Fragile Desires (18+)

Nine | Never Trust A Businesswoman

I remember the first time I got in trouble for sneaking out to the beautiful city of Lyon.

The only person by my side was Antonio and I had forced him into secrecy.

We had just turned sixteen and everything forbidden sounded appealing to us.

And the lively city was more than just appealing.

It was so much more beautiful at night.

The twinkling stars contrasted against the buildings and cobblestone sidewalks perfectly.

Everyone seemed more alive when the night sky took the place of the bright blue sky.

There were bars crowded with people, restaurants with lines stringing out of them, and people crowding the streets having their own conversations or eating street food.

Antonio and I found ourselves nestled in a corner booth at a local restaurant, careful to not let my brunette wig slip or my clear-lensed glasses fall from my nose.

We had our perfect last meal before a local recognized my familiar features under the disguise.

Within a matter of minutes, word had spread to all the press who crowded outside the restaurant, and my parents, who were back at the palace.

I was grounded after that and only allowed to see Antonio if his parents were at the palace for work.

It felt like the longest two weeks of my entire life.

Yet there Antonio and I were, back in the city after I got ungrounded.

Yes, I had learned a lesson.

And that was to not get caught so easily next time.

To be better with disguises or excuses.

After that, I never got caught sneaking out again.

- Azzy

♛Chapter Nine: Never Trust A Businesswoman♛

I never quite learned my lessons.

Not fully anyway.

If anything I learned how to tweak the lessons I learned.

Which is why I found myself back at The Midnight Brew—nestled in the back corner with my wallet and a café amaretto nestled in my hands.

I couldn't lie and say that I wasn't thinking of Renata.

Apart of me hoped she'd emerge from the tall wooden doors any second now.

And the other part of me scolded the desire, knowing that we had done really good work today.

We had went through numerous business details and kept everything entirely professional.

Yes, I sat in her chair with her standing back against the desk in front of me—but that helped me feel much more comfortable and less pressured to fit into a business environment.

It was still professional.

Even if apart of me knew that she'd never offer that to any of her clients—even her long-term ones.