(COMPLETE) The Bastard and The King

Chapter 4

The week went by very slowly. Cole was at the club every day of the week. We never spoke to each other. He just came in and went straight downstairs.
Currently it was Friday night. The club has been open for 2 hours now when my door opened.
    

“Here’s your coffee. And there’s someone here to see you” said Baba. I exhaled a long breath and took my coffee.
“Send him in” I said taking a sip of my coffee. I turned my chair around so that I was looking out the window onto the city.
“You are the only person that I know who owns a gentleman’s club and drinks coffee on the job” came that voice.
“Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?” I said turning my chair to face the demon in front of me. This time he wasn’t seated on the couch but in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

He stared at me, said nothing.
“Don’t study me, you won’t graduate” I said putting down my coffee and getting out a cigarette.
“Oh I beg to differ. Tel me why don’t you have a man in your life? Or are you hiding him?” he asked with a smile on his face.
“Would you just ask so that I can say no and you can go out there get extremely drunk and take some poor defenceless girl home?”
“Oh I’m not here to do any of those” he said without a smile on his face. He sat back in the chair getting comfortable.

“Then why are you here Alexander? You’re wasting my time”
“I’m just here to see you. To see how you’re doing.”
I put my face in my hands. Fuck I was tired. We closed late every night and because Cole came in every day I had to come in extra early to make sure he doesn’t fuck my business up while he’s here. I don’t trust that man even if he is family.

Alexander wasn’t helping the situation either. Usually he just came asked and left. This was the first time that he actually wanted to engage in an actual conversation.
I took a deep breath and sat upright. “Do you want something to drink?” I asked. Something was up with him and I couldn’t put my finger on it so I decided to entertain this until I find out what he wanted.

“Uh just a double bourbon please” he said with a surprised look on his face. I stood up and walked to the table.
“Why do you look so surprised?” I asked while pouring his drink.
“You’re just never nice. Usually you would do anything to get rid of me” well that was true.
“I’m too tired to argue with you tonight” I said and went back to my chair. “Then why don’t you go home early and get some sleep?”
I looked outside the window dreaming of the day I could do that. I’ll probably be 80 and still walk around this place.
“Sleep doesn’t help if it’s your soul that’s tired” I said before I could keep it in.

Before I could register anything he was next to me also staring out onto the city. “Then let me help you Ann Marie. I don’t want to take your business away from you. I just want to improve it and make it stronger.”
“You don’t understand Alexander. I can’t split my business in half just like that. It was given to me as a present plus I’d have to go through my father because of the underground business. If you come in with your mafia as well it will be fucking war and that’s the last thing that I want if for my business to close or get damaged by the mafia.”

I finally gave him an explanation of why I said no for so many months.
“I will never let that happen. Half of my business will be at stake as well. And as for your father. It will increase his money as well. I’ll go with you to present the idea if you’d like”
I was silent for a minute. He made sense in a way. Some of the stress that I have will be less then there will be added stress.
He took one of my hands in his and lifted my chin with his other hand. When I looked into his eyes I felt something. Something that I’ve never felt before and I melted. At this moment he made me feel so at ease.

Trust.

“I was bred for war darlin’. Be it love or chaos, everything I do is to the death.”
“Okay” I whispered. I took a breath before I continued. “Set up a proposal for my dad on paper and I’ll arrange a meeting.”
I saw shock in his eyes but he covered it up very quickly so that I don’t notice.
“Thank you” he said back to me. He squeezed my hand and made his way to the door.
“Alexander” I called after him and he turned around.
“I’m trusting you, don’t make me regret it” I said and he stood up straight.

“I won’t” he said and left the office.
His proposal was good and it would be a great investment to add him to the club. I just never trusted him with half of my business. I also don’t think that my father would allow him to come into the underground business but Alexander’s mafia was a lot stronger than my father’s. At some point I needed to agree and let them speak because if I didn’t he could always take it by force and this way I think would be less lives lost.
I dialled my father’s number when he left the office.
“Ann Marie. Is everything okay?” He answered immediately worried.
“No I haven’t killed your son yet don’t worry” I said with a smile.

“Is he being difficult?” my dad answered a little bit more relaxed.
“Surprisingly not. I don’t see him much. Listen I called for a reason. Alexander Stone has been hassling me with a proposition and I need a meeting because it involves you as well and your lawyer” I said.
“What the hell does he want form us? Doesn’t he already have everything he wants?” he asked puzzled.
“Clearly not. But it’s not bad. I think you’ll like it. Cole…..not so much so you’ll have to keep him on his leash.”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt to hear the guy out. Bring him with on Sunday for dinner then we can talk business afterwards.”
“Great. I’ll see you Sunday. Love you dad.”
“I love you too sweetheart”
I put down the phone and called Baba in. “Yes ma’am?” he asked standing by the door.

“Is Alexander still here?” I asked.
“Yes he’s watching Rachel’s show” typical. I knew his nice guy act wouldn’t last. I stood up and made my way out of the office. When I spotted him he had bourbon in his hand and he was clearly enjoying the show.
When I reached him I grabbed the glass of bourbon out of his hand. He quickly made his move and grabbed me by the arm. When he saw it was me he pulled my arm so that I fell on top of his lap. He snaked his arm around my waist and held me in place.

We stared into each other’s eyes for a minute before I cleared my throat. “Do you have any plans on Sunday night?” I asked
“Why Miss Teller are you asking me out on a date?” he asked with a grin on his face. “No. I arranged that meeting that you asked for with my father. You’re invited to Sunday family dinner” I downed the glass of bourbon in my hand because the closeness was getting too much for me and I leaned into his ear and whispered. “Who ever said that I didn’t drink?”

I could feel his hand grip my waist tighter and his breath was getting ragged in my ear which sent chills over my entire body.
I moved away slowly and he let me go. As soon as he did I stood up and gave the empty glass back to him. By the look on his face and the bulge in his pants I would say that he was shocked to say the least. I smiled triumphantly and said “pick me up at 5. And don’t be late. My father hates tardiness”.

“You know that’s a dare right?” he screamed after me but I didn’t answer. Because in some weird way it was a date and I was excited about it.