NINTH FLOOR | 18+

XI. H U D S O N

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V I O L E T T E
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"It is." I replied. Having him right behind me and looking over the same view I was looking at had me wondering. Wondering if he saw that the water running so free was tainted by the Manhattan's glory. I wondered if he noticed how the sky scraping buildings hid the body of water's actual reality. I wondered if he knew how at the end of the day behind those ironed pencil skirts and blouses was a broken girl. I wondered if he could see the blue in my eyes was like the Hudson River, restless to find it's heaven.

"Sometimes even the most beautiful things are broken inside." And he did see passed my well put facade.

"And sometimes broken is better than a well put on facade." He said. I didn't know whether he was referring to me or the view in front of him. He just complicated everything, probably messed with some of my remaining sanity along the way.

"Who hurt you Violette?" He asked as I could feel the fabric of his groomed suit on the back of me. His cologne that filled my senses, leaving them intoxicated. And for some odd reason, all I wanted to do was scream to him how I have never felt enough. How I never was able to fill the missing place of my twin sister, but before I could even think further about his question, the door was knocked on.

Just like that he was gone, to go put on his billion dollar facade. Even he knew that I could see the broken boy in his eyes, the roles applied both ways. The irony of the story almost made me laugh, a broken girl and a broken boy both trying to fix each other.

I made my way over to table where my laptop was placed for the overview of the meeting.

"Come in." Ruben answered as the door opened revealing the client along with his own secretary who seemed to not dare gaze up towards us.

"Ruben." The man reeked of danger. His voice almost a monotone as it was thick and held an accent that could only be Russian. I knew that as I had stumbled upon many of my father's allies that originated from Russia with a mother tongue from the land.

"Ivan." Ruben answered while keeping his eyes on him. The man wore a heavy scar down his left cheek, that could have only be achieved with a the sharp blade of a knife. It almost made my insides churn in warning. His eyes a musky brown and his black hair ruffled on top of his head. A tattoo of a skull was inked onto the side of his neck in black and royal red ink.

If it weren't for his polished attire, I would have guessed he belonged from a dark place in the mafia as my father would refer it as. I never was disclosed much information about my father's work except for the fact it involved blood shed, a lot of it. Which was one of the main reasons why I wanted to move from the house to somewhere far, to somewhere my name was not valid.

His musky gaze fell upon mine before raking over my whole body. I almost felt the need to raze my gaze in a strict manner to make sure he knew I didn't appreciate his courtesy. But, Ruben was quick to catch his gaze upon me and looked at the man dead in the eye.

He was quick to take the hint and took the liberty to seat himself to the other end of the long island of the meeting table. His secretary followed his steps to right next to him, but never took a seat.

"Well, long time no see Efrain." I didn't try to intertwine knowing it would only further catch his attention, but the man was not a typical businessman. He seemed to be involved in shady work, from the way he spoke to the way his secretary barley muttered a greeting.

"Cut to the chase Ivan. We are here for business not to play friends." Ruben said in a stern voice that gave his message loud and clear because any amusement on the man's face disappeared. If I thought he looked dangerous before, he looked ten times worse now.

"The men in the Efrain family always are in a rush. But, might as well cut to the chase." He mocked before dropping his gaze back upon me.

"Our company will not back off the merger Ruben, and your company happens to have something we need. Something that belongs to us." He said, as I sat there confused.

"That's the thing Ivan, it is ours now. And besides it wouldn't be fun to have the weaker partner in crime to have to lose everything now, is it?" I could only listen, not daring to question any of it. This sounded like one of the meetings conducted in my father's office in private. The one I wasn't supposed to be present at.

"What are you trying to say Ruben?" He asked as this time hatred laced his voice.

"That you are the weaker of the two of us, so much weaker and if I were to go against your whole organization, you would be able to do nothing. And potentially would be an open invitation for the others to steal from."

"Fair point Efrain, but I have a condition." Ivan said.

Ruben folded his hands on the table as he tilted back in his leather chair. He knew he had just won the game of chess with the man. A weaker opponent means a easier win.

"And that would be?" Ruben asked.

"I want your word and protection." Ruben smirked before getting up from his chair. Checking the time on his expensive watch that probably costed him a tiny fortune itself, he glanced back up at Ivan.

"Fair deal Ivan. You can escort yourself out now. As you know the Efrains are always in a rush." The man mouthed something in Russian before walking out.

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