Cole 1

I walked back from the business meeting tired. Running a hand through my hair, I sighed and looked out the window. A tired dark-haired man stared back at me. His once light green eyes were dull and as clouded as the sky outside. Of course, I didn't bring my umbrella.

"How did the meeting go?" Cam or Cameron my childhood friend ambled up to me. He was always smiling even in the darkest situations. His light brown eyes which contrasted sharply against his ebony skin watched me waiting for a sigh or some sort of sign that would tell him that the meeting did not go well.

"As usual. Abram of course wants to renegotiate the deal. We already renegotiated it once. He said he wants his lawyers to look over it one more time before he is completely on board."

"Can't you just tell him no?"

"If I did he might pull out. Guys like Abram need reassurance that when they invest in something that they will not be disappointed. If I allow him to renegotiate this last time, he will be reassured that he is making a great choice that will benefit him and us. No matter how tedious and long the process may be."

"I understand. How about we get a drink? Just the two of us like old times."

"It's 11 am, Cam. I don't get off until the evening." If all goes well, I kept that part to myself.

"Then about this evening." He peered into my eyes and I could not help but smile at his persistence.

"Fine."

He clasped my hand on my back and patted it. "There's my man. I will finish looking through those papers and bring them to your desk before the evening. By that time, you better be done with work, or I will drag you by the collar of your shirt out of this building."

I chuckled. "No promises."

He gave me a look before mouthing, better be there. Turning his back, he walked down the hallway and I watched him go smiling. He had always been by my side since school then college and now even works at the same company as me. If my father would have it, my company. I enjoyed the security that being the CEO brought but I had wished that my father had given me a chance to do something else and not groom me for my whole entire life to take over his business. If mother was here, she would have been able to prevent it. I walked down the hallway and eventually stopped in my office. I had just sat down when a knock landed on my door. "Yes?"

The door opened to my personal assistant, Mr.Lincoln. A man of 1.83meters or 6ft with a lean stature, complete with dark brown brushed back hair, dark brown eyes, and a dark suit; who looked like someone had just stepped out of the shadows which he probably had with his training, handed me a file and I looked at it curiously.

"That is the last I have for you, sir. I will leave you to open it."

I looked at him and nodded, excusing him.

He smiled before leaving the room.

I turned my attention back to the file. Usually, I was given some sort of clue as to what was in the file but this time, I was at a loss. Even though, I put it to the side and focused on other more pressing files.

—-5hrs later——

My door opened again and I looked tiredly up from my computer.

"Damn man. You look like a zombie."

"Thanks, Cam."

"Did you even eat Obed (lunch)?"

"I had some plyushka (a simple bun)."

"Come on. We are going."

Seeing no way to argue against Cam, I grabbed the file and put it in my satchel before turning the lights off, walking out of the office, and locking it behind me. I followed Cam out of the building and my driver pulled up in a Chrysler 300 2021. Getting in, we drove to my favorite bar. The bar was alive with people. The red walls, wooden floors, dark wooden bar, and tables made the bar inviting. Blue lights lined the bottom of the bar, lighting up each chair and low hanging lights aligned the bottom of the bar.

"Cole, how have you been?" A gorgeous black-haired woman with hazel eyes yelled while attending to two other customers.

"Good, how about you Svetlana?"

"Good. Do you need a seat?!" She yelled over the people and loud music. Serving one man a yellow, medovukha, and the other vodka, I guessed by the color before she took off her apron and weaving her way through the crowd towards me.

"Yes, but if there is no one available we can take the lounge. I need to finish work anyway."

"Drebeden (nonsense)." She replied before finally reaching them. "Follow me." With that, she turned away and begin to move through the crowd again. We followed behind.

"You know she likes you, Cole. Why don't you ask her on a date?"

"I am her boss and I don't have time for dating."

"Vzdor." Cole mumbled under his breath and I rolled my eyes.

We followed her upstairs and I nodded at the guards who stood in front of the glass door to the VIP lounge. They both opened the door to the huge U-shaped white leather couch and tables. This was the room for me personally. There were VIP sections down at the bar but having one for myself especially when I mostly tried to catch up on work helped. Having Cam on the other hand with me never ended with a quiet night. It was not that I did not like the occasional drink and chatty atmosphere, it is just that I want to get work done. Having Cam around never made that possible.

"I will send you your usual but if you need anything else Solokov, I am down-stairs."

"Thank you Svetlana. You are always a God-send."

She smiled before making her exit.

I put my satchel down, sat down on the couch, and pulled out the file.

"Cole-"

"It's important. I haven't even looked at it yet. Lincoln did not even tell me what was in it."

That piqued Cam's interest. "Well?"

I smiled as I put the file on the table and opened it. A familiar face appeared in the file.

"Ace Volkov. Doesn't he run the Volkov gang?"

"Yes." I turned the page and flipped through the people in his gang that I was aware of until I stopped. A picture of a brown-haired, brown-eyed, tan woman looked back at me. "I do not know her?"

I looked at Cam, he shook his head. I looked back at the picture and switched it over to the back. Vel? was written there. I knew no one with that name.

A knock sounded and I closed the file after pulling out the picture of the woman. Svetlana walked in balancing two drinks. She set them on the table not without eyeing the picture.

"Do you recognize her?"

She shook her head. "I can ask around but I haven't seen anyone around here looking like her. Why you ask?"

"Nothing just curious. Thank you, Svetlana."

She nodded before leaving the room.

"If I had my computer I could attempt to look her up but I doubt that with just Vel? written on the back, I would not get far. There are some names in different cultures that start with Vel and with no other clue it would be impossible to find. You could ask your father?"

"He is the last person I would ask. Lincoln might know."

"I doubt it if he did not tell you when he gave you the file then he probably does not know. Your father is the only person who might know."

I sighed, grabbed my glass, and took a drink from it. "I guess I will ask him tomorrow. For tonight I am done with work, we can have fun."

"Now we are talking." Cam smiled before he opened the file and held his hand out.

I looked at the picture once more before handing it to Cam to put it back in the file. He reached over, grabbed my satchel, and stuffed the file inside. "Now what are we doing tonight otherwise than getting drunk."

"For once Cam, I will let you decide that."

I chugged my glass as my mind slowly drifted away from work. Svetlana came in with more drinks and I laughed as Cam drank down each one. The stress from work slowly drifted away and I finally begin to relax. I closed my eyes and sighed.

I remembered the smell of homemade food and my mother's voice drifting through the house calling us for lunch. The light seeped through the windows and lit up the house creating a warm atmosphere. My mother turned and looked at me standing at the table, smiling. She was a gorgeous woman with long, wavy black hair and green eyes. She was always smiling. She was always warm and inviting. Her tan skin, eyes, and smile. I missed her. My father would come home from a long day of work, tired but as soon as he saw her, he smiled. He would clasp me on the back, then we would all sit together. We rarely ever missed a meal together but ever since her passing during my first year of college, that all changed. We rarely had meals together: my father and I.

He was always in his office and never smiled. He would acknowledge me with a head nod but that was the extent of the communication between us. Every so often, he would call me into his office when I was in college to see how I was doing with my classes or to ask me about something business-related but after I graduated, it was almost like we had less to talk about. Even though he wants me to take over his business, it seemed like we talked less and less. I had tried to talk to him more, ask him if he wanted to go out but he would refuse. He would sit behind his desk and say that he was busy with work but maybe next time. There was never a next time. I did not hate him and I knew he did not hate me but things had changed between us: father and son. I was no more the son he was proud of. I was just a reminder of the woman he loved and missed.

A hand shook my shoulder and I opened my eyes to Cam. It was a year after my graduation but I still had moments where I relived those memories of my parents. He looked at me, making sure I was okay before he smiled and wobbly, raised a glass. "To life!" He yelled before putting the glass to his lips and falling against the couch. It was about time, I took him home. Cam may not feel the same sadness that I felt with my mother's passing but he was there with me since high school. Even when my father intimidated the kids (who were not up to his standards to be my friend) or forced me to become friends with those who were, Cam always stayed. He was my one true friend and for that, I would do anything for him. Taking the glass out of his hand and putting it on the table, I pulled a grumbling Cam to his feet and waved off Svetlana who came in to check on us.

"I can take you guys through the back exit? Your ride is waiting there."

"Please do." I looped Cam's arm over my shoulder and followed her down the stairs to the exit. She opened the door for us. "Thanks." I mouthed before she smiled then closed the door behind us. Cam grumbled incoherently before I heaved him into the backseat of the vehicle then got in myself. This was a typical night with Cam. "Take us home please?" I ordered and the driver nodded before driving.