I was grateful Ryan had spent the day at my house yesterday. We had talked about what had happened and he kept slapping me up the back of my head. It kinda felt like he was trying to slap some sense into me.
It's a new day and I'm dressed up in my dark pants and a white button up shirt with my sleeves rolled up. I didn't know what to do with my hair this morning and the curls were going everywhere so I just packed it up into a bun.
It's a bit past nine and I was in my second cup of coffee, Netflix pulled up and Elite season three was playing. I wanted to know who killed Polo, it was driving me crazy.
Ryan had been called to the marketing department to help with a projector problem meanwhile I'm here and hoping Moy doesn't call me to his office. I was just about to keep watching when there was a pop up notification, I wanted to click on the exit button and ended up tapping on it instead.
The page loads and my eyes almost pop right out of my head. On the page was Zoro. He was wearing a form fitting suit with dark sunglasses on, he was walking with a stoic expression switch J right behind him.
The caption read: Multi Millionaire seen walking out of police station.
I zoomed in on the picture and just stared at it. I raised my hand and covered half of his face with my palm and it's him. It really was him.
His name wasn't Zoro.
It was Xander Lupo.
Xander. It suits him. A gorgeous name for a gorgeous man.
I don't even notice when I get up from my seat. I just needed to confirm. Since the news was dated yesterday, he might be home. I grabbed my phone and wallet and walked to the elevator, taking it to the first floor and walking out of the building.
Zoro's address was still clear and loud in my head. It took a while to get a cab but once I gave the cabbie the address, it felt like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. I just needed to know.
Shit. I had just walked right out of work without taking an excuse or permission. I didn't even tell Ryan. Shit. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Ryan telling him there was a family issue and sending the same thing to my boss, but with more words so it would be more official.
In my haste I hadn't taken my airpods. Music would have helped calm my nerves a bit. I hummed Falling by Harry Styles as the car moved, passing trees, buildings and other things and people.
My leg wouldn't stop jiggling and my palms were sweaty. Even though I was staring out of the window, it still caught me off guard when the cab pulled up to the front of Zoro's gate.
I bit my bottom lip, counting the right amount of notes and handing them to the cabbie. I got out of the cab and stood in front of the gates, looking up at the big building. I wondered how many actually lived here and if Zoro actually lived here?
If he didn't, someone here might know. Maybe J would be here and he'd help. He looked like a helpful person. I looked around and finally found the small bell, I pressed it twice and waited. I don't know how long I waited for but a couple minutes later, the gate pulled back a little so I could walk through. Immediately I did, I found two men standing there, they were dressed in all black and were scowling at me like I had stolen their precious.
"What do you want?"
"I'm here to see Xander." I said and the two men looked shocked. It made me wonder what I did? Was it something I said?
Thankfully, J walked out of the house. I was so glad to see him. To see a familiar face. He had on a three piece dark blue suit and a white shirt underneath. Here, clear as day, I could see him clearly. Dark hair styled back, his eyes black and there's a thin scar running from his ear down his neck, disappearing into the collar of his shirt.
"You came back." J said, from the way his brows arch up, he was also shocked.
"I found out something." I said. The two muscly men went to stand behind J. "I just want to make sure."
"Let's go then. He's waiting for you." J said, his hand stretched out to the side. With my heart in my hand and sweat also in my hand, I made my way towards the door. J led me up the stairs, down a large hallway and finally got to a large brown door. He pushed open the doors and it's another hallway, this one smaller and there's another set of doors.
J doesn't push it open, instead he knocked three times. He looks at me and winks. He winks.
"Just go in. I'll see you later."
I was left standing there, my heart still in my hands. I don't even have the time to decide if I wanted to run back. Shit. I should have come with Ryan just like I had planned. Oh shit.
There's no time to freak out because in the next moment the door was being pushed open and there he was. Xander. He looked so good clad in a black suit and black shirt, a gold pocket hanky in his breast pocket. His dark hair was styled in a side patten, green eyes bright, just like it was on New Year's after he kissed me.
"It's you. You're Zoro." I blurted out.
Xander smiled softly and it felt like my heart skipped a beat. "Curls..."
I couldn't help but smile. Was that what he had been calling me in his head just like I had been calling him Zoro?
"Is that what you call me?" I asked.
"You didn't tell me your name." Xander said and I scoffed.
"You didn't ask for mine and if I remember correctly, I didn't either." I said and he smiles at me in response. He smiles and it really is him, you know.
"Please come in." He said, taking a step backwards so I could walk into the room. Turns out it wasn't a room but a huge office. The walls were pure white with a black stripe going through the middle. There was a plain wall, two love seats on opposite sides of said walk and across it was a large painting of a sunset, all purple and orange and it looks so gorgeous.
There was a large table, huge black chair, an iMac set up, there were tons of papers on the table, a glass of whiskey and it's bottle right beside each other. The windows were floor length and there's a large wooden cupboard filled with drinks and two doors. That's it.
It's minimalist in the best way and it's amazing.
"You look like you like it." Xander said and I nodded.
"I do." I was tempted to do a little spin but Xander and I were still acquaintances. Speaking of...
I walked right up to Xander and held my hand out to him. "We haven't done this yet. Hi, I'm Bram Michaels."
Xander's lips quirk up. He gripped my hand in a handshake, his brows twitching like he was trying not to laugh. "Hi. I'm Xander Lupos."
"To be honest, I already knew your name. I saw it in a news article." I said and Xander's quirk drops and he looks stoic. Shit. That was the wrong thing to say. Maybe I should just go. I have met him after all.
I had the urge to run my fingers through my hair but it was all packed up into a bun and I didn't want to take out the band.
"It was...nice meeting you." I said. I quickly turned around and walked right out of the office. I walked as fast I could past the second door, down the spiral stairs and headed right for the door. There was a stinging sensation behind my eyes and why the heck would I cry because of a man I had only known for a couple of hours.
Shit. Why did I have to say something about the news's article. I could have said anything else, yet I had managed to fuck it all up in just a second.
J was standing by the door, he was talking into the phone. He takes one look at me and ends the call. Fuck. I didn't think this through, I hadn't called a cab. How was I gonna make it back?
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah I am. I'm going to call a cab." I said, taking out my phone and tapping open the Uber app.
"You're leaving early." J said and I pushed my hands into my pockets, shrugging.
"Shit happens." I said and J winced. Did he not like cuss words? Yeah. I probably have been cussing lately, more in my head than out loud.
"I think you should go back."
"I think you should mind your business." I retorted, the words falling out of my mouth before I could think it through. My ride was twelve minutes away and I could jus-
"J! Have you seen- oh!"
I didn't want you turn around. I didn't want to look at him. Maybe I should stick my fingers in my ears and sing la la la loudly.
"Bram..." Xander said and I almost swallowed my tongue. His voice. The way he said my name. It sounded different. Wow.
I don't answer him though, I kept staring at my phone. I didn't want to make a fool of myself even more. I hear footsteps and suddenly he's standing right in front of me. He placed a finger under my jaw and lifts my head up.
"I am so sorry. So sorry. You mentioned the police station and I couldn't hold back the anger. I am so sorry for projecting that onto you. I have been wanting to meet you ever since New Years, ever since I left you there at that party." Xander said and my lips part in a silence gasp. He was saying all these words and they were making my heart go crazy.
"Xander..."
"I finally found you and you found me. I don't want to ruin this, I just want to get to know you." Xander said and I just stared. I couldn't find the words. I didn't know what to say. Was this why J said I should go back?
"Kitten, use your words." There's authority in that voice, the way he sounded stern yet gentle. It sent a shiver down my spine and I'm pretty sure Xander noticed my reaction.
I have never been called Kitten before. I've mostly been called babe or a good boy. Never kitten. Hell, I've been called little prince.
"We could hang out. I want to watch Birds of Prey." I said, the words tumbling out of my mouth.
"Anything you want." Xander said and I grinned.
"I'll meet you there. It's the cinema on Avender avenue." I told him.
"Can I pick you up?" Xander asked and I shook my head at him.
"You can drop me off afterwards." I said and he smiled. For someone this gorgeous, he was also cute. I and a feeling he already knew my name before I told him, my name and a bunch of stuff about me. But I didn't want to touch that yet. I didn't want to cross the bridge until I actually had to.
There was the sharp sound of a car horn going off and I pouted. My ride was here.
"Let me walk you to your car." Xander said and I nodded. He walked me to the car. I made sure it was the same number plate I had on my app. Before getting into the car, I got Xander's number and promised to text him the time.
"It was great meeting you."
"I could say the same about you." I told him, smiling softly. Xander pulled open the door and I got into the car, he shuts the door and my heart slams with it. I took one look at Xander and I get this funny feeling in my stomach.
Almost like...
Almost like butterflies.