LOVING AARON

CHAPTER 2

Aaron's POV

I stubbed out my cigarette and slipped on my suit jacket, preparing for my meeting with that slippery f**k Delacroix at Club Rouge. As I exited my penthouse, my ‘wonderful’ secretary Valentina fell into to step beside me, her eyes scanning the surroundings like hawk.

‘’Have you made it clear to that cocksucker what you’re looking for, boss?’’ She asked, her voice low and discrete.

I gave her a sideways glance, ‘’Not yet Valentina. I’ll handle it. Just make sure everything’s place for our f*****g discussion’’

‘’I’m telling you, it’s not f*****g worth it if we don’t get at least 35% of the shares’’, Valentina says, trailing behind me like a little b***h.

‘’Valentina, I’m the f*****g boss here, not you’’, I snap, my patience wearing thin. ‘’I’ll decide what’s worth it or not, so shut the f**k up and get the hell out of my sight. Arrange the men for the meeting and stop wasting my time!’’

I wave my hand dismissively, and she scurries off like a scared little rat. I took a deep breath, ready to get this over with, after this I’m f*****g done, I’m on vacation.

I reached the bottom floor of the hotel, my men accompanying me we stepped out into the parking lot and I slid into the car. Just as we’re about to pull out, Valentina appears out of nowhere, with an annoying smile plastered on her face. ‘‘See you tomorrow, boss’’ she chirps like a f*****g parrot. I nod curtly, not even bothering to look at her.

The car accelerates, and I check my phone its 10:48. We should arrive at Club Rouge by 11, just in the time for our scheduled meeting. I put my phone away, close my eyes, and rub my temples ready to get this over with.

I stepped out of a car and onto the rain-soaked pavement, my men forming a tight circle around me. Club Rouge’s neon sign flickered above us, casting a gaudy glow over the scene. I adjusted my suit jacket, a habitual gesture, and strode into the club.

My company, Riverside Developments is a real estate development firm. On the surface, it’s a legitimate business, buildings, and shopping centres. It’s legit it’s just a way to cover my tracks, Delacroix on the other hand wants to expand his business in the real estate market. He wants to develop a new luxury complex that includes high-end condos, office spaces and retail stores.

And he needs a partner with the right connection and influence to make it happen, that’s where I come in.

Delacroix was already there, sipping a whiskey at a corner table. His eyes locked onto mine, a calculating glint in their depths. I approached him, my heels clicking on the polished floor.

"Aaron," he said, his voice dripping with false respect. "Good to finally do business with you."

I took a seat, my men positioning themselves around the room. "Cut the crap, Delacroix. What are you offering?"

He leaned back, a self-satisfied smirk spreading across his face. "Thirty percent of the shares, and a seat at the table. You'd be a fool to pass it up."

I raised an eyebrow, my anger simmering just below the surface. "You think I'm a fool, Delacroix? You think I'd take less than forty? You know what I'm capable of. You know what i can do."

His smile faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "Thirty is the highest I can go. Take it or leave it."

My eyes locked onto his, a cold fury building in my chest. "You're pushing your luck, Delacroix. I'll take forty, or I'll take nothing. Your choice"

He fell silent

"I'm not leaving until we have a deal, Delacroix," I said, my voice flat and devoid of emotion.

Adrien shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting around the room. "Fine, fine. I'll give you 45% of the profits."

I didn't flinch, my expression unchanging. "Good. That's more like it."

Adrien hesitated, then spoke up again. "And, uh, I'm having a business party next week. I'd like you to come."

I raised an eyebrow, my gaze cold and unyielding. "What's the point of this party?"

Adrien swallowed hard, his eyes avoiding mine. "Just a networking opportunity, that's all."

I snorted, my voice dripping with disdain. "Networking. You mean kissing ass and pretending to be something you're not?"

Adrien's face reddened, "I'll think about it," I lied, already knowing I'd accept his offer.

Delacroix smiled, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "I knew you'd see it my way, Aaron."

I nodded, I turned and walked away, my phone already ringing as I dialed Valentina's number.

"Valentina" I growled, not bothering with pleasantries. "Add Delacroix's party to my schedule. This Friday."

Valentina's voice was crisp and efficient. "Okay, sir. How much did Delacroix offer you?"

I gritted my teeth, my patience wearing thin. "What the f**k does that matter, Valentina?"

"Well, I just thought-"

"Valentina, just do your job and stop asking questions. Got it?"

There was a pause, and for a moment, I thought I'd finally shut her up. But then she spoke up again.

"Okay, Aaron. But how much-"

I hung up, my anger boiling over. f**k. Why couldn't she just do her job without asking so many f*****g questions?

I slammed the door to my car, my driver, Marco, looking at me with a concerned expression. "Everything okay, boss?"

I nodded, my anger still simmering. "Just drive, Marco."

As we pulled away from the curb, I couldn't help but think about my childhood, I could still feel the sting of my father's belt, the ache in my bones from the countless beatings.

My father, a ruthless Sicilian mobster, had always been a hard man. He'd come to America with nothing, built a criminal empire through blood and sweat. And I'd been his favorite punching bag. He'd justify it by saying it was toughening me up, making me a man. But it was just cruelty, plain and simple.

I remembered the years of torture, the beatings, the belittling. My mother, an Englishwoman, had been a delicate flower, an artist. She'd been trapped in an arranged marriage with my father, the complete opposite of everything she was. She'd weep every time he hurt me, but she couldn't stop him. She was too scared, too weak.

When I came of age, my father had trained me to be the dangerous man I am today. He'd taught me how to fight, how to kill, how to survive. And I'd learned, oh so well.

But it had come at a cost. I'd lost myself in the process, become a shadow of the man I once was. I'd lost my dreams, my hopes, my soul. And now, I was stuck in this life, this never-ending cycle of violence and power.

I need an escape, a f*****g break from this life. I'm more than just a man who kills, more than just a mob boss. I'm an artist, a painter, a dreamer. But nobody sees that side of me, nobody knows the real me.

I still remember my mother's words, her encouragement. She saw the artist in me, the soul. But my father, he just saw a tool, a weapon to be used.

I thought if I came to France, my mother's favorite country, I'd find some peace. But my lifestyle haunts me, even here. The memories of bloodshed, the screams of the innocent, they follow me everywhere.

Sometimes I just want to be a free man, to put down my guns and pick up my brushes. To paint the beauty of the world, not the ugliness of my reality.

But that's just a f*****g dream, a fantasy. I'm trapped in this life, this never-ending cycle of violence.

I take a deep breath, my mind racing. I need a drink, a f*****g stiff one. Maybe then I can forget, maybe then I can escape.

But the escape is temporary, the memories always come back. And I'm left with nothing but my art, my paintings, my drawings. They're my solace, my sanity.

In my penthouse, My paintings are everywhere, a testament to my secret life. Nobody knows about them, nobody sees them.They just think I bought them but they're my escape, my freedom.

And for a moment, I'm free. I'm just a man with a brush, a man with a dream. Not a mob boss, not a killer. Just a man.