Loving Alex (13 page)

I enter through the main doors of
the hotel, past Sam the concierge, “Afternoon Mrs. Drake” He says.

“Hello Sam. Lovely day now the
rains stopped?” I glance at the smart concierge as I enter the hotel.

“Yes, Mrs. Drake, it is.”

I make my way across the foyer
and through the
Staff Only
door and up the stairs which although I now
manage to do with ease I take slowly today, although I feel absolutely fine,
just a little sore. Once I reach the fourth floor I walk down the dimly lit
corridor to James’ office and after knocking lightly I wander in. Roger is sat
in one of the battered leather chairs in front of James.

“Hi Blossom,” James stands and
walks around to me, he places his hand on my hip and kisses me lightly on the
cheek, “Roger and I were just discussing bringing in some additional security
for the Mitchell engagement next weekend, apparently one of the happy couple
knows some celebs, words out that they’ll be here.”

“Don’t let me stop you. We
haven’t got to leave just yet. Do you both want a drink?” I offer, moving towards
the small unit.

“I’d love a coffee.” James says,
he looks at Roger, “Do you want on Rog?”

“Tea please, milk and two
sugars.” The man mountain shuffles in his seat.

I look at him and frown, “Two?”

“Please.” He says sheepishly.

I make drinks for all three of
us as James and Roger discuss additional security arrangements for a week on
Saturday. I pass the mugs around and sit in the other leather chair making sure
that I don’t lean back. I check through my emails on my phone, nothing
important and listen as James and Roger run through what they think will be
needed.

By the time we’ve all finished
our drinks the two men have also finalised planning their arrangements. Roger
stands, “I’ll be off then. You’re out this afternoon?” He says to James.

“Yes, unlikely to be back.
Marcus knows and Robbie will be in a little earlier, but I expect you’ll be
gone and Thomas will be here by then so I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Right you are. Good to you see
you Mrs. Drake.” He says as he leaves, extracting his huge frame from the
leather chair.

James returns to his side of the
desk and tidies his paperwork away. “Have you had a good morning?” He asks.

“Fine thanks. I take it you’ve
been busy? Did Robbie come back to you about taking on the General Managers
role?”

“Yes, and yes. Productive
morning and yes, Robbie will take on the role but his wife has to give a
months’ notice which means he can’t start for a month. That’s okay isn’t it?”

“Absolutely bloody fantastic. I
am so pleased?” I stand and walk around to him, leaning against the back of his
chair and wrap my arms around his broad shoulders kissing his neck. “You don’t
know how much it means to me James, you really don’t!”

“You can show me later.” He
turns his head towards me, grinning.

I really don’t know how to react
to his comment, so I just smile back. “Are you ready to go? I could do with
something to eat before we go to Henry’s.”

“Yeah, I’m all yours,” he
growls, “do with me what you will!”

“Don’t give me carte blanche,
you may regret it!” I whisper back, smiling.

He stacks some papers neatly on
his desk before standing, gives his office a cursory glance around before
placing his hand in the small of my back and guiding me from his office.

We walk, side by side, along the
corridor, down the stairs into the foyer.

“Give me a second Alex, I’ll
just let Marcus know that I’m off now.” He leaves me and heads off to the
restaurant and to Marcus.

I wait and look around at the
hustle and bustle of the place, I still can’t believe it’s all mine. I still
struggle to take all of this in, that it’s mine. I’m convinced that I’m going
to wake from some kind of coma and find it’s all been a dream. I am nudged out
of my daydream by a sharp pain as James places his hand right on top of my
newly acquired body art, I flinch and suck in a sharp little breath.

“Are you okay?” He frowns.

“Yes, fine,” I stammer, trying
to disguise how uncomfortable his touch felt, “you just took me by surprise.”

“Well, shall we go?” His hand in
the small of my back he guides me from the hotel and out into the car park,
“It’s the first time I’ve been in the Jaguar.” I say as we cross the car park
toward the black XJR.

“You’ll like her, she’s very
nice.”

He opens the door for me and I
slide into the terribly comfortable leather sports seats of the car that is so
much roomier than the Audi. “It’s super James, but you’re right I think the
Audi is just,” I pause, “well the Audi was bought with the heart wasn’t it?”

“So you tell me. You mean you
wouldn’t have chosen this over the Audi?” He asks.

“No, I like the R8, to look at,
it just does something for me. It’s pretty and sexy, and looks like it has
oomph, you know what I mean? This is nice, refined and very comfortable, and
you tell me it’s fast, but it doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be!” I sum up
what I think about the Jaguar.

“You mean the Audi’s like her
new owner?” He grins. That bloody grin I can feel my nether regions tingling as
I sit next to My James, the Bossman and his bloody sexy grin.

“Yes, I suppose.” I say quietly.
“Anyway, drive Bossman, we have a meeting to go to and you’re making me all hot
and bothered before we even set off!”

“Yes, ma’am,” He looks at me
again, leans over towards me and places the most delicious, intense kiss upon
my lips, he flicks his tongue gently against my bottom lip and I begin to melt.
He pulls away and kisses my neck, “God Alex, you are so fucking fuckable. Can
we cancel the meeting and go home? I can’t wait to get you home!”

“James. No, and stop grinning
like that, it’s…well, it’s distracting. Just drive, please,” I mutter “and I
need to see Nial. Come on, we have to go!”

“Spoilsport!” He hisses as he
puts the car into reverse and pulls out of his space and onto the road.

“There’s a little Mediterranean
bistro near Henry’s, shall we grab something to eat there?” He asks as he
navigates his way through the lunchtime traffic.

“Fine with me.”

James pulls the car into a pay
by phone space and we eat in the little bistro before heading a few doors down
to Henry’s.

The main doors are closed on the
black and silver coloured frontage but we find the VIP entrance open, I still
think it’s odd that the place has no signage, yes there’s a small plaque at the
front but it doesn’t appear to be lit up and certainly wasn’t that night we
came along.

He holds my hand as we walk
across the main area of the club over the dance floor and towards the office.
There’s plenty going on, cleaners, bar staff tidying and restocking the bar and
a whole group of people, including a very pretty young woman, fussing around
the raised DJ’s booth.

The doorman who sorted a car out
for me the last time I was here approaches us “Mrs. Drake ma’am.” He says as I
walk further towards the office.

“Nial’s waiting for you.” He
looks at The Bossman and acknowledges him, “James.” He offers his hand to James
and a firm handshake coupled with the seemingly ceremonial backslapping takes
place.

We follow the doorman, who I
know to be Clive, through to Nial’s office. He opens the doors and there’s Nial
sat behind a disorganised looking desk. He stands and offers his hand, “Alex,
James. Good to see you both. Please sit. Can I get you a drink? Tea, coffee,
something stronger, we’ve got loads of the stuff!” He laughs at his own joke.
He stinks of spirits, badly. I’m sure if I lit a match the place would explode!

“Tea would be good please.” I
take a seat in front of his desk, placing my handbag and portfolio to the side
of me and look sideways at James.

“Just water for me mate.” James
adds.

Nial walks through the door and calls
to someone at the bar to bring in drinks. I sit uncomfortably in my chair
trying not to lean back too far, James frowns at me as I wriggle in my seat,
“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look comfortable.” Hell, he knows there’s
something wrong.

“I’m fine,” I smile, “absolutely
fine.”
I bet he’ll go ape shit when he sees what I’ve done!

Nial returns after a few minutes
and crashes down in his leather chair.

“It’s really good of you to come
in Alex, but I didn’t know you two were working together?” He looks between the
two of his, first me and then James.

“We’re not.” I say as I reach
for James’ hand, “we
are
together!”

“Oh, right I see. You worked a
quick one there James, nabbing the boss before anyone else got a chance!” He
pauses. James gives him the filthiest look I think I’ve ever seen on anyone’s
face. “It’s nothing to do with
nabbing the boss
Nial. It’s something a
little more conventional than that, mutual attraction!” He’s brittle.

Nail laughs, “Not like your
normal bang ‘em and run then mate!” he quips, clearly asking for a bruising. I
cringe and hope that the next thing out of his mouth is a little more business
like?

“Well, what would you like to
see while you’re here?” He addresses me directly. I glance and see James’ fists
have gripped his chair hard, really hard and his face is thunderous, ready to,
well punch the living daylights out of Nial I suppose I mentally pray that the
two supercharged, testosterone filled males calm down before anyone causes any
harm.

“It’s just a chat. I know that
Maggie had little involvement in the club and, well to be honest I don’t really
want a great deal to do with it either, but I’d like to know a little
more,
just be a bit more
involved than Maggie was, even if it’s a bi-monthly
meeting! You know, a fifty percent investment in a place is worth keeping tabs
on, I’m sure you’d agree?” I explain, setting my cards clearly on the table.

“Yes, definitely.” He fiddles
with a pen on his desk as the door opens and a young girl comes in with a tray
of drinks, a tea, water and what looks like some kind of spirit in a tall
glass.

She places the tray on the edge
of Nial’s desk and leaves, he’s the first to pick his drink up and take a large
slug. “Cheer’s.” He says.

I look at James as I pick up my
cup of tea, he returns the confused look, we’re clearly thinking the same thing
drinking in the middle of the day?

“So, I guess from the deposits
in my account that things are still going well, with the club?” I ask.

“Yes fine, well as well as can
be expected giving the current climate out there. Numbers aren’t quite as high
as they used to be but we still do pretty well.” Nial fiddles with a pen, a
paperclip and a scrap of paper, he seems very agitated and unfocussed.

“Do you have a balance sheet I
can look at? I have no information at all, just a copy of the agreement that
you signed with Maggie when she advanced you the cash to set up, about five
years ago I think?” I feel I’m staring at Nial, something’s not quite right
here.

“It’ll be five years at the end
of November.” He says as he takes another drink of whatever’s in that glass.

“Right, so do you have any
figures I can look at?” I press him.

“Sorry Alex I don’t. They’re all
with the accountant, he deals with everything.” The pen falls to the floor and
he scrambles to pick it up. I look at James, I’m totally confused and so glad
that James insisted he came along with me.

“Oh, so you can’t tell me how
much was made last month or how much we owe?” I ask.

“Not off the top of my head.” He
says defensively.

The music starts to pound from
the main area within the club, it’s dampened slightly in Nial’s office, I
assume there must be a certain amount of sound insulation.

“D J ‘B’ is doing a set for us
tonight, she’ll just be setting up.” Nial adds as the strains of Avicii creep
through to his office, another one of Anna’s favourites that I recognise,
Wake
me Up
I think?

James shuffles around in his
chair, I think he’d like to say something but feels uncomfortable doing so.

“Well Nial, if there’s nothing
you can tell me I may as well go.” I’m aware that my tone is matter of fact but
I feel uncomfortable and he knew I was coming, the very least he could have
done was have some documentation ready.

“I’m sorry it’s been short.”
Nial stands from his side of the desk, I’m sure I see him sway. He’s pissed,
I’m certain of it.

“I bet you are.” James says
under his breath, I don’t think that Nial hears him but James is rewarded with
a glance in his direction.

“I do want to see the figures
Nial! Can you arrange them for me please? We’ll come back on Saturday night. My
daughter’s home from the states on Saturday, we’ll bring her out for a few
hours, jet lag permitting, I’ll collect the figures from you then. Is that
okay?” I place my tea on his desk and get ready to leave.

“It’s fine Alex, I’ll make sure
there’s a VIP table reserved for you.” I can’t be sure but I think I detect a
slur in his speech, there must be with the size of that drink he had, that
amber coloured liquid, must be whiskey, or brandy I suppose? He’s definitely
drunk.

I stand and collect my handbag
as Nial guides us to the door.

As we walk across the dance
floor to the VIP entrance I glance at the young woman in the DJ’s booth,
Play
Hard
is banging through the sound system at full pelt. It’s loud but the
tones are rich, indicating an expensive sound system has been installed here,
this really is a quality place.

Nial walks us to the door, he
shakes James’ hand and kisses me on the cheek before we walk towards the car,
he’s rewarded with a hard look from The Bossman, as he pulls away from me I can
clearly smell the alcohol.