Somewhere in the outskirts where the King's Villa was, Dylan sat in his spinning leather chair with legs crossed and propped on top of the table in his office. For the first time in a while, the man had full clothes on.
His gaze was fixed on the outside, lost in thought while the cigarette in his hand burned out. He was brought back to reality when he heard Esmeralda's excited squeal and the sound of her heels. She was running. The woman burst through the door still running and had on a huge smile on her face.
"Oh my gooooosh! Guess what?" She sat her butt dwn on the edge of the desk right next to Dylan's legs. He raised his brows at her in question. Ignoring his lack of enthusiasm, she proceeded to spill the beans. "Guess who pissed off the underworld and is now, more than ever, everyone's target thanks to your little trick with Greco?"
"A.J?" His expression was full of shock and displeasure but she was too excited and missed it.
"Uh-huh!" She nodded vigorously whilst staring into space. "I'm no saint but I think there is a god out there for me! I am so sure about this."
"We can't let anything happen to her", Dylan growled as he removed his legs from the table and got onto his feet.
Her smile and excitement froze right then. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"Wait a minute", she held up a finger at him and took a moment to take a deep breath and recollect herself. "Are you, I might have misheard you, but are you in any way suggesting that we protect the very same person who has been behind the shit situation we're in right now? The very same person who wants nothing more than to see us destroyed??" She narrowed her eyes at him, nose flaring, and breathing hard from anger despite the miserable attempt to remain calm.
"Esmeralda, I don't like the situation we're in either but if getting out of here means protecting the very same person who wants to destroy us then so be it", he spat back.
"No, no, no, no, no", she moved away from him, confused by his words as she started to pace around the room.
Dylan took a breath to calm down. He knew he would not be able to get through to her if he too was angry. "She's our ticket out of here. The only one who can-"
"NO!" she spun to face him, breathing heavily from raw anger. From where he stood, Dylan could see the pure hatred she had for Amy. But he still needed to make her see reason.
"Esmeralda-"
"I said NO! The only way I will be caught in the same room with that woman is when her head is brought to me on a silver platter otherwise, figure out SOMETHING ELSE!"
She stormed out of the room mumbling about how absurd Dylan's suggestion was. He too found himself in a dilemma. They were in a bind. Amy had successfully trapped them and she was the key to undoing this whole situation. Esmeralda just didn't see that, she refused to see that.
'Why are women so complicated?' he mused in irritation. Now he had to think of an impossible solution for their impossible situation.
"FUCK!"
Meanwhile, At Frost Corporation
Xavier was also having his own share of frustration and also, all because of a woman. He had seen the latest news concerning Greco. He knew the witness being talked about was Lorraine's friend, Savannah. Both girls must be devastated, especially Lorraine.
He gave a long side glance at his phone that rested on his desk. Should he check on her? Would he be able to just check on her? What if it's seen as an attempt to lead her on? Can he handle breaking her heart?
But after ghosting her with not so much as an explanation, will she respond to any of his calls or texts? He still had not figured out what his feelings towards her actually mean. He didn't want her to just be a rebound. So checking on her, would that make things better or worse?
"Sir?" His secretary knocked and peeked in through the door earning his attention. "They're ready for you."
Yeah, he should stay away from her as he's been doing until he figures things out. With that thought, he nodded both at his thoughts and his secretary.
"Thank you", he said as he stood up to put on his jacket that he had hung over his chair.
He followed her out and proceeded to attend his meeting. It was a repeat of his now new habit of trying to keep Lorraine out of his mind: drowning himself in work.
Much to his disapproval, the day was over before he knew it. His secretary helped him close up before they went their separate ways in the underground garage.
It was a quiet ride home, his chauffeur stole a few glances at the man who had his gaze peeled outside. What happened to the the jolly and hyper man he knew to be his boss? What was occupying that mind of his for him to look so.... gloomy?
"Stop the car", Xavier quietly ordered.
"Sir?" He had heard him, but still wanted to be sure. Xavier met his gaze through the rear view mirror and that's when he did as told.
"Will you be alright from here?" Xavier asked whilst unhooking his seatbelt.
"Yes, sir." He had been asked to stop close to the Subway station so it was convenient for him.
Both men jumped out of the car and Xavier collected the keys from him. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Yes. Have a goodnight, sir."
Xavier smiled and saluted him before he drove off. He thought he was being too rational and avoiding Lorraine was not doing him any good. And he felt he owed Lorraine an explanation, at least, despite not having fully figured things out. And he just, he just wanted to see her. So with that, he floored it all the way to Albany.
Darkness was slowly creeping in. As he drove closer to her apartment, his heart thumped a bit faster. Nervousness coursed through his veins. But there was no turning back.
"You can do this", he whispered to himself as he stopped the car. He blew out a breath, attempting to calm himself. "You can do this."
He got out and took their stairs heading to the top floor. He was so immersed in his worries that he did not the unfamiliar black van with no number plate that had also parked in front of the building.
"Shit. What do I say?" He mumbled under his breath nervously. "Lorraine, I know I've been such a di- no, Oliver will probably be there. Can't use bad language. First, I have to say hie, then- will she even let me in? Shit. How was I supposed to start-"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of banging on the door caught his attention and his pace came to a slow as he grew alert. A sleazy yet masculine voice followed. "Open up! I know you're in there!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"You know what happens when you keep me waiting Lorraine, OPEN UP!!!"
Xavier walked into a scene of muscular man yet with a small built and height than him, adorned in a black suit standing a few feet from Lorraine's door. Ten different sized men were standing with him with one doing the banging for him. One word came to Xavier's mind: danger.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel