The Deal : Billionaire Romance

by Rose Cody

  “I know, I know, I’m kind of late…” She says, rushing past her dad as she quickly peels away her cardigan.

  She rushes down the hall, opening up the door to the utility closet before hanging her sweater and her bag on one of the brass hooks on the wall.

  She rubs over her eyes with her folded pointer fingers before stretching her arms into the air. Alia accidentally knocks her hand against the tall, wooden shelf beside the door.

  She pulls her hand away, sucking in air as she gazes over her reddened knuckle before reaching back out to lightly drag the very tips of her fingers against the wood.

  “Last night was wild…” She whispers to herself as she feels the pit of her stomach begin to tingle.

  It’s not to say that she as in any way inexperienced, but Alia just wasn’t one to throw away her inhibitions. But last night…

  She smirks, closing her heavily hooded eyes as she pulls her hair up off her shoulders, the cold chill of the damp closet air tickling her neck before she secures it at the back of her head in a messy ponytail.

  Last night she would have let him do anything.

  Alia groans, trying to rub away the flush on her face as she opens he closet door before slipping into the women’s bathroom.

  She turns on the cold water tap as she leans down over the sink before splashing the icy water against her face, gasping as it hits her warm skin.

  “Oh boy…” She sighs as she blindly turns off the tap before reaching over to the paper towel dispenser and pulling a few sheets out of the chipped white metal tin.

  Alia blots the brown paper over her face, gently rubbing away the icy cold water before tossing the wadded bundle into the round, open lid of the trash can.

  She stands up straight, pulling her shoulders back and stretching her neck before smoothing her hands over her shirt.

  “Better get to work.” She says, clearing her throat as she turns around to leave the women’s room. “I am so late.”

  She quickly walks down the hall, scanning the room as she makes her way behind the bar.

  “Sorry.” She whispers quietly to her dad as she picks up a damp rag, folding it in half before folding it in half again. “I forgot to put my clothes in the dryer.”

  She wipes it against the bar top as she nervously watches her dad stack glasses behind the bar.

  “Looks like you forgot to do a lot of things.” Her father says, as he gets up from his squat.

  He points around the bar, shaking his head.

  “Half the chairs weren’t put up. You clearly didn’t sweep or mop. There were glasses in the sink. The books were out on the bar top…” He says, throwing up his hand and shrugging his shoulders. “Look, I know you didn’t want this job. I know this wasn’t your plan and you’d give anything to be back in the city, but as long as you’re working for me, it’s gotta be done.”

  She flushes, her cheeks hot and red and her stomach turning as she listens to her father scold her.

  It’s true, she didn’t finish a lick of work last night after Leon left, her head was too busy swimming.

  “I didn’t realize I left so much.” She says, bending down to help her dad finish stacking the glasses. “I’m sorry…”

  “But why’d you leave it in the first place?” He asks, standing up to stretch his lower back. “You knew I was going to be in this morning and you didn’t even leave me a note or anything!”

  “I just…” She says, hesitating as guilt washes over her. “There was a fight last night. And, I mean, it was over quickly and no one got hurt, but I was just kind of shook up over it…”

  “A fight?” Her father asks, leaning against the bar. “Who was fighting here?!”

  “Just a guy, I don’t know…” She says. “He was mad the kitchen was closed.”

  “Yeah…” Her dad says, walking over to the bar sink before turning on the water and washing his hands. “Sometimes people can get a bit rowdy. Are you okay?”

  “Oh, yeah.” She says, quickly nodding her head. “Someone stepped in right away. Nothing happened… I just… wanted to come home…”

  She watches as her dad nods his head up and down before walking over to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He pulls her close, squeezing the top of her arm before placing a kiss against her temple.

  “You’re fine to close by yourself tonight?” He asks. “Because I can stay with you…”

  “No!” She says, shaking her head. “You’ve been here all day. I’ll be fine.”

  “If anything happens tonight, call me.” Her dad says, walking past her and out from behind the bar before pushing his hand against one of the grey double doors to the kitchen. “Don’t be afraid to call.”

  “I’ll be fine.” She says, smiling softly as she watches her dad disappear into the kitchen.

  Alia sighs as she continues wiping down the length of the bar.

  “Besides…” She whispers to herself quietly under her breath. “Maybe he’ll be back tonight…”

  Chapter 5

  “After you left last night,” Alia says, wiping down the bar. “I ended up just leaving. I did not do a single thing.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Leon says as he pops an olive from the bunch in his hand into his mouth before getting up from his seat at the bar and following her down the length of it. “Why was that?”

  He smirks at her, watching her blush as she rubs the back of her neck.

  “It’s been a while, alright…” Alia whispers, looking into the dark kitchen as she makes her way down the short hallway to the utility closet before opening up the door and stepping inside.

  “I could tell.” He says, stepping in behind her.

  He wraps his arms around her waist, stopping her as she reaches for the broom, his hot breath tickling her neck.

  “You were so tight…” He whispers into her ear, his husky voice sending a shiver down her spine.

  She clears her throat, shaking him away as she turns around to look into his ice blue eyes, her face fully flushed and beet red.

  “Are you going to help me, or what?” She says, her voice shaking as the pit of her stomach begins to tingle.

  “Yeah.” He nods, his eyes heavy as he corner of his mouth curls up into a smirk, pulling the skin on his sharp jaw.

  “Help me with the mop bucket…” She whispers to him, pointing towards the yellow bucket in the corner of the closet.

  She walks over to the sink, blasting the hot water before walking over to the bucket and grabbing the mop in the basket to help maneuver it over to the drain in the floor.

  “Lift the back up.” She says, pulling a gallon of liquid detergent out from under the sink. “And pour it down the drain really slow, okay?”

  “No problem.” Leon says, slowly pouring the soiled water from two nights ago down the drain.

  Alia looks on, her fingers tingling as she watches his bicep twitch as he lowers the edge of the bucker closer and closer to the drain as the water level pours lower and lower.

  “When you’re done bring it over here.” She says, gently coughing the frog from her throat as she watches him straighten out his back as he stands up.

  She reaches up to the shelf over the sink, struggling to get her fingers onto the white plastic tub that she needs.

  “Let me get that for you…” Leon says, walking over and reaching up above her head.

  Alia bites her bottom lip, taking in a deep whiff of his spicy musk as his t-shirt lifts, hovering just above the waist of his jeans, revealing his deep, sculpted Adonis belt.

  “Here.” He says, handing her the bucket.

  “Thanks.” She whispers, taking the bucket from him and filling it with the hot water before gently pouring it into the mop bucket.

  She does another, and then another, filling the bucket before pouring in a little of the liquid detergent.

  “You sweep and I’ll come up from behind you with the mop.” Leon says, yawning slightly as he pushes the mop bucket with the mop, wobbling it along the floor as he
leaves the closet.

  “Yeah, sure.” Alia smiles as she follows him out of the room, before stepping in front of him and laying the bristles of the broom on the floor.

  She pulls along, gathering the dust as she carefully watches Leon drag the mop back and forth, wetting the tiles.

  “You’re doing a good job.” She smiles, guiding her broom around the legs of the tables.

  “Thanks.” He smirks, his blue eyes glancing up at her.

  “Oh, darn!” She says, her heart sinking as she gazes over the wet floor. “I forgot the dustpan…”

  “No worries.” Leon says, taking the broom from her and sweeping the grime towards the entrance.

  He pushes open the heavy front door before flicking the dust out of the bar and onto the sidewalk.

  “The outside’s dirty anyway, so what does it matter?” He smirks.

  “Oh, my God.” She giggles. “I would be dead if I ever got caught doing that.”

  “So just don’t get caught.” He says, handing her back the broom and picking the mop handle back up.

  She shakes her head, biting her lips closed as she tries to control her beaming smile as she watches him get back to work pushing the mop back and forth.

  “You know…” He calls to her, leaning against the mop. “When we’re done, we should get outta here.”

  “Well, I don’t plan on staying after we’re done…” Alia laughs.

  “No, seriously.” He says, smirking. “I’ve got some place we can go…”

  “Leon.” She says, her face burning. “Last night…” She starts. “I don’t do that. I never do that. I don’t know what I was thinking… don’t… expect anything…”

  “Oh, was I expecting something?” He smirks, pushing the mop around again.

  She shakes her head, a soft smile making its way across her lips as she shrugs her shoulders.

  “Alright.” She says, getting back to sweeping. “Alright, I’ll come with you.”

  She sighs as they finish up, placing her hands on her hips as she looks around the bar.

  “No way I can get in trouble for this close.” She says, wiping her finger over the countertop.

  “Looks good.” Leon says, nodding his head.

  She watches, her heart beating steadily in his chest, as Leon grabs his leather jacket off the bar and slides his muscular arms inside of it before shifting the collar.

  “You coming for a ride?” He asks, smiling coyly as he points his thumb towards the door.

  “Yeah, let me get my bag.” She says, letting out a small giggle as she walks down the short hall to the closet before pulling her sweater off the hook and sliding her arms through the holes.

  She buttons it up, smoothing it over her curves before pulling her purse off the hook, too.

  “I gotta lock up!” She says as she walks back into the bar, her hand in her purse as she digs for her keys.

  “Let me pull around front.” He says, pulling open the large, heavy door to the bar before disappearing outside.

  “Got them.” Alia whispers to herself as she hurries over to the door, pulling it open after him and stepping outside into the night.

  She locks the door, her body tingling as she hears the rev of an engine as Leon starts his bike, the roar getting closer and closer as he pulls it out front.

  “Hop on!” He says, motioning behind him towards the little seat directly behind his hips.

  Alia bites her bottom lip, her heart racing as she slides herself onto the rumbling machine, pressing her bag against her stomach as she wraps her arms around his waist.

  She gasps as he revs his engine again, the butterflies in her stomach going wild as the bike vibrates between her legs.

  She squeals as they take off, the cool wind blowing around her ponytail as she rests her face against his back.

  Alia feels a roughness on her cheek and opens her eyes to look at the large embroidered patch on the back of Leon’s jacket.

  “The Rebel Keepers…” She whispers to herself as she brushes her fingers over the block lettering, her eyes locked on the threaded skull. “Who are they?”

  Chapter 6

  She holds on tightly as Leon swerves back and forth over the pothole covered street, their momentum the only thing keeping them upright as the wind blows through their hair.

  “Where are we going?” He asks, raising her voice over the noise as Leon turns onto a canopy covered street in an old neighbourhood.

  “The club house.” He says, leaning his head back and turning his neck slightly to speak to her. “But don’t worry. Most of the guys should be gone by now.”

  “The guys?” Alia asks, her stomach turning as Leon speeds up down the street.

  “They won’t bother you.” He says, shifting gears and making the engine rumble as he slows in front of a little shack, parking his bike on the street.

  Alia slides off of Leon’s bike, stepping down onto the sidewalk as he watches him kick down his kickstand before stepping onto the street.

  She looks over to the house as she hears the rickety front door creek open and watches an old man with a long, grey beard step outside onto the front porch, his hand wrapped around a silver can of beer as he places a cigarette between his lips.

  He looks over to them, nodding his head hello as he sits down on an orange and white canvas folding lawn chair before kicking his feet up and resting them on the rotting deck rails.

  “Quiet night?” Leon calls as he steps up onto the sidewalk and walks up the crumbling front path to the porch.

  “Marko is sleeping on the couch, so no.” The old, bearded man says as he takes a swig of his beer. “His snoring is loud as hell.”

  “Anyone in the bedroom?” Leon asks, chuckling as he steps up on the step.

  “Nah, all yours, I’m leavin’ soon. My old lady has shit for me to do in the morning.” The old man says, leaning his head against the paint chipped siding. “You kids have fun.”

  Alia blushes nervously as the old man winks at her as she follows Leon up the porch. She hesitates as he opens up the front door, glancing over at the man’s sleeveless black shirt, her eyes trailing over the very same logo that’s embroidered on the back of Leon’s jacket.

  “Have a good night, sweetheart.” She hears him say as they enter the house.

  “Shhh….” Leon hushes, his eyes smiling as he turns around to bring his finger up to his mouth as he listens to the man on the couch. “Hopefully we won’t have to hear that all night…”

  Alia giggles, covering her mouth as she follows Leon up a set of beige, carpeted stairs before reaching the second floor.

  “A bedroom?” Alia says, squinting playfully as he pushes open a white painted door.

  “Hey, we’re just relaxin’ not a big deal.” Leon says, smirking, as he steps inside the room before kicking his boots off into the corner.

  Alia enters the room, walking over to the low sitting bed in the middle of the floor before sinking down onto the mattress. She turns towards Leon, watching as he slides off his leather jacket before tossing it to the ground to rest on top of his boots.

  “What’s that patch mean?” Alia asks as she watches him turn around to face her as he pulls his shirt over his head, her breath hitching as she gazes over his tight, deeply defined abs, dark short hair trailing down the center of his V shaped Adonis belt, his jeans low on his waist. “The one on the back of your jacket. That man had the same picture on his shirt.”

  “The Rebel Keepers.” Leon says, tossing his shirt over into the corner to join the rest of his outfit. “That’s the name of our organization.”

  “You’re part of a club?” She asks, nervously picking at her cuticles. “A motorcycle gang?”

  “You could say that…” Leon says, walking over to the mattress before sitting down on it on the opposite side of her.

  “Well, what would you say?” She asks, sliding her hands into the wrists of her sweater.

  “Yeah, I would say that.” Leon says quietly.

 
“I used to work at a law firm, you know.” Alia whispers uncomfortably. “I know all about the kind of shit gangs pull.”

  “Yeah.” He says, chuckling as he leans back onto a pillow, resting his head against the wall. “Lots of shit going down here, right?”

  “I’m just sayin…” Alia says, clearing her throat.