The Gang Leader

Chapter One

As Ophelia graced her office with a dazzling smile plastered her face the second she saw her boyfriend of a few months, Andrew, as he stood near her desk. "What are you doing here," Ophelia asked him when she closed the glass door behind her. Andrew worked as CEO for a company on Wall Street which was at least seven blocks away from her office.

"I got you a coffee," Andrew replied and smiled sweetly at her before giving her a hot cup of coffee. The smell hit Ophelia's nose and she perked up almost instantly. She kissed his cheek, silently thanking him since it was December and unbelievably cold outside.

"You did not have to do this Andrew. This is so thoughtful, I know you are crazy busy lately." He had cancelled on their last three dates because of work. Ophelia could not deny her disappointment when he cancelled on her last night and her roommate, Adeline, had gone out with work friends. She was terribly lonely last night but she did get inspired to design a beautiful dress. Andrew had told her last night that he would make up for it tonight and Ophelia sensed something was off because Andrew had hardly ever shown up at her work since they started dating.

"About that." Andrew had trailed off at the end and Ophelia sighed while she set down her designer bag behind her desk.

"You are cancelling again." Ophelia finished for him, she knew that she should have expected this from now. Andrew sighed and nodded his head, he put a hand under her chin and gazed into her violet eyes. She inherited her violet eyes from her great-great-grandmother on her moms side. Her family had never talked about her ancestors that much. "What is the excuse this time?"

Andrew sighed once again as Ophelia tore her gaze from his as her co-workers snuck glances at them in her office. "I have Columbia friends here for the evening. We are just gonna go out and get a drink." Andrew had graduated from Columbia University and he held that dear to his heart which Ophelia knew since he rarely stopped talking about it.

"It's fine. Do not worry, I will be with Adeline tonight." She gave him a small smile as she sat on the edge of her desk. Andrew smiled widely at her and pecked her lips softly before saying goodbye to leave for work. Ophelia sighed and painfully got her sketchbook, planner and files out of her bag. She checked her planner first to see that she was having lunch with Adeline at 12. Ophelia checked her watch, two and a half hours to go.

"Miss Vanderwood, Nasty Gal representatives are here for your meeting," the receptionist came over the intercom. Ophelia grabbed the sketchbook and files before she made her way to the boardroom.

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Lance Lion was awakened with a perfectly manicured hand on his chest. He groaned as he pried the girls hand off of him, Molly maybe. She stirred awake and smiled lazily at him, she tried to pull him closer but he scrunched his face in disgust. "Get out Molly," Lance said with a hard tone as he got off the bed.

"But wait what? My name is Polly," she pouted out, confused by his sudden mood swing. Polly knew that Lance was in charge of the Lions, the most powerful gang in New York City. Lance owned a club, Chateau Nightclub, downtown which all the regulars knew who he was. Cops never found enough evidence to convict him with anything serious. Lance Lion was very careful with his jobs.

"Did I ask? I said get out." Polly grabbed her clothes from the floor and scrambled to put them on before storming out of the Lions mansion. Lance got dressed in a button up red shirt and black pants before he greeted his members at breakfast. Lance's right hand man was always next to him, Axel. The Lions consisted of maybe 70 men in total, not all were present as they had their own houses. No girls were allowed to stay longer than a night. That was Lance's rule, he made a rule guide which each member followed and never doubted. Never mix business and pleasure, Lance had always said. No drugs, no alcohol and no girls when they are on a job.