Stay With Me

2

Alexei punches the punching bag the hardest he can. Sweat dripped from his forehead as the boxing gloves hit the hardened bag. The room was filled with his grunts and the sound of his gloves harshly hitting the bag. The speed of his hits increases with each punch.

The lights flicker on and off catching his attention. He slows down before looking over his shoulder. The slim man from yesterday stands in the doorframe. Alexei rolls his eyes as he sends one final punch at the bag.

"What?" He asks turning around.

"Your father is here. He's in the kitchen waiting for you."

Alexei slips off his boxing gloves and throws them on the ground. Alexei mumbles profanities under his breath as he walks towards the slim man. He passes by the man as he begins to unwrap the bandages from his hand.

Walking up the stairs he goes past the open living room to the kitchen. He hears his father's voice causing him to tense up. He expected his father to leave America by now, he didn't know why he was still here. He didn't know why he was in Alexei's presence. Not for a father and son day.

Alexei walks into the kitchen. His father talking to one of the maids. She was nervous as she holds the plate with a tight grip.

"Get away from her," Alexei speaks.

The maid takes this time to walk past his father and leave out the room quickly. His father chuckles in a low tone as he fixes his black suit blazer.

"You have grown some balls while you been gone. Everything going well I assume?" He asks in Russian.

Alexei crosses his damp arms over his chest.

"Why are you here?" Alexei questions him.

His father looks around the kitchen. His finger trail across the kitchen counter.

"I can't catch up with my son? I'm hurt by your behavior." His father smirks as he places his hand over his heart.

Alexei rolls his eyes. "I'm busy today, so what do you want?" He breathes out.

"Nothing, I'm on my way to my flight. Just came back to check up on everything. To see if everything running smoothly."

"Everything is running smoothly, now get out," Alexei tells him as he walks out of the kitchen.

❍

Alexei walks into the restaurant. He walks up to the hostess not bothering to give her a friendly greeting.

"Alexei Dominik." He tells her.

Using her pen, she trails down the paper before finding his name. She grabs a menu and tells him to follow her. She takes him to the second level, near the large window. Alexei takes a seat as the hostess place the menu down.

Before she can leave, Alexei speaks up.

"Is a waitress named Mercedes here?" He asks her.

The woman looks up, she thinks for a short second before nodding her head but she was unsure.

"I believe so."

"I want her to serve me." He tells her.

The woman tilts her head to the side.

"I'll see if we can make that happen." She says before walking away.

Alexei pulls out his phone. He texts a few people, mostly his group of men to check up on shipments and properties. He didn't need his whole operation to collapse just for being out for the rest of the day.

As he begins to reply to them, Mercedes walks to him with the digital tablet. He quickly sends the texts before placing the phone on the table. Mercedes smiles at him.

"I must've left an impression, you were here last night right?" She asks him.

Alexei nods as he sits up straight. Mercedes cleared her throat.

"I will like to thank you for the tips. I appreciate it." She tells him.

"You're welcome. You don't have to stand, you can take a seat." He says pointing at the empty chair in front of her.

Mercedes's eyes glance over at the chair before chuckling softly.

"That's unprofessional." She states, shaking her head.

"It's unprofessional to have lunch with me?" He asks her.

Mercedes chuckles once again.

"It is unprofessional because I'm not on my lunch yet. Would you want another waitress or waiter?" She questions him.

"No, I still want you." He responds standing up.

Mercedes blushes as she takes a step back. Alexei looks down at her due to her short height. He smirks noticing her blushing. It was cute seeing her react to him like this.

"I'm flattered-"

"Come to dinner with me tomorrow night." He offers her.

Mercedes bites her bottom lip. Alexei's eyes focus a little too long on her plump pink lips. They looked too soft, he wanted to know if they felt as soft as they looked.

"I'm kinda busy tomorrow night." She tells him.

"The day after tomorrow then." He quickly says.

Mercedes let out a quiet sigh. She nods as she takes out her phone. A victorious smirk rests on Alexei's lips.

"One date."

"You won't regret it, krasivaya." He says taking her phone.