As August neared its end and Julia headed home by bus, she realized that she had finally reached a moment in her life where she was fully happy. She and Arthur had a relationship, she had never imagined possible with anyone. She knew it was early and she feared that at one moment in time, she'd let slip the fact that she was falling in love with him, afraid he'd put an end to what they had.
Her mobile phone rang and she picked it up.
"Hello"?
"You haven't sent in your RSVP for tomorrow's yearly business gala", she heard Tommy Knox say.
Tommy Knox was the CEO of Knox Consolidated, her boss' boss and her father's puppet.
"I've got other plans, Tom".
"Well, your father just got to town and requests your presence".
She inhaled and exhaled deeply as the bus stopped. She stood and got off, walking towards La Rosa Negra.
"I guess he's too busy to call me himself".
"Look, I don't ask your father questions, I only do what he asks of me. Make sure you are ready tomorrow by 6, a car will be waiting for you".
"And if I'm don't go"?
She heard Tommy sigh on the other end of the line as she stopped in front of the Cantina.
"Cross is with him, you really want him to come and fetch you"?!
Arthur looked at Julia through the window. He could see that she was on the phone and that something was annoying her.
Julia shook her head. "No. Fine, I'll be there". She turned her head towards the window and saw Arthur smiling at her. "Just tell me Dad that I won't be alone"!
With that she hung up and walked into the cantina and behind the bar. Arthur took her in his arms and kissed her. "Everything alright? You look upset".
"My father is apparently in town, attending tomorrow's gala and has very kindly reminded me that my presence is required".
"I'm sorry. Just grant him your presence for an hour or two then discreetly escape".
"It's not that simple. My father's security is rock solid. But I know how I could be more enjoyable", she said as she leaned into him.
"Oh yeah? How's that"?
"Come with me".
"I don't think that's a good idea".
"Why not? I'm sure you look sexy in a suit, even if I prefer you naked".
He raised an eyebrow at her remark.
"Let's just say, I'm not the kind of guy that girls introduce to their father".
"I've never introduced a guy to my father".
"Then even more the reason not to start with me".
"He could care less you know. He's just doing it to show that he still has power over me and in say with what I do with my life. Arthur, come with me, please"?
He took a step back, bringing suddenly a distance between them. "I can't".
"I'm only worth it when it comes to sex, is that it? That's all this is to you"?
He stared at her, speechless. He could see that she was hurt. She'd never ask anything of him, unlike most people he had known and the one thing she needed, his presence by her side, to escape the reality of her undesired life, he was turning away.
Seeing him not answer, she took a step back herself. "My bad. I thought we had something".
She walked away leaving him tormented and torn.
Julia didn't come work that evening at the cantina and when he'd asked Miguel, who was filling in for her, what was up, he had replied that she was feeling ill. The entire evening, a brunette flirted with him and he let himself play the game. He was trying to convince himself that maybe a relationship with Julia wasn't such a good idea.
When the cantina closed, leaving only the brunette at the bar, he walked over to her and grabbed her. He started kissing her forcefully as she dug her hands in his back. Suddenly, flashes of him and Julia came into his head and how we he felt kissing her, feeling her body against his, the smell of her vanilla skin, the sound of her moaning of pleasure in his ear, the sound of her voice, her laughter, the look she had in her eyes when she was looking at him, the real him.
He immediately pulled away from the brunette and took a step back.
"I'm sorry. I can't do this. I'm with someone".
"If you're with someone and were happy, you wouldn't have done what you just did".
"I'm a fucking jerk who doesn't deserve her. Get out of here".
When he reached the second-floor hallway, he shot a glance towards Julia's door. He could see no light seep through the crack from underneath the door. She must have been asleep. He went into his room and looked at his empty bed. It was the first time, since that fatal night, when he had made love to her for the first time, that she wasn't in it and it made him, suddenly, feel incomplete.
When he woke the following morning, he walked over to Julia's room and knocked on the door.
"Can we talk"?
Seeing there was no answer, he knocked again.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. Come on Luv, open up".
He took a leather case out of his back pocket and opened it. He took out two picks and started to work on the lock. Within seconds he opened the door. Julia's apartment was empty. He closed the door and headed downstairs and stopped into the kitchen, where Santos was busy at his daily tasks of preparing his salsa sauce.
"Have you seen Hailey today"? he asked.
"Sure have, hombre".
"Did she mention where she was going"?
"No. But there was something different about her".
"What do you mean"?
"I don't know, she just wasn't in her usual mood. She seemed sad, hurt even. You two had a fight"?
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"You could say that".
"That's a shame. You two looked good together. Maybe you can patch things up".
"Maybe", said Arthur as he headed towards the cantina and outside to his bike.
When Julia returned to the cantina at half past five, she saw no signs of Arthur, which in the end was probably a good thing. She was heartbroken. She unlocked the door to her room and walked in. Her eyes fell on her bed and she blinked a couple of times as she walked over to it. She opened the package and took out a black dress and contemplated it. It had a light woven fabric, that fell to the floor, with adjustable spaghetti straps, that crossed in the back, and a bodice with gold beads and embroidery. Next to them were black high heels. There was no note and she expected it had been sent over by her father.
Fifteen minutes later, she studied herself and had to admit that it looked great on her even though it wasn't the kind of dress she imagined her father sending her, being more for showy colors. She grabbed her clutch and left her room. What she saw next took her breath away. Leaning against the wall, near the staircase was Arthur. He was wearing an elegant black suit, white button-down shirt and a black tie. He was sexy and charming, and she felt her heart accelerate as he let his eyes roam over her body.
As she seemed frozen in the middle of the corridor, he walked over to her, hands in his pant pockets, giving her the smile that drove her wild. He stopped in front of her.
"I had the feeling it would suit you well, but this definitely exceeds what I had imagined. You are simply stunning", he said.
It became evident, that he was behind the dress and not her father and it touched her. She was still partially mad at him, but the gesture and the fact that he was standing there, dressed as he was, she knew he was trying to redeem himself and fix things.
"You look handsome", she said trying to break the ice and take a step in his direction of patching things up.
He removed his hands from his pockets and cupped her face. "You're right, there is something here and it goes way beyond sex. Don't ever insinuate that it's the case. And I'm going to make sure you realize that".
She nodded and let him kiss her. The way he did, simply enhanced and made evident that what he had just told her were not just simple words, they had all their meaning.
He pulled away and looked at his watch. "We should get going, we don't want to keep your father waiting".
She smiled and followed him down the staircase. He waited for her at the bottom of it than took her hand in his as they headed through the kitchen. Santos and Miguel smiled as they walked passed them and the few patrons that were in the cantina, eyed him with such envy that it boosted his ego. She was his and he felt damn good about it.
When they pulled up in the limousine, in front of Knox Consolidated, twenty minutes later, the building and its surroundings were extremely busy, with people arriving. When they walked inside the building, they were immediately greeted by two men in suits with earpieces.
"Good evening Miss VanKirk", said one of them. He was in his forties and had a firm build.
"Good evening Connor", replied Julia. She looked at the other guy. "Wes".
The younger guy greeted her with a simply nod of acknowledgement.
Connor looked Arthur over. His eyes stopped momentarily on their hands holding, but he said nothing.
"Your father prefers if you take the service elevator. Follow me".
Julia and Arthur followed them down a hallway far away from the main lobby and its elevators, the ones Arthur imagined Julia take every day of the week to come to work. It was odd being here, in her other world and knowing how she was when she was at the cantina or with him, it was hard to imagine her working here. As they walked, he could feel her tense up.
"Connor"? she asked worriedly.
"Yes"?
"What Defcon are we at"?
Arthur looked at her puzzled. He knew what Defcon was and what it entailed.
"You needn't worry about that", replied Connor stoically.
"I beg to differ. You have me going up through a service elevator. What's going on"?
Seeing that Connor wouldn't respond, annoyed Arthur.
The service elevator doors opened, and they walked inside. "I think the lady asked you a question".
Connor looked at Arthur with dark, menacing eyes then turned his attention to Julia with a much softer look. "We're at DefCon 3".
Arthur felt Julia's hand tighten his. "Why"?
"We've been receiving some threats concerning your father's safety and yours. But as I said earlier, you needn't worry, everything is under control, this is just precautionary measures".
When the service elevator doors opened on to the penthouse, they could hear the mix of music and people talking. A tall guy in his mid-thirties, around Julia's age, was waiting for them. He too was wearing a suit and earpiece and through the bulge of his suit, Arthur knew he was carrying a holster and a gun.
His eyes slithered up and down Julia's body and Arthur didn't like it. There was something in the way her was looking at her that made him feel like putting this guy in his place.
"Julia you are a sight for sore eyes", said he guy as he smiled at her.
Julia paid no attention to his comment. "Jake, I'd like you to meet Drew Riley".
Jake looked at Arthur but said nothing. He nodded to one of his guys who stood in front of Arthur.
"I need to check you", said the guy pulling Arthur to the side. Arthur let go of Julia's hand and let the guy frisk him.
"He's clear", said the guy looking at Jake.
Jake raised an eyebrow as he saw Arthur put his arm around Julia's waist, protectively.
Connor leaned in towards Jake. "She knows about Defcon 3", he whispered in his ear.
Jake looked at Connor first, apparently upset that Connor had given her that information. Then he looked at Julia in a reassuring way.
"You don't need to worry. We've got an extraction plan in place if need be. But I'm sure we won't need to use it. My eyes will be on you at all times".
Arthur's protective instinct kicked in. "I've got that covered".
"In case you didn't know, this woman is worth billions, so leave that job to me".
Arthur gave him a fake smile, that translated into 'fuck off asshole'.
When they walked into the main part of the penthouse, they toppled over into another dimension. Champagne was flowing in excess, men and women were dressed in the most expensive attires and the place reeked money, lots of it. It was something that Arthur had always hated, the fact that rich people seemed to think they were better than others, that they were above the law. He loved Julia even more for not wanting to be a part of that world.
They headed towards a group of people. Upon seeing her walk their way, they discreetly excused themselves and left.
A man in his late sixties, white haired and wearing a three-piece suit, was holding a glass of whisky in his right hand a Cuban cigar in his left, Walter VanKirk. He gave a smile upon seeing Julia.
He opened his arms and hugged his daughter. "You look marvelous, darling. Although I would have rather seen you in red".
"Good evening, father. I'll keep that in mind for the next gala".
It was obvious that there was a certain distance between them, thing that wasn't a surprise as he had never been present in her life.
Her father said nothing and took a sip of his whiskey.
"I'd like you to meet Drew Riley".
Walter looked at Arthur. "Yes, Knox mentioned you'd be with someone". He put his hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Riley".
Arthur shook his hand and Walter raised an eyebrow.
"That's quite a hand-shake you've got there. I like that".
A man came to whisper something in Walter's ear then step aside. "I hope we'll have the opportunity of getting to know each other later, I must say you are the first man my daughter has introduced to me, but I need to tend to some business first".
He waved Connor over. "Please show Mr. Riley to my office in fifteen minutes".
Connor nodded as did Arthur.
When they walked away, Julia placed her hand on Arthur's chest. "Don't le my father intimidate you".
He took his hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it. "You should know me well enough to know that I don't get intimidated".
"Let's go get a drink, I'm thirsty".
He smiled at her. "They serve soft drinks here"?
She laughed as they headed towards the bar.