Dimitri brought his black Audi to a stop just in front of the tall glass building. He was quite on a role with slamming doors. He could have broken his door off and he didn't give a damn in the world. He walked with balled fists into the building and towards the receptionist in the lobby.
"Good morning sir" she greeted.
"Morning" he answered annoyed.
"Do you have an appointment today?" she questioned.
"No."
"Are you here to see someone?"
"Yes."
"Who would you like to see?"
"Jake."
"Jake..." she prompted for a surname.
"I don't know, just Jake."
"Sir there are two Jakes that work here. One of our seniors and the other is- "
"The other one" he cut her off.
"'Are you sure?"
Dimitri glared at her.
She cleared her throat. "Okay, I'll call his office and see if he is available. What is your name?"
"Dimitri Osbourne" he responded.
"Hi good morning sir" she responded after the phone was answered.
"A Dimitri Osbourne is here to see you."
She nodded then hung up the phone."
"He will allow you up to his office at this time. Fifth floor, room 107."
Dimitri headed to the elevator and landed on the fifth floor. His eyes searched for the room number and he entered without knocking.
A smile played across Jake's face as he closed the door behind him.
"Ahh look who it is" Jake stood up from his seat.
Two dark moons stared back at him. Jake could not ignore the animalistic features that plastered his features.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
"Yes, you are." Dimitri responded.
"Me? What is it that I have done?"
"How dare you pay off Valarie's loan? It is already too much that you knew about it and I didn't but what gives you the right to do such a thing for her?"
Jake leaned against his desk and smiled.
"First of all, I can do whatever I want" Jake responded.
Dimitri chuckled sarcastically. "You can do what you want?"
Dimitri questioned as he lurked closer to Jake. When he was a close enough distance to him, he swung his arm without warning and connected a meaty punch to his left cheek.
"Well I can do what I want as well" Dimitri shot back.
Jake's face had flipped with the blow. A smile crept over his face and he slowly brought his head to face front once more. He wiped the spec of blood from the corner of his lips and glanced down at it.
"Violent critter aren't you?" Jake questioned in awe.
"If you are wondering if Valarie told me about the loan and allowed me to pay for it, then you got it wrong."
"So how is it that you knew then?"
"I left some of my things at her apartment some time ago and when I went to pick it up, I encountered one of the loan officers putting up a notice on her door. You are not the only man around here who can pull a few strings so I had the loan paid off for her. If anything she deserved that after all the stress you put her through."
Dimitri tensed and gritted his teeth.
Jake observed his features. His tone was incredibly calm for a man who had just been attacked in his own home.
"Look, there is nothing to get worked up about. Valarie did not tell me about the loan, I found out and took it upon myself to pay. Maybe if you were not such an asshole to her, she would be more open to you. I may not have known Valarie for as long as you have but I can assure you that I know more about her than you do. Sometimes, time isn't a factor in how close you become to someone, it's more about what you do with the time that you have known them for that matters. From as much as I have gathered thus far, the two of you have spent most of your time playing the cat and the dog. It's nice to see that you've finally tightened that loose screw you had hanging out of your head. I like that the dog has decided to mark its territory."
"Look just stay away from her okay?" Dimitri warned.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. I won't abandon her at your request. She is my friend and I will continue to be her friend and stay as long as she needs me. However, you are free to not think of me as a threat. I assure you that I am nothing more to Valarie than just a friend. I do warn though, if you ever hurt her like you did before, our next conversation won't be this friendly."
"Is that a threat?"
"Yes, I believe it is."
Dimitri chuckled. "I see you have more balls than meets to eyes."
"Well of course you would find me well equipped considering that you don't have any at all."
He picked the wrong bone and Dimitri's eyes darkened.
Jake chuckled. "Lighten up. It was a Joke. Look, I don't want any trouble. I'll leave Valarie to you as long as you don't hurt her, we are cool."
Dimitri sighed "Could you just lay off a bit. Just don't do anything like that again. I can take care of her myself. "
"You got it" Jake assured.
"I guess that will be all then. If the circumstance in which you paid was different, I would walk away today with your teeth in my pocket."
Jake chuckled "I would have been happy to put my dentist to good use. I heard he's the best in the city. "
Dimitri smirked. "I'll be on my way."
"Hey wait. How did you find out about the loan though?"
"That's not important. I went to confront Valarie about it after I found out to confirm whether it was true or not, then I came here."
" I hope that you haven't taken it out on her."
"Uhh, maybe I sort of did that. I'll fix it as soon as I get back. "
"Oh come on man. What did you say to her?"
"I'll fix it. I should probably get back since I practically just ran off."
"You better make it up to her."
"I will."
His mind slowly began defrosting and his muscles relaxed. Thinking about it all, he really didn't have reason to be mad at Valarie. She had no control over what Jake had done. If it was one thing he found out was that Jake genuinely cared about her. That was a fact that made him hate and respect him at the same time. They had a common ground to stand on.
"I guess I'll see you around" Jake said as Dimitri turned to walk off.
Dimitri turned back briefly and smirked. "'Unfortunately, I will."
Jake shook his head and smiled briefly as he exited the room. He had been waiting for him to step up his game and this was the biggest step he had seen him take thus far. Maybe the two were finally seeing through their blurry mirrors and came to the realization that they fit better running towards each other than away.
The engine revved and the car rolled back to where it came from. Dimitri headed back up to the office in search of Valarie. He entered his office but she wasn't there. His search extended to the design room and his father's office but she was nowhere to be found. On his way back to the elevator, Kyle ran straight into him.
"Agh!" they both grunted as they crashed.
"Sorry sir but you should really watch where you are going" Kyle spoke.
"I believe that it was you that bumped into me. Anyway, have you seen Valarie?"
Kyle folded his arms. "And what if I have?"
"Where is she? I need to speak to her."
With the roll of his eyes and a huff and puff, Kyle told him.
"She is on rooftop, outside on the balcony."
"Ahh thanks."
The ring of his phone aired. Dimitri answered. It was his father.
"Yes?"
"Can you come see me in my office now? It's urgent."
"Dad I was just there. Can't it wait?"
"No, the client is desperate. I need to discuss something with you now."
"Fine."
He hung up the phone and grunted.
"Can you do me a favour and tell Valarie that I want to see her? I'm just going to my father's office to take care of something."
"You and your favours" Kyle puckered his lips. "Fine I'll tell her."
He continued into the elevator and Dimitri walked back to his father's office.
"Did I disturb you from something?" Nikolai asked as Dimitri walked in.
Dimitri raised his brows "You think?"
"Ahh sorry about that but it is concerning a great deal that we can't turn down. Have a seat."
His legs walked reluctantly to the chair and he sat agitatedly.
"Last week someone from a well-known fashion industry contacted me. Mr. Chase. They are interested in ordering each of our designs in bulk. It includes all of Valarie's designs as well as our other designers. They are really popular and the publicity through them will give us yet another boost. I can see our profits doubling, tripling even."
"It sounds like a great offer but I still don't see the reason for your urgency."
"Ahh well you see, Mr. Chase is going away on business soon. He is not a patient man and if something else catches his eyes when he goes on his trip, he'll pass it over to someone else. I would go take care of it myself but I am preoccupied with other deals."
"Damn, Fine I'll do it. Where in the city are they located?"
Nikolai smiled "Well, that's the next thing. They are not located in the city. They are actually out of down...a few states away."
"Dad! Oh come on!"
His smile widened. "I already booked your flight for 5pm this evening...Which means that you would probably have to leave for home now to pack."
Dimitri's lips parted and annoyance plastered his features.
"How long will I be there for?"
"Hmm about three days."
"What?" he snapped.
"Calm down, it's just three days. Mr. Chase would like you to stay at their mansion so I didn't bother booking you a hotel room."
"I am not staying there with some people that I don't know!"
"Am afraid that you are son. It's how the business world works. You make friends in a day if it should benefit you. I asked you because I thought you had the capability of handling such a task but if you need me to ask someone else..."
Dimitri sighed. "I will do it" he said between clenched teeth.
"Good. That's my boy. That's what I thought. Soon you'll take my place here so I have to make sure that you can step up to the plate. "
Nikolai took out an envelope from his drawer. He handed it to Dimitri.
"Here. Everything, including your ticket is in here."
Dimitri took the envelope and stood up. "I guess I should be on my way then."
"Make me proud son. Take care till then. I will see you soon."
He nodded and gave his father reassurance before walking out. The only reason he really accepted was because he knew that this was one of his father's tests and he didn't want to give him yet another reason why he should doubt him.
With a heavy chest, Dimitri walked up to the balcony to look for Valarie. She stood near the rails, gazing over the city scape. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and she jumped.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" he said.
She kept her back to him and continued to look on to the view. Dimitri sniffed her hair and kissed her ear.
"I'm sorry for flipping out on you earlier. I just-. Anyway, I promise I will make it up to you when I get back."
"When you get back?" Valarie questioned.
He sighed and turned her around to face him.
"My father wants me to go on a trip to see about some business. It's concerning a contract with our designs...your designs."
"Ahh! When do you leave?"
"Today. My flight is at five so I have to go home now to pack. I only just learnt about it. He didn't tell me about it before and I don't have a choice but to go. "
Valarie sighed. "I know; he's just testing you. How long will you be gone for?"
"About three days."
She just nodded.
"I'm really sorry. We'll settle things when I get back. I really have to go now."
He laid a firm kiss on her forehead and left. Valarie stood immovably for a few seconds. For some reason she felt uneasy that he had to go on the trip alone but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was unsettling since they had not gotten to discuss the loan issue but three days was nothing to wait right? She returned to the design room and buried herself in work to distract herself from the situation.
***
It was probably the most horrible flight that he had ever had. Maybe it was because of how much he didn't want to go. Dimitri was even more annoyed at the fact that he had to stay at their home for three days. Why couldn't he have just signed the contract at the airport and be back on his way?
He walked reluctantly towards the driver that held a sign that had his name written boldly across it.
"Dimitri Osbourne" he greeted as he approached the man.
"Ahh it's nice to meet you Mr. Osbourne. Mr. Chase is awaiting you at his home. Let me get your bags. "
"I didn't catch your name sir."
"Mr. Pepper. You can call me Pepper."
Dimitri nodded and the men took off towards the car. The ride was awkwardly quiet. Both men didn't really know what to say so they said nothing at all.
They pulled up into a long driveway that lead to a beautiful white mansion. Mr. Pepper gathered Dimitri's bags and lead him through the front door to stand in the lobby.
"'Wait here one moment. I will inform them that you have arrived."
His eyes searched the surroundings as he waited to greet with the family. The architecture was marvelled. Whoever had done it was damn good at his job.
The sound of footsteps aired in the distance and voices murmured. Mr. Pepper and three other individuals emerged from behind the spiral stairs. They walked eagerly towards him with warm smiles on their faces.
"Ahh you are a splitting image of your father!" the man exclaimed as he zeroed in.
A forced smile played across Dimitri's face and he nodded.
"I am John Chase. It's a pleasure to meet you" his voice laced with joy.
"Dimitri" the men greeted with a firm shake hand.
"Dimitri, I would like you to meet my lovely wife Cassandra and my beautiful daughter Leanna.
The ladies smiled. Dimitri's attention only drew to them for a split second to nod before diverting back to Mr. Chase. He had no business there besides business. Mr. Chase began a tour of the house and the ladies followed quietly behind.
Leanna could not keep her eyes off of him. It was like she had developed an autoimmune disease instantly and her white blood cells attacked each other until her immune system crashed. In that short space of time she had developed a hormonal imbalance, lust fire and a crotch itch.
Her teeth sunk into her plump bottom lip as her eyes traced over his perfectly chiselled body. She ran her hand through her hair and ruffled it. The thoughts flooded through her head now was a fire itself. Thankfully she had settled for a short, light dress. It was way too early in the game to suffer from a heat stroke.
When the tour of the first floor was completed, John passed the baton to his daughter.
"My wife and I shall see to dinner and ensure that it is ready after you settle in. Leanna will show you up to your room."
They didn't give room for opposition. John and his wife were already on their way to the kitchen. That was enough to push Dimitri off the edge but he forced himself to keep his cool. Leanna smiled mischievously as he turned to face her. Dimitri's face hardened and he clenched his teeth as the frisky blonde leaded him up to his room.
Her dress would reveal her underwear if a baby coughed. She modelled up the stairs with swaying hips. Dimitri rolled his eyes and focused his eyes on other things to distract himself from her. Leanna traced her hand along the wall as she walked down the hall of bedrooms. Her hand knocked twice on a pink door and she glanced back at him.
"This is my room" she said before continuing down the hall.
Knots tied in his stomach and his palms began to moisten. It somehow felt like the devil leading you right into his lair. Perhaps he still hadn't gotten over the witch that lied beneath Ashley's pretty face.
Leanna stopped at the room just after hers. She turned the knob and pushed the door open. Dimitri came to a stop. He placed his hands in his pockets and awaited her to speak.
"And this, it your room" she introduced.
She walked onto the polished laminate flooring and gestured for him to follow. His feet took slow short steps into the room. He looked at her with questionable eyes and she stared back at him with parted lips. The last strand of decency she had left forced her to control herself. She blinked her eyes fanatically to surf her thoughts back to where it should be.
"Um...This is your bed. The bathroom is on that side and you have a little sitting area here. You can put your clothes in the closet if you would like and there is also a window that gives a good view of the garden over there. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes so make yourself comfortable and meet us down in the dining room where my father showed you earlier. Oh and if you need anything, I'm just a door away."
Her lips quirked up into a cute smile and she modelled out. Dimitri exhaled a deep breath as she closed the door behind her. Besides the warm relaxing scent of the lit candles, there was something else in the air. Trouble. He could smell it from all corners yet he couldn't quite trace its roots. His father would not send him into the lion's den would he? Nonetheless, he was eager to finish his task and get himself out of this place before trouble came to find him instead.