Chapter One:
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"I've never recognized a purer face,
You stopped me in my tracks and put me right in my place,
Used to think that lovin' meant a painful chase,
But you're right here now and I think you'll stay."
"The shipment has been sent successfully to the Swedish Don. This is his remaining share of payment." Julius informed and placed a white envelope on the oak desk that sat between us.
I nodded and puffed the smoke out in the air and flicked the cigarette ash in the glass ashtray that was already filled with four finished cigarettes.
"The Don sends his regards." Julius spoke once again and tipped his hat once before he turned around to leave.
"Julius." I called.
His footsteps halted and he turned to face me in one swift move before asking, "ναι, δεν?"
(Yes, don?)
"What about the contract with the Petrakis' family?" I asked while I pressed the lit end of the half-finished cigarette in the center of the ashtray with mild force.
His lips thinned as he seemed to contemplate the right words to use.
"I'm not a patient man, Julius." I narrow my eyes infinitesimally at the tall, brown-haired man standing rigidly in front of me.
After a few more seconds, he finally opened his mouth to reply, "Nothing, Don. You will have to fulfill the stated conditions, I am afraid."
A muscle in my jaw twitched as I heard him say the opposite of what I wanted to hear.
"I am sleeping with Alora. Besides, I hate that brat of a girl. What's her name? Julie?" I asked in utter disgust.
He nodded his head with a deep frown and I dismissed him with a flick of my hand.
After I downed the last sip of my whiskey, I stood up from the leather chair and turned around to face the glass window that overlooked the garden and swimming pool.
The sun was setting and the sky was a fascinating blend of orange and blue with white clouds that seemed to be moving at a steady pace. From where I stood, I could see the guards who patrolled the house, from the backside as well as the inside, dressed in a professional attire of grey suits.
The loud ringing of my phone brought me out of my thoughts and I walked to the desk to pick it up. My best friend, Jason's number flashed on the screen and I swiped to answer.
"Hello." I spoke gruffly.
"What's up, bad boy?" he chirped from the other end.
"I swear if you had been here, your head would have accidentally collided with the wall ten times." I warned.
"You love me." he replied in a 'duh' tone.
"I wish you hadn't watched all those bromantic movies. Now stop wasting my time and tell me why your annoying ass disturbed me?" I asked and made my way out of my home office.
"You're mean, Darry. Anyways, I called you to tell you that we're having dinner with the one and only Jon Ferrari at The Bistro in about an hour." he informed me.
I smirked as I took that information in and muttered a quick 'okay' before hanging up.
"Layla, I'm heading out. Be back at night." I shouted as I descended the stairs.
I heard her footsteps before I could see her come out of the kitchen with a disapproving look settled on her face.
"Where are you going, young man?" she asked sternly.
I sighed in annoyance before I replied, "Out with Jason."
"Don't use that tone on me. I will smack your butt with a spatula." she threatened.
I stalked towards her and towered over her short frame with a cocky smirk plastered on my lips.
"You were saying?" I mocked looking at her height that barely came to my chest.
Her eyes turned to slits and before I knew it, she smacked my ass with a wooden spoon she held in her hand.
My eyes widened slightly as she blew me a kiss and strutted back to the kitchen.
Wow.
Layla was a fifty-year-old woman who has been working for my family for nearly twenty years. She was like a mother to me.
I shook my head and walked out of the house. My limo was ready and Gérard, my driver, held the door open for me. There was an SUV filled with guards behind my car. I settled inside and he shut the door close.
"To The Bistro." I told Gérard who nodded once in return and ignited the engine.
The drive passed pretty quickly with me answering a few emails and going through a few documents and we reached there in no time.
It was a small hut-shaped restaurant made of dark wood from the outside. The guard opened the door for me and as soon as I walked inside, a feeling of being at home engulfed me. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful with dim lights and cream-colored walls. There were boards of paintings and quotations hanging on every wall along with small yellow-colored yarn ball lights and glass bottles wrapped in fairy lights hanging off the ceiling. It was truly beautiful and totally packed at this hour.
I spotted Jason who sat at a far end near a glass window facing a small lake. The brown tables were round and seats were made of plush cream-colored material. He stood up to greet me and we sat down afterward.
"When is he coming?" I asked while I opened the button of my navy blue suit jacket.
"Must be on his way. How is business?" he inquired.
"Great." I replied.
Before he could say anything further, a blonde waitress, dressed in a maroon-colored knee-length dress, came up to us.
"Hello, my name is Penelope and I will be your waitress tonight. What would you like for starters?" she chirped.
"You." Jason flirted.
I rolled my eyes with a small smirk as I looked at the now flustered girl.
"I'm sorry sir but I am certainly not on the menu. How about I bring you something to drink while you select from the options." she composedly replied.
I chuckled quietly and told her to bring Château d'Yquem, Sauternes before she sauntered off.
"How's the Petrakis situation coming along?" he asked.
"It appears that I really have to marry that brat." I spat in disgust.
He frowned in distaste and remained quiet. The waitress brought our wine with two glasses and cocked it open to pour some for the both of us.
We told her that we were waiting for someone and will place our orders later.
The restaurant door opened and the entire floor fell silent as they took in the petite frame of a girl who walked inside. She was fumbling with her clutch so I couldn't see her face.
Thick platinum blonde curls whipped in the air and revealed a face so serene, my breath hitched. I stared at her petite, tall frame clothed in a short white dress that reached her mid-thigh. My eyes started taking her in from her feet which were clad in silver strappy heels accentuating her miles-long legs and up to her torso. The upper half of the dress was made of sheer material and was embroidered with multi-colored small flowers while the skirt, as well as the sheer full sleeves, were adorned with small white pearls.
Her slender neck was supported by a sharp jaw and her plump lips were set in a small pout. Her small button nose was red and her eyes, God damn it, were an odd yet beautiful shade of teal, like a unique mix of blue and green, framed by thick, long lashes.
Fucking innocent.
As if sensing the attention her presence attracted, her eyes went wide and her cheeks stained pink. She tucked a lock behind her ear and walked in our direction with her eyes fixed on the floor, I watched her get settled on a table right next to ours.
She bit her lip in nervousness and stooped her head even farther down before she busied herself with her phone. I saw Penelope walk up to her and tap her shoulder. She flinched and turned her head only to smile as she saw the waitress who stood there. She got up and hugged her with a small grin, our eyes connected for a split second before she quickly looked down.
"Happy birthday. You look beautiful." Penelope gushed after she pulled away.
"Thank you." she replied quietly with a smile.
"Waiting for Helena, I presume." Penelope said.
She nodded softly and said something else which I couldn't hear.
Jason snapped his fingers in front of my face which made my head turn in his direction.
"Quit eye raping the Αθώα ομορφιά." he playfully scolded.
(Innocent beauty)
"Our world lacks that kind of beauty and innocence. It's...attractive." I replied.
He hummed and Jon entered the restaurant and it caused my once relaxed stance to go rigid.
"Don." he spoke and bowed his head in respect.
"Sit down, Jon." I nodded my head at the chair behind him.
He sat there and looked uncomfortable so we started small talk with him and placed our orders. Halfway through, my eyes glanced at the breathtaking woman talking with her friend who looked super excited like a small kid at a candy store.
"A gorgeous one, isn't she?" Jon asked and gazed in their direction.
"Indeed." I said while I dabbed my mouth with a napkin.
"Jon, I heard you stole from me." I said and brought his attention back to me.
His face lost all its color upon hearing my words and he looked at me incredulously.
"N-no, Don." he instantly denied.
"Of course you did. Why else did you think we called you here?" I asked with a scoff at the end.
"Don, please. I-I can explain." he pleaded pathetically.
"Go on." I feigned nonchalance.
"I-I... I did not st-" he stuttered but I cut him off by pressing my weapon on his side, discreetly.
His eyes went as wide as the size of saucers and he gulped audibly. Jon was a young man in his late twenties who has been working for me for a year and a half now. Too bad that he won't anymore.
"Don, we can talk about it civilly." he dared to say.
Jason scoffed while he rose a brow and I chuckled humorlessly and shook my head at his naivety, "Jon, you really do know nothing."
I was about to pull the trigger since my gun had a silencer, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. My jaw ticked and I turned around to blow the brains out of anyone who dared to interrupt but instead I was left speechless.
"Can I talk to you for a second, sir?" she asked softly with a small smile and retracted her hand.
"Sure." I replied and handed the gun to Jason, who had already extended his own hand from under the table, all the while he stared at her.
"Excuse me, gentlemen." I cleared my throat as I stood up and gave a look to Jason who nodded his head unnoticeably.
I followed her outside to the restaurant until she stopped at a safe distance to the guard at the door.
"I am really sorry for interrupting your... business but this is my restaurant and-please don't think that I'm being arrogant or a brag- but I really can't let you... kill someone here. I know this isn't my business, and you most definitely didn't want me to witness that either, but there's an alleyway just a few feet from the restaurant. Can you, um, do your... thing there?" she spoke timidly.
So fucking softly, I had to perk my ears up to listen.
Her eyes were constantly flickering between my face and behind me and I could tell just how anxious she was.
I stepped closer to her and she froze. Lifting my hand, I tucked her hair behind her ear, "Τόσο όμορφο. Baby girl, you do realize that you weren't supposed to see that, right?"
(So beautiful)
Up close, she looked even more stunning if possible. Her small hands balled into fists as she looked at me from beneath her eyelashes and whispered the one word I wasn't expecting.
"Omertà."
With that, she took a step back and I was about to open my mouth but her friend came rushing out like a maniac, "Eirene, thank God, you're here. You gave me a scare, you stupid girl." she sighed in relief upon finding her friend.
"All good?" she asked, raising her eyebrows as she eyed us.
"Yeah." Eirene replied and walked to a car with her friend after she gave me one last look.
I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed the number of my private investigator, Sanchez.
"Don." he greeted picking up on the second ring.
"Sanchez, find me all the information on a girl named Eirene. She's Greek and owns this restaurant called 'The Bistro.' Find me everything you can get your hands on." I ordered and hung up after he mumbled an 'okay.'
Jason, bring Jon out to the alleyway on the left.
I texted and lit a cigarette up while I walked to the narrow and deserted alleyway.
Looks like I was actually going to listen to a beautiful stranger tonight.
A/N: Here's the first chapter. I'm excited for this one. 😬