Hi everyone,
Thank you for checking out this story. I want to just clarify something from the start, in that I usually do not like to add work that isn't my own to the stories I write. However, I have made Piper a singer, and I have been greatly inspired by lyrics from certain songs for this story. So, disclaimer. I do not have rights to the characters or the songs I have included. Enjoy, and I look forward to hearing what you guys think.
Chapter One
The day had been long, much longer than Alex had the patience for. She glanced around the slowly emptying bar as closing time crept ever closer. She had hidden herself is a cosy corner of the bar, feet stretch out on the sofa opposite her, laptop rested haphazardly on her lap. She had been waiting for Nicky to finish chatting up an unlikely brunette at the bar, obviously far too straight for the likes of Nicky Nichols, yet enjoying the attention all the same. She admired the way her friend could make even those girls with rulers stuck up their asses bend slightly to her whim. Watching now, the auburn haired girl leant forward, allowing Nicky, and the rest of the bar for that matter, a good look at her ample bosom and lacy hot pink bra. She watch Nicky lean in, whisper something that made the younger girl giggle profoundly in her mojito induced haze, slapping the wild haired woman playfully on the arm, before turning and flouncing towards the bathroom.
Alex groaned. If she didn't know better, it meant her meeting with her co-owner was postponed until further notice. Sure enough, Nicky turned and gave Alex one of her huge shit-eating grins, a wink, and followed the girl off to the bathroom.
Snapping the lid of the laptop closed, Alex got up, stowing the computer behind the bar, and started putting glasses away. Joe, the bartender, watched her carefully, deciding what kind of mood his boss was in before approaching her with questions of finishing early. Alex could feel his eyes burning holes in the back of her head, and rolled her eyes. "Yes" she sighed loudly, turning to face him, dark curls closely missing the end of his nose. He blinked back a moment, slapping the flying hair away from his face, "Sorry?"
"You can close early, Joe." Alex laughed half heartily. Joe smiled sheepishly, before announcing last call to the remaining customers. Alex busied herself, clearing the remaining tables and wiping them down, closing down the bar with Joe working diligently beside her. Once the last of the customers had left, she let him go. Slumping against the counter, she looked around for last jobs that couldn't be left until the next morning. Picking up her laptop, she locked it away in the back office, grabbed her bag and helmet, and headed back out the front.
"Nichols, I'm leaving" she shouted towards the bathroom door. After a moment, Nicky's head peaked around the side of the door. "Did you hear me?"
"Yep, see you tomorrow Stretch. Don't lock us in here though," Nicky laughed, lowering her voice a little, "She's too much of a talker for me. I'll kick her out in a sec."
"Don't be an arse Nic, take her home." the brunette raised her eyebrow at her best friend, smirking knowingly.
"Ah, Alex, you're too soft you know. Yes yes, I'll take the girl home. Drive safe."
Alex turned and headed out the front door. She stopped for a moment and breathed in deeply. The cold air filled her lungs deliciously, as sounds of the city swirled around her. She was tired, more so than she had been in a long time. The thought of a good book and her bed had her almost running to the bike tucked in the alley next to the bar. She glanced up at the neon light that proudly shone "AVDV" out over the street. A pang of grief hit her, making her head bow with sudden weight of her head. "Love you mum" she whispered quietly to the dark space in front of her. She kicked the bike into life and headed out into the night, swerving between taxis and late night drivers, delivery guys on their squeaky bicycles and unassuming pedestrians trying their luck, dodging between cars. As she drove, her thoughts flickered idly between jobs that would need doing that week at the bar, inventory, and Silvy.
She had planned that the short girl was no longer going to occupy her time, or her bed for that matter, but the truth was, Alex was bored. She wanted a plaything, just for the night. Yes, she had broken Silvia's heart once already this week, telling her that she did not feel the same way as the smaller woman, and it would be nothing more than sex. She couldn't really open that wound again. It wasn't fair.
Pulling her bike into the garage under the building, she glanced around, recognising the car parked next to hers. Inwardly groaning, she pulled off her helmet and leant against the garage wall, waiting. Sure enough, the car doors opened and Kubra came around to face Alex. He was slightly shorter than she was, an advantage she used to gain some status with the man she was so desperate to lose.
"I've been waiting for you Alex, did you forget our meeting?" he asked, eyeing her closely. In all honesty, she had. The meeting had been planned months in advance and she had heard nothing since, assuming it was not going ahead.
"Yes." she answered simply. He was not a man to play games with. In any case, she was done playing with him. She knew she had already been replaced, and he had bought her silence. Alex could not understand his sudden reappearance into her life. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it.
"Go ahead, check it" he said carelessly, "It might be important." A thrill of fear suddenly made Alex pull her phone out. It got stuck in her coat pocket and she pulled the pocket inside out in her frustration, earning an amused smirk from Kubra and his fellows. It was from Nicky, telling her she had locked up the bar and was in a cab with "Polly". Alex placed her phone back in her pocket.
"It's nothing." she looked at him. It quickly dawned on her he was not going to talk to her there. She was reluctant to ask him up into her home, and he seemed to recognise that.
"Get in the car. Let us drive and talk." He turned his back on Alex, not waiting for her answer, and got back in the car. She followed him, not bothering with her belt, shutting the door carefully behind her. "I have a favour to ask of you Alex" he began. She didn't answer, not even daring to look at him. Her heart had started to pound in her throat, and her palms rinsed with a slick warmness as nerves began to creep in. She thought they were done with this, she had done her part, he had accepted this. Yet, she knew he would never truly leave her alone, a lose end who could ruin him in seconds.
"I miss you Alex. You are one of the best I have had working for me. Without you, dealing with business has been difficult. I don't want to have to kill you Alex, I'm far to fond of you for that. I believe you will keep your word. I am not worried." He stopped, and Alex was sure he was waiting for her to reply. She wracked her mind for something, anything to say.
"I don't want to mess up this chance." she replied lamely, sounding young and fragile, like she had when she first worked for him. She heard the smile in his voice as he continued.
"Of course not Alex, I know this. I want this to work as much as you do. I need your help. There is a large amount of money that I need moving-" Alex cut him off with a sharp shake of her head before she could help herself. Tensing she waited for his response, but a laugh filled the car. "It will not bring any trouble for you Alex. I need to get out of the city, but I cannot move all of my finances in one go, it will become suspicious. I have a few smaller business ventures that I will be investing it in, and when the time come, I will draw the money from them again. However, I need to you take over one for me. I know you are busy with your bar. This may be asking a lot, but you would not want to disappoint me within our now new friendship." It was not a question. Alex turned, giving him her full attention.
"I need you to run a second bar for me, just for a little while. Your friend, Nichols, she can help. Do with it what you like, it wont be for long, just until I can safely withdraw the money again. Two years tops." He stopped and looked for Alex's answer. As if she had a choice.
"Okay." simplicity was best. After today, she didn't quite trust what she would say. This was big, and yet, at least it was legal. She had come too far to go back now into the underworld of drugs and scandal that Kubra had plagued her younger years with. She had to do this, to get him away. He smiled, clapping his hand fatherly on her knee.
"I knew you would accept. Think of it as an exciting opportunity to expand. A loan for your little business. Who knows, if it goes well, at the end, you could buy it off of me."
"We will see." Alex smiled politely. She noticed the car turning back into her garage and prepared to exit the car. "I will get this all sorted. I'll need to find a space-"
"Already sorted my dear. You will find everything you need to know in your apartment, including details of how to access the money. Enjoy this Alex. You will not hear from me until its time to take the money back."
She watched as the car drove away, waiting for it to be out of sight before turning and rushing to the elevator, willing it to move faster. Once she got into her apartment, she spotted the envelope on the kitchen table. On closer inspection, it was two envelopes. Alex looked around, checking for other signs of disturbance. Kubra had been in her home, and the thought pushed butterflies into her stomach. This 'opportunity' terrified her. It was all well and good, setting up a new bar and not hearing from him until it was time to close it again, but the risk was so huge. She knew this fro AVDV. What if they went bankrupt, what is she lost the money? What then? Shaking her fears away, she placed both envelopes in a draw, picked up a book at random, and took herself to bed. This could be dealt with tomorrow, with Nikki. For now, she was happy to hide away.
Nicky had a hard time ushering the tipsy woman from the cab and into her own home. Eventually she gave up, took the keys from Polly and went to open the door, almost pushing the giggling woman through the door.
"Did you… want to come in?" Polly hiccuped, leaning suggestively against the door. It was not often that Nicky could turn down such an offer, but this woman got on her nerves. She had been mumbling drunkenly all the way home about some soap that she made that could help Nicky 'control the mane'. A figure appearing in the lit hallway behind allowed her distraction to ignore the woman's question.
"Oh, Polly, thank God. You left your phone at home." a tall, slender blonde was pulling Polly into the house. Nikki stared appreciatively at her, glancing her up and down. Maybe she would go in after all. Piper turned to close the door, only then noticing Nicky standing on her front steps.
"Oh, God, sorry. Um… are you a friend of Polly's?" Piper stared at this wild looking woman, slightly alarmed by her presence.
"A new acquaintance, just checking she got home safe. I'm glad she has someone here, she's a little worse for ware." Nicky laughed hearing Polly crashing around in what could only be presumed to be the kitchen, according to the sound of glasses tinkling and water hitting some kind of basin.
"Thanks, and thanks for bringing her home. Was getting a bit worried when she wasn't here when I got in. Erm.. I'm Piper." she held out an awkward hand. Nicky observed her for a second before taking her hand and kissing it grandly, receiving an awkward laugh from Piper in return. "You can call me Nichols. Have fun getting your girlfriend to bed." She was prying, but wanted to clarify she hadn't stepped on any toes tonight. She had thought Polly was a straight girl up for a bit of naughtiness, but maybe she was wrong.
"Ha, no. Polly's too straight for me." Piper observed Nichols for a moment before adding, "Obviously not for you." Nicky looked at Piper shocked. Piper winked, thanking her again and closed the front door. Nicky laughed to herself, shaking her head and got back in the cab.