THE ALGORITHM

4.

Luis ran his large hands through his shaggy hair as he leaned back. He was dressed in a tailored tan suit with expensive oxfords. He had a flamboyant behavior that meshed well with his rich boy persona. "You can always roll up your sleeves and get in the kitchen." He responded sassily to Bert.

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It was late in the evening when Bilal and his fiancée decided to dine at the grill and lounge. As soon as they walked inside, they were seated by the host. The owner wasted no time greeting them and being talkative. It was something Bert did for all of his wealthy paying customers. Bilal spoke briefly and then shooed him off. He wasn't in the mood to yap. A feeling of tension crept over him as soon as Decon introduced him to the senator's daughter and revealed they had a witness on the loose.

Victoria suggested they dine at their favorite restaurant. In her opinion, Bilal would feel better and be relieved from his tension. The sound of jazz music filled the room, creating a lovely ambiance.

"Are you feeling better?" Victoria questioned her fiancé. She watched as he sipped on the vintage Bordeaux wine—Château Margaux. The taste was smooth and rich. Bilal could taste the flavor of blackberries and cherries. It paired well with his filet mignon, creamy mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies. The dessert was his favorite part about coming to Bert's Grill and Lounge. After pigging out, he and Victoria would order the lemon ricotta cheesecake. It was the best cheesecake he'd ever tasted in his life. The pie was light and creamy, topped with a sweet compote of blueberries. He liked the tanginess of the lemon and ricotta cheese. In Bilal's opinion, it was a great flavor combination.

He sighed before responding to Victoria. "I wouldn't say I feel better."

"I know you're worried about the situation." She replied, referring to the senator. "But you have nothing to worry about. Baby, you're clean, and you made the right decision."

Bilal knitted his brows. He wasn't worried about the situation. He just wanted the issue to be over with. Andrew moved slowly, as if he didn't want to claim his daughter. He was also waiting for Decon to bring the girl to him. Everything was moving leisurely, which made him unhappy.

"I'm not worried. I just want to get it over with."

"I understand." Victoria inched her hand over and tried covering hers with his. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Bilal was a giant man. Therefore, he had the features of an enormous man—large hands, to be precise. "How about we go to my place tonight?"

Bilal inched his eyes toward his woman. He figured she wanted to spend the night together. He was down for it since it had been a few days since he'd touched her. Bilal needed to get a release. He nodded without saying anything.

"Let me order our cheesecake before we leave."

Bilal leaned back and enjoyed his wine. He moved his head to the sound of the jazz music crooning from the speakers. His slanted eyes scanned the room. They were sitting up high, so he had a nice view of the layout. He liked this seating since it was tucked away from the hungry traffic.

His eyes pinpointed Bert, the owner. He was busy talking with a familiar face. Luis Bellamy. He was a spoiled rich kid with a silver spoon glued to the roof of his mouth. The Bellamy family owned several businesses and was well-known in New York. Luis was famous for his career in investing. Bilal didn't understand why, since the man was horrible with his finances and was deemed unprofessional. He was in his forties and still making terrible decisions. Luis splurged on fancy cars, clothes, and drugs. Bilal remembered reading about him going to rehab for his cocaine addiction. As always, his parents went on a public relations campaign to clean up their self-proclaimed son's reputation. It worked. Most liked him because of his success as a nepo baby. Many people didn't realize how horrible Luis was. The money blinded them.