| Chapter Two |

  A stud and tall figure stood in front of a large home office desk. Dressed in a black silk nightie (shirt and pants).

  Three button weren't in their holes making his attractive chest display more as he drank from a tall and slim wineglass. His hair glimmered in the dark moonlit room. His eyes were darker than black, and his face glowed with wealth rubbing all over it. He took a sip and walked around to sit on the desk chair.

  He yawned a little and rubbed the back of his neck, massaging it slowly.

  “What was it again?” he muttered, eyes closed and clearly bored.

  There was a younger man in the room standing inbetween two huge thugs. The young man walked a bit closer, “Mr. Rafael, S-Sir--” he stuttered, “Sir, I said that I need your help again. I know that it's not easy but you're the only one I can trust. Please, you're my only hope”

  Rafael opened his eyes sluggishly and looked up at him tilting his head, “I asked what you needed, Austen”

  The boy nodded, “Well, I've run out and I'm loosing my mind slowly. I got in a fight. My mom was there. And when the cops arrived my mother took the blame and got arrested”

  Rafael Goldman tutted and gave a slight smirk that faded as soon as it came. “So? Get to the point” his words were slow and dangerous.

  “Help me. Please, just a little to get myself back, I'd take anything and maybe a little dough”, as Austen talked he was shivering, stammering, and scratching his head.

  Rafael took another sip of his wine gently and dropped the glass. He reached inside his opened desk drawer and took out his checkbook.

  He was being extremely slow intentionally to annoy him. Austen deserved worse. He locked eyes with Austen but he smiled at him as if he wasn't dying from his sluggishness. 

  Rafael wrote a check and slid it across the desk towards Austen as he rushed to catch the piece of paper. As it fell he fell with it as if it was his love. He looked at it and his eyes shined with happiness. One of the thugs dropped a sachet of cocaine next to him. 

  Rafael watched him, clearly disgusted. He rose and walked to Austen where he was on the floor tearing the sachet to get some into his system that'd cool his hyper self down.

  Rafael took his face in his hand when he reached him, his face covered in white substance. Rafael held his two chins tightly, “How can a son not bother about his mother? A mother that defended and took the blame for your wrong?”

  “I wasn't wrong...” Austen added barely audible staring into Rafael's eyeballs.

  “Shh!, you're always wrong.” He said hoarsely, holding his finger over his mouth, “Yet, you chose your selfish desires over her. Because I know you Austen Palms, the last thing you would do now is go to the police station and bail your mother with this money. You're a selfish and useless son.”

  Rafael scoffed and let his face go. He stood up and backed the boy, “Get out of here! And make sure to keep your acts clean, moron. I need both you and Louisa so I won't let you or her go yet, and if you slack, It would take me zero minutes to get rid of your entire family. Get out!”.

  Austen stood up and bowed with a smile on his face, “Thank you, Mr. Goldman”, about to leave...

  “Oi!”

  “Yes?” Austen answered.

  Rafael faces him, straightening his shirt's collar, “Remember there is always a payback day, okay? Don't just borrow and borrow again.” 

  Austen hates being reminded of what a rascal he is, but Mr. Rafael was the only one he'd let say such to him and he would be obligated to accept such as ‘compliment’. 

  He slowly gave Rafael a hug which he tried to break free from but Austen held on tighter, the thugs standing near wanted to intervene but Rafael stopped them with a wave of his hand. “You're the only person that matters to me, Mr. Goldman--- You're my god, meaning that you can take from me whenever you want...”

  Rafael stood there in something less than gladness. He was upset yet he still felt he found another weapon against the brat.

  Austen buried his face on Rafael's neck and cried a little. Rafael rubbed his back and he kissed his neck

  “If it wasn't for you I'd be in jail... And I know that it's also because of you that my mom would be released tomorrow.”

  “Really? You can tell?” Rafael added with a grin.

  Austen knew him a little and knows the lengths he's willing to go to get what he desires. Rafael would have loved Austen dead, but maybe not just yet.

  “Mm. You can't bear to see me cry”

  Rafael scoffed and hugged back. “Cry? Yeah, because I care so much for you, just as you care for your mother” he responded with sarcasm, rubbing his back.

  He finally let go and Rafael held his face cleaning the white substance on his face, “You know I love you and see you as a son”

  Austen's face brightened and he nodded happily.

  “Well, a businessman's biggest weapon is having two tongues, right?” he said, patted him and turned away, “Be careful”

  Austen blinked and nodded, then left as soon as Sidney came in. They bumped shoulders. Sidney breathed and walked in.

  One of the thugs there poured their boss another glass of wine.

  “Father”

  Rafael's eyes flickered at him, “Sid?”

  “I came to talk to you about something”, Sidney walked closer, “But let me ask first why you keep enabling that piece of shit Austen when I'm your son?”

  Rafael turned to him. “Come here”

  He went closer standing at arm's length to be able to dodge any slaps, but then, he knew his father well enough to recall that there's not been an event of him ever raising his hands at him.

  “I have you? Do you think I want you to be a crack head like that lunatic? Do you think I want you to get your hands in mud? Sidney, you're my only remaining son. I could never get you into this mess, if I would Sidney I'd make sure your safety is guaranteed. Besides I wouldn't let them take you away like they took your elder brother, Wire, from us.”

  Rage and sadness flickered in Rafael's eyes. The reminder of his son's death burns his insides, making him want to kill something.

  Sidney embraced his father. “Then don't die. If anything happens to you, I won't be able to get myself again.”

  “I promise you, Sidney, this ridiculous attitude of yours will vanish the day I die. You'd realize that you're alone and have to stand. You'd live real life and see it all. I'm spoiling you way too much, son, and I won't stop because I'm confident I'm not going anytime soon.”

  “Confident?” Sid asked, holding onto him. 

  Rafael kissed his forehead. He finished his wine, dropping the glass with a silent thud on the table.

  “Besides she won't see me coming.” he mumbled, “How's the company?”

  Sidney smiled, “Okay. Projects are still ongoing and it's great. I'm handling everything”

  “I trust you”

  “So, did you tell mother you'd be going after another woman?” Sidney asked already knowing the answers to the question.

  Rafael looked at his son and chuckled as Sidney stared at him trying to figure out what was funny, “What's funny?” he asked.

  “Nothing” he kissed his hair, “There was something you wanted to say before all this? The reason you came?”

  Sidney, still unamused, answered “That's what I just asked”

  Rafael nodded and smiled. 

  “Goodnight” he said as a dismiss to him and his question, meaning that as an order other than a suggestion.

  ***

  THE DONNA'S CLOSET— ‘A step into luxury...’

  Really is a step into luxury.

  Miss Diana McCoy walked into the office dressed in cooperate brown suit, being followed by two men and of course her well-endowed personal bodyguard.

  The building was sparkling with success and glittering with hope for a good work week.

  Diana's personal assistant— ‘Zee Karter’, meets with her along the way and accompanied her to her office leaving the gentlemen outside.

  She walks over to her desk chair and sat, going through a file already on her desk, as Zee briefed her on her schedule for the day.

  “Is that all?” Diana asked and Zee nodded as she waved her off dismissively. 

  Almost outta the room, she turned and walked back to her, “Madam, there is one more thing”

  Diana looked up at her waiting to hear what she had to say, quietly.

  “The request you submitted to be one of Wick's College's funders has been approved”

  “Really?” Diana leaned back on her swivel chair, happiness written all over her face. She gave out a silent chuckle then looked up at Zee again, “Do I ever get bad news from you?”

  Zee smiled revealing those white braced teeth, “You flatter me, my lady. If you keep getting your expectations high, I fear the day I disappoint you.”

  “Then never... disappoint me”, She muttered. “It's about time. Do everything as planned and no mistakes. Be careful and... watchful.” 

  Zee nodded again, “Sure”

  Zee has been Diana's PA as long as she's been the CEO of McCoy's Companies. A woman with a dark feminine aura, she oversees everything of The Lady's. And knows most of her world. Her and Amanda— her lawyer's wife, are the closest people she has and how close they are are the closest they would be. Almost like friends but Diana thinks otherwise...

  Diana McCoy doesn't have friends. Ever since she was a child she's been alone. Nobody talked to her and she spoke to no one. She grew up a lonely girl , then Eric happened and she had a life worth living. She had a friend, and a lover. He gave her the world and she gave him herself, but he treated her with love, respect and kindness.

  “I'd take my leave now” Zee responded and left.

  Diana's smile faded after awhile. She seemed lost in what she was doing as she scrolled on the computer mouse.

  She typed and typed, scrolled and scrolled. It was a woman who was dedicated to herhard work which is paying off. She remained locked on that seat for several hours; going through documents, review, emails, and system messages. Researching and learning new ways to grow bigger, writing, and highlighting, etcetera. 

  She skimmed over proposals and suggestions. All which she forwarded to Zee for crosschecking.

  ----

  Things were going smoothly just like she affirmed this morning. And it couldn't have been better with someone she was expecting all day, booking an appointment to meet with her.

  ----

  Winston's POV:

  “You can't be serious!!” I yelled as I pushed everything on my desk table off to the floor.

  “Sir!”, Alexa mumbled as she ran towards me.

  “Don't you dare come closer to me” I shouted. 

 What does everyone want from me? Why is everyone obsessed with me?!!!

  It's not bad enough that I'm being sued for murder and rape by some useless thing's family, now Diana McCoy wants a piece of me?

  “Fuck!”

  I'm already going through too much with this scandals, now Miss Diana want to take Wick's College away from me. What the hell will she gain by funding the school that I'm funding? The only people still backing me and giving good review about me despite the rumors because of the money I stuff their mouth with, since I was the only funder.

  “If Miss Diana starts to fund that school. They could gladly discard me. That means that I'm done for, Alexa” 

  She held the files she had with her tightly to her breasts. I'd wish it was me she was holding. It's not like I haven't been in and out of her pussy times without number. “Boss, don't panic. We'd get through this, I know it, Sir. All we gotta do to stick together and try---”

  Looking at her, she was covered with worry, panicking as if her world was crashing while it was mine. 

  “Are you still having that stupid fantasy of me winding up with you in a marriage? Keep daydreaming... If it's not my dick in your hole then there's no relationship between us that warrants you using the word, ‘together’.”

 “Eh?”

 That question should be surprising to her.

 She looked away sadly, I saw the tears in her eyes fill up, but she wiped it out.

  “Boss, please... it's still me---”

  “Don't give me that nonsense and book a damn appointment”

  ****