Chapter 28: Chapter 28

"Send me an expresso, please," I order using the landline. I end up the call and swirl my chair around to grab the file that is sitting on the cabinet behind me as I grab it, I swirl the chair back to its normal position. Today is a very busy day, I am piled up with a lot of work but thankfully one of my co-workers, Alexander decided to give me a hand even though it isn’t his job to do that.

Not quite long after I started working on the papers, a staff knock on my door and I tell him to come in. I don’t take my gaze off the papers I’m working on as the staff approaches me and keeps the coffee by the side of the table before he walks out of the cabin. I take a sip out of it and I exhale; warm refreshing coffee. The exact thing I need to make me concentrate.

I am almost done with what I am doing when Alexander knocked on my cabin door. I call out for him to come in before he does.

"Hey Rachel, sorry I took time." He says approaching my desk "I’m done working on the files. Everything is tact, you can check them to make sure that I didn’t miss anything. I also sent an email to Tower Hills Company so you don’t have to do that."

"That’s so nice of you, Alexander. You didn’t have to do that I was going to send them an email." I lie through my teeth. I totally forgot about sending them an email.

"Yeah I know but I just wanted to help you out." He says, smiling. Alexander has a perfect shape smile so whenever he smiles I can see his front teeth.

When Alexander offered to assist me, I told him I am going to email Tower Hills concerning the contract but seems like Alexander was thoughtful enough to help me with that too. How sweet is he!

"Thank you so much, Alexander," I say taking the files from his hand "I don’t know how I would have managed without you." I open the files to see that he has done all work not missing a single thing.

"You’re welcome and please call me Alex." He says smiling. Alexander is charming and cute, but obviously not my type.

"Sure," I say smiling back at him

"So- uhm, Rachel, I was thinking. A few of us are going to get a drink after work down at Spencer's bar, so I was wondering if you want to come." He shrugs, feeling shy for some reason. "Would you like to come?" He sounds very nervous

Normally I will say no but with the way, he helped me out today. No, won’t be the right answer although I’m kinda shocked that he invited me since I'm Richie’s fiancé I didn't think anyone would want to talk outside of work.

"Sure, why not," I say

He shot me a smile and nods. "That’s cool, see you later." He walks out of my cabin and I proceeded to keep the files inside the cabinet.

Finally arranging the files, I head to Richie’s office with some documents. I need his signature on them. Just as I expected, Richie is on a call but his attention is on the file sitting on his desk. The clicking of my heels caught his attention and he looks at me with a gracing smile.

I stand by the door holding onto the doorknob "You busy?" I inquire.

"Not for you." He says, smirking after ending the call.

I roll my eyes as I approach his desk, I place the files on his table. "You need to sign, here….here and here." I point at each of the places that need his signature.

"Just those places or you need my signature somewhere else." He flirts standing up from this chair. He leans against the desk standing in front of me.

I couldn’t resist an eye roll as I caught myself blushing for some reason. This man is very good with his words. "Just sign the damn paper!" I demanded

With a smirk, he turns the file around and begins to sign it "By the way, what am I signing?"

"Your death wish!" I say and he shoots me questioning looks "Relax, It’s just the salary increase agreement."

He chuckles "You didn’t have to tell me that. For you, I can sign my death wish."

"Oh please," I roll my eyes "What’s with the flirtatious mood today."

"Can’t I flirt with my beautiful fiancé?" He smirks at me

"I can't bite you back on that, I am beautiful." I flip my hair to one shoulder

"So beautiful.” He pulls me to his body as he wraps his arm around my waist. "You have any plans for tonight?"

"Actually, I do. You know Alexander White?" I ask

He furrows his eyebrow. "What about him?" His tone is profound.

"Funny story-" I state, awkwardly laughing to hide my nervousness. The one thing I don’t doubt about Richie is that he doesn’t like it if I am around other guys or even hanging out with them.

"He kinda invited me for a drink but I’m not the only one going, everyone else is coming and-"

"No!" He says, cutting me off "You’re not going!" He commands

"Well, I’m not asking." I clarify immediately crossing my arms over my chest as I step away from him.

He clenches his jaw but releases it as he pushes himself from leaning against the desk. "Rach, I don't want you drunk among a bunch of strangers." He says

"They’re not strangers, they are your employees and my colleagues, and who said anything about getting drunk? I’m not gonna get drunk, trust me on that."

"Rach," He sighs

"Richie, I will be fine, and besides you can come with me if you want." I offer. I want to spend as much time as I can spend with Richie because the more time I spend with him the faster he trusts me and once I gain his trust I will have access to all his illegal activities which will make it easier for me to take him down, it will be like a cup of tea.

"Will you come with me?" I hold his stare and watch as his eyes softened from my words. He walks over to stand in front of me.

"You know I can't go drinking with a bunch of strangers, Rach." He says

"Your employees are not strangers but it’s okay. I understand Richie Moranzino doesn’t go out with employees. I will just take Brad with me instead." I say walking toward the door "I just hope he does a good job protecting me from the paparazzi." I sigh. That will make him come with me

Richie sighs "You know what, I will just come with you."

"Are you sure?" I bit my bottom lip to try and keep my smile from showing. "I mean, Richie Moranzino doesn’t drink with a bunch of strangers!" I air quote the phrase 'strangers'

He rolls his eyes smirking "Sometimes you make it too hard-" He whispers the last words to himself.

"Too hard to what?" I ask

He exhales "Never mind."

"Whatever, I will see you later." I shrug and send him a cheeky smile before shutting the door and going back to my desk.

As I step foot inside my cabin, something stumbles into my mind. Ezra. I have to find out who he is. I went to check the cabinet hoping I will find something about him. There are hundreds of files so there is a chance that I will find something that has to do with him even if it’s just a little information. I search the first and second parts of the cabinet but didn’t find anything. Searching the last part of the cabinet, I screech "Shit!" I just recall that the entire documents in the cabinet were changed by Julie two weeks ago. Julie is one of my coworkers.

I groan as I close the cabinet. It’s either the file about Ezra in the storage room or in a study room at home. Either way, I need Richie, he is the only one with the key to those two rooms.

After work, Richie and I head out to meet the guys. He tried convincing me not to go but I stuck to my word. I’m not really interested in going either but I already gave Alexander my word so I can’t go back at it.

We step out of the car and approach the busy-looking bar. Richie takes a long stride in front of me to open the door, letting me enter first. Immediately, the noise of chitchats and music with the bass too high surrounds me. I look behind me to make sure Richie is behind me before I continue walking. His hand lands on the small of my back as he leads me forward. It is dimly lit and the place is packed with so many people.

"This will be the perfect time to walk out and go back home, Rach. There are a lot of people here, sweaty ones too." Richie grinches as we sidestepped our way through.

I roll my eyes "Oh please. You will be fine."

"I don’t know about that but I tell you, ten minutes and we will be out of here. I can’t stay here for any longer than that."

"We will see," I tell him as I spot Alexander and a few other familiar faces over at a long table near the corner. I lead Richie over there, his arm still around my waist.

"Hey," I wave as we stand at the end of the table.

"Hey!" A few of them say in unison while others gave a swift wave. When they saw Richie behind me, their relaxed face suddenly stiffens as they all look a bit uncomfortable.

"Don’t make this night any awkward," I mumble audible enough for only Richie to hear

"I will try." He mumbles back.

Alexander stands from his seat, holding his hand out to Richie "Good to see you, Mr. Moranzino."

"Thank you," Richie says but doesn’t show any signs of him wanting to shake Alexander’s hand. I slightly elbow him in the stomach and he turns his gaze to me shooting me a questioning glare. I slightly laugh trying to cover up for Richie's behavior as I point at Alexandra’s hands with my eyes, Richie immediately understands what I mean and he says "Ohh" a bit audible before shaking Alexander.

"It’s nice to see you too," Richie says to him

I facepalmed my forehead. This is going to be a long weird night..,

"Can I buy you a drink, sir?" Alexander ask.

"No, you don’t have to. I will buy you all a drink. The next round is on me."

They all smile but no one cheered like they are supposed to do. We got a couple of seats to put up at the table and Riche orders a round of drinks for everyone. However none of them were comfortable, everyone just sipped and ignored all gossip. I know it’s weird for them that Richie is here, normally when a bunch of employees hang up together they gossip about work and most importantly their boss but now that their boss is sitting with them it’s no fun at all.

Soon enough, I decided to call this weird meeting over. I don’t want them to hate me for ruining their night. I am about to speak when Richie’s phone starts ringing. He picks up the call and snaps almost immediately "What!"

Everyone's attention turns to him as he says through the phone "I will be right there." He ends the call as he turns his gaze to me "We have to go Rach."

"Is something wrong?" I ask, concerned

"I will explain in the car." He clasps my hand and as we approach the door he turns to look at Alexander "Thanks for inviting us." With that, he heads out of the door pulling me behind.

Once we are out and inside the car, I shake my head at Richie in disbelief. He doesn’t have to say it for me to know that it is a way for him to get out of the bar. "Really?" I question him

"Come on, you know I had to do that. That was literally the worst hangout ever. No one was talking."

"That’s because you were there! No one is comfortable when their boss is around them." I tell him and he shrugs

"Well, anyhow it is, I’m just glad I left that place. I can’t stand another minute in there." He says

I roll my eyes and turn back to look through the window. Richie isn’t lying, it was a little boring but I think it might have been better if he wasn’t around. People hardly get comfortable with their boss around them.

No sooner did we arrive home and as I step out of the car I feel someone’s eyes on me. I turn around scanning my environment. There is no one there. That is odd, why am I suddenly feeling someone is watching me? Richie stands next to me with his hand on my waist. As we walk into the mansion, I feel it again; someone watching me, turning around to check if I’m wrong or not, I don’t see anyone.

This is strange.