ALEXEI

Chapter 4-02

Chapter 4-02Smiling. "Okay. Text me location."

"You won't regret it." He hangs up quickly and shortly after my phone chimes with a notification indicating our place of meeting. Not far from the building, just a walk or two besides I need to stretch my legs.

Picking my bag walking out of my office towards the reception where she sits. "Jeanine, do hold all my calls. I'm going for lunch." Her head rise up looking at me.

"Okay ma'am." Saying smartly and rather cheekily causing me to roll my eyes are her. Like I can count how many times I have insisted she calls me by my first name, instead she prefers ma'am or my last name.

Opening the door to the chic restaurant, my eyes scans the room till I see the blonde hair poking from the corner. Smiling, I walk towards him. "Bryan." He turns looking bewildered sizing or assessing me. I just can't tell blushing. Clearing his throat he helps me out of my coat. "Hello, thank you." He rewards me with his infamous grin while slyly trying not to gawk at me sitting in front of him. "Look pretty decent." Taking my gaze away from him to the restaurant complimenting its serenity.

"I can't believe it's been three years." I don't know why a pin prick my eyes and a pinch to my heart. He doesn't even remember.

"Five." I muse boldly.

"Excuse me?"

I corrected. "Five to be exact we last saw each other." He looks uneasy looking anywhere but me scratching the back of his head all but nervous.

"Such a long time."

"Very." Saying dryly.

"But look at you. You changed." Bursting out hysterical lighting the tense air.

"I get that a lot from old school mates."

"Excuse me, I'm Esther and I will be your waiter." The freckled red says. "Here's our menu, what can I get you?" Scanning quickly, we make our orders with her leaving us.

"So how has life been?" He asks.

"Pleasant, shockingly. But tell me mister hot shot. How is Langley treating you?" Of course I did keep tabs on him, not the stalker obsessed kind.

"Not all that bad." He says coyly drumming his fingers on the table.

"Bad. It's the f*****g CIA." I whisper scream making him laugh playing secret agent shifting closer saying in whispers looking about for eavesdroppers piquing my interest more.

"Ok just this one time, I'm going undercover for a new mission." I just had to follow his funny act drawing closer for the hot soup.

I knew it!!! Almost screaming it out excitedly. "Oooh." But I refrain, playing it rather cool.

"Sorry, here are your orders."

It wasn't awkward as I thought will be catching up with Bryan. We talked about our jobs, laughed at school memories but never did we delve to relationship which I'm grateful for. He was always the fun friend and still is entertaining me with his jokes till we could not laugh anymore at shared jokes and decided to call it a day.

Walking me to my car pulling the door open like a gentleman, he says. "I missed you Rosie. I hope we get to do this again."

Smiling kissing his chin. I reply. "I miss you too Bryan. I hope so too." Or not. Yes I did miss him but it isn't like the past where feelings got attached, it's more like missing a friend after so long. I just hope he is not expecting more of me after this besides someone else occupies my mind right now and s**t!!! I'm one hour late for my 2:00 pm. Saying quick goodbyes, hastily I rush to the office cursing myself out.

Passing the reception desk Jeanine gives a knowing look. "I know. I know." I say exasperated rushing towards my door pulling it open. "I'm so sorry Mr. Ivanov, something took my time and I promise it won't happen again." Looking apologetic shrugging my coat off revealing my clingy dress his eyes follows me like a hawk but I was too preoccupied with my apology to take notice. "Like I'm not prone to tardiness and I hate myself right now." Sitting down looking at him.

He grins, like he just grins. "Slow down flower." He says.

Snatching my glasses fixing it on my eyes I inquire. "Why do you call me that?"

Titling his head to the side maintaining his grin. "You look like a flower and you smell like one." I hate to admit this but a huge swarm of butterflies just went off in my belly. Biting my lips, I look down at the book in my hand taking notes. Feeling his charming greens on me, I look up abruptly quirking a brow.

Why is he looking at me like that? Is something on my face?

"Is something wrong? What is it?"

"Nothing." Okay.

"Once again I'm really sorry for my tardiness." Sitting upright back to the business at hand. "Tell me, how do you feel when you slit a throat or cause pain to someone?" I watch as a pretty dangerous smile crosses his face groaning and then relaxing on the couch looking up the ceiling.

"It's like a drug, an addictive drug. Too bad for your system at the same time too good to quench the fire it ignites inside of you." Yup, he need serious help. But why am I not scared I'm sitting with a killer in my office? Like the happiness is clearly written all over his face.

"In other words, you are telling me that you are addicted to your love for blood. It gives you a satisfaction that cannot be given by anything else." Noting it down.

"Yes flower." Looking up, I see his eyes already trained on me in his crooked smile. "I believe that is why my brother called a shrink to help me." My body heat up knowing I mistakenly addressed his brother as his father. He notices my embarrassment making his smile grow wider.

Taking my glasses off looking seriously at him who smiles at me in a psychotic grin. He has to know I'm not here for jokes but to help save him from himself. "Shrink puts it deeply. I'm a therapist and I'm here to help you Mr Ivanov; and to do that I need your corporation. Most people get addicted to various things, fight, anger, food even, money, power, s*x, you name it. And I have helped them out of that bondage because it is a bondage they themselves don't even realizes." Laughing like a man gone loco.

"So you think you can help me flower?" It is like he taunts me and my capabilities. Like he doubts me mockingly which in fact irks me but I kept my calm.

"I believe I do Mr Ivanov. I just need you to help me and we can figure out something new for you, something healthy that isn't killing or resulting to blood shed."

"Like a new addiction?" Crossing a leg over the other tucking his index under his chin meeting my gaze squarely.

"Not necessarily but yes." He sits out lacing his fingers together looking at me intensely having me swoon at the stretch of his biceps in the dress shirt he wore and matching pants. I could have sworn I saw a glint in his eyes the way he looks at me, like a new....; or maybe I'm wrong.

"What if I have found the new addiction?" Eyeing me lustfully having my breath cut in my throat. "What if it is within my grasp, what will you have me do flower?" Deep eccentric voice says huskily lighting a bonfire in my core. I gulp.

Fuck me.