Alexander Lightwood had drowned himself in the manuscript so deep that it took a louder series of knocks on his office door to pull him out of it,
'Come in!' It was Isabelle Lightwood, Alec's sister. She was as usual, dressed to impress and she was slightly irritated at Alec's late response,
'Mom is calling for you in the conference room.' Alec frowned,
'Not when I'm neck deep in Santiago's sequel to his first book.'
'It's important.' Alec notices Isabelle beaming,
'Judging by your look, it seems the agent is here.' Isabelle smirks,
'And he's not alone, he's carrying some great news.' Alec gets up from his seat, placing the manuscript carefully on the table,
'Fine let's see what news does he have for us.' Alec wanted this to end quickly because he couldn't wait to dive back into the manuscript he was reading. He was thinking about how the sequel was way better than the first one and he couldn't wait to discuss it with the author. He walked into the conference room noticing his mother speaking to the agent in a navy-blue suit with the familiar blue-dyed fringes complimenting his shoulder length black curly hair. Alec acknowledges him,
'Meliorn.' Meliorn smiles,
'Alexander, long time no see.' Alec takes the seat next to his mother,
'So, what's the news?' Meliorn keeps his palms on the table and leans forward,
'Okay so an author had called me up personally to inform publishing houses about the book he's writing. He has provided me with the first few chapters which I have already sent out to the major publishing houses, including yours.' Maryse Lightwood curiously asks,
'Who is this person?' Meliorn did the action of zipping up his lips,
'I'm not allowed to disclose his identity yet.' Alec chuckles,
'What is he scared of?' Meliorn gives him a serious look,
'Trust me on this, he's not scared. It's just one of his whims.' Alec could very well understand that this book must be something because it is rare to see Meliorn excited about anything so much. He gazes up at Andrew who's sitting silently, listening to everyone,
'How is it Andrew?' Andrew is surprised at being addressed but clears his throat and says,
'It's very natural to be excited about this book, I went through the first few chapters that Meliorn had sent over last night and I'm hooked.' Andrew sighs, 'The author's words are literally magic.'
Melion grins,
'Told you.' Alec trusts the capability of Andrew fully, being the one who had recruited him few months back. Alec wonders what is so different about this author when Maryse asks,
'How much is he demanding?' Meliorn simply laughs a short laugh and says,
'He's not in it for the money. He has only one condition.'
'What is it?'
'Well, he expects a page each from every publishing house with their interpretation of his work.' Alec figured it out,
'So, whichever one he likes best, he'll work with them?'
'Exactly.' Meliorn gets up from the table 'I need to rush now but send it to me as soon as possible. You would definitely want your hands on this one.' Alec nods at him and shakes his hand. Meliorn gives a peck on Isabelle's cheek before leaving,
'Bye darling.' Isabelle smiles and walks him out of the building.
Before Alec could leave Maryse puts a hand on his shoulder,
'Son, you know that we are going through crisis and though Robert is trying to convince investors, we really need this book.' Alec nods,
'I'll be on it, mother.' Maryse smiles proudly at her son. Alec goes to Andrew before retiring to his office,
'Hey, could you send the manuscript to me?' Andrew smiles,
'Already done, Mr. Lightwood.' Alec thanks him briefly and rushes to his office to start working on the new manuscript.
He says to himself 'I'm putting down Santiago for this mysterious author, it better be good.' And when Alec was done reading the manuscript, it was already half-past midnight and he could say he was not at all disappointed. In fact, he admitted to himself that he had never read a manuscript like that, though incomplete. It wasn't a normal travelogue. The author wrote about his travel experiences in a mind-blowing writing style. Every chapter had a poem in the beginning, words of which could hit you straight in the heart. Alec had already made several notes on the manuscript, especially the poems which superficially told about the beauty and uniqueness of a place but on digging deep you'll find his words telling about different feelings and how amazing they are if one takes time to look inside themselves. Alec couldn't wait to meet the person who had such beautiful thoughts.
His growling stomach made him realize that he had skipped lunch. He quickly arranged the notes he had made for the manuscript and kept them inside the drawer, promising himself to write his interpretation by the next day and send it to Meliorn.
He was about to leave when he saw the lights still on inside an office cabin. He walked in to find Jace-his adopted brother- with his eyes glued to the computer and a mug of coffee on his table. Jace looked up to reveal the tiredness below his eyes,
'I thought I was the only one working late.' Alec smiled,
'So did I. But you never work late, what happened today?' Jace's shoulders drooped,
'Well, I have to make this presentation ready for tomorrow to show you guys how exactly deep we are in the abyss. Maryse didn't tell you?' Alec nodded,
'She did.' They exchange worried glances, 'Unless you want anything, I'm going to head out.'
'No, I'm fine, get some sleep man. You've been working hard.' Alec smiles and pats his shoulder before leaving his cabin.
Walking out of the building, the words of the manuscript made way into his mind unconsciously. Somehow, the words made him smile. For a few hours, the manuscript had taken him to another world. He took a taxi to his home and decided that he'll listen to the music recommended along with the chapters before going to bed.
He and his family lived in a two-storied huge house bigger than enough to accommodate his family of six people.
Alec didn't want to ring the bell, lest he disturbs anyone so he lets himself in with the spare key he has. He dashed into the kitchen to drink some water and to see if there is any leftover food in the fridge.
As he drank the water, he came out to living room to find Isabelle asleep on the sofa, in a cocktail dress. He sighs to himself thinking that his mother will be surely pissed to see her daughter like this in the morning so he picked her up in his arms, careful not to disturb her and took her to her bedroom, and placed her on her bed. He closed the door behind him and went back to the kitchen.
Munching on his ham sandwich, Alec goes to his room and closes his sound proof door behind him. He quickly connects his phone to the Bluetooth speakers on the walls of the huge room. He opens his e-mail to download the soft copy of the manuscript in his phone. He scrolls to the end of the manuscript to find the full playlist created by the author on Spotify. He taps the play button and identifies the music to be one of his favorites. The Girl with Flaxen Hair plays softly while he changes into t-shirt and sweatpants for the night. He groans as Debussy continues to please his ears and when his face buries itself into the pillow, slowly Liszt enters and helps him drift to sleep.
2.
Cross-legged with a glass of whiskey in his hand, he's sitting calmly on the sofa, in his office (big enough to be someone's apartment). As he sipped on his drink (a daytime drink, that is), the event manager kept rambling on about the details of the party Magnus Bane was about to host at his home in a few days' time. Before the event manager could go on, Magnus cuts her short,
'Don't waste my time anymore dear, send all the necessary details over to Catarina. I have full faith in you.' The event manger blushed, obviously charmed by this extremely handsome man who also happens to be a billionaire. News on his time-to-time flings with men and women both, keep hitting the media but so does his success with Bane Industries and his lavish parties. The event manager quietly leaves the office, knowing that she won't be required anymore.
Magnus sighed at the sight of his empty but beautiful office. It indeed was a tiring task to be the CEO of such a massive group of companies. Be it telecommunication, IT, publishing, fashion, etc., Bane Industries covered it all. However, from the beginning of his childhood, the only thing he had found solace in was writing. However, his father had different plans for Magnus. He ended up studying business and then taking over his father's chair as the CEO.
The idea of writing a book didn't strike him until he went overseas for a month-long vacation alone. At the end of the day before surrendering to sleep, he would write a page or two about his travel experiences and what were they teaching him. It helped ease the hollow inside him. One that been created a long time ago. This emptiness would eat him inside out till he took to drinking and sleeping with the nearest human, and it slightly helped.
Catarina (his best friend, PA and also his housekeeper) was the one who had persuaded him to publish his manuscript after being awed by her best friend's talent. But being the type of person, he was, he decided not to let his publishing house publish his book. Oh no, that would be too easy and he wanted a game.
His phone buzzed and he picked up,
'Magnus Bane speaking.'
'It's me Mr. Bane, Meliorn. I just called to inform you that the last entry is in. Lightwood Publishing has sent over their interpretation.'
'Oh, a perfect timing at that. I am done reading with the others and though they were good, they really didn't have what I was searching for. I'm looking forward to being surprised by the Lightwoods.'
'Yeah I hope so. I'm excited to know which house will be getting your manuscript.' Magnus chuckles,
'Now, don't be so impatient my dear Meliorn.' Catarina had entered the office and was glaring at him and pointing at her watch. 'So, if you don't mind, I'd rather hang up now- I have a meeting to attend to.'
'Yeah of course Mr. Bane. And if you need anything, you know how to reach me.' Magnus swears that he could feel the smirk on Meliorn's face right through the fucking phone. Nonetheless, Magnus keeps the phone away. He could feel Catarina's anger emanating throughout the office. Magnus sighs,
'What is it?' She folds her arms,
'You tell me, you're the one who has put off his meeting with the board of directors to organize your little house party.'
'First of all, its not going to be little and second of all it's not like they'll eat me up if I keep them waiting.'
'You do realize that your father is on the board.' He smiles his wicked smile,
'Exactly why I keep them waiting. To get on his nerves.'
'I see you have not come out of your rebellious teenager phase yet.' Magnus reaches out to hook his arm with hers,
'Oh please, that's a topic for another day. Now, let's go and meet my old man.'
After what felt like an endless number of meetings, Magnus poured himself a drink and retired to his chair. It was almost the end of the day and soon he would have to go home. He decided to read the last interpretation to see if it was any good.
When he was done reading, he was quite impressed. He loved the way the editor paid attention to the small things that even he himself didn't realize he had written. The editor saw through the poetic lines and how they were an attempt to erase emptiness. Only a hollow as deep as his could help write about feelings he wishes would fill him up.
There was a small note at the end of the page.
P.S. The musical taste of the author is very appreciable.
He smiled at the knowledge that he had found his editor.
3.
Raphael Santiago sat across from Alec in the conference room, obviously amused at the sight of the latter rambling about how good the sequel to his book was. After Alec was done, Raphael acknowledged him and said,
'So, when will I be getting my advance?' Alec was taken aback. Raphael was famous for being straightforward but even after knowing the crisis they were in, Alec considered it to be harsh for him to demand the advance. Before Alec could say anything, Jace tells Raphael,
'Look, we need some time. We already have Robert speaking to different investors. The moment, cash starts rolling in, we'll give you your advance so you have nothing to worry about.' Raphael chuckles,
'I have nothing to worry about anyway. It's true that you published my first book but it won't stop me from accepting offers from other publishing houses.' Raphael gets up from the table and gestures at his watch, 'Time is ticking, Mr. Lightwood.' He walks away before any of them could say anything.
Alec pinches the bridge of his nose,
'If we lose him, we're done for.' Jace puts his hand on Alec's shoulder,
'Don't worry Alec, I'm sure it'll be alright.' Alec picks up his buzzing phone to hear a calm female voice on the other side,
'Hello, am I speaking to Alexander Lightwood?' Confusion overclouds Alec's face,
'Um, yeah. Who is this?'
'I'm Catarina Loss. I called you up to let you know that your interpretation has been selected and the author would like to work with Lightwood Publishing House.' Alec could feel joy spreading like heat through his body,
'May I know who is the author?'
'Magnus Bane, CEO of Bane Industries is the author.' Catarina pauses but before Alec can digest the information she continues, 'He would like to meet you today at his office at 5:15 p.m. sharp. I'll text you the address.'
'Hold on, you mean the Magnus Bane is the author? The billionaire?' Catarina couldn't contain a laugh but says,
'Yes, your doubts will be cleared once you visit our office today.'
'Yeah okay, I'll be there.' Jace and Isabelle were glaring at his face when Isabelle spoke up,
'Don't tell me, my brother's interpretation got selected?' A smile grew on Alec's face,
'Yes Izzy.' Relief flooded through Jace and he got up to hug his brother,
'I'm so glad, Alec.' Jace chuckles, 'And wow, Magnus Bane is the author of something so terrific? Who would have guessed?'
Izzy smirked,
'Mother will be definitely shocked.' Alec was indeed happy but at the same time he felt a conflict between his feelings. His family absolutely loathed Magnus Bane. Along with his infamous deeds, his publishing house had also stolen many of Lightwood's original authors. He knew that Magnus Bane did not personally give out orders to steal their authors by offering them more money but still he felt this rage towards him that he couldn't explain. At the same time, when he remembered the manuscript and its beautiful words made way to his mind, the excitement of meeting the author returned.
Rest of the day Alec felt as jittery as a child high on sugar. He couldn't concentrate on any manuscript. He had already checked that it would take 30 minutes to reach Magnus Bane's office so when it was 4:30 p.m., he left the office and took a taxi to the office.
Alec entered the skyscraper that was the head office of Bane Industries exactly at 5:05 p.m. He made his way to the brunette receptionist,
'Uh hey, I'm Alexander Lightwood, I'm supposed to meet with Mr. Bane?'
'Yeah okay, just take a seat while I let Ms. Loss know that you're here.' There were many sofas scattered around the ground floor and Alec chose to sit on a long grey one to wait to be called upon. After a few minutes of admiring the interior designing of the ground floor, Alec noticed a woman in a pencil skirt approach him,
'Mr. Lightwood?' Alec stands up to shake her hand.
'Yeah, that's me.' She smiles,
'I'm Catarina. We talked over phone? Yes, so I'll escort you to Mr. Bane's office, he's waiting on you.'
They took the elevator and Catarina pressed the button of what seemed like the topmost floor. Alec chuckled to himself and thought how cliché that was.
Although Alec knew everything about 'the notorious Magnus Bane', he never really had bothered to look at his picture. He felt a weird sensation that made his skin tingle when he realized that this will be the first time, he'll actually get to see Magnus Bane in person.
Alec walked along with Catarina through a hallway that seemed to be endless but then stopped before a set of doors. Catarina pushed open the door for Alec to enter,
'Go ahead.'
Alec entered the office to find himself gazing at the beauty of the vast office. One-half of the office was just glass through which you could see the city, and a figure was leaning against it with a glass in hand. When the figure turned, Alec couldn't take his eyes off him. Dark purple shirt with the first few buttons open just enough to not be inappropriate with a black jacket over it. A few necklaces dangled across his bare neck. Kohl lined his eyes, hair gelled into spikes and a goatee to complete the look. Magnus spoke up in his smooth voice,
'Alexander Lightwood.'
'Alec will be just fine.' Magnus walks over to his drinks cabinet and looks at Alec,
'Would you like a drink? I hate drinking alone.'
'Um, no I'll pass.' Magnus poured a drink and approached Alec. They were close enough for Alec to be able to hear Magnus' rings clink against the glass. He hands over the drink to Alec,
'I insist,' Magnus makes a dramatic pause, 'Alexander.' Alec reluctantly takes the glass and momentarily Magnus' fingers brush over his. Magnus takes his seat on the sofa and gestures to Alec to sit too. Not knowing anything else to say he sits on the sofa's other end,
'I really liked your manuscript Mr. Bane.' Magnus smiled,
'And I liked your interpretation. This is my first time, so you have to tell me how this editor-author thing works.' Alec felt a tad dizzy though he hadn't even taken one sip from his drink, and stuttered,
'Y-yeah sure, n-no problem.'
'Are you okay, Alexander?' Alec felt a hand on his shoulder. He jerked Magnus' hand away as a reflex and realizing that instant what he had done, said,
'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm just not used to-' Magnus chuckles,
'Relax, it's alright.' Alec wishes he could be as relaxed and calm as Magnus who was currently slumped against the sofa, sipping on his drink, without a care in the world.
Magnus wished to know why the eldest son of the Lightwood family seemed so on edge. Alec clasps his hands together and focuses,
'So, basically you write pages for me, I make notes for corrections or improvement of writing style and language, and then I discuss it with you.'
'Then, we have to meet on a regular basis?'
'Not necessarily, and we can discuss it on phone or Skype as well when required.' Magnus stands up,
'Well, call me old-school but I'd rather do it face-to-face.' He knew he wanted to see more of this dark-haired, hazel-eyed mysterious man. Magnus could feel the chains binding Alec, and surprisingly it seemed no one had dared to free him of them.
Alec finally takes a sip of the drink and gulps it down,
'Yeah sure, if that's what you want.' Alec looks at Magnus checking his phone and then adds, 'You have to come by our office on any convenient day to discuss with the Marketing Executive on how much you would like to get paid.' Magnus swats the air,
'You really think I'm doing this for money?' Alec shrugs,
'Don't people only do things for the money involved?'
'Well, I'm not one of those people you're referring to.' Little did Alec know that Magnus had solely written this book to find someone who would understand him, look through the hollow inside him. Alec smiles and shakes his hand,
'Anyway, the paycheck we give you would probably just be a drop in your vast ocean.' Magnus who was leaning against his desk, laughs,
'Rightly pointed.' Alec stands up from the sofa,
'If you don't have anything else to ask me, I'd better leave now.' Alec keeps the glass he had been holding, on Magnus' table. Magnus keeps his phone down,
'Wait. I just texted Catarina to put you on the guest list for the party I'm hosting next week. She'll send the date, time and my house address to you. I'll be glad if you come.'
'Yeah okay, cool. What's the party for?' Magnus' face melted into a warm smile,
'It's my cat's birthday.' Alec grins,
'Yeah sure, I'll be there.' Magnus reaches out to shake Alec's hand. When Alec takes his hand, he feels Magnus' warmth spread throughout his body. He almost shivers on the loss of contact.
As he walks out the door, he hears Magnus say,
'Until next time, Alexander.'
4.
Alec looked at his reflection on the mirror, wondering why he had agreed to go to the party that the CEO of Bane Industries was hosting for his pet cat. He has only been to book launch parties and to events that an editor needs to go, but only for professional reasons. He never drank at any party, never danced, never loosened up. And as Isabelle always pointed out, it was probably because he couldn't afford a moment of vulnerability in front of unknown faces and known faces alike.
Isabelle has been to tons of parties and so has Jace, being the social butterflies of the publishing house but he'd rather sit with a book with a steaming cup of black coffee with him, and soft classical pieces playing to his ears.
When Alec asked Isabelle to accompany him to the party, she readily agreed on one condition that she pick his outfit for the night. So here was Isabelle rummaging through his closet and cursing her brother,
'You have a pathetic closet, big brother.' Alec groans,
'If you're going to complain about my poor sense of style, forgive me because I don't have a wardrobe allowance like you.' Isabelle rolled her eyes,
'A wardrobe allowance is not required to buy decent clothes.'
'Ugh…leave it, I'll just wear a pair of jeans and a shirt that's not too crumpled to be noticed.' Isabelle didn't reply, having found the perfect attire for her brother. Holding up the blue silk shirt like a trophy of victory in front of her,
'I guess, my brother does own something that is not a cotton shirt or loafers.'
'Gosh! Izzy, I don't think that fits anymore, I haven't worn that in ages.' Isabelle smirked,
'What's the fun if it's not a tad tight?' Isabelle opened the door to the cupboard that had Alec's jackets and blazers, 'A black blazer would absolutely look lovely with that silk.'
Alec did admit that his sister had a good taste in men's clothing but he won't ever say that out loud.
Isabelle left him to get dressed, and to get dressed herself. Alec wore the silk shirt to realize that it fits him like a glove. He was used to wearing loose shirts, so it made him a bit uncomfortable. Nonetheless, he wasn't going to change into anything else as all hell would break loose if he did. He donned the black blazer that Isabelle had suggested and wore matching black trousers.
Alec left his room to find Isabelle and Jace chatting in the living room. He noticed that Isabelle had side-swept hair and was wearing a maroon V-neck dress, complimenting her cleavage, obviously. Jace is the first to notice Alec,
'I must say, I'm a bit offended that you're taking Isabelle instead of me.' Alec looked over at Isabelle and then back at Jace,
'Um, it's just that Izzy has been to one of his parties before so…' Jace's face breaks into a laughter,
'Relax bro, I'm just kidding. Go and have some fun.'
'Yeah about that, Izzy, don't you think we should leave now?' Isabelle rolled her eyes,
'It's a party, not a meeting. Party's at 8 and now it's 7, we just need to be there by 9.'
A small figure came running and clung itself to Alec's leg,
'Where are you guys going?' Alec smiled at his little brother,
'At a party, Max.' Max released his big brother and scowled,
'Wow, and I get to stay and do homework.' Jace laughs,
'I'm her stuck with you, kiddo.' Max pointed a finger at him,
'Never ever call me that again.' Max grins, 'Or I'll have to tell them.' Jace tenses and reaches out to Max and puts a hand against his mouth and whispers in Max's ears,
'Buddy, I got some chocolate cake for you. It's in the fridge.' Max leaves them to rush to the kitchen. When Jace gets up from his crouching position, he faces two glaring pair of eyes directed at him. Isabelle asks,
'Are you hiding something from us, Jace?' Jace raises his hands,
'Fine, but don't tell Maryse.' Alec knits his eyebrows,
'Don't tell mom what?' Jace sighs,
'Last week, I had gone to pick up Max from school and I kind of ended up flirting with his class teacher.' Isabelle's mouth forms a perfect-o and Alec shrugs,
'I have to believe that you just flirted with her?' Jace smirks,
'Yes, Alec I slept with her.' As Jace leaves the living room, Alec and Isabelle hear him say, 'Twice.'
Isabelle shakes her head,
'Guess, it's a good idea to reach early. I really could use a drink or two.' Alec grins,
'You could use some Meliorn too.' Isabelle gets up from the couch and takes Alec's arm,
'You're right Alec, I could.'
Magnus Bane, for the first time wasn't exactly enjoying his party, though everyone else seemed to be absolutely loving his party. Chairman Meow had disappeared somewhere (maybe under his bed) to avoid all the chaos. He sat gloomily at the open bar next to the pool, and drowned himself in a martini. The bartender, Maia, was curious as to why the life of the party had become so lifeless,
'Are you alright there, Magnus?' He scowled,
'The party's boring.' Magnus followed Maia's gaze and saw Alec awkwardly making his way through the crowd. Maia gasped,
'Hot damn!' Magnus agreed,
'I know right. He's my editor.' Maia rolled her eyes,
'I meant the girl, not the Burj Khalifa.' Magnus noticed now that he was with a beautiful girl. He wondered who that was. Replying to Maia, he said,
'That Burj Khalifa you're talking about is no less delicious than Tom Ellis.' Maia laughs,
'You're kidding, right?' Magnus shakes his head and leaves the bar to greet the new arrival.
Isabelle reached her hand out to shake Magnus',
'Magnus Bane in the flesh. What a pleasure!' Magnus smiled,
'Pleasure's all mine.' He looked over at Alec who looked absolutely gorgeous in his new look, 'Alexander.' Alec gestured towards Isabelle,
'This is my sister, Isabelle Lightwood, an extremely competent social strategist.' Magnus grins,
'In that case I'd love to steal her from your publishing house.' Isabelle smirks,
'As much as I'd love that, well, family is first.' She whispers to Magnus, 'No matter how low the pay might be.' Alec rolled his eyes,
'I heard that and if you really think that, why don't you talk to dad?' Magnus and Isabelle break into laughter. Magnus leans in towards Isabelle,
'Is your brother always this serious?' Isabelle chuckles,
'You'll have to bear him for some time now, find out for yourself.' Alec rolls his eyes,
'Are you done Izzy?' Isabelle caught Meliorn waving at her from the bar,
'Well I guess so. Now, I hope both of you'll excuse me. I'll go and get a drink for myself.' Magnus smirks,
'Knock yourself out, my dear.'
Alexander's eyes followed his sister's path but he looked back at Magnus and took in his noticeable beauty. Magnus was wearing a heavily embroidered Indian kurta and he looked just majestic. Not knowing what else to say to break the silence, Alec says,
'Your house if just…amazing.'
'It better be, I still remember the hefty amount I had paid the architect.' Magnus puts a hand on Alec's shoulder, 'Do you want to grab a bite? The caterer hired is one of the best in New York.' Alec nodded and Magnus leaded him to the awfully large dining room which was quite empty. Alec took a plate to fill it with some sort of pasta salad. Magnus looks questioningly,
'Just a salad?' Alec pursed his lips,
'Uh…not that hungry actually.' Magnus' eyes were stuck to his phone,
'If you say so.' Alec thought about how a true millennial Magnus was, noticing his usage of phone. But then again, he was managing such a big empire, he probably always has work to do, meetings to attend, etc.
Magnus had kept his phone long back and they were now conversing about literature and travelling and music. Magnus shared that it's been tough reading fiction in middle of managing such a big business. Alec confessed that he has never left New York which totally took Magnus by surprise. Somehow, the party that was boring for Magnus had suddenly become quite enjoyable with Alec's company.
The room started filling up as hunger started to claw at people's stomachs. The music which was faint until now had become unbearable for Alec. Magnus sensing his discomfort,
'I'm sorry, music system is installed just everywhere around the house. When people started coming in, the party manager probably switched to the speakers in the dining room.' Alec chews down a mouthful,
'It's okay.' Magnus had to raise his voice owing to the loud music,
'Do you want to go to my room? It's completely soundproof.' Alec yelled back,
'Yes, okay.' Alec followed Magnus, making his way up the stairs. When Magnus closed the door behind them, Alec sighed in relief. Magnus took a seat in the enormous couch while Alec stood with his back against the door. There was a drinks cabinet, Alec noticed. Alec shakes his head 'That back there…not my scene.' Magnus looked over at the handsome man, who clearly was uncomfortable amidst loud music and the crowd,
'Yeah, I could sense that.' Alec chuckles,
'Is it that obvious?' Magnus got up,
'Kind of.' He opens the drinks cabinet, 'Take a seat, I'll make a drink for you and me.' Alec nodded and made himself comfortable on the couch. Magnus handed him a glass,
'Do you want some music?' Alec shakes his head,
'No, not at all.' Magnus chuckles and hands Alec his phone with Spotify open,
'Your choice.' Alec sighed and searched for Franz Liszt. He played the music when he found it. Magnus sat beside him and propped his feet up the small cushiony stool in front of him. Magnus smiled,
'Consolation no.3, I'm guessing you're a Liszt fan?' Alec shrugs,
'You could say so.' They talked about various things and music kept shuffling between Liszt, Scriabin, Debussy, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, so on and so forth. Both of them were enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. In spite of the size of the couch, they had ended up sitting quite close to each other.
When the music ended abruptly, it pulled back both of them into reality. Magnus leaned in towards Alec and Alec's pulse rate quickened, he kept the glass on the table in front of them and got up. Alec wondered what just happened. He realized it was quite late,
'Um…I think I should go and find my sister. But thank you, it was an amazing party.' Magnus smiled,
'Yeah…it was nice.'
5.
After having found Isabelle who was mildly drunk, Alec let himself out of Magnus' house holding Isabelle's hand. A blonde man in uniform approached them,
'You must be Mr. Lightwood. I'm George and Mr. Bane asked me to drop you at your place.' He gestured at a grey sleek car parked in the driveway. Alec was going to refuse when Isabelle spoke up,
'Thank you so much George. Please let Mr. Bane know that we're grateful.' George nodded and started walking towards the car. Isabelle pulled her brother towards the car.
Once they were inside the car and Alec had given the driver their address, he looked outside the window to see the city and its beauty at night. Isabelle was scrolling through her Instagram feed and keeping her eyes glued to the gadget asked Alec,
'So, while I was drinking my ass off and laughing at the bartender's jokes, where were you?' Alec looked at his sister scrolling and double-tapping away,
'Uh…I was with Magnus Bane.' Isabelle had to deprive the phone of her attention to stare at her brother wide-eyed,
'The whole time?' Alec clenched his fist,
'Yeah, why?'
'Let me get this straight, the person you were with is the Magnus Bane and you want me to believe he was with my boring brother the whole time?' Alec scowled,
'I'm not—' Before he could finish, Isabelle interrupted,
'Wait…did you guys do something?' Alec could feel the heat rise to his cheeks,
'No, what are you talking about? He's our author and we were just talking…and drinking.' Isabelle again focused on her phone and scrolled rapidly,
'I think I have to believe you because the Magnus Bane who posts millions of stories and posts when he's hosting a party hasn't posted anything tonight literally.'
'Can you stop calling him the Magnus Bane, Izzy?' Isabelle rolled her eyes and went back to browsing through her feed.
When they reached home at around midnight, Maryse, Robert and Jace were seated in the living room. Alec was surprised to see his father,
'When did you come?' Robert smiled at him and stood up to give his son a hug,
'Just a few hours back when you and Isabelle were out.' Robert paused to look at Maryse and then back at his son, 'We need to talk.' Alec nodded and realized that during their exchange, Isabelle had long disappeared. Anyway, he was slightly relieved that he wouldn't have to face any kind of conflict between a drunk Isabelle and their mother.
Alec sat beside Jace who looked very relaxed. Maryse had her lips pursed as her eyes followed her husband who took a seat from across Alec and Jace, and then looked at Alec,
'Your father has some news that he wanted to share with us.' Alec crossed his legs and looked at Robert,
'So, what is it?' Robert locked his fingers and leaned forward,
'I managed to convince Gia Penhallow to invest in our publishing house.' Alec's face broke into a smile,
'That is great news. I knew you would be able to do something.' Maryse smiled at her husband,
'Yes, this is absolutely great.' Robert got up,
'Well, Gia will be sending a woman to supervise the proceedings in our office from tomorrow. Her name is Lydia Branwell.' Jace nodded,
'Yeah sure, we'll make sure she's satisfied with us.'
Magnus lay awake that night for a long time after the party was over. It wasn't the first time that he was up late but it definitely was the first time he was up late without a glass of alcohol in his hand. It was the first time he had enjoyed the party for a completely different reason than the party itself. It was the first time he hadn't ended up in bed with someone after a party.
He was trying to remember the conversations he had with Alec but he couldn't recall the words. He could only remember the music and the way he felt when he was near him. After so many years, it felt as if newfound feelings were consuming the hollow inside him, slowly. He couldn't label the feelings but he remembered what Catarina had told him after everyone had left,
'I might have been busy the whole night but I did see that smile on your face when you were in the dining room with Alec,' she put a hand on Magnus' cheek, 'Magnus, it's been a long time since I saw you that happy. All I'm asking you is to not completely ignore your heart.'
Magnus took out his phone and opened his contacts. Alec's name was in the recently added numbers group. He had taken the number from Catarina after his first meeting with Alec but he hadn't used it since then. After a lot of thinking, he decided on the words he wanted to text to Alec
Thank you for the lovely company last evening. Hope you have a great day ahead.
Delivered 3:08
Magnus saw the time and realized that Alec might be sleeping at this hour. He selected the playlist that had been generated by Spotify based on the music he had listened to with Alec, and slowly drifted to sleep.
6.
Alec woke up to the warm sunlight peeking through the slit between the curtains. He reached out for the glass of water on his bedside cabinet and set it back down after taking a sip. He propped up his pillow against the headboard and leant against it while he checked his phone. He saw a message notification from Magnus and clicked on it.
Thank you for the lovely company last evening. Hope you have a great day ahead.
Received 3:08
He smiled at the text and for a moment, relived last night's memory. He was so tired that he hadn't thought about the conversation and the music he had enjoyed last night. He decided to reply,
I could say the same. You have a great day ahead too.
Delivered 8:51
He decided to browse through some headlines before freshening up. He read two articles and when he swiped for the next one, he was shocked by the picture of him laughing with Magnus Bane in the latter's dining room. The headline went like 'Billionaire Magnus Bane and his new fish in the sea spotted at his house party last night.' Alec felt the room spin around him as he tried to make sense of the words he had just read. With a lot of effort, he opened Twitter and he was greeted with the same picture like a slap of cold wind across his face. And as he kept scrolling through the feed, he realized that the world did not have anything better to discuss about than the apparent affair that Magnus Bane was currently having. Just as the ocean of hashtags and mentions was about to drown him, his bedroom door flew open with a loud sound. Isabelle, in a tank top and shorts with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, rushed into the room with an expression that Alec couldn't read. Was it surprise? Or was it concern?
Isabelle seeing her brother in a state of distress, realized that he had already seen the picture. She went to Alec and took the phone and threw it on the other end of the bed and sat in front of Alec,
'Alec, it'll be okay. I'll make some calls and try to bring it down.' Alec pinched the bridge of his nose,
'You don't understand Izzy, I'm sure he knew about this.' Isabelle looked confused,
'What are you talking about?' Alec sighed,
'I stepped into a trap. H-He did it on purpose.'
'Who did what on purpose?'
'See…It was Magnus' party and I'm sure he had asked some photographer to take this sort of picture.'
'Alec, you cannot blame him for some stupid paparazzi.' She shrugs and continues, 'And anyway, what reason can he have to do such a fucked-up thing?'
'I don't know.' Isabelle put a hand on his shoulder,
'See, Alec I know that this invasion of privacy is making you feel vulnerable but you shouldn't blindly blame someone who might not have anything to do with it.' Alec nodded,
'You're right. It's just that…I don't know, it's so messed up.'
'Just talk to him I guess, okay? Meanwhile, I'll see what I can do about it.' With that Isabelle left Alec in the room alone to set his thoughts straight. He decided to ignore the whole thing for a few minutes so that he can calmly brush his teeth and take a much-needed shower.
He came out and grabbed his phone to see a message waiting for him,
I wholly intend to.
Received 9:13
He threw the phone back to its well-deserved place and opened the closet to put some clothes on.
Magnus, decked in a maroon silk robe was drinking coffee and reading the good old Saturday newspaper in the living room while Chairman Meow cozily slept on his lap, when Catarina walked in. Magnus noticing her, kept down the newspaper on the center table in front of him and looked up at her while stroking the Chairman's back,
'What's the matter, Cat?' Catarina held up her phone for Magnus to look at the picture of himself and Alec,
'What do we do about this?' Magnus chuckles,
'Haven't you already gotten used to the media gossiping about me and my private life.' Catarina takes a chair to sit on it,
'I might have and you might have as well but have you thought about the position in which Alec is now? People know about your flings and on seeing him with you like that, they have already stamped him with a label that he doesn't deserve.' Magnus' head drops down as his fingers lock,
'I know, I'll see what I can do about it.' Before Catarina and he could discuss further what to do about the issue, his phone buzzed and he picked up to hear Alec's voice,
'Um…Mr. Bane?'
'Yes, Alexander. Tell me, to what do I owe this pleasure?'
'I think we need to talk…urgently.' He realizes his harshness of tone and adds, 'Maybe over breakfast?'
'The matter you want to talk about is itself going to prevent us from making a public appearance together at the moment.' Magnus sighs, 'Would you mind coming over to my place and join me for breakfast?'
'Uh yeah, that would be fine. I'll be there in an hour.'
'I'll send George. He knows your address, right?'
'That won't be-'
'It's okay Alexander, don't worry about it. Be ready, my driver is exceptionally fast and a genius when it comes to avoiding traffic.'
'Okay, thank you.' Magnus smiled at his editor's politeness,
'Not a problem.' And cut the call. Catarina shrugs,
'Guess it'll be better if you sort this out with him yourself.'
Magnus nods and removes his cat from its comfortable position to keep it on a fluffy cushion, and heads towards the bathroom for a shower.
The security on recognizing their boss' car approaching, immediately pressed the button that opened the gate. George greeted the guard,
'Good Morning, John.' John simply smiled as the car sped towards the garage.
When the car had been parked, Alec came out of the car to stare at the expensive cars surrounding him in the massive garage. He realized it was quite normal to be a billionaire's garage. George pointed at a set of glass doors,
'You may enter through them. You'll find the elevator and just go to the ground floor. The housekeeper has already been notified about your arrival.' Alec smiled,
'Thank you.'
He reached the ground floor to find Catarina waiting to greet him,
'Mr. Lightwood, it's a pleasure to meet you again.' They shook hands, 'Mr. Bane is in the garden, I'll take you there.' Alec nodded and followed her outside.
"Garden" was clearly an understatement when Alec viewed the large patch of green dotted with trees and tubs of flowers, berries, etc. In the center, a huge wooden picnic table was set with Magnus sitting in one of the chairs, browsing through his phone.
Once Alec is seated across Magnus, Catarina leaves the two alone. Magnus looks over at the fidgeting, silent man in front of him,
'While you were on your way here, I had Catarina call up a few journalists who agreed to put our picture down from their respective news platforms.' Alec nods,
'Thank you and Isabelle has been speaking to a few herself.' Magnus smiles,
'I'm sure she has.' He sighs, 'I can quite easily taint someone's reputation, I'm afraid.' Before Alec can say anything, a man comes with a sliding cart. He pops open a bottle of mimosa to pour into Alec's glass first. Magnus and Alec, both stay silent as the man fills the picnic table with all kinds of delicious food fit for a king. Alec thinks to himself of how Magnus' aura isn't anything less than that of a king. Once the man is gone, Alec clears his throat,
'It's not your fault.' Alec cannot believe the words his own mouth form, owing to what just a few hours back, he was telling Isabelle. There was something about Magnus that made him forget himself, it felt as if his control over himself was slipping away. He did not like it one bit. He had felt it the first time when he had met Magnus for the first time and he was hell bent on making it go away- Gods, he had tried so bad but every time Magnus spoke in that smooth voice of his (that seemed to melt every part of his body to smush) or even looked at him for a second too long, he forgot who he was and where he was.
A nudging against his ankle pulled back Alec into reality just in time to hear Magnus' reply to him,
'I'm aware of that.' Alec looked down below the table to find a cat rubbing itself against his leg. The Lightwood family had never been big on pets but since childhood Alec used to feed stray animals and pet them when he was sure no one was watching him. As if it was a natural thing to do, Alec picked up Chairman Meow and scratched the back of its ears as it settled into the comfort of Alec's lap.
Magnus watches the exchange silently and wonders how many other sides of himself does Alec lock up to present his unbreakable exterior.
Alec, realizing that he has audience stops stroking the Chairman to look up at a smiling Magnus,
'I didn't have the pleasure of meeting the birthday cat last night.'
'His name is Chairman Meow.' Alec grins and takes a sip of the mimosa. Magnus chews down a mouthful before forming his next words,
'Oh, I completely forgot to tell you. I'll be hosting a press conference on Tuesday to clear the mess and also to announce that you're my editor for the book I'm writing. Does that sound okay to you?' Alec nods,
'Yeah, that's a good idea. Then, you can sign the necessary papers on Monday at our office before we get the press release ready as well.'
'No problem at all.' Magnus bats his perfectly curled eyelashes, 'Especially since it gives me a chance to meet you again.' That's enough for Alec to choke on the slice of mango he had popped in his mouth right before Magnus said that. Magnus laughs, 'Relax, Alexander.'
7.
'Ms. Lightwood, I understand your concern and we are willing to do as you ask. However, you must understand that this will not solve everything. People have already saved it, shared it, re-posted and re-tweeted it, so it doesn't matter if we take down the picture from our website, the picture will be perpetually present in the Internet.' Isabelle was pacing in the living room with her phone pressed against her ear. She ran her fingers through her hair,
'I know. Anyways, thank you for considering my request.'
'No problem.' She cut the call and turned around to face her mother. Anger was written all over Maryse's face. She folded her arms,
'Do you care to explain what your brother is up to?'
'He's not up to anything, mother.'
'Then what the hell is he doing, taking pictures with that notorious filth?' Maryse takes a seat on the sofa, 'I don't get it, why is he meeting him in the first place?' Isabelle sighs before looking up at her mother again,
'Mom, you need to know something.'
'What is it?'
'Do you remember the interpretation Alec had to write?' A smile spread across Maryse's face,
'Did he get the book?'
'Yes but—'
'That's amazing!' Maryse knits her eyebrows in confusion, 'But why didn't he tell me?'
'Well, he was going to tell you once everything was final. Anyway, that's not—'
'Who is the author? I bet it's some famous author trying their hand at something new?'
'Magnus Bane is the author.' Maryse's jaw drops,
'What?!'
'Yes, mom and that is why Alec went to his party. You know Alec, whatever he does is practical and he believed that going to the party was a part of his job.' Maryse still looked flabbergasted and under different circumstances, Isabelle would have enjoyed a good laugh at the look on her mother's face but right now there were too many pressing matters to give herself pleasure from the shock that Maryse was going through.
'Where is Alec?' Maryse had to talk to her son about this. She still couldn't believe that Magnus Bane could write such a piece of art.
'He's sorting out this mess that the idiotic paparazzi made.' Something strikes Isabelle, 'By the way, I saw dad leaving an hour back, where did he go?'
'He said he had some business to take care of in Chicago.' Isabelle nods,
'When will he be back?'
'He'll be back on Monday.'
After Alec came back home, he explained everything to his mother and also told her about the press conference Magnus will be hosting. All Maryse had to say was,
'I had never imagined that we have to make ties with Magnus Bane.'
The rest of the day, Alec spent time in his bedroom with some music and books. Towards the evening, he watched two movies on Netflix. Jace and Isabelle were out as usual. At a point of time he went to Max's room to check on him and had stayed in his room for some time. Before going back to his room, he had peeked in their parents' bedroom to see Maryse read a book.
It was not until midnight when Alec decided to check his phone and saw that a text was waiting for him,
My day had started with me having breakfast with an extremely handsome man and then a few meetings, quality time with the Chairman, dinner with my two of my closest friends and now reading 'The Kite Runner' like you had suggested. How was your day?
Received 22:05
Alec blushed at the praise and thought about how normal Magnus' life was. Then he wondered why amidst everything, Magnus thought that texting Alec should be a part of his day. Was Alec that significant? He decided to reply,
Oh, mine was rather dull as compared to yours. I read a book, listened to some music, watched Netflix, and spent some quality time with my little brother.
Delivered 00:14
Alec was wondering whether Magnus was asleep when the phone buzzed into life. There was a reply from Magnus,
Do you want to get some drinks together?
Received 00:14
Alec was taken aback and thought about the pros and cons of drinking with Magnus Bane two nights in a row. Was it even safe for them to go out together in public? As if an answer to his thoughts, he received another text,
Don't worry, my club is pretty private. We could talk about the last few chapters I have to write?
Received 00:15
Magnus exactly knew which string he had to pull to make Alec join him for drinks. That was something Alec couldn't simply say "no" to. He texted back,
Okay, text me the address.
Delivered 00:16
There's no need, I'll pick you up.
Received 00:17
Alec knew that Magnus won't pay heed to his refusal so he agreed
Fine. Text me when you're here.
Delivered 00:17
Looking forward to seeing you, Alexander.
Received 00:19
Alec swears he could literally imagine a flirtatious smile on Magnus' face while he typed that. He began to doubt his decision. Nonetheless he decided to change his clothes. He chose a black button-down shirt and a pair of blue jeans. After one glance at the mirror, he headed downstairs to the living room. He sat in the sofa and decided to read some fanfiction (no one knew about this) to kill time until Magnus reaches.
He heard the front door open and noticed Isabelle enter. She dropped herself on the sofa opposite to Alec,
'Hey, what's up? Is something wrong?'
'Was going through some—' Alec was going to make some excuse about doing something work-related but his sister cuts him short,
'Wait, are you dressed?'
'Uh yeah, I'll be going out for drinks with Magnus…he wanted to discuss something about the manuscript.' Isabelle smiled mysteriously at him,
'How is it that I never managed to keep you out of the house after midnight but here is Magnus Bane with whom you are supposed to have drinks with at 1 a.m.?' Alec decided to ignore that,
'Where is Jace?' Isabelle shrugs,
'Hooking up with someone probably?' Alec nods but before he could say anything, his phone buzzes and he sees Magnus' name flash on the screen.
'Hello?'
'Alexander, I'm waiting outside what I believe is your house?'
'Yeah, okay give me two minutes, I'll be there.' Alec clearly remembers that he had asked him to text him on his arrival. Isabelle beamed,
'Don't tell me Alec, he's here to pick you up?'
'Yeah he is because I cannot argue with that man.' Isabelle says, still grinning ear to ear,
'Have fun, big brother.' Alec rolls his eyes and then lets himself out of the house to see a black car waiting in front of the gate.
He opened the door to the backseat and got in. Magnus smiled at him,
'It's nice to see you again, Alec.'
'Yeah, you too.'
It had been just a few minutes and Magnus could already sense the man beside him fidgeting. He decides to break the silence,
'So, tell me, do you often go out for drinks?'
'Um, no actually I don't.'
'Figures.'
'Yeah so you'll have to make the order, I know shit about drinks.'
'Of course, dear.' Magnus slightly pats Alec's thighs which is enough for him to close his eyes, Why the fuck does he have to talk like that and why did have to fucking touch me? A concerned voice reaches out to Alec,
'Is everything alright?' Alec plasters a fake smile across his face,
'Yeah of course, why won't it be?'
'Um…because you basically froze for a minute back there.' Alec is grateful for the darkness when he feels his cheeks go red.
'It's nothing.'
'If you say so.' But Magnus knew exactly what had caused Alec a minute of distress. He wanted to apologize but knew that Alec, being the type of person, he was, he would probably get embarrassed.
The rest of the drive to Magnus' club is silent. When they reach, the car pulls over in front of the entrance and both of them get out. As they enter, Alec looks above his head to look at the club's name.
PANDEMONIUM.
Now, that's a pretty appropriate name for a club, Alec thinks to himself. Loud music hits Alec like a bucket of ice and he grimaces but manages to follow Magnus to his promised secluded place. They take the elevator and when the doors open, Alec feels the breeze greet him. They were on the rooftop of the building and it was beautifully decorated with ornamental plants and flowers. The floor was wooden, the parapet was glass, and there were 6-7 huge semi-circular couches (with a coffee table each) spread around. Overhanging each couch, there was a metal suspension from which thin, satin curtains and fairy lights came down falling gracefully. There were not many people and there was a bar with a few idle bartenders. Alec checked his watch,
1:37 a.m.
He sighed and suddenly felt a hand creep into his own. The electricity hit him with full rush even before realizing that Magnus had held his hand. He stayed silent while he let Magnus guide him towards one of the empty couches. As Alec took a seat, he felt how soft the couch was and sunk into its embrace. One of the bartenders came along on seeing his boss,
'Long time no see Mr. Bane,' the bartender smiles at Alec, 'I see that you have brought a friend with you.'
'Darling, would you be kind enough to bring this young man a Cosmopolitan and a cherry vodka for me?'
'Coming right up. Have a pleasant night, sir.'
Alec was staring at how everything about the man in front of him was so beautiful and smooth like a flowing river. Magnus cleared his throat,
'So, Alec I have written about five places and I'm thinking of writing about maybe another five to reach a conclusion. How do you feel about that?'
'Yeah that sounds good. How do you plan on getting on with it?'
'Well, I have to visit five more places, basically.' Magnus sighs, 'But I'm so busy right now, I cannot afford another month-long vacation for myself.' Alec nods and watches the bartender place the drinks on the coffee table who speaks up,
'Anything else, Mr. Bane?' Magnus smiles,
'No that'll be all, thank you.' As the bartender walked away, he cursed the Angels above. There is definitely something between these two, looks like I have to stay till dawn.
And his prediction eventually turns out to be right.
After the bartender is gone, Alec says,
'Have you thought about doing it one place at a time?' He takes a sip of his drink, 'Maybe, like take a week off whenever you can and visit a place.' Magnus beams and inches closer to Alec,
'Of course, I never thought about that. This makes things so easier.' Magnus frowns, 'It'll take a long time though.' Alec reassures him,
'Ah, don't worry about that we have had writers having trouble with their writing all the time—I'm definitely not saying that you're having any trouble, I just mean to say that you can take as long as required to complete the already more than perfect manuscript.' Alec blushes once the words are out of his mouth but in his defense, the manuscript Magnus had written was indeed more than perfect. Magnus out of habit of being quite physical, leans in to kiss Alec's cheek in a way of saying "thank you" but stops himself remembering how uncomfortable Alec was with touching.
Alec loses his breath as his eyes focus on Magnus' full lips hovering too close to his face. He felt like a stranger in his own body which wanted to lean back towards the gorgeous man beside him and kiss him like there's no tomorrow.
Magnus pulls away, though already being sure of the noticeable chemistry between them. Hell, they have met like what, four times? As much as he'd like to take this further with Alec, owing to the admiration that he had developed for him within this short period of time, he knew he had a reputation and he didn't want to put the wrong impression on Alec. Afterall, he had finally found someone who could easily look through his words, and he would rather die than screw the whole thing up.
After a rather awkward silence, Magnus asks the bartender to bring some whiskey on rocks for both them. Once he sets the glasses, Magnus request him to leave the bottle. Alec gulps down the drink at one and noticing that, Magnus laughs,
'Whoa there, I'd advise you to go a bit slow.' An already drunk Alec grins,
'Don't bother.'
Alec's head hurt when he woke up. He checked the time and was shocked to see that it was already noon. He faintly remembers his sister helping him to get to his room after he had stumbled into the house with a little help of George at around 5 in the morning. Lucky for him, Magnus had taken Alec's phone to give his sister a warning beforehand. He never had a hangover before in his life and he just hoped that he hadn't done anything last night that he will regret later because right now his memory power was totally betraying him.
Another of Magnus' texts were waiting for him when he checked his phone,
You have managed to gift me with another amazing night. However, I have a feeling that I'll probably sleep through most of the day.
Received 6:06
Alec's face unconsciously lit up and he admitted that maybe, just maybe the pain in which his head was throbbing was probably worth it.