The Billionaire's Accidental Bride

Chapter 4: A Challenge

Xavier P.O.V



I sat in my office, waiting impatiently for Salvian, and the strategic advisor to give me an update on the whole Rocco situation. I stood up and poured myself a glass of my favorite whisky. I stood up by the window, overlooking the gardens of the mansion. A knock on the door quickly brought me from my train of thoughts. “Come in” I shouted as I walked back over to my desk, taking a seat. Salvian and Xander walked in and took their seats across from me. “f*****g hell, things must really be bad if the both of you had to come to give an update,” I said, running my hand through my hair.

“Well, we had a complication with the Rocco situation…” Xander said before looking over to Salvian, waiting for him to continue. “Last night two teams of soldiers attacked the hotel we used to keep Rocco protected in. We came to learn that these soldiers belonged to the Salvatore family. They managed to kidnap Rocco and killed somewhat 27 of our best soldiers tasked for the protection of Rocco.”

Oh, f*****g hell!

“There’s more…” Salvian said while pulling his laptop out and flipping it open. “We retrieved some video footage from the hotel, and I think that you might want to have a look at it,” Salvian said turning the laptop to me before pressing play.

I watched intently as the whole situation unfolded right in front of me. Suddenly, one of these soldiers got my attention, he had a slim, yet muscular build and a long braid - how could Marinio even allow such things under his command. I had to admit, the soldier knew his way around the handling of a gun. The video came to an end as I reverted my attention back to Salvian. “I didn’t know the standard of discipline under the Savatore’s has taken such a drastic turn since we left,” I said tartly. Salvian and Xander just looked at me suspiciously. “What?” I demanded. “The standards haven’t just dropped, they are working illegally. The soldier with the braid – everything points to that being a woman. The Salvatore’s are using women in their line of battle!” Xander said with a smirk. Smart move, sending in a woman to do a man’s job” I said smirking back at the two men in front of me.

Xander and Salvian just stared at me with confusion written all over their faces. I just sighed, “this could be the opportunity we’ve waited for all these years – to get Marinio in front of the council. I bet he has a lot more heinous and illegal acts up his sleeve” I elaborated. “Very well then looks like we can grill him at the next council meeting!” Salvian said excitedly. As advisor and underboss, it was Salvian’s and Xander’s duty to accompany me to the council meetings. I have been waiting a good five years for Marinio and Salvatore to finally slip up and now I had my chance, but I wouldn’t take him on the right way. I would give him more rope to hang himself. “No, we are going to let it just be, just for the moment and we’ll wait, we’ll wait for our time to strike before he manages to find a way to weasel himself out of the situation,” I said looking over to Xander and Salvian with a wicked smile on my face.

I sent a quick text to my driver to bring the car around. I had some financials to run through at the club before we send it over to the auditors. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to head over to the club. Don’t worry about a meeting for tonight, I’ll be spending the night at the club. I’ll be meeting with Leonardo in the booth tonight to discuss the trade-off with the cartel business” I said, picking up my suit jacket and heading out with Xander hot on my heel. “I’ll come with you, besides I still need to kick Leonardo”s ass in poker tonight, as I promised last week! “ Xander said with a cocky smile on his face. “Yeah, sure, whatever!” I said walking out of the house, and getting into the black SUV. Xander slid un next to me.

***

“Thanks Joe! Don’t wait up tonight, just bring the Audi around for tonight! I’ll be driving home” I said, dismissing my driver. “On it sir!" He muttered before speeding off in my SUV. Luckily, at this time of the day, the club was still quiet enough to get some work done. “Good afternoon, Mr. Cortez!” Sheila, the bar lady smiled as I walked in. “Morning Sheila! Just the usual please! I’ll be up in the booths!” I said, walking up the stairs, completely ignoring the way she tried to flaunt her cleavage and breasts for me. Xander on the other hand wasted no time at all. He walked on over to the bar, leaning over, and tried to flirt with Sheila. I always found it funny that when a girl flirts with me and I show no interest, he always took that as his golden opportunity. Manwhore! I thought to myself rolling my eyes.

Luckily the admin girls got the heads-up that I wanted to look over the financials of the club. Sliding into the booth, the files already sat in front of me on the table.

***

I‘ve been so lost in work, that I haven’t noticed how fast time passed by. I got pulled from my thoughts by Leonardo and Xander sliding in next to me. Looking up, I saw the club was already packed, as usual. “Are you seriously still busy with the financials?” Leonardo asked as he sipped on his whiskey. “Well, obviously if you’re not going to at least try to make an effort to manage the club while I’m out working then I guess I’ll have to do it” I replied tartly giving Leonardo a glare. Leonardo has been one of my best friends since childhood, he’s the sun of our Cappo of the South.

Leonardo just gave a fake laugh before glaring over at me. “Mr. Cortez, would you like another drink?” One of the other waitresses came over and asked before giving Leonardo a playful smirk. “Yeah, just another whiskey, please,” I said before closing all the files and my laptop. I pushed it to the side of the table before slouching down against the sofa. “Are you looking for someone again tonight, brother?” Xander said smirking at me.

“Yeah, I need something new, a challenge or so, something different than the usual panty droppers when they see me,” I said as I looked down over at the club life below me. Xander and Leonardo just laughed at my words, also looking at the club below.

“How about that one? IN the pink dress with black heels, that’s the definition of a blond bombshell!” Leonardo said excitedly. I just rolled my eyes at him. “Well, if you like her so much, why are you trying to rub her off on me then?” I asked turning my attention back to him. Truth be told, I was over the whole blond hair, blue-eyed supermodel type of girl.

“Hey! I was just trying to play wingman over here, but since you’re offering, then count me out, peepz!” Leonardo exclaimed excitedly as he adjusted his suit jacket and walked down to the blond. Xander and I just laughed at how hard he was trying to win the girl over, she just ignored him and sipped on her drink, looking around for someone who could try and rescue her from her very awkward situation.

“You’ve just got to love the determination that Leonardo has when it comes to girls!” Xander chuckled beside me while sipping on his whiskey. I just gave him a knowing smirk. “Yeah, sure, and you’re any different … how?” I asked him with a raised brow.

My words instantly made Xander’s face fall as I almost doubled over laughing at him. That’s when someone walking into the club caught my eye. She had black hair, paired with hazel eyes. She wore a tight black dress, exposing her cleavage just enough for a man to want more. Her black stilettos gave her legs the perfect finishing touch. Her red lips had me totally hooked. I was so in thought of the girl that I was brought from my lustful thought by Xander hitting me on the arm.

“Earth to Xavier! Anybody home??” Xander exclaimed and started to laugh as he noticed my eyes nervously glancing down at the club life continuously. Thanks to this i***t I had lost sight of the mystery girl. My eyes kept moving over the club below, searching for a girl with black hair and a black dress. My eyes moved on over to the bar where I finally found her.

I just stared as I saw Leonardo moving in, seemingly wanting to get closer to her, he also saw the mystery girl. I put my tumbler down on the table and ran down the stairs, adjusting my suit jacket on the way down. I rushed through the crowd of girls trying to flock toward me. I reached her just in time as she was giving Leonardo an ear-full on how much of an 'egotistic bastard' he was. I just had to chuckle hearing that as he walked away with his head hung low in defeat, mumbling pissed-off words to himself.

The mystery girl turned around, seemingly wanting to get out of the club. It looked like she took her turn too fast as she fell over. Luckily for her, I caught her just in time as she fell gracefully into my arms. Her face immediately contorted in pain. "Careful there, sweetheart! Are you okay?" I asked as I helped her up straight again. She just nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm okay thanks!" She said trying to stand up straight. She leaned back over to the chair again, mumbling inaudible words to herself.

"Come on, I think you might have sprained your ankle, let me take you upstairs to my booth to check it out," I said in a last attempt to persuade her. She just nodded her head. "I take it, my knight in a crisp grey suit has a name?" She asked tartly as I helped her up the stairs. I just laughed at how daring she was, she had an attitude for sure, no girl would ever talk to me in a tone like she did. "Well, this knight's name is Xavier, Xavier Cortez, and you are lucky I'm the owner of this club and such a handsome one at that! What's the damsel in distress's name?" I asked, chuckling.

She just looked at me with a shocked expression written all over her face before her face contorted in anger as I sat her down, bringing her leg up to have a look at her ankle, "My name is Carla, Carla Luciano"