CHAPTER 17

ALEXANDER’S POV

Treating Nicole like that on dinner was uncalled for but I had to do it. I had wanted to follow her and stop her, I had desperately wanted too, but I could already feel myself getting drawn into her web.

I needed to put some distance between us so I could get my head on straight and act like the Don I was about to be.

“Boss here is the information that you requested for”, My thoughts were interrupted by one of men who I sent to follow Nicole every where she goes. After staring at the photos, I nodded my head.

All along I was right. My suspicions about her were correct. I had all the photos that showed that she was with John that bastard on the party and also she met him when she left me at dinner.

I had this feeling since from the start. She was lying about why her and her mother came in our house. It was now much clear that she is a hired gold digger, but what I couldn’t figure out was why I didn’t care more about that.

If one of my men had lied to me as boldly as she was, I would have made an example out of him. Beat the shit out him and let him sit in the cells for a few days before kicking him right out of the group.

With Nicole, it was different. I was well aware she was lying, but it didn’t matter. All I thought about was that night in the bar. Yes , I was letting my emotions get in the way of my job but honestly I had never felt that way with any lady. However still I needed to focus.

Whatever it was, it didn’t change the fact that she is a hired gold digger. That meant I needed to keep her at an arm’s distance, at least until I figured out what her end game was. I hoped it was nothing. I hoped she was genuinely back here and that the connection between us was as real as it in the bar, but I couldn’t count on that. I certainly couldn’t operate that way and get myself into a position to be just as betrayed.

“Sir, you also have a meeting with the Avenas at Ambiance bar”, My other worker informed me and I nodded my head in approval.

“Seems we had another visit from John last night at one of our factories. He didn’t find anything, but he’s not going to stop nosing around until he does. I think we need to rethink a few things. Keep following Nicole and keep on updating me”, I talked to my man before standing up.

After sorting myself, I made it to the bar. The Avenas and Carson and a few other men were already seated at the table in the back, all engaged in conversation. I slipped in virtually unnoticed, which was fine by me. I didn’t feel like explaining myself to everyone this evening. I had a lot on my mind.

“Hey man.” Carson said as I sat down next to him.

“Hey.”

“Oh good, you’re here.” Avena looked up at the sound of my voice. For the minutes that followed, we were discussing about the business stuff not until one of the bar waitress came to serve us.

“Haven’t seen an ass like that in a long time,” As soon as she left, the man next to me mumbled around the cigar in the corner of his mouth, his eyes focused on the deck of cards he was attempting to shuffle. I watched him, quickly feeling myself grow irritated by how clumsy he was.

“I know,” another man Carson said, his eyes lingering on the door Emily had just closed behind her.

My irritation spiked at his words. A meeting with my distributors meant an hour of enduring their comments on every single woman who came and went.

Usually it just annoyed me but this particular night, I felt an uneasy amount of impatience spark through me. I breathed in, glancing down at my watch to find that I had another half an hour before my meeting ended. Just my luck.

I shifted in my seat, feeling my gun move with me in the inner pocket of my jacket. If they didn’t stop, I’d have no other choice but to make their teeth catch my bullets. I ran my tongue over lips, considering my options.

“En fin,”I said, catching the attention of everyone around the table. “I think we’re done here.”

“Done?” Carson repeated, his face shocked. “We just started.”

“We just started,” another man said, repeating exactly what Carson had said and I gave him a look of disinterest.

There was no way in hell I was going to sit there and pretend that I liked their faces or their company. Sitting up, I tossed a few notes onto the table. A tip for Emily having to deal with a drunken mess for the rest of the night.

I wondered about the dark haired woman. Who is she? I could tell that she was new, but there was something far more interesting about her except the fact that she was a new interesting about her except the fact that she was a new employee. Not thinking about it, I sat up and ignored the echo of complaints trailing behind me.

“Vico!” JR, my distributor, yelled. “We don’t know where our next shipment is going. FEDs are up our ass and-“

“Figure that shit out,” I said, trying to think twice about the tone of his voice. “Or don’t. But have my money by Monday, yes?”

Noticeably sulking, a chorus of yes boss went around the room. I gave a smile, but I was miles away from being humoured.

If I had it my way, I’d never attend a mind-numbing meeting ever again. I stopped in my tracks. I am the boss and I can have it my way. Shaking my head at myself, I thought about all the other things I could be doing with my time.

It had been a while since I had a night to myself, and it had been an even longer while since I forgot about the amount of stress weighing on me. JR was right. The amount of lawyers trying to pin whatever they could get on us was never-ending. But money made the world go round and there wasn’t a thing it couldn’t buy.

I stepped out in the hallway, and I was hit with the smell of mixed perfume and alcohol while strobe lights slammed into my face from every corner of the club.

I cussed under my breath, feeling my phone vibrate. Reaching for my pocket, I grabbed it and frowned trying to read the name. “Santino”, I called.

“All my eyes are on John sir”, He spoke.