Black Winter[Completed]

Chapter 4

(picture of Belle above)

Damien and I have been co-CEO's for a few months now. Dad and Uncle Jack have been in the office less now and spending more time at home or at the golf course. Right now, the two couples are on holiday in Italy. Things haven't exactly been good between Damien and I but we just stay out of each other's way. The only time we ever see each other is during meetings and that's stressful enough. Otherwise, our secretaries are our messengers. I know it's not healthy but it's better this way. Damien has been the same as ever but I realise I underestimated him. The guy may be a total player and a class A jerk but he was hardworking and intelligent. The number of deals he has closed this past month has been great and he's been coming into the office like any workaholic CEO. Many times we have both been the only ones left in the office late at night, but we make it a point to never leave at the same time. Waaay too awkward. Don't get me wrong though, he's still the same playboy partying at some club every other night surrounded by a bunch of scantily clad girls. I always thought Jay was bad but damn, Damien just takes this one home.  Well, Jay is also secretly crushing on Belle so I guess he's not into partying that much anymore. However, I don't have any issue with Damien's life. What he does after work is none of my business. Sure, his reputation isn't exactly doing wonders for the company's image and the shareholders faith in us but we have the results to prove our competence and as for his rendezvous, that's PR's problem. I have enough on my plate.

But, this morning I've had enough. I had only 3 hours of sleep so I was naturally cranky and it didn't help that the first phone call I got in the morning was about how we lost a major portfolio all because Damien Black couldn't keep it in his pants. I storm into the office, ready to kill anyone who stood in my way and I guess everyone could see that on my face. Even my secretary, Margaret, a sweet lady in her 50's, just handed me today's paper and said 4 words,"He's in his office." I didn't bother knocking on his door, pushing it wide open letting it slam the wall behind it. Throwing the paper on his desk, I slam my hands on his desk.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?You just had to screw this up, didn't you?" He raises his eyebrow at me, "How the hell was I supposed to know she was some clingy bitch?" "Why on earth did you have to fuck her in the first place? Of all people in the world, you just had to sleep with Bruce Maverick's daughter. You knew we were this close to signing one of the biggest deals this company has ever seen with him and you just had to screw it up." He raises his arms in defence, "I thought sleeping with her would soften her up and maybe she'd put in a good word with daddy." 

I glare at him with as much venom as I could muster, "Let me get this straight, you thought sleeping with her, kicking her out of your hotel room the next morning, calling her all kinds of names including desperate, easy and clingy, and then not even bothering to get her at least a cab would soften her up? This is the same girl who ran to daddy the last time a guy refused to take her out on a date and he ended up losing his company. Are you fucking insane?"

He ponders over this for a few moments,"Yeah what was I thinking? He shrugs,"But, what's done is done.Now, if you'll excuse me,I have a meeting with a client." With that, he walks out of the office, leaving me absolutely dumbfounded. Clenching my fists, I storm out of his office and stalk after him."Don't you dare you walk away you bloody arsehole!" He turns around, a sly smirk on his face. "You know, if there is one thing I like about you, it's that weird accent of yours. Half British and half American." I glare at him, following him into the elevator."Don't you dare change the subject. You screwed this up, you fix it." Damien narrowed his eyes and I knew he was getting irritated."Angel, I really don't know why you're overreacting."My voice was deadly as I shot daggers at him. If we had been paying attention instead of glaring at each other, we would have realised that the elevator door had opened and everyone in the lobby was staring at us in silence. 

"I'm overreacting?" Slamming the newspaper in his face, angering him even further, I continued,"This is one of the biggest deals this company has ever seen and I have been working my arse off to make it happen. You screw this up and I'm overreacting? Are you fucking insane, Damien Black? You think you're some bloody hotshot, throwing your money around and sleeping with anything that has a vagina?Well, guess what, Arius, you wouldn't be the co-CEO of this empire if it wasn't for your dad. Hell, you wouldn't have anything. So, why don't you get lost and actually do something useful for once instead of  screwing over people who actually do some work?" 

He glared murderously at me,"You think you're so great huh, Alexandria? You don't come home for 8 years, 8 fucking years and you have the guts to tell me i'm useless? You aren't any better, you are a fucking coward cuz I bet you were running away from something. Why else would someone hide away in London. If you are great as everyone says you are, salvage this damn deal then. Don't let a useless prick like me ruin it for a queen like you."

"Oh, believe me I won't. I'm warning you, Black, don't play with ice. You'll only end up getting frozen to death."

"Bring it on,Angel." he sneered. Only then, did I realise that we were practically chest to chest. We were so close that I could see the golden flecks in those brown pools of his and the fullness of his lips. We were both breathing heavily and if looks could kill, we would both be 6 feet underground by now. We turned to face the stunned onlookers and took a step back at the same time. He gave me a dark look and stepped out of the elevator, heading straight to his car which was waiting out front. I took a deep breath and shut the elevator doors heading up to my office. I knew Damien well enough to know he would not try to fix this especially since it wasn't his account. It was mine. Bruce Mavericks was one of the most successful app developers in all time and I was in talks with him to create an app with his company. It would have brought in billions in revenue and and definitely established BW Empire's position in the app world.It would have been a first for the company and the deal would have been sealed in a few days time. But, this morning Bruce called saying how he will not work with a company who's CEO has no respect for women, especially his daughter. Which was ironic considering his daughter was known for sleeping around but he was  one of those fathers who spoiled their daughters. I rubbed my eyes wearily, sighing in exhaustion. This app would be the next big thing and I was gonna try and salvage this deal. Even if it meant begging and grovelling and spending the whole night in the office.

I spent my entire day holed up in my office, focusing all my energy on getting this deal signed on the day it was supposed to be signed. I didn't even notice that it was already next morning until Belle walked into my office. She took one look at my face before passing me a new set of clothes from the closet in my office and shoving me into the bathroom. I quickly showered, feeling slightly more awake. Walking out of my bathroom, I found Belle seated on my sofa, breakfast on the table. I sat down and grabbed a piece of toast. It wasn't till I started eating did I remember me skipping dinner last night. God, i was famished. After finishing my meal, I nervously faced my best friend. I could feel a reprimand coming.

She stared at me,"Are you trying to kill yourself?" "Belle, I had no choice. The deal."

"The deal was important I get that. But, you're not gonna get it back if you work yourself to death. I suspected you might do something like this, especially when I found out what he did. Just to warn you, don't be shocked when you see Damien with a black eye." I gasped in shock,"What happened?" She smiled evilly,"Jay found out what happened and spoke to Damien about it. When he shrugged it off and casually mentioned that you were still at the office at midnight, he lost it and took a swing at him. Serves that idiot right. I can't believe he's my brother.'

"What did Damien do? He hit back, didn't he?" "Actually no. I think that punch knocked some sense into him." I raise an eyebrow but didn't push it."anyways, you need to get some sleep, missy." I shake my head,"No way. I have a meeting with Bruce in an hour. I almost got him,Belle. If all goes well, the deal's gonna go through." Belle just sighed,"You're gonna kill yourself. But, I hope it does. You're a miracle worker." I clasp my hands together, praying that she was right.

I walk out to my car at 10 at night. I spent the whole day with Brent and after a 6 hour meeting, the deal was signed. I smile at the thought of me being able to sleep in a little tomorrow but then I remember a note Margaret, my secretary left on my table. The shareholders called for an emergency meeting tomorrow. I told them that Damien was in Japan on a business trip and would only be back that night but they insisted on having it tomorrow. I groan at what Ignatius Anderson might have to say and pray to God that I don't blow my top tomorrow.