up on this life forever, because she'll sure as hell never get another important assignment. Not that she'll live for much longer after Katherine is finished with her, anyway.

Caroline tries her best to follow the orders for about an hour before it all gets too much and she starts to edge dangerously close to telling one of those guys to go fuck themselves. That's it, she needs a break. Excusing herself, she leaves the living area and goes in search of a quieter corner to cool down a bit, away from Mikael's hawk eyes.

She tries a couple of doors on the seemingly infinite corridor of the penthouse - one of the many owned by Mikael, and one his wife has no idea of, Caroline's been told. Some of the rooms are already taken by other male and female escorts Mikael's brought here tonight - he does not discriminate when he wants to impress - and it takes a couple of attempts before she finds one that looks empty.

It's a very large room, but it seems very... barren. Every corner in the apartment has seen the talented hands of a decorator, except for this one. It has only a bed and a simple chair right across from it. Mikael saves no money making the rooms in his party-place look just as comfortable and luxurious as a five-star hotel. But he couldn't really care about this one, it seems.

Caroline kind of likes it, though. The room is empty and there's a balcony, which is really all she needs right now. It allows her to shed the character, step out of her Cara façade and pretend the world outside doesn't exist.

She doesn't bother turning on the lights, just slides the balcony door open and steps outside. The cold breeze her shiver, but it's not unpleasant. She takes a deep breath, shuts her eyes for a second. In nights like this, she really misses Mystic Falls...

"This hiding spot is taken."

She is startled out of her thoughts by a man straddling the ledge on the far corner of the balcony, leaning against the wall behind and smoking a cigarette - and who she had, somehow, failed to notice.

She's in panic for a moment, not sure what to say, whether she should turn on the charm and start acting like Cara again. The guy just stares at her, grinning in an almost friendly manner. He looks too young to be one of Mikael's partners, although Silas had looked remarkably youthful in comparison to the others. No older than 40, maybe. This guy is not even that, though. He looks much closer to Caroline's age. So he must be one of the boys (and must've had Caroline's same desire for a change in venue). Except... Caroline thought she knew all the other escorts. They all work for Katherine. And she has definitely never seen this one before.

"Don't worry, love," he continues when Caroline fails to produce any lines. "I won't tell if you won't."

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," she says at last, testing the waters.

"That was the point. You don't have to look so concerned. I know it can get quite overwhelming outside."

Caroline fidgets with her hands for a moment, unsure of what to do with them, before deciding to cross her arms over her chest. Her cleavage is very revealing; the dress is fantastic, form-fitting and finely cut, makes her ass look stunning and cost a small fortune, but she feels very inappropriate being herself while wearing Cara's clothes. Caroline has her own arsenal of sexy outfits, sure, but there's a difference between what she wears on her personal life, and what she wears for work.

He is, surprisingly, not staring at her boobs, though, keeping his eyes trained on her face. That's a first tonight. Caroline is yet to meet a straight guy at one of those parties who can talk to her without staring at her breasts, so he must be one of Katherine's boys.

She takes a step closer to the man for better inspection. He is... Not hard on the eyes, actually. Katherine's always had great taste in guys. Messy blond curls, strong jawline, gorgeous lips, expensive looks... He's one of the high-profiles. Which means Caroline should definitely know him. Unless Katherine has started hiring freelancers, which is very unlike her control-freak persona.

"I don't think we've met," she says. "Have I seen you before?"

"Don't believe so," the man replies, taking a drag on his cigarette. "I would definitely remember you." He smiles then, showing a pair of dimples that only make him look more attractive, and for some reason Caroline has a feeling the guy is... flirting with her? That's not possible, right? An escort knows an escort when he sees one. Male escorts who are straight are not unheard of, even the ones who work with other guys, but he should know what Caroline is doing here, just as she knows about him. It's work night, they're professionals. What kind of dimwit has Katherine been hiring?

"Are you a friend of Mikael's?" she asks, going for casual just in case she's misreading the situation. If he turns out not to be an escort, he'll likely be very offended to be mistaken by one and Caroline will cause an incident that will likely cost her entire night's earnings.

The man scoffs derisively. "Friend? No. Not at all."

Not a friend, not a partner... Who the hell is he?

"Well, what are you doing here, then?" she asks.

The guy looks amused. "You're very straightforward, aren't you?"

"I mean, you're hiding outside. Clearly you don't want to be."

"That obvious, huh? There are approximately a million places I'd rather be than right here, right now, that is correct."

"Why are you, then?"

"Certain things can't be avoided. Family, you know. It sucks the life out of you."

"Family?" Caroline's surprise must show on her face, because the guy starts laughing.

"A bit of a loose description in this case," he explains, taking one final drag before butting the cigarette and throwing it away into the night. "But Mikael's name is on my birth certificate, so I suppose that's what you'd call it, for lack of something more appropriate."

Well, fuck.

Mikael had mentioned his son a few times, mostly in passing and in conversation with other guests - the son who was a disgrace to the family, a playboy who refused to step up as his heir and learn how to run the family's business, the son who'd rather spend his trust fund in booze and women than do something productive with his life and who was a waste of everyone's time. That son.

Caroline had a mental picture of a skinny 20-year-old frat boy with diamond earrings, driving a convertible Ferrari and snorting his way through nightclubs in the Bahamas while being fanned by women in bikinis. Never in her life had she imagined that Mikael's son would be a, a perfectly gorgeous-looking man close to his 30s who did not seem at all to be either a frat boy or a drug addict, and b, present at one of his parties.

If anything, he looks a lot more centered than his father, if he's hiding out here rather than mingling inside or locked up in a suite with one or two girls.

"You seem surprised," he says, shifting around to sit with both his legs to the inside of the balcony, facing Caroline.

"No, I'm -" she starts, automatically turning Cara on, the lying bitch who's never caught off-guard, before she remembers she came out here precisely so she could not act like that for a moment. Maybe it'll get her in trouble to be caught sneaking out of a job by her client's son, maybe he is one of the important people she should be impressing right now with promises of hot sex that won't really happen because Mikael bought her for Silas already, but something about the guy makes her feel safe for the time being. "Actually, yes. I'm very surprised."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know, I just - You're his son."

"Unfortunately, yes. Even men like Mikael get to call themselves fathers."

"I guess I never thought of him that way."

"Oh, Mikael is very much a family man at heart. If you consider the rich, despicable cockroaches of the world family, of course. I'm sure Mikael thinks he's a fine gentleman as well."

What exactly is she supposed to say to that? Agree that Mikael is probably as lousy a father as he is a boss if he spends his nights away fucking prostitutes? She buys expensive clothes and affords an expensive rent because of that habit of his. She's part of the problem.

"So you're like the little master, then," she says instead, in a light-hearted tone.

"Oh, definitely not. That would imply I live here, or anywhere near Mikael for that matter, which I don't. Not anymore. I used to, though. Before Mikael converted the penthouse into a party lounge. This used to be my room, actually."

So that explains why it's so empty, then. He probably took all his stuff with him and Mikael never bothered replacing any of it. "Well, you had an amazing view," she comments. The view of the New York Upper East Side's skyline is breathtaking. Caroline lives a fine life, but she can't even imagine what it must be like to have that kind of money.

"I did," the man says, a wistful tone in his voice as he takes in the view as well. "I used to love sitting here at night. New York looks its most beautiful like this."

"Everything does, when you look from afar."

The man turns back to Caroline, fixing her with an intense, studious gaze. "Why makes you say that?"

"You get too close to things, you start picking up on all the flaws, all the cracks and the smudges. Nothing is ever as nice when you get too close." She's thinking about all the homeless people sleeping on cold sidewalks, the mothers and fathers begging for money to feed their kids, junkies crawling over each other like rats in dirty alleys, night walkers selling their bodies for cheap bucks downtown. From that high above, it's easy to pretend none of that exists. That might be the reason why rich people love penthouses so much; it's a way to completely disconnect from the real world, to lock themselves up in their bubbles of wealth and luxury - and, more importantly, lock everyone else out.

Mikael's son jumps from the ledge and approaches Caroline with one purposeful step. He invades her personal space, forcing her to take a step backwards so they won't touch. He has blue eyes. Dark and deep blue eyes that feel so dangerously easy to fall into.

"I beg to differ," he says. "You look just as beautiful from here."

Caroline is stunned for a spell, before she lets out a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry, are you - flirting with me?"

The man smirks, all mischief and dimples. Those goddamn dimples. "Is it a problem if I am?"

She has no idea what to say to that. If he's Mikael's son and he's been invited to the party, then he obviously knows what kind of thing happens here. Which means he should know, or at least suspect, what Caroline is. Or should he?

Maybe he doesn't know. Maybe he thinks the young women and men out there are all guests. She's never seen him in any of the get-togethers she's been to before, and she's pretty certain she would've noticed him. A man like that, he stands out - and in a place like this, like a sore thumb. He doesn't seem to be an active part in the company's life either, based on Mikael's constant whining about him. They don't even seem to be that close. It's possible he really has no idea. Mikael may be a jerk, but it takes a very special kind of asshole to cheat on his wife with prostitutes while his son is right there to witness it.

This situation should be terrifying, but for some reason she feels... Good. Someone is showing real interest in her. It's not something that happens very often. Caroline doesn't go out that much - when you do as much drinking and partying as she does for work, it kind of loses its sparkle. On her time off, she mostly sleeps, catches up on Netflix and eats take-away at home. If she gets out of the apartment, it's to go to a restaurant or to the movies, always by herself, in rare occasions with a friend. She doesn't really see the point in going out - to, what? Pick-up a one-night stand? Meet guys she'll never really date because no one would ever accept what she does for a living? She's already having all the sex she could want (and some she doesn't), so that's not a necessity either. These days Caroline feels better and more satisfied when she pleasures herself than with a male company.

She has to admit, though... It feels nice for a change to have someone courting her just because.

Too bad it's Mikael's son.

"You know what," she says, stepping away from him. "I think I need to go back out there."

"Or you could stay here."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why? Are you afraid you won't be able to resist me?"

Caroline laughs once and shakes her head at the absolute cheekiness of the guy. "I can see the resemblance now," she says. "You're just as cocky as your father."

The man laughs - and it's a nice laughter, a rich sound, not affected or phony like what Caroline's been hearing all night, and it makes him look even nicer. Softer, somehow. "I'm not sure I consider that a compliment, but something would have to rub off, I suppose. There are worse traits to inherit."

"I really have to go." Before I decide to stay, she doesn't add.

"Are you certain? Think about it... Old men, boring conversations... I think you will find it a lot more pleasant to stay here."

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"May I ask what is it that you have in mind?"

Shit. She's walking straight into the trap.

He arches his eyebrows at her, amused. "Who's flirting now?"

Caroline chuckles, shakes her head, thinks it's absurd that she's having a nice time with Mikael's son. It's too tempting to stay here with a stranger who doesn't seem to have a clue about what she's doing at his father's party. She'd hate to break the spell.

Perhaps sensing that Caroline is starting to slip away again, the little master takes another bold step forward, placing one gentle hand on her forearm. The touch sends a shiver up her spine. "Would you like me to describe it to you, or would you rather I show it?"

Caroline's eyes fall on the man's raspberry-rosy and very kissable lips. "What do you think will impress me the most?"

A wolfish smile spreads on his face before he pulls her into his arms, placing a firm hand on the small of her back to press her flush against him, while the other grabs the back of her neck and smashes their mouths together. She offers no resistance whatsoever. There's a small voice in her head telling her she shouldn't, that if Mikael walks in on them, she's doomed. But it's a small voice, and that kiss is so good. She wraps her arms around his neck, combing her fingers through his hair and biting on his lower lip. He moans against her mouth, and it sends a tingly sensation all the way up her spine.

The way he kisses tells Caroline that he really isn't like the other guys. It's neither distant, like his head is somewhere else, nor completely possessive, as though Caroline is a property he has acquired the right to explore whichever way he wants for a certain amount of time. His kiss is softer, deeper, like he wants her to enjoy it, like he's actually trying to impress her. It makes her - not nervous, exactly, but fidgety.

It's been such a long time since she last made out with a person as herself, not Cara. Longer still since it last felt this good. It's equal parts strange and amazing. This is definitely something she could do all night. They don't even have to have sex; sex can be very overrated. Intimacy, to her, comes not from taking off her clothes and getting in bed with someone, but from being honest, herself, showing someone her true appreciation. Just kissing him will be more than enough to send her home with those rare butterflies in her stomach.

She's wondering how far she'll have to run to escape Katherine's wrath when she finds out she did not fulfill Mikael's very direct request when the guy pulls away, just a tiny bit, and murmurs, "How much?"

Caroline stops. "What?"

"How much?" he repeats, kissing her neck.

She puts one flat hand on his chest and pushes him away, gently, just enough to look him in the eyes. And then it all makes sense. "You know?"

The little master blinks at her. "Know what?"

"About... me?"

"That you're one of the rent girls? I figured."

The words pierce through her chest like an arrow. Caroline's not ashamed of what she does, and it's not even like the word is offensive. A rent girl is exactly what she is. But coming from him, so unceremoniously - it hurt. She has no idea why, but it does.

"What?" Mikael's son asks, going in for another kiss. Caroline turns her face away and disentangles herself from the other man's arms. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she replies drily, fixing her clothes. "I have to go back outside."

"Why? I thought we were -"

"I changed my mind. I have a job to do."

Caroline shifts on her heels and almost runs, taking a deep breath before marching back to the party area. If she was finding it hard to get herself in the mood before, now it'll be just impossible.

Mikael's son skips behind her to catch up. "Have I offended you?"

"Just drop it."

"I want to know what happened in there. Did I say something offensive?"

"No, you didn't."

"Then what's the matter?"

Caroline stops when they reach the double doors leading to the large living area where the party is being held. She can hear the sound of glasses clinking and music and women's exaggerated laughter as they pretend to find the men hilarious. She needs to pull herself together.

"Look," the man continues, looking genuinely apologetic. There's something desperate about the way he looks at her, almost pleading. It would be touching if she wasn't so unjustifiably pissed off. "I meant no offense. I've never been at these parties before, I don't know how to - I don't know the procedure. Should I have waited or...?"

Caroline sighs. He started off well, but now he's just making it worse. "Just forget about it."

"Why did you change your mind?"

"Because I didn't come here to do... you."

"I can pay you."

"That's adorable."

"Just name the price. Any price."

"I don't want your money."

"How much is Mikael giving you? I can offer double."

"I don't want your money," Caroline repeats in a measured, clipped tone.

"A thousand? Two? I can give you five."

"Stop it," she snaps, real heat on her voice now. That man is gonna make her lose all her poise. "It's not about the money."

"Then what is it about?"

"It's about the fact that I don't have to go to bed with anybody I don't want to and right now you're the last person in the world I'd want to sleep with. There are plenty of rent girls out there for you to go waving your money at. So give up already and leave me alone."

"Cara!" Caroline turns to find Mikael walking towards them. Oh, God, she hopes he didn't catch their argument but, to be safe, she takes another step away from his son and puts on her best miss Mystic Falls smile on. The man stops by her side, sliding a hand around her waist and pulling her into him in a clearly possessive gesture. So maybe he did hear them. Hopefully just the part where she emphatically turned the guy down.

The son watches them with a fire blazing behind his eyes, his lips pressed into a tight line.

"I've been looking for you," Mikael tells her.

"I needed to freshen up," she says, smiling innocently up at him.

"I see you've met my son," he says, not at all pleased.

"We've been introduced."

"I was talking to her," the son says, in a dangerous tone.

"Really? What about?"

"Nothing of importance," she adds before the son has a chance of offering his own two cents.

"I hope Niklaus was not harassing you. He can get quite inconvenient when he starts drinking."

"I wasn't harassing her," Niklaus replies.

"He wasn't," she confirms. She could've said he was being a nuisance, yes, just a tiny bit persistent, but she's afraid of what Mikael would do. His idea of punishment can be quite unorthodox, from what she's heard.

"Good. Can you come with me now?"

"Of course."

As they walk away together, Mikael says, "Lay off the liquor, Niklaus. You know your mother hates it when you get wasted, she'll start blaming me again for your irresponsibility."

Caroline takes one last glance over her shoulder. Niklaus just stands there, quietly fuming, his piercing eyes boring holes on her back as he watches them go.

And to think she had been so close to making something crazy for a guy she just met. If it wasn't for two tiny words... How much.

It still stings.