5- Second Run

Focus, River. Focus. You haven’t gotten a p*enis. But you certainly have a brain. Focus, love.

She kept telling herself.

Chad seemed shocked when he saw a smile forming on River’s lips.

“What? What is it?” he got confused because he was here to scare off the boy and to feed his l*ust.

“Oh, Chad. How do you know I love doing it in the bathroom?” River placed her delicate hands on his chest and flipped the positions with a little struggle. Now he was standing against the wall, and she was near the door.

Chad was looking at her, open mouthed and River was enjoying his discomfort.

“Turn to the wall and tell me all about your wild imaginations. Zip that down, my boy.” She fumbled with his zipper and turned the man towards the wall.

Her one hand was stroking his behind while the other hand crawled behind her to unlock the door. To slide back the latch.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you like it? Hmm? You have come to the right person, Chady. My love. What a man you are!” She kept sliding her hand on his shirt cooing near his ear and could hear his erratic breaths.

Tilting her head, she eyed the open door. She had to do it quickly.

 “Now I understand what you like, love. I will give it to you. I promise.” She whispered and then in one swift motion she was not only outside the bathroom but also had successfully locked Chad inside the stall.

 ***

Sitting behind in the luxury car, beside Marwick Garner her heart was still thumping in fright.

“Can you stop shaking your knee, Brower?” she jumped when she heard Marwick’s voice.

“Sir?”

“Stop jerking your knee. What’s the matter? You look pale!” His secretary who was sitting ahead beside the driver, turned his head to throw a glance at River.

He was a man in his thirties and liked staying quiet. Just like Marwick preferred it.

“N…Nothing, Sir. It’s just… I never attended these high-end meetings. I don’t know how to behave around the elite.” She told him the truth but part of her was also worried about Chad.

She prayed to God that someone from the office might have found him, locked in the bathroom stall. She could not afford a scandal at this stage of her life.

They got a warm welcome at the venue and were made to sit in the front row.

“Have you found the man yet? The one you saw last night?” Marwick whispered to River who not only shook her head but again found his secretary looking at her.

“What?” she asked with a frown, and he simply shook his head. Marwick’s hot breath near her cheek had sent a shiver down her spine.

“Marwick!” she whispered and felt her blood run cold when he looked at her with narrowed eyes, “I mean Mr. Garner. Lower your bid, please. Remember what I told you. This man was talking about lowering the bid,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Hmm. Lowering the bid means the product is worthless. It’s not encouraged in the business community.” He said keeping his cool. His eyes were still focused ahead.

“It will not be encouraged by the community if you will be out of the business and out of this hall.” River hissed, forgetting momentarily that he was her boss.

“Tone it down, boy!” Marwick Garner’s voice was laced with warning. River got quiet after that. She had done her job. That was to alert her boss about the traitors roaming in his office.

***

While leaving the venue she saw Marwick Garner smiling heartily. They had succeeded in taking the bid. Marwick had to lower the offer.

But for the time being he was back in the market.

“It’s almost evening. I can drop you at your place.” Marwick offered her and she got a little nervous. Nobody had called them up till now for Chad.

Which meant that he was safe. Now how to tell the Garner Empire CEO that she didn’t need the lift? What address would she tell him?

“You can just drop me after the next signal, sir.” She gave him an over-brightened smile. He didn’t say anything until the car stopped where she was supposed to get down.

“Take this.” Marwick extended an envelope that must have bills inside.

“What is this? I mean why are you giving me…” Marwick didn’t let her finish.

“We got today’s bid because of you, Brower. Buy nice clothes. And …” he left it meaningfully.

“And?”

“And book a room in Emerald Hotel. It’s safe and you can stay there until you get your salary.” She looked into his eyes. For a split second, she didn’t find a cold-hearted CEO there.

There was a kind man waiting for her response.

Gulping hard, she nodded her head and accepted the heavy envelope quietly.

“Th…Thanks, sir.” She got off the car and kept looking at the vehicle even when it sped up after dropping her.

***

She took her CEO’s suggestion seriously. After so many days of staying homeless, she got a room in the Emerald Hotel. However, instead of buying man’s clothing, she bought a short skirt for herself and some good make-up products.

It was a five-star hotel, so she was planning to visit their bar at night. Though the bar must be for the elites, she was sure Emerald Hotel guests could be allowed to attend it.

She had booked the room under her fake name River Brower. Showing a fake ID card made it easier.

Keanu had warned her not to go out without her boy disguise, but she just wanted to celebrate it tonight.

Just for tonight, she wanted to be a girl. She wanted to laugh, dance, and celebrate like a girl. She wanted to flirt with boys and wanted to know how it felt to feel desirable.

In this hotel, no one would judge her. No one would question her why she didn’t have a beard on her chin. Why her voice was not as heavy as other boys.

She needed to be this girl. Just for one night.

After getting ready she twirled in front of the mirror.  She styled her soft raven curls into a bun at the top of her head. A few hair strands were coming out, framing her face. Wearing a short skirt with high heels and bold makeup was giving her confidence.

She was without her prosthetic nose, fake brows, or thick-rimmed glasses.

She was no more wearing her grey lenses and her azure eyes were making her look like someone secretive.

A mysterious girl!

She straightaway walked to the bar for a drink and eyed the stage where a few couples were dancing to music beats.

 “He is so handsome. I can’t believe my luck that he is here tonight.” River heard someone talking about a man and smirked.

Who could be more handsome than Marwick Garner? Nobody could beat her hot CEO.

“Too bad he is sitting in the VIP area. Not everyone can go there unless he invites.” River heard another girl and turned around to look at the man, the girls were talking about. She had to see this talk of the town hunk and bam!

What was he doing here?

There on a table of four, in the VIP area, Marwick Garner was chatting animatedly with some folks. There were two girls and a guy with him.

One of the two girls was Aniya who was laughing like crazy. The other woman sitting beside Aniya was pregnant and was leaning on the man sitting close to her.

Apparently, her husband or boyfriend.

Wait a minute. She was the same girl from Aniya’s photograph. She was Aniya’s friend.

Holy crap!

Should she stay here and ignore them, or should she flee away from the site?

No. She must stay. They were elites and no one was paying any attention to her. Every girl’s eyes were on Marwick Garner, but he might be used to it.

River decided to stay. She was wearing a se*xy little dress showing her long legs. Her heavy base was covering her upper lips hair. Her smoky eye makeup was giving a distinguished look to her eyes.

No. Marwick would never know who she was. She kept taking sips from her glass and ignored the small group seated in the VIP area. Waiters were serving them at their tables, and they seemed to be having a good time.

Placing her glass on the bar, she went to the stage and started dancing like crazy. She did feel someone’s eyes on her but dismissed it quickly.

She must be imagining it.

Staying on the dance floor for hours had made her forget about Marwick Garner. The heartless CEO might not be that heartless, but Keanu told her that he was looking for River Brown. He had hired world-class investigators and she needed to do something before he would come to know about her identity.

With a big grin on her face, she got off the stage and went back to the bar.

“Would you like any specific garnish or twist to your drink?” the handsome bartender asked her in a flirtatious tone.

“Hmm. How about a cherry on top or maybe a …” she batted her lashes with a side smirk, “twist or orange peel to give it a citrusy kick!” she winked and got busy on her phone however her heart skipped a beat when a familiar scent hit her nostrils.

No. Not possible. Why would Marwick come here leaving his elite area? Or maybe he is here for some girl.

“Hello there.” She went still when she heard him. He must be talking to some other beautiful girl.

“Hey, Azure eyes!” he called her silkily and this time she was sure he was talking to her. Very slowly she turned her head and met his blue gaze. He was sitting right beside her.

Easy. Easy. Don’t panic.

“Hello there!” he said with an easy smile. The man looked more handsome with that killer smile and a tiny cleft near his chin.

“H…Hello.” She tried to smile and jumped when the bartender placed her glass on the counter.

“There you go, lady. One perfectly crafted old-fashioned. Just for you!”

“Her drink is on me,” Marwick said to the bartender without breaking his eye contact with her. River was calling herself names for not following Keanu’s instructions.

The poor boy did tell her not to take risks. Now what to do?

When she didn’t speak, Marwick very slowly left his stool and took a step to come closer to her, “Who are you? Are you staying here?”

River didn’t respond to his question and opened her purse instead to place her phone inside.

“Listen…” he might have the idea that he was making her scared so his voice turned more gentle, “I am looking for someone, Azure eyes. Can you tell me who are you?” he lifted his index finger and touched her chin lightly causing electric bolts running down her spine.

He was holding her gaze and River felt herself drowning in those blue orbs.

His eyes were roaming on her beautiful face hungrily.

“Who are you, angel?” he asked her in the softest of voices. River’s heart was thudding against her chest. One thing was sure. Marwick would never harm her intentionally.

No! Her eyes were wide open now. She could not trust anyone.

“Marwick. Your phone is ringing man.” The other man who was sitting with Marwick called him from some distance and waved his phone. This was the moment. This was the chance she didn’t want to waste.

Stepping back a little, she didn’t bother to look around. That day River Brown made a second run to the exit door.

The first one was to get rid of a creep. And second one was to avoid the most eligible bachelor in the town who didn’t want to call himself a bachelor.

“Hey, wait!” she heard him but didn’t stop and kept running.