What Was Her Name Again

Dominic 

“Why did we leave so early?” 

Anastasia sits in the car and takes the seat opposite mine in the limo. Then she leans heavily back with a pout. 

“We can leave, Massimo, thank you. “ I instruct and ignore her question.

“Yes, Sir. “

The driver starts the car and the car quickly slips back to the busy streets of London. 

“So?” 

she asks, crossing her arms. 

“I didn’t feel like staying. “

I was hoping she forgot the question but here we are. 

“You haven’t been home in so long and you say “you didn’t feel like staying?”

she exclaims. 

“That’s right. “

Anastasia gives me a pointed look but doesn’t continue asking. 

“I think your family is really cool, “

She keeps trying to start a conversation. 

“You don't know them. “

Despite my answer, she goes on. 

“And Conor seems like a real gentleman. His wife looked like a total bitch, thought.”

That catches my attention and I look away from the window and the bright lights of the city ahead. 

“What did you say?”

I try to keep my tone even. 

“Wow, this is the first time I see a reaction from you tonight, “

she rolls her eyes and shifts in her seat. 

“I was just saying she looks like …. you know.” Anastasia searches for words. “ One of those women who think they are very smart or something. “

“Violet is very smart. “

I say, pointedly. 

“You said you didn’t know her!?”

“I don’t. “

I lie. When I don’t continue, she just mutters. 

“Whatever, “

Then Anastasia smiles and unfolds her arms “Who needs to be THAT smart, that only brings sadness.”

“Sadness.”

I snort and prop my elbow on the window. 

Anastasia and I met recently. The reason why she came all the way here with me is because she had a photoshoot in London and it was a coincidence that we had to be in the city together. If the dates were different, I would have never agreed to take her with me here. 

“You look way too serious tonight. “

She says and my eyes flicker to her. Anastasia is one of the most popular models in the whole world right now. She recently signed a contract with a big fashion brand.  

Real, stunning beauty. She is also always in a good mood, ready for a party. The perfect distraction from a long, hard day. She knows NOTHING about politics or business. 

And yet I am here, my mind elsewhere. 

“I’m just tired because of the flight. “

I say. 

“I think I know a great way to help you wake up?”

Anastasia crosses her legs and the dress opens to reveal long, perfectly- shaped limbs, smooth skin and legs that all men want wrapping around their shoulders. 

“What do you offer?”

I ask and lean back too. Anastasia lifts her arms and slowly pulls the string tied at her neck that holds the dress she is wearing. 

The silk slides down and the cloth drops heavily, gathering in her lap. She doesn’t wear any underwear. 

“Do you want me to take off my dress?”

I force myself to nod. 

She glances at the front part of the limo.

“What about the driver?”

Anastasia looks like she remembered where we are just now. 

“Ignore him. Besides, he can’t hear you.” 

Anastasia smiles and gets up. She lifts her dress and sits on my lap. I place my hands on her waist and she tosses her head backwards, her breasts are at full display in my face. 

When I don’t move, she sits straighter in my lap. 

“Maybe you can help me? “

Anastasia offers and takes my hands in hers. She places them on her belly, then moves them further up on her breasts. 

My mind drifts and my hands stop. Anastasia doesn’t notice my distraction right away and moans as my fingers close around her nipples. 

Her long nails dig into my shoulders as my hands move from her breasts down to the inside of her tights. I slide my hand underneath the dress and find her most sensitive spot.

She makes a loud sound as my fingers start moving faster.

“Dominic, I’m…”

She buries her face in my neck, as I begin moving even faster. Anastasia comes shortly after, relaxing heavily against me.

“Dominic,” 

She breathes against my skin. “That was…”

“Yeah, “ I say. I am not even hard.

Anastasia pulls away and tries to kiss me, but I avoid it. She frowns and then places her palm on my crotch. 

Then I guide her to sit next to me. 

“What was that?”

Anastasia asks, tying her dress back around her neck. 

 “Are you refusing me?!”

I have two options- to tell her the truth that my mind is entirely elsewhere, or just tell her that “ No, I don’t but I am tired. “

I choose the latter and she scoffs but doesn’t argue. She isn’t that mad, because she enjoyed the short pseudo-fuck we had just now. 

“I will drop you off at the hotel. “

I tell Anastasia and this time she explodes.

“Drop me off at my hotel?” She yells. Now she is pissed. ” What? I thought we were staying together here!”

“I need to finish something.”

“Now!?”

“Yes.”

I say, evenly. 

I am out of reasons and I should have thought of something better and more excusable, but it’s too late. I just don’t want her around tonight. True to herself and her nature, though, Anastasia doesn’t argue and simply pouts.

“You and your business.” 

“Yeah.”

I say and the car keeps moving. The driver drops her in front of the expensive hotel and I tell him that he’s free for the night. I head to one of the private parking lots and find my car. I get in the Aston Martin, take my coat off and remove my tie. I roll my sleeves up and drive outside the city. 

My mind is blank. All I see is the empty road ahead. By the time I get to my old apartment, it’s four am. 

The maid has cleaned, even though I wasn’t sure I would be getting back here tonight. It was definitely a last-minute kind of decision.

Once I am in, I turn the light on and notice the newspapers and magazines placed on the coffee table in the living room.

Most of the covers are about my father’s empire, and some are about my new startup. There are a few about grandfather’s birthday and the gala. 

Then there are the business-related ones- the only articles I can stand. Relatively. 

“Dominic Hale- the most influential name in the business world.”

“Why is the new company expected to generate the highest revenue we’ve predicted and who stands behind this success?”

”Invest or regress?”

My eyes land on another headline. It’s from a tabloid or something. 

“Billionaires we’ve got the hots for? Who is the most wanted bachelor? Hint: It’s NOT Dominic Hale.”

Below the title I see a picture of Max and I snort. Then I remember I forgot to call him.

“Damn it,” I curse. 

I check the time and if he still is in California, he should be able to pick up. He does after a few rings. 

“Dom, what’s up!”

Max exclaims and I hear the loud music coming from where he is.

“I just got home.”

I say. 

“Now?” He makes a “woohoo”

sound. Max sounds way too excited and I'm guessing he’s at one of his weird parties. 

“What’s that “woohoo” supposed to mean?”

I protest and he laughs. 

“You never go to parties, that’s all.”

“This wasn’t a party.”

“Oh, right. How was the family gathering, by the way?”

“You mean the one you never came to?”

“Come on, Dom,” he says, “they hate me, you know that. I mean, I wasn’t made for this business shit.”

I close my eyes briefly.

“Still…”

I say. 

“Are you coming back next week?”

Max asks, still yelling above the loud music.

“I might have to stay here longer .”

“What!? Why?”

“The old man is not too well.”

“Yeah, well… he’s old,”

he says casually. 

“Max…”

I begin, and he quickly says 

“Yeah, yeah. I guess- fine. Good luck. But isn’t Conor taking care of things over there ?”

“Dad asked me to stay. “

I say eventually.

“Right. Anyway, how’s Conor’s wife? You said he was married? “

No….

“I mean, apparently no one gives a fuck about my opinion  and all that shit, but he could have at least mentioned it?”

Of all the things Max could have asked, it had to be that.

I clench my teeth.

“There wasn’t a press release,” I say through my still-gritted teeth.

“Yeah, as if Conor would let any journalists close to him.”

I rub my forehead expecting Max’s next question. It comes right away.

“What was her name again?”

“Violet.”

“Nice. Is she cool?

“She’s…”

My mind wanders again, just like it kept wandering all night. 

“I don’t really know her.”

“Wait, did you say Violet?”

My brother exclaims