The Mafia's Hired Wife.

Florette's POV. Today is unnecessarily busy at the bar. For some reason, everyone is on edge, running around frantically doing this or that. The escorts that are living in the upper floors are running around, receiving deliveries of dresses and wigs. Matthew, the owner of this building came down a few moments ago and instructed that the entire place should be cleaned up and arranged but he didn't say why. We have only a few customers at the bar, but the tension is still too thick in the air that it feels like we have a thousand customers. This hardly happens around here. Matt hardly gives specific orders to clean up the place and the escorts are hardly ever so anxious. The only other time we were given orders was when a police officer came by and we thought we were going to be shut down because this is obviously illegal, but it turned out the officer was in need of an escort himself so since then we haven't really been scared of the police. So what exactly is happening? As I step behind the counter to take more orders, I catch sight of a red haired woman walking towards the counter. She scans the area with her eyes and I raise my hand, waving her over. "Bexley!!" I yell. Bex and I have been best friends for about a year and half, we basically live for each other. She was the first escort to talk to me when I got here, while the other escorts were stuck up bitches who saw me below their level. It was around last year September when Bex and I moved in together in a small two bedroom apartment. She has been my guardian angel ever since, she is the type of friend to take matters into her own hands and she will not stop until she has finished off whoever dared to try me. I try to do the same for her but I am not that type of person. I would rather talk it out with whoever annoys her. She elegantly strides over to the counter in a red mini dress that stops mid-thigh and black gladiator heels that go above her ankles. She swings her hips as she walks and gracefully takes the stool directly in front of me. She grabs the glass of whiskey that is already in my hand and tips it back, chugging down the contents in a few gulps. "The night is just starting" I warn her. "Trust me, I know" She rolls her eyes at me before looking around, studying how everyone is running around. That reminds me. "What the hell is happening, by the way?" I touch her arm to get her to look at me. "Apparently we are having a guest today" She says with a retired sigh. "A very important one'' "A guest?" I echo. That doesn't happen often. "Do you know..." "I don't know everything" She sends me a scolding glare and I snap my lips together with a nod. "Right. Sorry" At the same time, Daisy hurries to us and takes the seat next to Bex, leaning her hands on the table with a wide smile on her face. "Who is making you smile like that?" Bex eyes her questioningly, "Have you finally managed to pay your rent? Or has that boy asked you out?" Daisy, an assistant waitress here has had an everlasting crush on one of our regular customers. She always wants to be the one to serve his table and she gives him the best drinks. Bex and I have been convincing her to let him know how she feels but she keeps saying she's scared of getting turned down, and would rather love him from afar. A load of bullshit if you ask me but it is what makes her happy so I am fine with it. "No." She says with a sad pout, then the smile rises back to her face within seconds "Another crush of mine is visiting today" she skips happily on her stool. "Did you hear?" "Hear what?" I ask her. "The guest that is visiting today. Zavian Dorian" she looks expectantly at me, as if expecting me to know this person she is talking about but I just stare at her dumbly, she looks at Bex but she is also uninterested. "You both don't know him?!" She yells in surprise "That is a shame" "How are we to know him, it is not like we see him around on the streets" Bex says. "He is the third richest man in his twenties. How could you not know him?" She argues. "He owns almost all the hotels in Newton and an extension in Styne. If not all" "Wow. That is impressive. Any idea how he did it?" I ask with knitted brows. "Why?" Bexley asks "You also want to be the third richest girl in your twenties?" I roll my eyes at her, she always have a way of killing the mood with sarcasm. "I just admire his hardwork. That's all" I shrug, then turn to Daisy "Do you know why he is visiting today? What would a man with that much clout be looking for in this small town?" I ask her. She thinks for a short moment, her finger tapping her chin and her eyes facing the ceiling. "I wonder too.. But there were some rumours that he may be in need of an escort. Why else would he be here?" "Why would he look for an escort here? There are many other escort houses in Newton and Styne. High class ones at that" Bex chimes in and Daisy nods in agreement, humming to herself. "Maybe he wants to keep it a secret" She says with an unsure shrug. "You know how celebrities are. He may not want people to know" "But he has fans here too. You are one of them" "Well, the majority are in the town. Only very few people know him here" she says, then looks at Bex and I with scornful eyes "Although I am still surprised you both do not know him" The entrance of the bar is directly opposite the counter where I'm standing, and from the open double doors, I see about three black jeeps and one black SUV pull up to the front of the building. I am obviously not the only one who sees this because suddenly, the people who were crowding the entrance of the bar part away like fog as they wait for the person who is about to come in. I hear a chuckle beside me and I look to see Bex staring at the action with amused eyes. "Who could possibly be coming that would make those people give way like that. It is almost impossible to go through them." She says. "Its him! Its him!!" Daisy skips. "I guess he is more famous here than we think'' I say with a shrug, my eyes still fixed on the entrance door. Suddenly, a tall man in a coat with a tailored suit underneath steps into the bar, and the whole place falls silent. A total of three other men rush in behind him, all clad in black suits. The mysterious visitor pauses, then without looking around him, walks in the direction of the stairs. The other men follow and they all vanish into the dark staircase. When they are out of sight, it is like the whole bar lets out a breath, the mumurring stiring up again. "Was that...?" My words trail off as Daisy nods her head. "That was him" she confirms, then sucks her teeth and shuts her eyes "I bet you have never seen a man that hot, let alone one that is hotter" "Oh please. He is cute but not as much as you make it seem" I wave her off and she gasps. "Oh no! He looks exactly the same up close. Do you know what that means? He is the hottest man ever. Even i********: says so" she argues. "Whatever" I roll my eyes. I turn to look in front of me to see Bex with her mouth open, staring dreamily at the direction the men went. "Woah there" I call her "You might actually drool on the counter, be careful." "That was my reaction when I first saw a picture of him. You are hooked now Bex" She shakes her shoulders. "If he is truly in need of an escort, then you should be the one. Don't you think?" I ask Bex. "Exactly, you are way better than the rest of them anyway, especially that Madeline b***h" Daisy says with a scoff. "No. He wouldn't pick me anyway. I shouldn't get my hopes up for no reason" Bex says, going back to her drink on the counter. "He would. I'm sure of it" "You think so?" She asks. "Of course" "Well then. I better hurry" she hops off her stool. She immediately runs up the stairs, other escorts rushing behind her. I shake my head at her and continue with my work, customers asking for more drinks. Daisy rushes to go on with her work, leaving me alone behind the counter. I tilt my head when my eyes fall on the cars outside. Why would someone who is obviously so rich and influencial want an escort from this tiny place? How did he even get to know about this place? Because the last time I checked, only few people know about this place and it has no name. Minutes later, rushed steps come down the stairs and I turn to see my best friend waving me over. I drop my towel and walk to her, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?" I ask. "Drinks." She breathes "Matt wants you to bring drinks to the visitor. He didn't say what kind" She turns around and scurries off again without another word, leaving me confounded. I share a confused glance with Daisy from across the room and she shrugs and shakes her head. I pick the glasses and clean them, but pause when I remember that he did not specify on the exact drink I should bring. How could he not say what kind? Couldn't he ask the visitor what he wants? Gathering two glasses of whiskey on a tray, I move to the stairs carefully, but I halt in my tracks when I hear the shattering of glass and commotion coming from the back of the bar. I rush to place the tray back on the counter before going to check it out. I find a drunk man on the floor, trying to get back up and knocking another glass over. "Excuse me sir, you can't do that here!" I yell at him, but he is obviously too drunk to hear me. Two other men come behind him and lift him up, mumbling under their breath at his weight. They pick him up and make him stand, still holding onto him. "We'll take him out, miss. Sorry for the mess" One of the men says as they drag him out. I nod and turn around, running to get the broom so I can pack the glass. As I run past the counter, Daisy sees me and stops me with wide eyes. "What are you doing? Are you not supposed to be taking drinks up to Matt's office?" "s**t! I almost forgot that. There was a commition at the back, I have to clean it up" I tell her. "Go. I will clean it up. Matt is probably cursing your name right now" she says. "Thank you so much, D" I immediately grab the tray of drinks that I was asked to bring to the visitors, huffing to myself when I realize that I am probably over ten minutes late now. With that thought, rush up the stairs. Once in front of the door, I make sure to catch my breath before stepping in, my head down and eyes watching the ground. I make sure not to hit anyone as I pass because for some reason, the room is filled with escorts, all standing on a straight line before the visitor. From the looks of things, it seems like the meeting is about to end, the visitor is standing now and so is Matt. I can feel the eyes of everyone on me, especially that of the visitor boring holes into the side of my face. Why is he looking at me like that? Why is everyone looking at me like that? I reach Matt and hand him the drinks, preparing myself for the scolding that is about to follow. "Florette, I told you about this drinks minutes ago. Do you think we still need it now?" He says, obviously trying to control his anger in front of his visitors. If they weren't there, I probably would have received a sack letter. I open my mouth to apologize but the words get stuck in my throat the moment a deep gravelly voice resonates throughout the room. "Florette... Is it?" I turn to see the owner of the voice and my breath hitches the moment my eyes land on his. His gaze is so intense that I have to look away, bowing my head again as I physically take steps back. I am about to answer him but Matt beats me to it, stepping in front of me. "Uhh... Yes, her name is Florette" He starts "She is the waitress though, she doesn't work as an es--" "Florette...." The deep voice says again, as if tasting my name on his tongue. This time, I raise my head slowly until my eyes meet his calculative ones again. His eyes are almost hidden under his thick brows, but I can still feel the intensity of his stare from where I am standing. His hair is slicked back neatly, the sheen reflecting the light in the ceiling, and it is gathered in a band at the top of his head. He is clad in all black, a black suit covered in a black long coat, but the buttons of his coat are golden, making me wonder if it is real gold with how rich he seems. His fingers everyone of them are littered with one ring or the other, even standing here I could tell how expensive they look. They make his fingers look pretty but at the same time like he doesn't care what anyone thinks of him. He is atleast three inches taller than me, has to be the tallest man in the building right now which makes him even more intimidating. "That is a very peculiar name" he says. He is looking at me with an inquisutive gaze now, as if he is trying to figure me out for some reason. He takes a step further but Matt is still in the way so he pauses, still seeming to be in deep thought. "Th-Thank you" I say from behind Matt, my head bowed and eyes fixed to the ground. Matt may be in front of me, but his body is doing nothing to pacify the intensity of the visitor's gaze. I feel like I am being examined, evaluated but thoroughly. My eyes flit up to his for a split second and I force it back down to the ground. His eyes fall on Matt and there is a silent order in them that he should move aside and he does so immediately, the guest takes a step towards me and stops, his eyes never leaving mine. Even without speaking to him, I already know he is dangerous, the look he is giving me, it is the type that girls run from. Who is this man and what does he want here? It is obvious that he isn't just in need of an escort because if he was, the office would have not been filled with them. Matt already knows the best so he would just give her to him. But this is different, he wants more than that, and the look he is giving is telling me that I may likely fill the void. "I'm taking her" He says "Florette."