Chapter 1: Rich Playboy

Brian walked over to the door when he heard a knock, wearing nothing more than a pair of black athletic shorts. Opening the door, he nodded in greeting to the food delivery guy standing outside. The man held a paper bag, the contents being today's breakfast.

"Keep the change," Brian said to the man as he passed over the cash for his food. He was familiar to him, although not enough for Brian to know his name. He recognized most of the delivery workers by now. Shutting the door, walking into his kitchen, and setting the bag down on the counter.

Brian glanced up from pulling his breakfast out of the bag to watch a woman about 5'8 step into the room. She was wearing nothing but a pair of light gray lacy panties and a skin-tight white tank top. Oh, how she liked to test his self-control, see how much she could push it before he nudged her up against the wall to take what he wanted.

Her body was just too perfect; simply too much. Brian's gaze moved over her and he felt an instinctive twinge of lust in his abdomen. She was thin, with an hourglass appearance. She had shapely buttocks and plump perfectly shaped breasts. She had distinct-large eyes, full lips and a small nose, and her black hair ran down to the middle of her back. Her perfect curves, the product of multiple plastic surgeries and all the lace it was just too much, enough to turn on a eunuch.

"Breakfast?" he offered her, his voice now more profound than it had been previously. His voice was laced with a hint of husky desire. He let his gaze wander to the clock; no, he didn't have time to become distracted.

"You eat breakfast?" the woman scoffed as though the idea was something she had never considered before. "Must be why you have to spend so much time in that home gym of yours."

Ah, thank you, Jessica Grayson. The girl's personality was downright dreadful. It was quite the turn-off. If she wasn't so incredible on the eyes, Brian would have found her painful company. But her body was that, incredible.

Her breasts were so firm, so perfectly round, why she chose to wear a bra, Brian would never know. Her ass was so perfectly firm and rounded, it was just so spankable —

Brian had to take his mind off his current train of thought. He could feel the excitement beginning to spread down his body, if he became any more distracted, he would be late for work. Sitting down at the island he popped open his take-out container and began to eat his spinach and tomato omelette.

The room was silent as he ate.

For the third morning in a row, Jessica got visibly upset that there was no coffee in his apartment, disappearing down the hall muttering under her breath about bachelor men. She returned a moment later with jeans on and then headed out the door without a farewell to Brian.

Once he finished his breakfast, Brian headed down the hall to his room. He stepped into his closet, and stepped out of his shorts, tossing them into his laundry basket. His large walk-in closet was well organized and full of expensive tailored suits, black, gray, and navy in colour. He had baskets filled with solid black dress socks and solid black ankle-athletic socks. Black, navy and deep gray boxer briefs. A collection of brown and black belts hung from hooks on the wall underneath a large selection of ties. There were a few that were more colourful and exciting, but the majority were solid-darker coloured. On top of a table sat a large selection of Rolex's on display.

Once he was dressed in a white collared shirt, a dark-gray suit and a black belt. He finished the outfit with a silver Rolex and a pair of dress socks. When his outfit was complete, he turned to the full-length mirror running his hand through his sandy brown hair. Fixing his collar and tie into place he headed into his bathroom.

Finishing in the bathroom, Brian headed up to his loft office to grab his computer and bag. Pulling on his jacket, he stepped up to his safe, punching his combination in and laying his hand on the sensor, the door popped open revealing his shiny detective badge, sturdy holster and sleek 10-round HK45 pistol. Strapping his holster to his hip he placed in it, clipped his badge to his belt, and with that in place he shut the safe.

Ready for his day, Brian headed down the hall to the elevator, leaning back against the wall he could not see Washington DC below as he descended to the parking garage. His black Ford Mustang was parked in the back, he liked to keep it away from the fuller parts of the garage, and no one in the building knew how to park. Getting in, he eased the car into first gear, pulling out from the parkade, thanks to the rush-hour traffic it took nearly half an hour to make his way to the office.

Pulling up at his designated parking stall in the underground parkade, getting out, he headed to the elevator. Stepping inside, he pressed the top floor button with the label 'Major Crimes Department' underneath. The ascend to the top floor was smooth and quick, just like always.

"Good morning, Detective Harper."

Brian glanced over towards the secretary's desk, smiling in greeting to Elise Dixon.

"Elise, you know Brian is fine. I will be leaving a couple of minutes early for lunch today. Jessica will be coming up, when she gets here, just send her to my office."

"Will do," Elise promised.

Brian headed over to his office, keying open the locked door, and stepping inside, he left it open a crack. Crossing over to his cluttered desk Brian set his phone and laptop down on the few clear spots. He hung up his jacket, then settled down in his desk chair.

He turned on some music to play in the background. Turning to the case file of his recently closed case, beginning to write up the report and complete the needed paperwork.

The case was solved. The culprit was caught. The victim's wrongful death was avenged. The only thing Brian had left to do was wow the jury away in court with the help of one of the best attorneys in the city. Then Brian's job would be done, and the case would be officially over.

Showing off in the courtroom was his top five favourite parts of the job. He liked to tell the jury a story, and he was good at doing it. Thanks to Brian's nearly photographic memory, Brian could absorb all the information needed for each case like a sponge. He remembered the extraneous details that a suspect threw away, the pieces a suspect threw away because they felt like they were irrelevant or that the Detective wouldn't pay them any attention. Brian used those details, sorted them into a story, and brought out details that ensured harsher, longer sentences. In his six years as a Major Crime Detective, he had only seen one of his alleged convicts get off.

As he worked on the report, Brian pulled open one of the drawers on his desk, pulling out the baseball-style stress ball. He leaned back in his chair tossing it absentmindedly. He sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling. It was now when the world slowed down when it was deathly quiet and Brian was met with stone-cold boredom that one of his most significant flaws became apparent. Brian had a horrible time focusing at times like this. Sitting at his desk filling out paperwork or replying to emails. Even when he sat in the courtroom, he found himself getting pulled into his thoughts and getting distracted from his task at hand. What typically took a person with his intellect two hours, generally took him five.

Brian found it hard to sit down and watch a movie without anything else going on. When he was in the interrogation room with a witness or suspect. Or, in the conference room with his team discussing a case, he was laser-focused, at least most of the time. The music and the baseball helped him focus.

Brian constantly reminded himself that it was an incredibly good thing he had not followed his father and grandfather to the path of being a lawyer. It felt like if the Detective wasn't moving forward within a certain amount of time, he was dying of boredom.

About two hours into his morning, there was a soft knock on his door to his office.

"Come in."

Elise nudged his door open, carrying his usual shot of espresso and caramel mocha latte.

"Ah, a sight for sore eyes," Brian said, he moved a few papers on his desk so she had space to put the cups down, taking the espresso mug she passed him. He gave it a small puff before he took a drink.

Placing the cup down his gaze turned up to Elise, smiling a little in amusement as he watched her eyes drift over his desk with a look of repulse.

The desk was somewhat of a disaster. Papers were scattered around in a messy array, pens, highlighters and whiteout-pens laid spread out in a messy clutter. Sticky notes were scattered around stuck to papers that they didn't match. He knew the mess bothered Elise.

Brian found his secretary to be a perfectionist, which made his work life much easier. Elise did everything he asked of her the way he liked it every time. She was diligent and worked harder than nearly anyone in the office. It had taken Brian nearly 18 months of interviews and dead ends to find her.

"Are you sure I can't stay late and clean this desk for you, sir?" Elise asked glancing up at him. "I wouldn't even put it in the books."

Brian laughed softly with a small shrug "no, that's okay. It's not even that bad yet."

Elise bit her lip, her eyes darting over the desk again. Maybe she was debating just how upset he would be if she disregarded his word and stayed anyways.

"So, how are things with you and Jessica, sir?" Elise asked.

"Ugh... it's interesting, to say the least," Brian admitted, leaning back in his chair as he sipped his coffee. "She is a beautiful woman, but I don't think she and I are very compatible. I find her personality sort of — dreadful, but you didn't hear that from me."

Elise laughed looking down at her hands, leaning a little against one of the chairs that sat across his desk. "She doesn't seem like your type."

Brian observed her curiously, he knew rumours of him being a player flew around the secretaries like wildfire. Where they called rumours when they were truthful? His personal life was messier than his desk, sleeping with a different woman almost nightly. But that was what the rich bachelor was supposed to do right? He was supposed to be a mysterious playboy who spent his evenings sitting at the bar taking the first pretty girl that sat down beside him back to his apartment. Maybe it was because he had been doing it since he was twenty, but the bachelor lifestyle had started to lose its appeal.

"How so?" he asked her.

Elise shrugged "I don't know... she just seems to be rather full of herself and a bit of a —"

Brian laughed softly, "bitch?" he offered. Nodding in agreement.

Elise smiled with a soft laugh and a small shrug.

The secretary was different. Maybe he noticed it because she was different than most of the people he hung out with. She wasn't rich or snobby, she was pleasant to be around. Most of the people Brian found himself around thought they were better than everyone just simply because they had fat wallets.

Even the people Brian hired, were in general, rich. Brian did his best to stick his name into as many investment opportunities as he could find. He had filled the 2-year-old company with high-up innovators, stock marketers, and the like. Even the majority of Brian's Major Crime unit had their names in different industries or were generally wealthy.

But not Elise, she was not rich, she was just an average secretary, working hard at her job because she needed it. At least that was what Brian had put together. She was one of a handful of people, he had hired solely off their personality, resume and result of their interview. She was one of the hardest-working employees at the office.

"Did anything come in today?" Brian asked after a moment of silence, a smile still stretched across his face.

"A petty theft report from that high-end jewelry store down the street, but I gave it to Detective Moore, I hope that was alright, sir," Elise said to him shaking her head.

Brian nodded in approval "yes, it is, thank you."

Detective Nathan Moore lead the office's other crime unit; he was what Brian considered the b-team. It wasn't that Moore and the rest of his team weren't good at their job, they were, it was just Brian who liked to deal with the more intriguing cases, it also left him open in case the District Attorney presented him with a high-profile case.

Brian picked up the case file slipping the finished report inside, "can you file this? The court case is this Friday, so I'll be gone."

Elise nodded, taking the file from him. "Course sir, I will put that in the calendar," she said heading out of the office.

Brian's gaze stayed on the door a moment; a small smile still stretched across his face. Yes, there was something about her. Maybe she just appeared to be different cause she was nice. He liked to be in her company, never passing up an opportunity to have a conversation with her about things unrelated to work, he always found that his smile lingered after she left.

Brian turned his attention to his computer, casting his gaze around his desk for a moment. It was ironic to him really that he kept the desk so messy, in general, he wasn't a messy person. He kept his person clean and well-groomed; his car and truck were kept clean. His apartment and cabin, thanks to his cleaning services, were kept clean. He liked to think even most perfectionists wouldn't be able to find problems with them. Well, okay, his desk wasn't the only thing that was chaotic in his life, there was also his love life, but that at least in Brian's head was different.

The morning continued to pass in a slow, boring fashion. Brian continued with his paperwork, before turning to read up on the cases Detective Moore had on his docket, finally he checked his email.

Once he had replied to the emails that required his attention he got to his feet, crossing to the window that stretched across the entire back wall of his office. There was no greater view of Washington DC than from his office, its only rival, at least in the Detective's mind was the view from his balcony at home. From his bird's eye view, on the 30th floor of his building, he could see the White House, Lincoln Memorial Building, and the Capital Building. He could see the beautiful Potomac River as it winded its way through the city. The people walking along the sidewalk looked like ants.

"Did you finish your paperwork, already?"

Brian turned his gaze; Blake McNeill was standing in the doorway of his office. He laughed softly "my paperwork never stops; you should know that by now. But this morning's pile is finished, yes."

Blake laughed in amusement crossing over to stand beside him. Blake was a strong, intimidatingly built man, he was muscular with broadly built shoulders, and stood only an inch shorter than Brian. He had an unnaturally deep voice that when he was upset and angry seemed to shake people right to their core. He had pale-sandy coloured skin, with reddish-brown hair that was shaved on the back, and sides and slicked forward and spiked on the top. He had hard olive-shaped brown eyes and thick eyebrows. His arms were covered in tattoos. He was the best officer at Brian's disposal and a true friend.

Blake's gaze turned to the awake and busy city below them. "Do you have plans for lunch?"

"Yeah, Jessica is coming by."

"Ah, I was going to say we should try that new Greek place down the street."

"That sounds great, maybe on Thursday."

"Because that is when you will be without a girl to take out to lunch again?"

Brian laughed softly, running his hand through his hair, with a small sheepish grin "something like that."

"Have you heard from Bennett about our new DA Representative?"

Brian shook his head slowly "yes – he just sent an email this morning saying that he was in the final stages of selecting the replacement."

"I still can't wrap my head around what happened with Myers, I swear it's always the cops you least expect," Blake muttered, his tone turning to a darker, harder one.

Brian nodded in agreement unsure what to say, it twisted his gut every time he thought about how many laughs he had shared with Myers. "The sentimental part of me will miss having him around the office," he admitted.

Blake looked like he agreed "yeah, I suppose he won't be paying up his cigar debt to me."

"Probably not," Brian said unable to help his amused laugh, even if nothing about Myers and the Detective's sudden need for a DA Representative was anything but humorous.

The former DA Representative Eric Myers had been someone Brian considered himself to be rather close with, up until a week ago, at least. It had been just barely 8 days since he caught Detective Myers beating the fuck out of a key suspect. Brian had been outraged and had put in an immediate dismissal request to District Attorney Henry Bennett, which left Eric Myers no choice but to surrender his badge and gun, leaving the police force and InJustice Inc. immediately.

Brian glanced over his shoulder when he heard Elise's unmistakable voice greeting Jessica out in the lobby, it was only a couple of moments before Jessica stood in the doorway.

"Ready for lunch?" she asked him. She was dressed in a tight black dress that hugged her figure in every perfect way.

Brian nodded.

"Hello," Jessica said to Blake with a small formal smile as she walked over to join them at the window.

"You must be Jessica," Blake said, reaching out his hand for her to shake.

Jessica smiled glancing at Brian "talking about me, are you? I am flattered."

Brian glanced at Blake, holding his gaze a moment with a small grin. "So where are we going?"

"Fire and Ice," she said like that answer should have been obvious.

"Again? We went there yesterday and the day before that."

"We did, and you said you quite liked it, it's my favourite restaurant."

Brian hesitated a moment, it was a good thing she looked absolutely stunning in that dress of hers or lunch would have been unbearable. He grabbed his coat from the hook, "I liked it, but not enough to warrant going for three days in a row. This is Washington DC there are good restaurants on every street. Can you pick anywhere else?"

Jessica glanced at him her nostrils nearly flaring with anger. If there was one thing Brian had picked up from their short time together it was how much Jessica hated a man disagreeing with her, it was like it was the end of the world.

Brian bit his tongue, breathing a heavy inward sigh "alright, Fire and Ice it is, shall we take my car?"

"That piece of shit?" she scoffed. "Definitely not."

"Hey, don't insult the car," Brian scolded strictly. Shots at him were fine; call him fat, short, and lacking between the legs, all of which at least in Brian's opinion were false, but his car was off-limits. That, his boat and his family.

Jessica held his gaze a moment "let's go." With that, she headed out the office door.

"She seems fun," Blake said with a small amused smile.

Brian looked at him with a small shake of his head, following her out. "I will see you after lunch Elise, make sure and get something to eat today, okay? Your emails will still be there when you get back."

Elise glanced up from her computer screen her face flushing a little in embarrassment. "Okay, promise. I'm going right now, sir."

Brian smiled in approval, watching her get to her feet and head down the hall to the break room.

Once down in the parkade, Brian slid into the passenger seat of Jessica's 2022 Bugatti Divo.

"What kind of man doesn't open the door for his girl?" Jessica asked as she got into the driver's seat, her tone full of disapproval.

"Since the 21st century? Most of them, and 'his girl' seems premature," Brian said.

Jessica sent him an unamused glare "very funny."

Brian held her gaze a moment, he thought it was very amusing. He was wrong, her dress was not making lunch any more bearable. She was still painful to spend time with. How had he ever been interested in her enough to take her home? His gaze wandered to her figure, well, they didn't really talk that night at the bar — alright it wasn't truly a mystery, he had always been easily lured by a pretty girl.

Arriving at the restaurant, Brian got out of the car, smoothing out his jacket and doing the button as he headed in. Jessica ordered the same salad she had ordered the past three lunches. There was nothing special about it, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, radish, grilled chicken, and a dill ranch-type dressing, it was literally like every salad served in a restaurant.

Brian ordered the seafood platter and water.

Silence fell between them. There was no need to entertain a conversation. Jessica made efforts to start one, but Brian was content with just finishing his meal in a timely fashion so he could head back to work.

"So, Jessica," Brian said as he leaned back in his chair once he was finished, looking over at her.

Jessica glanced up at him with a frustrated frown "oh, now you want to talk?"

Brian couldn't help the unamused smile that passed over his lips. She was making this easier by the minute, not that Brian had ever had much trouble ending things with a woman. "Jessica, whatever this has been, it was fun. But I think it has more than reached its expiry date."

Jessica frowned deeper "what do you mean 'expiry date?' We have been going out for just..."

"For three days, which is three more days than we should have," Brian said as he noticed the waiter walking over with the cheque, he passed over the cash for their meal "I mean, you are very difficult to be around, your personality, it is dreadful," he said as he got to his feet.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jessica asked him; her face had turned red with anger.

Brian shrugged. "I am honest, even when the truth isn't flattering. I wish you well," he said as he headed from the restaurant without a look back. Dialling his personal driver as he walked out of the restaurant.

"Detective Harper," he greeted after a ring.

"Hey Matthew, I need a ride back to the office. I am at Fire and Ice on 27th ave."

"Yes, sir. Be there in five."

Matthew Kane was a member of Brian's personal staff, he was his personal driver and security, although Brian generally only used his services when he planned to head out and drink or was going to a more formal event. Generally, he ran errands outside his house. Picking up dry cleaning, taking his Mustang for an oil change, and picking people up at the airport for him. He was very useful, he made it so Brian could nearly be in two places at once.

When Matthew arrived, he stepped out of the car, walking around to pull open the door for Brian.

"Detective Harper," he said formally.

Brian nodded to him as he slid into the back seat, feeling more than relieved to be putting that woman in his rearview mirror.