A/N: New story and I'm so excited to be sharing this one with all of you. I feel like I planned this story is a straight path where I know what to write and how to write it, which is something I rarely do. This story would probably be update every two weeks because of the length I want the chapters to be. I would really appreciate it if you guys would review and let me know your thoughts, what you liked the most, what you hate, constructive criticism, etc.
Also anyone interested of being a Beta for this story, send me a PM.
Want to send thanks to my wonderful friend Maritza for editing this chapter and supporting me to write it.
No copyrights infringement intended, Miss lovely Richelle Mead owns all the characters; however I own the plot and would appreciate it if no one used my material.
Well this is all for now, on with the show.
Summary: Rose's heart has been thrown and stumped all over and she can no longer trust anyone, no matter how many times she tries to move on, she feels trapped by her old lover. But what happens when a man comes into her life and he would do anything to free her from her troubled past. This mysterious stranger won't stop until he holds this dark-haired beauty's heart in his hands, just like she holds his since the moment he met her.
Chapter 1: Trust Issues
Rose's POV.
I always had trust issues.
Ever since I could remember, I never truly trusted a guy; there was always something in me holding me back, something that never truly let me be happy with someone.
Well that was before, him. He was my teenage love, as some would call it, he was actually my first everything: my first kiss, my first intimate moment, the first guy that ever made love to me. Or at least I thought it was love, I had been fifteen at the moment. Yes, I had lost my virginity so young, but I did not do it because I was a slut at a young age, I did it because I truly thought that was the way things were supposed to be. Was I ignorant at the time? Yes, indeed, very much. However, he wasn't. He knew many things; one of his specialties was making any girl fall at their knees for him. I should know I was one of them. And even though I loved him with every part of me, he broke me many times; cheating on me with many whores, using me and throwing me away like a used rag multiple times. And though he had done those horrible things to me, I had always went back to him when he came back to make a fool of myself once again, until he committed the biggest sin that he could; he slept with my best friend, or used to be best friend, I should say. After that I decided to break his spell and once and for all set myself free. Nonetheless, I never truly felt free, everything he had done to me still haunted me and I was afraid it would never let me go.
Thus, every relationship I was ever in, I never gave it much thought. I felt like the only reason I was in relationship was because I didn't want to be alone, it was embarrassing to admit and probably the most ridiculous thing ever but I was afraid of being without a man in my life.
So standing right now in front of my soon to be ex-boyfriend was no big deal, as he was giving the whole speech of is not you it's me, yea I was used to it. These break-ups were nothing to me now, nothing new at least, although many of the reasons that guys created to break up with me could get very creative. Like saying that they couldn't be with me because I caused them an allergic reaction, those were serious what the fucks.
"I still love you baby, but I need time. Time to figure out who I am; to find myself, it's really not you, it's me. I hope you can understand and we can still be friends" Jesse said as he looked into my eyes. This was one of the many lines my ex-boyfriends gave me at the time of the brake ups.
Jesse's lies where completely visible through his face and I knew the real reason why he was actually breaking up with me and it was not to find himself; I was just plain boring and I never put myself out for him like a real girlfriend would. And I guess he expected that as he was a real looker; blond hair, sapphire blue eyes, a lean body, nevertheless that was all he had going for him, every quality of his I hated.
He was a jerk, only interested in sex and his looks. He never even took me out to another place that wasn't his apartment. He was a spoiled rich brat, who just wanted to snap his fingers and get everything done with that. He was cocky, arrogant, and the ugliest man I'd ever met, and I wasn't talking about his looks. But that was why I had accepted to go out with him.
"Yea I can totally understand, but unfortunately for you I would hate to be friends with a liar." I said, my infamous attitude coming out. As Jesse opened his mouth to speak again, I turned around and headed straight to the bar where my best friend waited for me, leaving him with his words in his mouth, that were most likely fill with more bullshitter lines.
"How did it go?" My best friend Lissa murmured in her sweet innocent voice, which could be mistaken as an angel's voice.
"Same as usual, I don't even know why I agreed to go out with him. He is horrible, only interested in sex. And just to tell you he sucked, always only just thinking about his needs." I made a face as I let those sentences out, Jesse had been horrible at sex and there was no way I would want to live those seconds again. Yes, he had only lasted about 45 seconds before he had collapsed next to me, how charming.
"Oh my god Rose only you!" Lissa shrieked and squealed resembling a little girl.
Unlike me, Lissa was a hopeless romantic, who was waiting to meet her soul mate. What a cliché. But well whatever kept her horses running, she was after all my best friend but she fell for guys too easy, always assuming that she would marry each one of them, until they ended up breaking up with her and as her best friend I was left to clean the mess. I didn't mind it though, Liss was like my little sister and I would do anything for her.
I leaned against the bar; waiting for the martini Lissa had ordered me moments ago. I watched as the people rubbed themselves against each other, making their bodies sexually move against their partner, and in some cases partners. I always loved dancing and today was no excuse; my body was craving to be grinded against a muscular body. I loved the way I could just move to the rhythm, with no cares of the world, not even how I looked as I rubbed myself against another body, since every person in the club would be doing it.
Finally, getting my drink, I grabbed Lissa's hand and pulled her to center of the club. Her body wasn't exactly the muscular body I wanted at the moment but she was all I had and I was more than content to just dance with my best friend.
In the middle of the dance floor, where couples were dancing, or at least it appeared like they were, their moans indicating otherwise, I started moving my body to the song "Trust Issues" by Drake.
I 'ma sip until I feel it, I 'ma smoke it till it's done
And I don't really give a fuck, and my excuse is that I'm young
And I'm only getting older so somebody shoulda told ya
Although this song didn't exactly go along with my trust issues, it was close enough to hit home, nonetheless I tried to put my feelings in the back of my mind and just focus on the way my body was moving.
I don't, I don't trust these bitches
They might catch me slippin'
Those two sentences were probably the best words the song had to offer, I trusted no man, not since him. While he had played a major part on my trust towards man, I just couldn't trust any man because all they wanted was to make a woman fall at their knees for them and then played them. Thus, I couldn't let no man, ever catch me slipping. I had to be at my strongest at all time, none of them, ever achieving what they had planned, not with me at least.
The song ended and Lissa dragged me in the direction of the bar, I was never a light drinker but today the first martini I had drank seemed to have cause a greater affect than I thought so, but I could care less, today was my night to forget him, Jesse, and just every man that had been in my life.
While in the bar, I downed martini after martini, I could hear Lissa's sweet voice telling to take it slow.
"Don't worry, Liss. This is nothing" I pointed to the glass in front of me, which was my sixth drink for the night.
I could hear the disappointment in her voice as she chastised me about drinking too much, too fast but her voice was soft and understanding. She knew the only times I drank this much was when I thought about him, and that was mostly after every break-up I had, scratch off mostly, it happen every time I had a break-up.
"Come on let's go dance" I said, my voice uncoordinated and slurry after all the drinking I had done.
Even though too much alcohol was pumping through my body, I couldn't deny that I could still move. Whereas I looked sexy with my short curvy tan-skinned figure, Lissa look graceful with her slim-pale-tall figure. We couldn't be more opposite from looks if we tried, I resemble an exotic Middle East Princess, or at least I liked to think so, while Lissa was more of a Grace Kelly.
Song after song played and even though my feet were getting sore from so much movement, I didn't want to stop. Dancing gave me another focus, other than my crazy spinning thoughts. Granted, those thoughts were gone by now because all of the alcohol that was filling my body, but that was what I seek out of drinking. Lissa, however, was becoming too tired that I knew she needed a brake or she would most likely faint.
Instead of taking our usual table in the bar, we headed to the table Lissa had reserved in the VIP section. Of course it had to be in the VIP section as Lissa's dad was one of the richest men here in Manhattan, and he would give anything to his little Princess. Her dad, Eric Dragomir had to be the top notch here, along with his partner, which was no other than my father, Ibrahim Mazur. I, unlike Lissa, was not my father's Princess, but I was his only child. And that made me his little girl, although I hated when he called me that.
I bumped into several people on our way there, you could say I had drunk past my limit but I didn't care. All that was in my mind was the blissful numb state that the liquor had put me on.
As the security guard took us to our usual table, a waiter came over and took our orders. I no longer craving martinis, decided to go for something a little bit stronger, Tequila.
"Seriously Rose, you can hardly walk straight! And now tequila, why don't you just order everything they have back there!" Lissa's screamed through the music, her sarcasm so evident.
"Lissa, are you kidding me right now! You know for once you should just let me enjoy my fucking night. Don't do this, don't do that, you sound like my fucking mother and that's saying something" It was, my mother was rarely at home and when she was all she did was tell me what I did wrong, whether it was because I was using the wrong technique during my work outs, or the way I grilled a fucking sandwich.
I knew I had been harsh saying those words to Lissa and that she was only being a good friend, but the whole strict role wasn't working out for me. Nonetheless as I stared at her beautiful perfect-like face, I couldn't help but regret the words that had come out of my mouth. Her big jade green eyes were big and watery. Her lips were in a thin line trying to hold in the sobs that were threating to come out. Her face was all too familiar. It was no secret that Lissa was a sensitive girl that was easily hurt, she had no backbone. This was a problem, a really big problem to me, because I liked to express whatever was in mind, never caring what reactions I got from whoever I had just told off and that sometimes included my best friend.
"Liss, come on you know I didn't mean it like that. It's just you know, Jesse and him. It's just too much for me." My words were entirely true; my façade was nothing but a joke. The stupid show of acting like there was nothing wrong with and like every brake up I had didn't affect me in the slightest. A joke that I wanted to believe was genuine. Even though I knew it was the farthest affair from what was real.
"I know you go through a lot Rose, but I'm just tired of always being the one that you bitch to. Why don't you just face it! Ambrose broke you down in every way possible, but that was years ago, get over it!" And here I thought Lissa had no back bone, uttering those last words my so called best friend stood up and walked away from the table, leaving me not only speechless but also with an ache that consumed my right side of my chest.
Until that point I hadn't notice that people were actually staring in the direction of our table, even with the music blasting at loud, a couple of them whispering to each other as they stared straight at me. Wow, what a fucking shit, these people didn't even have the fucking mind to talk secretly. They fucking did it straight in my face, how respectful of them.
Not letting them get to me and saving some dignity, I turned my glare to each one of them. Allowing them to know there was not greater wrath than the one of Rosemarie Hathaway.
"Well if looks could kill, I'll say yours would cease every single one of those jerks." A velvet voice said behind me.
Turning around I came to face with no other than Adrian Ivashkov.
The glamorous face of his was beautiful. He had beautiful emerald green eyes, high cheekbones, and delicious lips. He was had a pale toned color to his skin and was about 6'1" tall. He reminded me of an Abercrombie model, without the tan obviously.
"Hello" I said uninterested, acting as I didn't know who he was. Albeit, everyone knew who he was; the grandchild of the famous Tatiana Ivashkov, who was known for her queen-like looks, despite being a business woman and someone who my father made business with. It was said that she was the one bringing our economy up, but I didn't like the crinkle old bitch, the times that I'd met her she had done nothing but criticize me. Like she could say something, she was so old that I thought she was a hundred years old when I met her, my father very insulted had corrected me and said she was only sixty, what a difference.
"Hello" he snaked his hand regarding me to shake. "Nice to finally meet you, Rosemarie, those pictures in the magazines doesn't do you justice" Those stupid magazines that would always portray me like the next Lindsay Lohan, what a tale. Just because I liked to drink and have fun, did not make me ought to be like the next biggest prostitute and crack head known to Hollywood. They didn't even have good pictures in there; you never saw my face in anyone of them.
"Um, and you would be?" I asked crocking my eyebrows like the cocky bastard I was.
"Adrian Ivashkov, at your service Mademoiselle" he said, as he reached down to plant a kiss on my hand, getting his perfect French pronunciation out. There was nothing spicier than a man that could speak different languages and it was world known that Adrian could speak five: English, Spanish, French, Russian, and German.
Adrian had to be one of the hottest men I had ever beheld sight out. He was so beautiful and had that kind of perfection on him that you couldn't help but just stare at him, and watch those divine lips as they moved whilst he talked. Anyhow, he had a reputation that pursued him; he was a drunken womanizer. And it was said that every woman that ever shared a bed with him, would fall at his feet without him even trying. Thus, he was someone I had to avoid no matter what. That was a path that I wasn't willing to take and I took almost on anything. I couldn't fall for anyone ever again, my heart had been damage so much, that now it was too fragile to ever function properly.
"I don't mean to pry but what happen right there with Vasilisa?" his plush voice asked, an innocence tone to it like he was only concerned and he didn't really want to get in my business, but there was something else there: pity, something I surely recognized.
That was a good question my friend, and one that I wasn't willing to answer. The tequila had arrived while Lissa's and mine showdown had gone down. So to avoid his question, I took tequila shoots one after another. Thinking that it was going to give him a clue to not touch on the subject, however he just stared at me with his eyebrows creasing towards the middle. His face looking like he was thinking hard on that topic.
"It was nothing, nothing I can't solve at least." I answer in a strained tone.
Before he could say anything else that could make me say something that I would regret later, I stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling him in the direction of the dance floor. Dancing with him couldn't hurt right?
"Do you really want to talk about my petty problems? Or would you rather move against me in there" I said in a seductively tone, pointing to the dance floor.
All thoughts about Lissa's argument seemed to fly from his mind when I let the words out and he follow me closely behind.
Standing in a dark corner, I reached for his hands and embedded them to my hips. I moved my body side to side, slowly rubbing all of me against him. His breath caught in his throat, and his heartbeat quicken ten times faster. I was used to getting this reaction from men; however they were only the kind of guys that I hate it. I only dated them because I knew I could never fall for them, as they carried every quality I hate it on men. Never from someone like Adrian, never someone who made me feel alluring, exquisite, but most of all wanted.
Maybe it was the alcohol talking but all of the sudden I wanted Adrian badly and I knew he wanted me as his harden length pressed against me. He moved so graceful that it woke a sexual desire inside of me, something a man had to do more to accomplish.
"Rosemarie, you're killing me here" he whispered provocatively against my ear.
"It's Rose, just Rose" was the only thing I was able to get out as his movements consumed mine.
It had been so long since I felt something like this, to be with someone just to enjoy myself. To do it just because I felt like it, this is what it felt like being with Adrian. Of course, it wasn't those fireworks I had once felt in my teenage years, but he made me feel something I hadn't felt since him.
Too sudden, I realized I was out of line. I couldn't be like this with him, even if all I felt was a sex-drive, it was too close. Something I couldn't be feeling. It was something that could only bring disaster to my life, the feelings that were inside of me had to be killed. I couldn't risk feeling like this, even if it was nothing personal but the longing of wanting to be wild between the sheets.
"I… I" I started unable to get the words out.
I was starting to panicked, my chest getting awfully heavy. The room was getting smaller by the moment and hotter. The colorful lights going throughout the room made my head spin and before I could even say anything to Adrian I ran out of his arms, wanting to get the farthest away from him.
No. No. No. I shouldn't have felt anything like for Adrian, of course it was just sexual attraction but it was enough to send my mind spinning with red light.
I could see the door as I ran to it, just a few seconds away from me.
From behind me, I could hear Adrian calling my name repeatedly but I couldn't stop and I couldn't face him. Not only because I was scared of what he had sparked inside of me but because he probably thought I was the biggest freak in this city by now.
Finally reaching the parking lot, the wind hit my hair and I was able to breathe a little better, and there was also no sight of Adrian which had to be good.
"Are you okay?" the most amazing voice I've ever heard said, it had an accent that I couldn't dare to recognize in my subtle state.
I turned in the direction that the voice was coming from and I was met by the most flawless creature I had ever seen walking on earth. My eyes widen to what was standing in front of me, he had to be the most magnificent man I had ever laid eyes on. Adrian had nothing on him.
He was a lovely vision to behold. He had dark brown hair that reached to his shoulder, it appear to be so silky and smooth, even out in the darkness of the night. His body was splendid, so muscular and ripped, but not enough to be a body of a body builder. And he was tall, very tall, he appeared to be around 6'6" or 6'7", but somehow he still managed to look graceful. His most stunning appeal, was neither his hair nor his body, it was his face. That marvelous face was of a god; straight strong jaw, high cheekbones, plump red lips, and big brown eyes. His face was made of perfect angles. He was a masterpiece, most likely made by Claude Monet himself.
Remembering that he had asked me a question, perceptibly my understated state, I snapped out of my trace and looked up to those beautiful brown irises.
"Umm, yea, yes. I'm okay" My voice sounding grouchy, after all the emotions that were going through me.
"Are you sure? You don't why me to hail you a taxi, you don't seem so okay?" His voice was lace with concern that it brought tears to my eyes.
No one had ever talked to me like this stranger was. Lissa would be concern for me, but at the end there was always pity there, just like it had been in Adrian's voice tonight. And so was it in my father's voice whenever he talked to me, he was the only other person that was ever there for me but sometimes he couldn't even tolerate me just like Lissa. I had no one, and that's why this stranger made my heart ache, his worry for a complete stranger was unbelievable.
"No it's okay, I just need to get some fresh air" I tried to smile at him, but it was a sadden smile that it could never reach my eyes.
He seemed to notice that I wasn't in no right state to go anywhere; therefore he kept asking if there was anything he could do for me. I wasn't sure what got in me but I actually asked him for a ride home, he seemed stunned at my request for a couple of minutes but he easily recovered.
"Okay, is that what you really want?" he asked, still unsure of what to make of my request. I couldn't really blame him though; I was asking a complete stranger if he could give me a ride home. The truth was I had come here with Lissa and my car was at home. Moreover, I hate riding in taxis, they were gross. The real reason as why I wanted this gorgeous man to drive me home wasn't because I thought taxis were gross but because he made me feel safe. He was not even touching me, but his presence was more than enough to calm me down and give my mind an ease state.
"Yea, I hate the smell of taxis" I said, making a face to get my point across.
He laughed and it had to be of the richest sounds I've ever heard, but everything about him was so flawless that I couldn't be surprise.
"But are you sure you want to get in a car with a total stranger? I could be a serial killer, you know?" His tone was serious but he wore a smirk in his spectacular face.
"Yes, I'm sure. You don't seem to be that kind of guy, actually the way you were worried for the state I was in was real courteous. So a serial killer is the last of my worries right now." I threw in a smile to show him how grateful I was for his help.
My words seemed to make him timorous, making him smile at me in a sheepish way.
He agreed to take me home after that and we walked to the back of the building where the parking lot was at. The silence between us was neither uncomfortable nor awkward, it was quite amazing. It was like we didn't need to say anything to each other and our existence were more than sufficient. I loved it.
I had never in my life felt more at ease with a person than as I felt right now with him. I felt something inside of me that I had never felt before, with no words to describe it but just a marvelous feeling that consumed my whole body and mind. I knew he was the reason why I felt like this, and for once in my fucking miserable life I wasn't scare. I wasn't scare of depending on a man, even if it was just for a ride home. I wasn't afraid of an unknown feeling that he brought out of me. I wasn't afraid that he had seen me in one of my weakest moments. It was pleasant truly, not to fear of my feelings for a man, it felt wonderful. Being next to him felt wonderful, formerly being afraid of everything that represented to be male, I couldn't help but form a smile at what this complete stranger gave me, without knowing: a spark of hope.
As we approached the parking lot, I noticed it was full of all kinds of cars, from Mercedes to SUVs. I wonder what my beautiful stranger drove. He appeared to be one of those guys to know much about cars and drive the best of the best. We kept walking across the dark parking lot, with lights flickering around us. It was a scene taken out of a scary movie; however with him I felt safe like no one could touch me.
"So are you going tell me your name? I mean it's only fair, right? I'm about to get into a car with you, or at least I think so. Are you sure you're not lost? Maybe this wasn't the way you parked your car. I'm tired. We've walked for hours." My rambling was the only sign of how nervous I was, it wasn't because I about to get in a car with him, but I was nervous to make a fool of myself in front of him, which was exactly what I was doing with all my rambling.
He laughed for a couple of seconds, filling my ears with the amazing sound that his throat produced, for a minute I thought that was going to be the only response, until he stopped mid-step and turned my way.
"We've actually just walked for three minutes, which is nothing to hours and I'm positive that I parked this way, it's just a bit farther from here." He wore the smirk from earlier and it made his face just look more gorgeous. "As for my name, I'm Dimitri Belikov."
Dimitri's POV
I never thought a person could fall in love at first sight. In my mind, it was always a preposterous idea. How can someone fall in love with someone they've just met? They knew nothing about that person, thus how can they be sure they would want someone like them? The foreign matter wasn't that I didn't think that a person could fall in love at first sight though; the thing was that I never thought it would happen to me.
"So please tell me you actually broke up with her once and for all?" my best friend Ivan jumped up and down, like a little kid on Christmas morning, besides me.
He was referring to my ex-girlfriend Tasha. Tasha and I had dated for two years and today I had finally gather the courage to break up with her. The reason why I had ended things between us after two years was because she was an insidious bitch, for my lack of wording. The only thing she was interesting in was the sex and my money. I wasn't exactly top notch in the business field but I made abundant money. For months I had tried to give her a chance to show me that she wasn't actually that kind of person and that we could have some kind of life that didn't involve her going on shopping sprees or vacations with my credit card. However, when I removed her entree to my accounts she threw a tantrum and said she was leaving me if I didn't restore her access back to my accounts.
Of course she didn't leave me but she essentially tried to get me to married her so then she could have an open road to my money. Knowing that she was never going to change I finished our relationship, even though she begged me not to. I never loved her but she had been a good friend of mine before our relationship and I really thought I could change that kind of love into real love. I assumed that I owed her to at least try to make things work for us; nevertheless, she proved to me that she wasn't worth my time.
"Yes, Ivan, it's done" I replied, my voice strained. I didn't really like to talk about my personal affairs, even with my best friend. I was a really reserved person, keeping all of my feelings to myself.
"Well about time. I mean that bitch was the biggest gold digger I've ever met and I've met a lot of those bitches! I don't know how the fuck you dealt with her all this time!" Ivan said, still in his happy mood, which was no surprise. Ivan was the kind of person that no one or nothing brought down, well apart from his younger cousin, Jesse Zeklos.
"She used to be a really good friend of mine, I owe it to her to give her a chance" As those words came out of my mouth, I wonder if that was really true. Maybe the only thing I felt for her was pity, just wanting to console her after losing her all her family, except her brother, that had to be hard on anyone.
"You didn't owe her shit, Dimka. You were the nicest man that she could ever get. You were kind, understanding, and loving. So fuck that bitch, she needs someone like Jesse, only a jerk can keep her happy." At the end of his words, there was a change in his attitude. Like I had said, anything that had to do with his cousin would put him in that state.
"You know I don't even know how Jesse can get real girlfriends." He continued. "Have you seen his new toy, she's quite hot but she doesn't seem like the type of woman to be with someone like him. I seriously don't know what the fuck she's doing with him. I think you might know who I'm talking about. She's the daughter of one of your business associates, that Mazur man. Well her last name isn't really Mazur; she has her mother's maiden name. Rosemarie Hathaway"
I knew precisely who he was talking about. Ibrahim Mazur was one of the best business men out there and his daughter was worldwide known. Although she wasn't known for the right reason, everyone thought the worse of her; I read some articles on some magazines about her. The pictures of her, though, were sometimes blurry because they were always taken on a club or bar, so I had no idea how that girl really looked like. Albeit, Mr. Mazur always talked about his "little girl" as he liked to call her, and from his point of view she was nothing like what those absurd magazines made her out to be.
"Are we doing anything today?" I asked, hoping for a change of subject, I hated when Ivan got like this over his cousin. Yet I couldn't blame him, Jesse had stolen his fiancé the night before they were to be married. That was a low one, even for someone with low standards like Jesse, to do something like that to someone was real disarray. But to do that to a family member, that crossed a line.
"Hell yea, I have a whole night plan out. It's not every day that my best friend is single you know. We're going to the club tonight. You don't mind Christian coming right?" he asked, a sly smile playing on his lips.
"Okay, that sounds good and you know I never mind Christian tagging along"
Christian was Tasha's brother but he was nothing like her, the only things they share were the DNA, their eye, and hair color.
"Before we go out though I need to get some things done though, you don't mind me coming a bit late, right?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Jesus Christ, Dimka. Leave the work for another day, all you do is work, work, and work. Come on, we have to go out and celebrate, maybe get some hookers." He winked at me in his last statement. He knew hookers were never an appeal to me, I didn't like easy women. I was more into girls that didn't give themselves out for money but for love, albeit I could understand why some women did it.
"Ivan this is really important but I promise no more than 30 minutes late"
He posture slacked and his face wore a look of defeat. "I guess so. But Dimitri Belikov you better show up, or help me God, I will tell Olena what you did in Las Vegas this summer" the bastard smirked and walked out of my room, whilst I laughed at his statement. I couldn't imagine him saying something like that to my innocent pure mother, but with Ivan one never knew so it was better to be safe than sorry.
The affair that I had to take care of included no other than Ibrahim Mazur.
I dressed in my usual Valentino black slacks that clutched my at thighs and my ass, my white Valentino dress shirt that hugged my arms and stomach, and my black Gucci dress shoes.
I didn't know exactly what Mr. Mazur had in mind when he had called me in; however he wasn't a man that you said no to. So, right now I was on my way to meet him up in the Russian Tea Room.
The drive wasn't long, as my apartment was downtown, unlike my mother's house that was in the outskirts of New York and the other one in Russia. The valet took my car to park and I exit out of my gray S.X Concept BMW. Of course, the car wasn't my finest possession but I liked it, it was a sport car and it was pretty fast, not to mention that it was made especially for me because of my height.
"Ah Mr. Belikov you were able to make it." Mr. Mazur stood up to shake hands with me as I was approaching his table in the dark corner he has chosen. This issue had to be really important then; Mr. Mazur always liked to be theme of attention and always chose to be in the table in the middle whenever we came.
"There's always time for business Mr. Mazur." I replied back, sitting down on the chair across from his.
"I like your attitude Dimitri, oh and you can call me Abe no need for titles. And well this business is more personal than my usual. I just want you to listen to me first and at the end you can either accept or deny my offer, you won't hurt my feelings" Abe smiled, and it reminded me of a snake, although I never seen a snake smile, but well he didn't get his nickname for nothing. Zmey meant snake in Russian after all.
I nodded my head to let him know that I would listen and that's when the crazy shit started.
"Well Dimitri, when I said this was a personal affair, I meant it. This has to do with my family, well to be more accurate; my daughter. As you know Rosemarie is a troublesome woman, she doesn't know what she wants in life, so she keeps making all these mistakes and she's not learning from them. However, is not her mistakes I'm worried about, I'm worry about my little girl's path to love." I had no idea what I had to do with this, or why he was letting me in, but the tone of his voice kept me listening to every single word he said.
"Is not that she has no suitors, in fact she has many. She's a very beautiful young woman but in the end she ends up picking all the pigs out there. Just like that Jesse Zeklos she's seeing right now. He has no respect for her and she still won't leave him." Something told me Mazur liked Jesse as much as Ivan did.
"Nonetheless, I knew there had to be a reason why Rosemarie was doing that, so I've been digging into my girl's past, something I'm not so proud of, but I found something that I'm not very content about, I'm infuriated by it, actually." His face indicated that he was indeed enraged by the situation or conflict that was happing. Again, I had no idea how I could play part in this. My mind was running off wildly, did he want me to do some damage to those jerks Rosemarie kept dating? Or did he want me to go after her, set her in the right path? I didn't know how I was going to accomplish the latter, it was said that Rosemarie was a cold woman, even at her young age. It surprised me really, woman her age are at the time of their life, dating many men, sleeping with even two at a time, always experimenting, always falling for the first guy that declare to be "in love" with them.
"What I found out about Rosemarie is that she's ruined with no one to repair her in the right form, but I suspect that she's trying to medicate herself by dating those brutes. I would love to tell you what happened to her, but it's not my story to tell" The part when he said that Rosemarie was ruined sent my mind into violent mode. How can such a young woman be called ruined, by her own father at that? I was really starting to wonder what had happen to this girl to make her like that; coldhearted, unhappy, and ruined.
"However, she's not truly remedying herself; she's damaging herself more than she already is. And well this is that part where you come in. I know you're a great man Dimitri Belikov, great education, real morals, real ethics, from a good hard working family, and I have it well known that you would do anything for a damsel in distress. Am I not right?" he asked, his eyebrows crooked, daring me to deny it.
I certainly couldn't negate his last statement though, after I had dated Tasha for two years? Yea there was no way to disagree with him in that.
My lack of response seemed to be of enough answer as he continued. "I'm not saying to go out with my daughter; I think it would be better if that would be the last of your resources. What I'm saying in to become close to her, show her that not all men are disgraceful bastards. Show her that there's still man out there that could make her happy. I really would have never bothered you with this if I knew she was only going through a face. I'm sick worry of her, and you were the only honorable man I could find to do this"
The look of Ibrahim Mazur has never been so sadden and miserable. He was really antagonize by what was going on in his daughter's life and who was I to deny him? I wouldn't be doing nothing more than being friends with Rosemarie, it wouldn't hurt nobody.
"I won't try to understand what you're going through Mr. Mazur because I know I can never feel a father's pain until I am one. However, I do know that if something like that was happening to one of my sister's I would try to do anything to solve the matter. And I am honored that you find me honorable. As for the Rosemarie affair, I would do anything in my power to show her that not all men are alike." When the words came out of my mouth, Ibrahim smiled so wide like I was the one telling him he had won the lottery, which I doubt would make him smile that much. He was filthy rich, winning the lottery for him would be like getting pocket change.
"Thank you so much, Dimitri. I'll send you all the details, now I must be going I have a business meeting. Take care." With that he shook my hand once again, left a one hundred dollar bill on the table, and walked away.
I was kind of lost for a bit, trying to cover all of my thoughts and take in what I had agreed to. I knew that this was not to be an easy job, far from it. I was a man of my word, though, and I was ready to do anything to help Mazur. Even if the included doing everything possible to help Rosemarie recovered from her troubled past.
Before I could head to the club that I was meeting Ivan and Christian at, I decided to go home and change as what I was wearing wasn't really appropriate to go out, and Ivan would totally disapprove and nobody wanted a disapproving Ivan because all he would do is talk all night about how I had no style and that I should really hire someone to go shopping for me, even though my Valentino's were pretty stylish and expensive.
When I reached my apartment I parked my car and headed up in the elevator to my floor, hastening because I only had twenty minutes to dress and be at the club.
At the end of my search for the perfect outfit to go to the club, I settled for a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, and a pair of Jordan's. It was just my casual but at least I wasn't dressed as a "fancy pants" as Ivan liked to call my business attire. Sometimes he acted like such a kid, that I actually thought he was a kid. He would do stupid stuff, like beg me to go to the park with him and we would go and have a walk around, eating gelato or a Popsicle. However, that's what happens when you had rich parents that the only thing they cared about was how high your IQ was and how you were supposed to grow up and be like them, never caring about your own opinion even when you were just a child. So, I never minded doing things like that for Ivan, as I was his only family. Not exactly though, my mother and sisters loved him like a son and brother. He was one of the kindest people that I had ever met; he would always be polite and nice, just not when he was with me. My favorite of his personalities was that he was funny, and he would do anything to make someone laugh when they're upset.
Getting into my S.X Concept once more, I headed straight for one of the most exclusive clubs in Manhattan, "The Academy". It wasn't a fancy name by any means, but whenever you stepped in that clubbed it resembled a rich fancy ball room from a century before, just with a Dj and colorful lights all around it. It was modern life in a castle.
I looked at my watch and notice I had only three more minutes to make it on time before Ivan would have my head in a log. I sped for a couple of minutes till I was able to see the club from a block away and then headed to the back of the club where the parking lot was located at. You would think that with the prices they charged at the entrance you would at least get a valet or good working lamp posts but no, they made you park your car by yourself and they had shitty lamp posts that flicker every couple of minutes. And just my luck, the parking lot was full and the only spaces available to park where in the very corner.
As I was getting out of my car, my phone started ringing with the stupid "Trust Issues" song by Drake that Ivan was obsessed with and had also put it as the ringtone for when he called. I hated it but well I hated rap so maybe that was why.
"Hello" I answer.
"Dammit Dimka, you said you would be here no more than 30 minutes late, well fucker it's been 35 fucking minutes and your bitch ass still isn't here. Are you fucking ditching us, just like you did multiple times before? I though we fucking agreed." He said with an angry voice, sounding like an angry housewife with background music, but before I could tell him that I was just outside in the parking lot he kept going. "O my god, please tell me you did not go back to the witch. You did, didn't you? What the fuck man, you said you were over her and it's bros before hoes. Not gold-diggers before Ivan and the brother of the gold-digger." I could hear Christian's insulted voice in the background, but that didn't stop Ivan. "Did you forget that I have Olena's number on speed dial? I could call her right this minute and tell her all about what happen in Las Vegas because what happens in Las Vegas does not stay in Las Vegas motherfucker."
I couldn't take no more of Ivan's fucking and hoes and just all the cuss words he had used, but I couldn't deny that he had been pretty comical, so I raised my voice over his so he could hear me.
"Ivan Zeklos, do you really want to talk to my mother with that mouth of yours? I don't think she'll be listening if you use that kind of language. To answer your question, no I'm not back with the 'witch'" I couldn't believe I had really called her that. "I mean Tasha. I'm not somewhere else and I'm in the parking lot just getting out of my car, I took five minutes longer, no big deal" With that I hung up the phone and headed to the entrance.
I didn't get to go in the bar though because something else caught my attention, or should I say someone else.
A young woman had just run out of the club and her state was horrid, she looked terrified.
I couldn't help but ask if she was okay but as soon as she looked my way, I was totally captivated my her beauty.
Never in my life had I ever encounter such a divine creature. She had long beautiful dark colored hair that reached to her waist; I wanted nothing more than to have my fingers running through those magnificent locks. She had a ravishing body that was curvy athletic built; long legs, strong tights, flat stomach, curvy waist, and large breast and butt. I couldn't deny that her body caused a fire inside my pants, my manhood growing as I stared as her dazzling figure. She had a beautiful tan color to her skin and she reminded me of an exotic Princess. But what most enchanted me was that gorgeous face of hers, so enticing; big brown eyes, small pink lips, perfect angles throughout her face. She was more beautiful than the goddess Aphrodite.
What I didn't like was the look in her eyes. The look of hurt, like all she had endured was haunting her. I wanted to take her pain away, to make her feel safe again.
I was barely able to hear her as she said she was okay, but I knew she was lying because it was so visible through her face. I wanted to cry out and tell her to let me help but she kept refusing saying all she needed was to catch her breath. Her smile indicating that it was not all she needed, thus I kept asking her if I could help her somehow, something inside me urging me to help, wanting to help her, wanting me to be her savior.
"Well there's something you could do for me." She said, in that delicate voice of hers. Her voice was like music to my ears, it was strong with a hint of feminine to it. I loved it.
"Name it"
"Could you give me a ride home?" She asked, bluntly.
I didn't know what to make our of her request, not because I didn't want to give her a ride, actually I wanted nothing more than to spend more time with this exotic beauty but I doubted she was thinking rationally. At the end I decided I would take her home but only after making sure she was certain of her choice.
We walked towards the parking, in search of my car, which was in the farthest corner from where we were. There was a comfortable silence, something I had never been able to enjoy with a female. The ones I had dated, including Tasha, had always wanted to talk, no matter if their talk was pointless. I, however, wasn't a man of many words so all I ever did was listen to them and their senseless drama. With the young woman besides me was different though, even if she was talking I would have loved to take part of her conversation. To pay attention to every single word she uttered.
I felt something inside of me that I had never felt before; a strong feeling in my chest and stomach. I knew she was the cause of my state but it didn't bother me. I wanted it, I wanted to feel this. For so long I had craved what those lucky people had in their life; true love, to have someone to share their life with. I always wanted to find that and even without knowing the woman besides me I knew our connection was too much to be nothing; it was everything. And I knew that she felt something too as the troubled look in her eyes was gone for now and I couldn't be happier. I knew I had to have this woman, no matter what it took and no matter how long it took. She had to be mine.
"So are you going tell me your name? I mean it's only fair, right? I'm about to get into a car with you, or at least I think so. Are you sure you're not lost? Maybe this wasn't the way you parked your car. I'm tired. We've walked for hours." Her rambling was cute. If I didn't know better I would have thought that she was backing out of me giving her a ride, but I knew that wasn't true. The look on her face said it, she was nervous about something but it wasn't because she was with me.
I laughed about her exaggeration and she reminded me of Ivan, that statement was something he would most likely say.
Fuck, Ivan, he was going to be surely mad when he would see that I never showed up, all I prayed for was that he didn't indeed call my mother, Olena Belikova was going to give me shit if she ever found out of what I had done in Las Vegas.
"We've actually just walked for three minutes, which is nothing to hours and I'm positive that I parked this way, it's just a bit farther from here." I smirked.
"As for my name, I'm Dimitri Belikov."