Chased By The Billionaire

Two

“He's here,” Alex whispered.

Cassian Torque. From the very moment he stepped in through the door, Alex knew what he was dealing with. Standing around 6-foot-4 in a custom-made dark gray double-breasted suit and leather Oxford shoes with barely a hint of dirt on their soles, Cassian walked with an air of superiority surrounding him that made everyone turn his way. If one were to put a face to the words “youngest billionaire and CEO of a multinational corporation,” Cassian Torque would surely be it.

“I see three other guards outside,” Tee informed him. “Man, this guy's car is just ridiculous!”

A larger man—a bodyguard, Alex thought for sure—closely followed behind him as he made his way to a reserved booth, across the room from Alex. When Cassian sat down, he simply nodded, and his companion made his way to the exit.

“Looks like he wants privacy,” Alex muttered. “He just sent his bodyguard away.”

“Yup I see four guards outside now,” Tee confirmed. “Tell me, does he look as good in person as he does in the photos and videos? I mean, even as a straight guy, I must say, I kinda wanna hug him. Have you seen his arms? Man, how many protein shakes does this guy drink?”

Alex disregarded the tech's comments, but admittedly checked out Cassian’s arms. Tee wasn’t wrong. In his suit and with his posture, the man’s broad shoulders and arms really did look good.

“Your drink, sir,” the server placed down two glasses in front of him.

“I only ordered one,” Alex said.

The server smiled at him and nodded towards the bar. “The other one's from that gentleman in a blue suit,” he said as he left.

Alex followed his gaze, and saw a blond man in a blue suit raise a drink towards him. Alex smiled and reciprocated. After all, he had flirted with men and women alike for the sake of his missions.

“Looks like someone likes you,” Tee teased. “How does he look like? I can’t see, there’s no CCTV in the bar.”

“He looks like it’s none of your business,” Alex murmured under his breath. Just then, he noticed someone approach Cassian's table. A tall, younger man who confidently sat in Cassian's booth, as if he had been expected.

“Someone went up to him,” Alex let Tee know.

“A friend?”

Alex could see their lips moving, but with the distance, he couldn’t make out what they were saying. “I don’t know. I’ll go closer.” Alex downed a glass in one go, fixed his tie and smoothed back his dark brown hair. He took the other glass and walked towards the bar, which was closer to Cassian's booth. He could see that the man was now lightly touching Cassian’s hand, but the latter seemed quite disinterested.

Alex slightly angled his face away just as Cassian was about to look in his direction. He took a seat beside the guy that bought him a drink, who looked delightfully surprised at his appearance.

“Thanks for the drink,” Alex smiled at the man. In his seat, Cassian was approximately three meters away, and with his back towards him, all Alex could see in that view was the back of his black hair and shoulders.

“Come on, Cassian, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Cassian's companion sweetly cooed.

Meanwhile, the blond guy beside Alex held out his hand. “Harry,” he introduced himself.

“Brandon,” Alex replied, lightly shaking Harry's hand.

“I’m not interested,” Alex heard Cassian say. In his ear, he could hear Tee whistle and say, “Wow, he’s got the looks and chocolate-y smooth voice down. What a man, eh, Brandon?”

Alex, having had to listen to too many things at once, casually pressed on the small button behind his ear to mute Tee.

“You’re new here, aren’t you?” Harry asked, smiling flirtatiously.

“Is it that obvious?” Alex chuckled and took a sip.

“I would’ve noticed a pretty face like yours before,” Harry smoothly replied.

The man with Cassian groaned and complained, “You and your stupid rules.” Then he stood up and left. Alex glanced to the side, where Cassian remained in his seat, calmly drinking. Obviously, not a friend, Alex thought.

“Where are you from?” Harry leaned closer.

“Just from here and there. I’m only in the city for the night,” Alex lied. He could see Cassian lightly scoff.

Is he laughing at me? Alex thought.

Just then, another man approached Cassian's table, and Alex listened intently.

“Cassian Torque, right?” the man asked. “I’m Danny Thomas. Can I join you?”

Cassian merely nodded, and Danny happily sat down beside him. Even in that distance, Alex couldn’t overhear what the other man was whispering into Cassian's ear. What was up with all these men approaching him?

“That’s too bad,” Harry pouted. “But I guess we should make tonight count while you’re in town, huh?”

Alex noticed Cassian and Danny stand up and head towards the exit.

Knowing that his time in that bar was up, Alex placed money on the table and smiled at Harry. “Sorry, gotta go. Plane leaves early tomorrow. Thanks for the drink, Hank.” He stood up and left, with the other man looking disappointed and calling out behind him, “It’s Harry!”

Hank or Harry or whatever, Alex didn’t care. He turned on the earpiece again just as he was collecting his coat.

“I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but it takes two clicks to mute yourself, dummy,” Tee unhappily said.

Alex walked outside, just in time to see his target and Danny get in a car separate from the four bodyguards.

“I meant not to mute myself, dummy,” Alex said in retort. “Check where they’re headed. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about.”

“Already ahead of you,” Tee replied.

When Alex got out of his rental car, the last place he expected to see was a grand hotel along Lily Street. But there Cassian was, with Danny beside him, walking towards the entrance while his bodyguards stayed in their own car.

“A hotel?” Alex asked Tee as he followed the two inside. “Some kind of business deal?”

“He owns it,” Tee let him know. “And based from CCTV footage, he goes there almost every week, after his trip to the bar. And oh—” he whistled and laughed.

“Why? What is it?”

Cassian and Danny stepped inside an elevator. Just as Alex was about to get on another, Tee said with amusement in his voice, “Don’t bother following. This is a dud.”

“Huh?” Alex stood idly by, confused.

“He goes to the hotel weekly with different guys, Ace. He picks them up from the bar and they head to the hotel afterwards. This is obviously not a sketchy meeting,” Tee said.

“What do you—he's gay?” Alex hissed.

Tee let out a boisterous laugh. “No s**t, Ace! You just came from a gay bar filled with men! Didn’t I tell you that? I’m pretty sure I told you Cassian likes guys.”

“No,” Alex sighed, “No. You. Didn’t.”