My Crazy Billionaire

6, Him

I looked to the Rolex on my arm and saw the time was thirteen minutes to two p.m. How time flies. I rose to leave and just then my gaze locked on the form of Lily. Like a moth called to a pollen, I immediately sat back on my seat and my vision was locked firmly on Lily, following her every movement, unable for my gaze to be drawn to anything else that wasn’t her.

This was the second time in the same day that I was so close to her yet, so far. Maybe it was fate. Maybe like Maddie said, I had to finally grow some balls and talk to her. Let her know I was there. That I still loved her. Yeah right. Even I knew how creepy that will sound. She would probably run away as fast as her legs could carry her in the opposite direction and the weird part is, I wouldn’t even blame her. Just looking at her right now, I felt creepy as f**k.

She was about a hundred meters away from where I was sat. She was standing at the balloon stand, talking to the guy who sold balloons. Lucky bastard. I wish that were me. On her right arm was her purse and on her left hand she was holding a little boy with cropped dark messy hair. He was pointing to a particular balloon and she was looking at him with the most beautiful smile on her face. I wish she would smile at me like that. Heck, I would give anything just for her to notice me. But then again, being the sad, fearful creep that I was, I could only sit in the distance and look at her.

It was funny really. I was one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time. I didn’t even blink when it came to killing off someone I considered a foe. Yet, here I was, afraid of a girl. Not just any girl but still, I was afraid of a girl.

I looked back to the little boy. I recognized the kid as the son of Lily’s best friend Maria Rosa. Before you ask, yes I knew everything about Lily’s life. One of the perks of being rich as I was, was that I could find out almost everything about anybody. Maria Rosa was okay in my books. She was doing the one thing I failed to do. Make the love of my life happy. The first time I had seen the boy, I rose in a fit of fury, thinking it was Lily’s kid with some other man but then I chastised myself that she wasn’t mine and she could do with her life whatsoever she wanted and with whosoever she wanted. It pained me but there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. Later, it was confirmed that the kid wasn’t hers and I am not even ashamed to admit that I was relieved. Very relieved in fact. So relieved I almost revealed myself to her. Sometimes, I wish I did then.

Anyway, I just sat there, looking at them interact, completely mesmerized, not moving from my seat, contemplating whether to finally approach her or not. The kid was busy saying something animatedly as they moved away from the balloon stall with a bright yellow and red balloon and she was laughing at whatever it was that he was saying. A thought pierced my mind in that instant. A question. A hope. If Lily and I were together, and we had a kid would she be like that we our kid? It was wishful thinking. One I wished would come true. I was sure of one thing though, whenever she had kids, Lily would be a great mother.

I battled my internal dilemma and like I had done for the last seven years, I decided not to approach her. Full of sadness and shame, I left the park, walking straight to my car, not looking back. I was such a coward and at this point I was in no mood to go back to the office.

I rang Corine. When she picked up...

“Sir...” she greeted.

“Send any important documents to the penthouse, I will deal with them at night, cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. Greg should receive them.” Greg was my guard at home.

“Okay sir. Does this mean you won’t be coming back to the office sir?”

“No.” I replied curtly.

“Are you okay sir?” she asked sounding worried on the other end.

“I don’t pay you to ask if I’m okay or not. Get back to work” I said angrily and cut the call, seething in anger in the parking lot of the park.

I knew I didn’t have to talk to Corine that way. She was just trying to be helpful but what was done was done. I didn’t need to tell her anything about my life or how I was feeling. I wasn’t in the mood to be the new gossip of the office. With everyone knowing just how sad and pathetic I was.

I wasn’t angry at Corine. Heck, I wasn’t even in the least holding a grudge against her. I was angry at myself. I was so pissed at myself for being so pathetic and shameful that I couldn’t find it in me to even talk to someone after practically stalking and creeping on the person for years. The entire world knew me as this handsome, confident and intelligent billionaire. What they didn’t know was I was a fearful, insecure guy with a whole f*****g lot of issues. Well whatever.

I needed a drink. A very strong drink.

I sat in the silence of my car for a few more minutes to regain my composure, deeply breathing in and out, nostrils flaring with my forehead against my steering wheel. When I was considerable calm, I rose and started the car, deciding to pass by the warehouse instead.

In about twenty minutes, I was at the warehouse and I saw my guards park just a few minutes after I had parked. They weren’t my guards for nothing. They were always around. Though parked a little way away from me. it was their sworn duty to protect their boss; me. I took care of my employees and their families. And in return they took care of me. Simple. I had learnt early on in life that nothing came for free. If you wanted something, you had to be willing to give something else in return.

Reaching into the glove compartment on my desk, my hands wrapped around the cool metal of the whiskey flask I hid there. With the day I was having, I needed a strong drink. I needed to go see my men, and most of all, try to forget my encounter with Lily.

After getting a copious amount of the alcohol into my system, I got my phones, put on dark shades and made my way into the warehouse.

“Good day boss!” the two armed guards at the entrance greeted and I just tipped my head in return. The air was grim as I got in, few more of my men greeted me as I walked towards the area where I knew the injured men would be treated. As I entered the area, some of my men were lying on iron beds, recuperating and one three other beds in the corner were three bodies covered in white sheets.

I gritted my teeth in anger. The men who killed my men will pay. Once I find out who is behind this, the f*****g pendejo will pay. No one messed with what was mine. The atmosphere was tense and solemn. The men no doubt grieving the loss of their friends. Those men had been loyal to me. Their families would be devastated.

“Xavier, viste hermano (you came brother.)” Emile said and walked up to me. He looked tired, the bags under his eyes were very prominent and dark and his arm was in a cast. His dark hair was stringy, with some of it matted to his hair by sweat.

“Por supuesto hermano. (Of course brother). You look like s**t by the way.” I commented with a bitter laugh. The whole situation was f*****g annoying. Someone dared go against me. Interrupt a shipment and now some Rodriguez men were dead. I was expecting an angry call from the Rodriguez brothers anytime soon now, demanding blood for blood.

Emile chuckled a pained chuckle at my insult but then his face got back to seriousness.

“If you think I look like this, you should see the others. Nah man. We’ve been through worse.” Emile commented with a grim look and indeed the others were worse. One man was unconscious and yet, was writhing in pain. I was no stranger to fights like this. Emile was right. We had been through worse. I even got the scars to prove it.

“What’s the situation like?” I asked Emile as I offered comfort as best as I could without looking weak to the others.

“The shipment is safe. Some men are taking care of it as we speak. But what do we do boss? About all this?” He asked me.

“The deliveries will go as planned. I will negotiate with the Rodriguez brothers. Try to pay for the loss of their men and salvage our business with them. We cannot afford to look weak. Nobody can know about what happened at the docks. Send out a few more men to patrol the areas while we try to find out who is responsible for this and when we do find him, that pendejo estupide will pay with his f*****g life. The loss of our brothers will not go in vain. Whoever is responsible for this will pay.” I said angrily, saying the last part loudly for the entire room to hear. Some men grunted their approval while respect for me shone in the eyes of the rest.

“And the bodies of the dead men Xavier?” Emile asked, his respect for me also showing.

“Their families shall be well compensated and quiet funerals will be held for them. As for now, get some men to retrieve some of the bodies of the men you killed. We need to check their bodies for any signs of what gang they belong to.” I ordered and he nodded his head.

I didn’t become mafia king by being soft. I was hard but my men respected me. And whoever had the guts to cross me better be ready because I was coming for them. And I wasn’t afraid to spill blood.