What He Wanted (Book#1 of The Runaway Club)

Chapter 8 : A Blast From The Past

*EDITED*

***Adam's POV***

It was nearly morning when I reached in New York. I looked up from my laptop, running a weary hand over my face. The most uncomfortable part of crossing the time zones is that you end up in different time schedules and can mess up your sleep.  I got up from my seat and handed my laptop to my assistant behind me. Then I climbed down my privet jet, shades protecting my eyes from the sun. I climbed my BMW convertible and greeted Anderson with a curt nod, which had him rolling the car out of the airport.

I directed Celine my afternoon schedule and went back to my penthouse.

I had a refreshing shower to wash off any trace of jet-lag and pulled on a grey t-shirt and sweatpants. I ordered something to eat and I started working for my evening presentation. That's when I my phone rang.

Without bothering to look at the caller ID, I answered it in a business tone, "Hello. Adam Lexwood, CEO of Lexwood corporation."

"Hello. Ria Malhotra, biologist–without–any–current–job now, here." Was the reply I got. Instantly my facial features softened as I smiled into my phone. God, I was getting soft.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me that now you want me to call you in te mornings as well." She laughed, making me have an unexplainable feeling. 

"I wouldn't mind. But I called you for a favor. Can you spare me two hours?"

"Two hours!" I exclaimed, wondering how much money I should be earning at that amount of time. Time is the essence of business of course. 

"Hey! I only asked two hours not two days. You don't have to yell like I just asked you a million bucks." She replied, annoyed. 

Doesn't she know that I make more than a million dollars a minute?!

"What is it for? I have nearly five appointments and a presentation this evening." I tryed staying calm and explain her everything. She was here on an impromptu vacation but I do have a job.

"Its a secret. Come here quick, okay? Anyway, I'll leave you the presentation. So chill. I just need two hours and its only eleven. You can be home before lunch."

I sighed and rubbed my lower jaw in thought how to arrange my presentation in compensation for the lost two hours. If someone asked me three months ago to spare them a second, I would done so by scoffing at their face. But somehow, saying no to Ria sounds like climbing an insurmountable mountain of guilt.

"Fine. Five minutes. I'll come." I groaned, scratching my stubble.

"Yay!!" She celebrated her little victory.

Jumping into a clean shirt and faded jeans, I gunned my Ferrari engine to leave my penthouse. On my way I called Celine and asked her to cancel my five appointments. In less than five minutes, I was down Ria's apartment. She came out in a black and white polka dot top and her trademark skinny jeans. She had left her dark hair open and her face was as fresh like her personality.

"Hey!!" She slipped into my Ferrari.

"What was the big hurry?" 

I asked with an eyebrow raised quizzically. She shuffled around the seat nervously as she pulled at the seat belt to buckle herself. I watched her jerkey movements confusedly. She takes a deep breath.

"Do you know where I can get a good tattoo?" 

"What?" I exclaimed in surprise, "you-you are getting a tattoo?"

"Yup" she said popping that last 'p'. "Move the car, you are wasting your own time."

I sighed as she started playing on my stereo, pressing random buttons as it pleased her. A song blasted out. And she still continued her frantic search through the playlists as the pop song continued, blaring out throughout the car so loud that I could feel my heart jump at the beats of the song. But she seemed not to be affected by the sound that saturated the confined space.