ha-luooooo! i have a new update for you! enjoy.
Bleeding Love
By: SheMeHerJay
Chapter Two
.i don't own inuyasha.
Five Weeks Later
"Anyway, would you care to join us for a night out tonight," Miroku asked, staring at the other man who was doing his best to ignore him while he worked. He wasn't even sure why he'd taken the call to begin with. He could have just let it ring and saved himself the impending headache. "We were thinking about going back to Aura Night Life for drinks and food. The place we went to for Koga's birthday. Do you remember the one?"
"It is not easily forgotten," Sesshomaru spoke for the first time since he'd said hello five minutes earlier (Miroku had prattled on without a breath about something or other that Sesshomaru didn't care to listen to in the least), glancing up from the document he'd been trying to read to stare at the blue-eyed man that filled his phone screen, via FaceTime call. Sometimes, he really wondered why he continued to put up with them, especially since they seemed to annoy him more often than not. "Yourself, Inuyasha and Koga were all so drunk the manager had to have some of her staff help me get you three to the car. If that's the kind of drinking you plan to do tonight, I do not wish to partake in this excursion."
"That kind of wasted is reserved for special occasions, such as birthdays, holidays and special events like weddings or bachelor parties," Miroku stated matter-of-factly. "We're just going to have a few drinks, listen to music and probably try to score a few numbers from the good-looking ladies that will be there tonight."
"Speak for yourself," Sesshomaru heard Koga say before he appeared behind the other man. He couldn't help rolling his eyes at the fight that was sure to come. "You go to bars to pick up women. Don't lump the rest of us in with you. If that's what you're planning to do, then you do it on your own."
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes again. And he wondered, for the umpteenth time, why he tolerated such childish antics from his pack of friends. Normally, he would have hung up by now. But, something about the idea of returning to the lounge piqued his interest. Maybe he would join them for a night out…
"So, Sesshomaru, what do you say," Miroku asked when he and Koga finally stopped arguing. "Would you be willing to join us for a few drinks and food tonight at Aura Night Life?"
"Someone has to go along to make sure you three idiots are kept in check," Sesshomaru responded as he signed his signature before placing his pen back in the holder. "I suppose a few drinks will not hurt. But I assure you, if you three get as drunk as you were the last time, I will leave you there and you can figure out how you're getting home on your own."
"Scouts honour, we're not going to get as drunk as we did on Koga's birthday," Miroku said holding up his hand. "You have my word. I'm still hurting from that bank statement after our last outing."
"See, that would be believable if you had ever actually been a damn scout," Koga chimed in suddenly from across the room. "And we all know damn well you never were one, so you can't use that saying."
Miroku turned to rebut, arguing the fact that he was actually a scout when he was a young lad, to which Koga laughed in his face. They'd gone back and forth for several minutes and Sesshomaru found himself starting to develop the headache he had seen coming from a mile away.
"If you two are quite finished," Sesshomaru finally spoke, breaking up the fight as he allowed his cheek to rest against his fist. His patience with the two was wearing thinner and thinner by the second. He needed to get them off his phone quickly. "I will accompany you all out tonight. But, I will be taking my own car. I'm not going to be held responsible for the three of you if you get yourselves wasted to the point you can't drive yourselves home. Lyft or Uber will be your friend, this evening."
"Fine, fine," Miroku said waving the older man off. "Meet us there around seven. Feel free to bring a plus one if you want. Drinks are on Inuyasha tonight."
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes for the third time. He knew what he meant by the plus one and he refused to bring Kagura along. She was sure to cause hell if he did, "Sure. I will see you all this evening. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to end this call. I don't think I can take another one of your spats."
He reached forward, touching the screen before pressing the call end button just as Miroku was getting ready to say something else. It was bad enough that he was going to have to listen to them all night long while they were out for drinks. He didn't feel like being subjected to it right now if he could avoid it, especially without any alcohol in his system. Besides, he still had work to do before he left for the weekend and he needed to be able to think.
.bleedinglove.
Rin pulled to a stop in front of the lounge, parking her Audi next to Mai's Mercedes in the employee parking section. She wasn't at all surprised to see her boss there before her, she generally was always the first to arrive every day except the few rare occasions Rin would make it there first, like that Friday a few weeks back. She cut the ignition to her car, grabbed her bag, and stepped out of the vehicle. Locking the doors with the key fob, she made her way to the entrance of the lounge, unlocking the door with her key to the building, before walking in. When she did, she saw her boss in the middle of putting away new bottles of premium spirits and liquors, facing them, and taking inventory all at the same time.
"Good afternoon, Mai," she called, alerting the elder woman of her presence.
Mai turned, smiling at her best friend as she absently placed another bottle. "And good afternoon to you too, Rin. Anyone else here with you?"
"Nope, just me," Rin answered. "There was no one else in the parking lot other than you when I pulled up. I'm pretty sure the rest of the crew will start filtering in soon, though."
"More than likely," Mai shrugged, wiping her hands on the skirt of her dress. "They are a leisurely bunch, after all. Anyways, do you mind putting the rest of this away? I have to count the tills and the safe then make a deposit at the bank before they close. I've gotten most of it done, so there's not much left to put up before we open tonight."
"Yeah, just let me put my bag away really quick and I'll finish for you," Rin promised as she headed for the employee back room. "You go ahead and start the count. I'll keep an ear out for the others."
"Thanks a bunch," Mai before she turned to make her way into the office.
Rin quickly put away her bag, pulling her cellphone from it before heading back to the bar. She worked quickly, putting the rest of the bottles away before going to throw the box out when she heard a knock at the door. Peeking through the curtain, she smiled when she noticed Sango and Kagome standing there and pulled the door opened for them.
"Hey guys, c'mon in," Rin greeted, stepping to the side to allow room for them to enter.
"So, are we ready for another busy night tonight," Sango asked, pulling the strap of her bag over her head as they made their way to the employee back room. "I hear there's a concert going on nearby, which means tons of young adults coming in before and after the show for drinks and food."
"Sango, I seriously want you to ask yourself," Kagome laughed as she hung her bag on one of the pegs. "When are we not busy here? No matter if there's a concert going on or not."
"On Sunday's when we're closed," the other woman chuckled. "After the first year, this place definitely took off. But that's all thanks to our oh fearless leader. Speaking of, I saw her car outside, where is she?"
"She's in the office," Rin informed her. "She's counting the tills and safe then she has to head to the bank to make a deposit before they close."
"Ah, I should have known," Sango shrugged as she picked up the iPad that held all the information for reservations for that evening. "Do we have any reservations for bottle service tonight?"
"I haven't checked," Rin answered truthfully as she put the last of the bottles away. "Do you mind doing that for me? As soon as I got here, Mai asked me to finish stocking the shelves so she could do the count and make it to the bank."
"I got it covered," Sango confirmed, opening the reservations app before skimming over it to see if there were any reservations. A minute later, she closed out and replaced the iPad. "Doesn't look like anyone reserved a table for the evening. But that can always change in the next hour or so, so I'd keep an eye on it."
"Thanks Sango," Rin said as she picked up the box and started to make her way to the back where the trash compactor was. "In the meantime, I'd start getting set up for the night. Everyone else should start filtering in soon enough to help get this place ready."
"Yeah, I get the feeling it's going to be a hell of a night," Sango commented, magenta eyes glancing briefly at the clock before she went to grab ice for the ice wells. "And I'm not sure if that's in a good way or a bad way to be completely honest. We'll see though."
.bleedinglove.
Sesshomaru promptly left his office by 5pm and returned to his downtown apartment. When he'd arrived, he was relieved to find that Kagura was not there. She was probably off with her friends or with one of the many flings she didn't know he knew about. He wondered, honestly, why he kept her at his side knowing what he knew. After a much-needed shower and dressing in a pair of dark grey slacks and maroon button up, he left the apartment again and headed in the direction of Aura Night Life, which wasn't far from where he lived.
He pulled into the packed parking lot, slowly creeping through (and narrowly avoiding hitting idiots who couldn't bother to see if there was a car coming or not before they walked), he searched for a parking space until he finally found one. He parked the SUV before stepping out, closing the door behind him, and pressing the lock button on the key fob as he walked towards the entrance of the lounge. He wasn't sure if Inuyasha, Miroku and Koga had made it there yet, he hadn't seen any hints of either of their cars in the parking lot as he passed through, but then again, he didn't really expect to be able to spot them easily. The amount of Range Rovers owned in California was a vast number, and anyone could own any of the fifty or so he'd seen on his way in.
Figuring they would eventually find him, or call him (whichever came first) when they arrived, Sesshomaru made his way inside the bustling lounge. He saw the same girl that had introduced herself as the hostess when they'd come for Koga's birthday, pausing when she stepped in front of him.
"Welcome back," Hanako greeted happily. She clearly remembered him from his last visit. "Did you have another reservation?"
"Not to my knowledge," Sesshomaru answered, shaking his head.
"Ah, then would you prefer a table, or would you prefer a seat at the bar," the brown-haired girl asked, picking up a menu and tucking it in the crook of her arm.
"A seat at the bar, preferably," Sesshomaru responded. "We may need to be moved to a table once my friends and brother arrive."
"Gotcha, follow me," she said, gesturing for him to follow as she made a beeline for the bar.
Sesshomaru followed, reaching her as she sat the menu down on the counter top before stepping to the side. "You can have this seat here. Take some time to look over the menu and wave one of the girls over when you're ready to order."
"Thank you," he nodded before taking a seat and opening the menu.
"When I happen to see your friends, I'll send them your way," Hanako called over her shoulder as she walked away again to resume her post.
He wanted to tell her not to do him any favours, but in the end, decided against it. He had promised that he would join them for drinks and food for the evening. Which meant that he would actually have to see them face to face once they finally arrived.
He'd been busy looking over the menu when she passed by, briefly stopping when she noticed him.
"Oh, you're back," he'd heard her say, prompting him to glance up from the placard he'd carefully been eying. "Didn't bring your friends along this time, I see."
He recognized her almost instantly. She was the manager that had come to gauge their experience. Though, he's sure he didn't catch her name the last time that he had been there. "I'm waiting for them to arrive, actually."
She "ah'd", nodding her head in understanding. "Well, if you need anything, just let us know."
"Thank you," he murmured before she walked away again, probably to do whatever it was she had been on her way to do before she stopped to speak to him.
He watched her go from the corner of his eye, watching her as she interacted with several patrons that had stopped to speak with her. Clearly, they were regulars as they'd spoken like (what he assumed) old friends before she was moving about the space again.
"Doing alright," he heard a voice ask, turning to glance at the blonde who had made her way over to him. "You've been looking at the menu for a while now, having a tough time deciding?"
"Somewhat," Sesshomaru answered.
"If I may," she asked, and he gestured for her to go ahead. She pointed to something on the menu and he glanced down at it. "If you're a fan of artichoke, I suggest trying to artichoke dip. It's a custom recipe from the big boss herself. It's a fan favourite of many patrons that frequent this place, and compliments well with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc wine. It's one of my favourite combos when I come in on my days off."
Sesshomaru hummed, thinking over her suggestion before he nodded his head. "I will try it, thank you."
"Of course," the blonde said waving one of the severs over.
A woman with long, crimson coloured hair that reached her hips even when tied in a ponytail came over. "What's up Kirara? Need something?"
"Can you put in an order for artichoke dip with the kitchen for this gentleman," the woman, Kirara, answered. The other nodded, writing it down in her pad before she turned to walk away. "Thanks Asami."
"No problem," Asami called over her shoulder as she disappeared through the kitchen entrance.
Kirara turned back to Sesshomaru, "I'll be right back with your wine."
"Thank you," Sesshomaru responded.
.bleedinglove.
"One of our guests from a few weeks ago that had ordered bottle service is back," Rin told Mai, who she had cornered while making her rounds.
"Which one," Mai asked before she turned to shake another person's hand who had walked up to her to thank her for the evening. "Thank you, come again soon!"
"The eldest Taisho brother," Rin answered as they both turned to walk away.
"Sesshomaru Taisho," Mai asked, irking a brow. "There was no sign of the other three? It's a rarity to see him out without his brother and their two friends."
"I asked about that," Rin laughed. "He's waiting for them to show up. From what I saw though, I don't think they're ordering bottle service this evening. The only reservation for bottle service we have tonight is for that rapper or whatever they are whose concert is going on a few blocks away and their entourage. I already let Kagome and the girls know."
"Oh boy," Mai sighed, "I pray to whatever deity that is listening that we don't have a similar incident to the one that happened a while back the last time we had a music artist in here. That was a nightmare."
"If he hadn't grabbed Sango the way that he did when she went to check how everything was going, he wouldn't have gotten punched in the nose," Rin defended.
"Oh I know that," Mai laughed. "I wasn't referring to Sango's reaction. I was referring to him screaming like a little girl over the blood that got on his clean white tee-shirt. He got exactly what he deserved in my opinion. You should never grab a woman you don't know without her consent in the manner that he did."
"That was a nightmare," Rin agreed. She turned her head when she heard someone call her name, her brow rising. "Looks like we've got some trouble. I'll be back, the last thing we need is a fight breaking out in this place and someone causing unnecessary damage to the lounge."
"Oh goodness, please do," Mai grumbled, shaking her head as she turned to walk away.
Rin could hear her mumbling something about idiots trying to destroy her business and what she would do to anyone who dared try. Rin, in the end, concluded that her best friend of twenty-five years was a scary woman when pissed off. She would hate to see what would happen to those upstarts if they got into a fight and Mai managed to get her hands on them. She'd probably kill them.
.bleedinglove.
Sesshomaru was more than peeved when two hours passed and there was no sign of his brother or their friends. They had been the ones to invite him out, had they not? So, why would they decide to not show? He could have stayed at home and caught up on some of his work that he needed to do instead of wasting time waiting at the bar for them.
Thankfully, the bartenders had been pleasant, making sure that he was tended to whenever they noticed his cup was empty. He was currently seated with the owner beside him, who had come out for something to eat after making her rounds and checking in on the guests that inhabited her establishment. She was pleasant enough, he'd decided, and held a steady conversation, never missing a beat when she was asked a question or responding with one of her own.
"What made you want to go into the bar business," Sesshomaru inquired, irking a brow as he took another sip of his wine that had been refilled for the third time that evening.
"Being a bartender at Kenji's in college had been the trigger," Mai informed him after swallowing the bite of her chicken wing she'd taken. "I've always been a people person and thoroughly enjoyed dabbling in mixology whenever my parents would host gatherings at the mansion and allowed me to prepare drinks for their guests. Of course, they didn't exactly agree with my choice of career. Their very public disownment of me after I informed them of my choice to go into the bar business instead of medicine like they'd hoped was front page news for quite a while."
"I remember hearing of it," Sesshomaru recalled. "Father was just as baffled as the rest of the world when the public found out about it."
"I was baffled myself," Mai chuckled. "Never in a million years would I have thought that my parents would have disowned me because I decided to follow my own career choice and not what they hoped I would be. But, well, here we are. Honestly, I think it helped business more than hurt it. Everyone wanted to come to the place owned by the disowned Takahashi daughter."
"A blessing in disguise," Sesshomaru mused.
"Indeed," Mai hummed before turning her head when she heard her name being called. When she did, she saw Rin making her way towards her. "Rin, what is it? Something wrong?"
"Kagome is requesting your assistance with the bottle service party we have here tonight," Rin explained. "It seems some of their entourage have gotten a bit rowdy and are hellbent on giving the girls a hard time."
"Wonderful, this is just what I need tonight," Mai said as she stood, taking the basket of finished wings along with her. She turned to Sesshomaru and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, our conversation is going to have to be cut short. I have a little dispute to attend to. Enjoy the rest of your evening and thank you for coming, even if your brother and friends never showed."
Sesshomaru nodded in thanks, "Of course. Perhaps the next time our paths cross we can finish our conversation."
"I look forward to it," Mai said as she turned to leave. She paused and leaned over to speak to Rin. "Make sure Mr. Taisho is taken care of for the remainder of his stay."
"Of course," Rin nodded before the other woman was off to help take care of the issue going on in the bottle service area. Rin turned back to Sesshomaru, who had been watching the exchange between herself and Mai. She smiled pleasantly as she made her way behind the counter. "Is there anything else that I can get you, Mr. Taisho?"
"Sesshomaru," he corrected, "And yes, a refill of the wine, please. As well as another order of your artichoke dip. It is.. delicious."
Rin smiled, turning to make her way to the kitchen, "Of course."
She disappeared into the kitchen to place his order, leaving Sesshomaru alone and unaware of a certain ruby eyed woman's presence behind him until she spoke.
"So, this is where you went," Kagura huffed, garnering Sesshomaru's attention. "And who is that woman? She your new girlfriend or something? Is that what we're doing now, Sesshomaru. We're going after bartenders like you don't already have someone waiting at home for you?"
Sesshomaru turned slowly, coming face to face with his current girlfriend and pain in the ass: Kagura. He really wished Inuyasha, Miroku and Koga had shown up like they were supposed to now. Maybe then she wouldn't have jumped to whatever conclusion she just did.
