Man of Veracity- Finished

4 Alexander

I loosen my tie as I walk back into my office. I feel a migraine coming on and no amount of Excedrine  or caffeine is going to help me at this point because that beautiful brunette kept me up all night. I couldn't even enjoy the small amount of time I had to myself in my penthouse because of her. I sit down and stare at the black screen of my many monitors and all I can see are those empty caramel eyes from three nights ago. Her red lips and face that remained emotionless.

"Bellamy, get me a roster of all the strippers at La Fleur's" I demand.

Bellamy looks at me quizzically. I know he's probably surprised with such a request coming from me.
"Is there a problem?"

"No, sir. I'll get to work on it" he says before leaving my office. 

With that task set aside, I power on my computer. My knuckles still ache from teaching that Serbian asswipe with a lesson. Like I said, Serbians are always reckless. I know I'll have to establish a meeting with Damian Volkov, enforcer to the Russian mafia. He'll get word about my new toys, courtesy of Popov. I also got word that Popov's father wants to have a chat concerning his sons fingers that I cut off. He's lucky I didn't take his whole damn hand for getting too hot-headed. 

"Sir, Damian Volkov just arrived."

Fuck, that was sooner than I expected. The shipment doesn't arrive until tomorrow morning. I nod my permission. Not even five minutes later I hear another knock. 

"Come in."

Damien Volkov steps into my office clad in leather double monk strap loafers and a dark blue suit. 
"Alexander, long time no see"

" Damian, likewise. How is the family?"

"Good. Eloise is due any day now." He says smiling. 

"That must be exciting. Congratulations. To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"

"I knew I liked you for a reason. Always straight to the point.....You're expecting some goods from the Middle East" 

I nod.

"I call dibs.$70000."

"How about 35? And a marker to make up the remaining half?" I counter without hesitation.

I know I'll need the Russians to back me up one of these days. I'm good on money, but I need....friends. Damien looks at me as if he's trying to figure me out.

"You know how I work. I have no underlying intentions. 35 and a marker."

Damien remains quiet. I almost think he'd rather pay the full $70,000 than half and owe me a marker. 

"Fine. $35,000 and a marker. Only because I'm intrigued. You're stewing something up, Van Doren. I'm curious."

"You know what they say about curiosity....it killed the cat"

It's 8pm and instead of being in my penthouse, I'm sitting in my office staring out of the window into the city. I told myself it's because I have work to finish but who am I kidding? My thoughts are not on work or the emails I need to reply to; they're focused purely on the beautiful face from 3 nights ago. I can't, for the life of me, get her out of my head. What is it about her eyes that make me want to drown into them? What is it about her presence that makes me want to lay down at her feet and tell her I'm hers to do with as she pleases? I glance at the clock, 8:05. It's too early, the meeting with Popov the other night didn't take place until 10. I pull the roster of names Bellamy brought me this afternoon and read over it again. Candy? She doesn't seem like a Candy. Doesn't look like a Brandi either, or Dixie and definitely not a Cupcake. Did they not have real names? I guess it's a strip club, so it's not like they need to turn in a fucking resume. Fuck, I have to see her again. I don't even know her name and even if I did, would she share her real one? I scrub my hands down my face and throw the list of names aside. I reply to some emails and order another shipment of green tiles. I glance at the clock. Fuck it, it's 9:35 and it'll practically take me 20 minutes to get to the other side of town. I power my computer off, grab my suit coat and head down to the garage. Bellamy walks to my right.

"You can have the night off."

Bellamy stares at me quietly. He's never had a night off and I never go anywhere without my right hand man. 

"I have something personal to take care of." I mutter as I unlock the doors to my black Porsche 911 Turbo S coupe. Bellamy remains at my side.

"Really, take the night off. Go home, take a bath, watch some tv." I say smugly.

Bellamy smiles.

"You read my mind."