by Jeny Stone
His problematic townhouse renovation had become a festering thorn in his side. What started out as a tax dodge turned into a ball breaker. The emasculating task of choosing frigging fixtures or drapes wasn’t now or would ever be, part of his repertoire. That’s why he paid those incompetent people top dollar so they would make the decisions. He only wanted the end results. He voiced his opinions on the subject with conviction. Yet they continued to annoy him with questions. End frigging results… How fucking hard was that to understand?
The final and most worrisome boulder that weighed on his shoulders was his grandfather’s failing health. Turning back the sands of times was beyond Garret’s abilities. He promised Pops a fulfillment of a dream to take with him to his eternal sleep. His ninety-two year old grandfather would leave this world in peace. Garret had made a promise he intended to keep, at any cost.
Garret held his family dear to his heart with Pops at the top of the list. Most of his happier memories revolved around that old man. When his grandfather finally gave up and left this life, he would take a large chunk of Garret’s heart with him. With that knowledge weighing heavily on his heart, Garret knew he would fulfill his grandfather’s last request.
Garret showered and dressed. His breakfast order sat on a cart in the open elevator when he returned to the main room. He wheeled the cart closer to the end recliner of the sectional and poured a cup of much needed coffee. He hadn’t slept much last night. With half a cup of caffeine flowing through his veins, he refilled the cup and sat down to enjoy his breakfast of two poached eggs, one slice of wheat toast, and a medley of fruit. He flipped on the T.V. to scan through the news channels and stay up to date on current events, especially the ones that affected him. Stocks that were up could give to the foundation. Their corporation could buy companies with stocks that were down. A simple equation worked to his advantage.
He hoped the nourishment would curb his murderous inclination before he spoke to his procurement specialist. Ted Jones topped his hit list yesterday evening. Garret discovered he had lost out on the bid, that he instructed Ted to spare no expense to procure. Lucky for Ted, Garret was distracted during his trip to Ted’s office by a dick hardening vision of a free spirit dancing down the street. Damn, that woman looked good. She should have stayed.
Since she inadvertently saved his life, Ted should locate her. If he wanted to redeem himself, for his latest blunder and stay in Garret’s employment. Even if he managed to find her, that still wouldn’t get him off the hook. When Garret Presley said procure, he meant procure at all cost. Ted had failed.
“My townhouse within the hour” was sent via text to Ted. Garret had to check on the renovations of his townhouse anyway, so he might as well kill two birds with one stone. With the frustrations of three setbacks that had to be dealt with before work, his brewing foul mood wasn’t likely to diminish. Garret knew from experience, it was imperative that he handled the problems first, and then lock himself away in his office to cool his uncontrollable temper. When his temper exploded, people got hurt. There were times when the world seemed determine to piss him off. Today felt like one of those times with the day barely started. She should have stayed.
Garret was aware the ferocity of his temper was unparalleled in the business world. The survivors of his wrath memorized his modus operandi. When Garret Presley asked for something, you gave. Otherwise it would be taken from you, one way or another. He always took more, much more, than his original request implied. Garret wasn’t a man with which you wanted to be on bad terms and he liked it that way.
Preparing to leave Garret grabbed his suit jacket slinging it over his shoulder using two fingers as a hanger. He stepped into the elevator and slapped the lock button. As the elevator doors closed he slipped into the jacket. Checking to insure he had everything needed for the day, a disturbing thought occurred to him. He hadn’t checked his billfold’s contents, a habit he developed after having any overnight guest. Shit, that nymph could have robbed him blind and went on a spending spree while he ate breakfast from his oversight. He found everything untouched and accounted for, which made him suspicious of her motives. Even with women stalking him to end up in his bed, last night was an anomaly in his sexual conquests. Virgins don’t just fall out of the sky into his bed. She had to have motive. Fate or coincidences were words of suspicion in his vocabulary as they usually camouflaged a premeditated act.
Paranoia joined hand-in-hand with his temper when it flared. His extreme distrust saved him a fortune over the years in the cutthroat business world. There was nothing given away free and the stated price usually had strings attached. He questioned last night’s events. The chance sighting, her immediate attraction to him, and her willingness to leave with a stranger; those things were normal for him. Filtering in her innocence, her wild abandonment in bed, and her disappearance and he knew she had to have a motive or agenda. Whatever it was, she was damn accomplished at perpetrating her scheme. Shit, he should have seen past her desirability. When she contacted him, and he knew she would, she would pay dearly for what she wanted. She should have stayed and saved him the aggravation waiting to hear from her.
The town car pulled up as he walked out the door. Jeff appreciated his generous salary and went to extremes to anticipate Garret’s busy schedule. Jeff had earned Garret’s respect, which wasn’t an easy task. Jeff honestly admitted his loyalty had a price although he didn’t hesitate to sign a non-disclosure contract. The contract guaranteed Jeff’s lips would stay shut but Jeff left no doubt that any offer higher than his salary and he would jump ship. Garret eliminated that possibility with his weapon of choice, money.
Garret opened the back door of the car and climbed in. Jeff turned around to look at Garret, instead of using the rearview mirror. By the look on Jeff’s face, Garrett knew Jeff was bursting to ask something so he might as well get it out of the way.
“The townhouse. Go ahead and ask whatever it is you want to know.” In his five years of service, they developed an understanding of each other. As long as Jeff stayed within the boundaries of employee, employer and almost friends he avoided the field of land mines surrounding Garret.
“I just thought you would be in a better mood today, after what you brought home last night.”
Jeff was obviously digging for information. His statement rang of a question. “So did I.” His mood should be better after last night and would be if she hadn’t disappeared. Why had she left?
Normally the women he brought to his bed stayed for breakfast hoping to set up their next date. Date, shit, it was a one night fucking spree. Then it was done, over, finished, time to move on to the next one. The tight security at the hotel prevented unexpected invasions from his previous playthings. That was one reason he used the penthouse even when he lived in his townhouse. Now, for the first time, he had one slip away from him.
“Are you done with that one?” What the hell? Garret’s mood darkened with his driver about to trip on one of land mines he usually worked hard to avoid. Jeff always checked to make sure it was safe before he claimed any of Garret’s castaways. Jeff swore his chauffeur job was better than being the sleazy judge in a beauty contest. Jeff used promises of helping the women get their hooks in Garret to get into their pants. Valuing his job more than an easy piece of ass, Jeff confessed his lying ways after each conquest, to avoid any misinterpretations, if the women went crying to Garret later. Garret appreciated his honesty and heads-up but he always put those women on his blackball list. A woman that thought she could fuck someone else to win his heart wasn’t anyone he wanted back in his bed.
“That one is off limits. You didn’t happen to see her leave did you?” He had laid claim to that one. No one touched her until he was done. She was right about one thing; a good mystery stimulated his imagination. A mystery he intended to solve.
“Yep, right before sunrise. She took a cab. Give me a day and I’ll get you the address from the cab driver. He’s a friend of mine.”
“I would ap
preciate that.” Jeff’s interest in his mystery woman wasn’t suspicious in itself as he always showed interest in Garret’s petite conquests. His inquiry as to her availability had come too soon, way too soon. He usually had the good sense to wait a few days. Jeff yielded watching with this one.
Garret saw Ted Jones nervously pacing on the sidewalk in front of his townhouse as the car pulled over to the curb. When the car stopped, Ted opened Garret’s door and started pleading his case.
“Garret, I swear, I had that bid up until it closed. Someone on that site sneaks in at the last second. They’ve done it to me three times now. There’s no way to find out who or how much they paid.” His quibbling voice grated on Garret’s nerves.
“I don’t want excuses. You should have bid higher to start with.” Garret jabbed his point across with his finger into Ted’s chest. “Find it and get it.” Garret walked toward his townhouse with Ted hot on his heels.
“It’s a secure site. The bids post with the bidder’s screen name but you lose without disclosure as to the winner. You’re paying a grand a month to ensure the privacy of the bids.”
Garret paid Ted to know about the website so he wouldn’t be bothered with trivial details. The mechanics of the website was Ted’s problem; he only needed to know about results. “You know who the other bidders were, so find them all.”
“It doesn’t work that way. The bidder’s screen name isn’t an indication of their actual identity. Hell, yours is wolfman. You can’t contact other bidders. Everything goes through a clearing house.”
Garret stopped at his front door, ready to rip Ted’s head clean off his body, if he heard one more excuse. He rubbed his temples to ease the pressure before it exploded into action. “Then, go there and get the information if you have to. I don’t care what you have to do to get it. You lost it, now get it.”
“I know a hacker but it will cost you.” Ted stepped backwards when Garret turned his head to glare at him. “I’ll handle it.” Ted threw up both hands in a surrendering motion.
Now, that Ted understood his responsibilities, it was time for another matter to be discussed. “There’s something else I want you to do. I want you to find a woman for me. I don’t know her name but she goes to a bar in Old Town called Leprechaun’s. She knows the bartender and she just called off an engagement with a man named Jay. Be cautious in your inquiries or they’ll clam up on you.”
“I know that type of bar. No outsiders are welcomed. What does she look like?” Ted eagerly jumped on the assignment, obviously trying to make amends.
“About five four and petite. You can’t miss her hair. Lots of long curls…light brown with blonde and auburn highlights. I think she lives close by.” Angel hair…that was what she had… angel hair. The description of her hair was one of those thoughts that ran around your brain, tickled your tongue then disappeared as you tried to speak. He liked the sound of Angel hair. It was perfect, just like her. Her sparkling blue eyes, her pug nose and delicate features topped her petite body, sleek and toned like that of a dancer.
“Personal or business? Do you want me to bring her to you?” Ted puffed his chest, pulling on his belt, indicating he was a man of action, ready for anything.
“Personal, and no. Just find out what you can. Name and address for starters. Call me or text a.s.a.p. with any and all info. Now, go and keep me updated while I deal with this latest delay of my townhouse.” Garret disappeared inside his townhouse, leaving that headache outside.
The following days of the next two weeks blended into a hectic blur. With his plate overflowing and very little sleep, Garret survived the transfer of family responsibilities by mainlining caffeine. With a coffee cup glued to one hand, he finished the take-over. His team of corporate mercenaries invaded his latest and last company on a long list of hostile takeovers. He successfully moved to the Foundation. His temper was explosive after the completion of the move with his lack of sleep. The first meeting as CEO of the Presley Foundation went well under the circumstances. He handed out layoff notices and heads rolled as Garret cleaned house of all the pocket-lining board members that were bleeding the foundation dry. The thought of recuperating those funds started his juices flowing. After serving four years in the Special Forces, Garret developed a thirst for a good fight.
On a brighter note, Ted’s hacker found the purchaser of one of four paintings Garret needed to complete his promise to his grandfather. Aged Treasures, an internet company, slipped in a bid the exact second the bidding ended. Garret was undecided whether to terminate the company or hire the sneaky prick. He appreciated good business savvy. There was always something new to learn from a setback. If the man impressed him, he would offer him a procurement position. The meeting Ted arranged through the company’s website would be the deciding factor.
Garret was thoroughly rested after a well-earned good night sleep. Now, he planned to catch up on emails until time for the meeting with Aged Treasures. He ordered breakfast, one of the few things he would miss when he moved back to his townhouse. The final inspection of the renovations was scheduled for the middle of next week. His life had the beginnings to some semblance of normalcy.
The elevator opened, delivering the same type of cart, holding the same breakfast, he had every day he stayed in the penthouse suite. He followed his usual routine of moving the cart and turning on the news. He sat on the end recliner of the sectional just as his phone rang. What the hell, Jeff never called him, he called Jeff. Garret answered the phone expecting a problem with the town car.
“Hey Boss, I hope I’m not disturbing you. I thought you would like to know I saw Hannah Greer last night. The girl you’re looking for.”
“That’s good news. Where was she?”
“I was in Leprechaun’s last night and she caused quite a stir. I’m sending you a video.”
“Thanks Jeff, I’ll be here until eleven.” So her name was Hannah, Hannah Greer. He was stunned at how easily her name rolled off his tongue. Her name suited her.
He had put his mystery woman on the back burner with all the changes taking place in his life. Ted turned out to be as useless as a dick on a dead man in regards to finding her. The bar patrons pegged him for a cop and he was ostracized. Thankfully, Jeff stepped in on his own accord infiltrating the group. Garret suspected there was a piece of ass involved but he would reward Jeff anyway.
Garret clicked on the video anxious to see Hannah Greer again. He mainly wanted to reaffirm she was as beautiful as he remembered. Doubts had crept into his thoughts. The mystery part of the night may have clouded his memories.
An image of Hannah’s back, he recognized the Angel hair, at the bar talking to the bartender jiggled on his phone. The small screen combined with Jeff’s shaky hand made it impossible to watch. He downloaded the video to his laptop.
He opened the video on the bigger screen. The jiggling motion stopped after the first few seconds. Garret assumed Jeff steadied his phone on the table. Skintight low riding jeans hugged Hannah’s firm ass. Her bare waist showed when she moved and the white tank top slid up her back. He would love to know what she was saying because she was pissed. So, there was some fire in that sweet piece of ass.
The blaring music prevented any chance of hearing her chastising words. She stomped her foot more than once with her hands fisted on her waist. Her hair swayed after angrily nodding her head. Her stiffened index fingers jabbed on the bar or into the air directed at an astonished bartender. She obviously had more courage than size blasting away at man almost a foot taller than her. Garret was aroused by her fiery display.
A gift-wrapped box went spinning down the bar, after she shoved it out of her way. Her hands slammed on the bar and she hopped onto the bar stool on her knees. With another hop, her feet replaced her knees on the seat before she stepped onto the bar. Larry shook his head with frustration written across his face. He stooped behind the bar and the music’s volume diminished. Hannah turned to face the crowd as Larry’s loud whistle drew everyone’s attenti
on. Larry crossed his arms over his chest leaning back on the workspace behind the bar. When she turned to face the crowd, Garret wished he had taken the time to visit her before now. His dick, sure as hell, remembered her. Her vibrant beauty wasn’t diminished by the crappy video taken by Jeff’s cell phone. She definitely would have soothed his foul mood.
“I apologize for the interruption I just needed to clarify a few things. Most of you know me but the ones that don’t just pretend you sobered up on a reality show. I have returned all the gifts I had in my possession. If you don’t receive yours, get with Jay. He’ll have them at his apartment. Jessie, I left the cash for our spa day with your mother. I didn’t know how it was divided so I would appreciate you handling that part of it.” Her voice was calm, almost cheerful, which surprised him after her obvious temper tantrum. She was a hand talker. Her body shifted as her arms moved to accentuate her words.
“I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable with the break-up, so this will be my last visit to this bar. All of you know our wedding has been cancelled and why. Most of you knew why before I did. The night I left here with a man is not an issue in our break-up… no matter what you’ve heard.” Her eyes twinkled as she mischievously smiled.
“I knew it. I told you she wouldn’t just run off and have sex with a stranger.” The louder male voice sounded closer to Jeff’s phone.