Chapter 26: Pancakes
1135 Words
"Boss, the Blackwoods want to see you. They are worried about you, boss. We are all worried. " Simon said as he stood in Matt’s bedroom. Simon had never seen Matt like this, but then he had never seen Matt do a lot of things recently.
Matt was in bed, staring at the wall. He had not bothered getting up for the last few days, not since Alannah had beaten his arse at the Royal Docks. Matt closed his eyes as he remembered what had happened.
"Don’t make me do this, Matt!" Alannah had warned.
"He knows where she is! I thought you were on my side. Please tell me you would not do the same if Kurt was missing! " Matt had yelled.
"You will start a war! Let him go, Matt, and we will find her, I promise."
"No, I am not letting him go. He will tell me where Lisa is and he will tell me now! "
That was the last thing Matt roared before Alannah attacked him. Alannah had beaten him quickly, and he was too angry to think straight. She had knocked him unconscious, and when he woke up, he was in his apartment in the Blackwood building.
At first, Matt was hopeful for news, but as the days went on, a black cloud descended on him. He became more reclusive and was drinking excessively. He could not deal with the fact that his little... was gone. She had not waited. But could he blame her? What else was she supposed to do when his father had turned up with the wedding photos and his wedding certificate?
"Boss, there is someone here to see you," Simon said.
"Send them away!" Matt said, dismissively.
"Now, is that a way to talk to a family member? Or have you forgotten the Nine-Tails already? I will take it from here, Simon. " A familiar voice with an Australian accent.
Matt turned and saw the face of his old friend and former Nine Tails member, Bruce Sanderson. Bruce is next in line to lead the Bloodstone Gang and to be chairman of the Australian Gang Syndicate. Bruce and Matt had fought together in the underground fighting scene in China. "Bruce? What are you doing here?" Matt asked, sitting up.
"I could ask you the same question! I am here for the christening. Do you think I would miss being a God Father? " Bruce said with a smile. Matt knew Bruce and Alannah were close, so it made sense she would choose him to be the Godfather to her daughter.
"I see."
"Just as I see a man who is feeling sorry for himself."
"You don’t understand." Matt began to argue.
"I don’t understand what it is like to lose someone I love. Are you serious?" Bruce said as he folded his arms.
Matt cursed silently and said, "Of course, I am sorry my friend, I didn’t mean it." Bruce had lost his wife and daughter in a car accident.
"Well, you could make it up to me by getting up and making some of your legendary protein pancakes. Oh, and please take a shower; you stink worse than the twins after a long training session! "
"Oi!" Matt protested.
"What? You don’t smell like a bunch of roses! Now, get your sorry arse up! " Bruce said before he closed the door.
Matt grumped and got up. He was severely hungover after hitting the whiskey last night. But somehow, he had managed to get himself showered and even made some pancakes for breakfast. Bruce waited patiently as Matt told him what had happened. When he had finished, Bruce looked at Matt for a minute before saying, "Well, first of all, congratulations on your nuptials. " Matt growled before Bruce continued, "Unfortunately, you are married. How you and Trina deal with that is your private matter. However, I don’t think it is going to help you have a mistress, Matt. "
"I don’t care, Bruce. I can’t be without Lisa! "
"And your father will accept her, will he? I mean, he went halfway across the world to make sure Lisa got the message to stay clear.
My father is in no position to talk to me about mistresses. Besides, he is happy at the moment because he thinks he has won. "
"But what about producing an heir?"
"There won’t be any from Trina and I. Lisa, on the other hand, " Matt said with a shrug.
"If Lisa agrees, she sounds like a strong woman, " Bruce warned.
Matt sighed and said, "All this is theoretical as I can’t find her."
Bruce was about to say something, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Matt called, and Alannah came in with Kurt. Matt instantly had an embarrassed look on his face. "Alannah, I am so sorry..."
"Don’t worry about it! No harm done, and a workout. I feel like a chicken that is just sitting and getting lazy. " Alannah complained.
"You are not getting lazy!" Kurt said with a sigh.
"Yeah, my face can confirm that fact," Matt said as he moved his jaw. It was still swollen, but he knew he got off easily. "I don’t suppose Bee has managed to get any information from Jack Collins?"
Kurt shook his head and said, "I am sorry, Matt, but she won’t get involved with what she sees as private gang matters. If Lisa was connected with someone in The Krakens, it would be different. I know that the twins won’t go against her either."
"Thanks for trying! No offence, but why are you guys here? Surely you have enough to be getting on with. " Matt said.
It was Alannah’s turn to look embarrassed before saying, "Well, we did come to see how you were and.."
"And?"
"Well, we... more like our staff." Alannah stuttered, which was very unlike her.
"What Alannah is trying to say is, we had complaints from our staff, in particular our male staff. They say they are feeling pressured to perform certain personal services for your wife, which they don’t want to do. Now, normally, we don’t mind what happens behind closed doors as long as it is consensual. But pressuring our staff can’t be tolerated," Kurt explained.
"I understand and I will talk to Trina. I am sure there are plenty of male escorts that she can use. " Matt said, practically.
"Is there really no hope for you two to work things out? I mean, you are married. " Alannah pointed out
Matt scoffed and said, "There is more chance of hell freezing over! I detest women, always have. Luckily, she feels the same way about me! "
There was an awkward silence before Bruce asked, "Pancakes, anyone?"
- Writer
