11. Hollow mind

~ DIMITRI ~

Somewhere in the depth of his hollow mind, he knew it wouldn't end well. It was supposed to be a one night thing, so why did he hold back the previous night, why did he refuse to give in to his sadism tendencies and just take him despite the pain? But the biggest question of all is, why did he sleep over?

Dimitri inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his shampoo. Vincent is snuggled against his chest now after fighting to get away from him some hours ago and he's resting his chin on his head.

He sighed before slowly peeling his arm from his body. He watched as he shifted deeper into the warmth left by him and he felt his lips twitching before quickly masking it. He spared him one last glance and silently picked up his cloth and wore it back, resisting the urge to go back into the bed and squeeze him against his chest once more. But he didn't want to draw unwanted attention to him.

He clenched his fist and slowly opened the door. It's a few hours before dawn and the world is still dark. However, he crossed the street to his car and sped off. He didn't know what's happening, but he knew that one way or the other, he would purge him out of his system. He always loses interest in his flings after having a taste, so Vincent's won't be different. He just didn't know why he's stalling the inevitable.

Dimitri pulled up in front of the penthouse and took the elevator to his floor. When he entered, the place was already clean, evidence of his previous act gone as if he never did it.

There's still an hour and thirty minutes before the driver comes so he sat down on a gray couch, and stared into space.

As someone suffering from extreme insomnia, Dimitri had always been unable to sleep well. But today, for the first time in his fucked up life, he was able to sleep for five hours.

‘Maybe I was really tired.’ He thought, nodding to himself.

He spent minutes in silence before deciding to prepare for the day. He was adjusting his gray pants’ waist band in the living room’s window reflection when the doorbell rang. And in came Mara, looking as glorious and formal as ever.

“Good morning boss.” She bowed, her bob hair bouncing with every movement.

He turned to her, his face blank as he slowly tipped his chin to the direction of the door. Mara didn't need to be told twice as she mouthed a ‘sorry’ and stepped out.

Despite Mara having worked with him for three years and counting, she lacked personal boundaries. She's always talking when he's silent. And to him, it's annoying. He'd always held back from strangling her neck only because she's efficient and knew her place.

He spared himself one last glance before stepping out. Mara stood, leaning against the wall opposite his door and in the middle of the hallway stood two rows of six men dressed in tuxedoes and sunglasses. It is weekend but who said the week had ended for him?

He walked between them and when he's some meters ahead, they all followed, Mara rushing to catch up with his long strides.

She beamed and drew out a portable slim tab and pen from the bag on her shoulder. She glanced up at Dimitri who's not looking at her before her gaze flicked back to the tablet.

Then, she started reading his schedule for the morning, her pen scrolling through its content. “Tea by 8, breakfast with M&M. Inc by 9:30, board meeting by 11—”

“ —An hour and thirty minutes for breakfast?” He asked, interrupting her as they stepped into the elevator.

“Ehmm…” Mara cleared her throat. “The lady’s secretary said there's a lot to dis—”

“Cancel it.” Dimitri blatantly ordered.

“W–why? This is the fourth time you will cancel it.”

The elevator dinged and Dimitri didn't reply as he stepped out into the underground parking lot. One of the guards rushed over and opened the door of a long black limo.

“Sir… may I ask your reason for cancellation this time?”

Mara asked, her eyes fixed on the laptop's screen as she typed away.

“Domestic issues with my fiancé.” Dimitri said, his eyes fixed on the view outside the window and he didn't see Mara's widening eyes as her gaze flew to him. “Ava is dead.”

Dimitri turned to her nonchalantly. “Find something else to tell her then.”

He'd always used domestic issues as an excuse when Ava was still alive but now, his source of escape is gone and since the news blew up, he couldn't attach his reasons to her anymore.

He sighed for the upteenth time that morning as the car pulled up in front of his family's corporation. The corporation and mafia empire was always passed down to the first sons of the Santini family. It served as a sort of veil for their old money which was why Dimitri had no choice but to continue upholding appearances.

The vacation he spent at the prison had caused his work to pile up — his new distraction included.

The whole place was just starting to get flooded as most of the workers are not present yet. However, those present bowed as he passed, ‘Young master Santini’ flying in hushed whispers.

Some of the young female workers gushed over him despite his brooding nature and Mara glared at them, the professional smile always present on her face as she greeted them because her fucker of a boss is not in the mood to do that.

When they finally entered his office which is located on the seventeenth floor, Mara prepared him coffee. And like always… he drank it.

He was halfway into the pile of documents on his table, his slender vein rimmed fingers cradling the cup when his office line rang, the beeping tone permeating the air. His eyes searched the room for Mara but his not-so-really-reliable secretary is not there when he needs her the most.

And again, he sighed as he stretched his hand and picked the call.

“Are you avoiding me cous?”

His cousin and right hand man in the empire, Ivan, sounded from the other side which made Dimitri clench the phone so tight as his mind wandered back to what his father had said which he sure as hell knew grandpa Santini was also aware and in support of.

Nonetheless, he answered. “Good morning to you too, Ivan.”

Ivan chuckled. “Well, be here by 11. There's an important visitor you need to meet and…” He trailed off.

Torture.

Dimitri completed in his head.

~ VINCENT ~

When he woke up, his side was cold. He gulped in disappointment as he sat up, his gaze fixed on the wall.

‘Intense’ will be an understatement to call what happened to him the previous night. For the first time in his life, he felt really pleased and thoroughly pleasured. And somewhere in the depth of his mind, he knew that's somehow like the tip of the iceberg. Well, he left which meant that he’d grown bored and his life had returned to normal. Maybe his reaction to him yesterday had bored him. But why did that thought hurt him just as much as it relieved him?

But what did he expect though? That he will wait or something? Vincent has always believed in disappointing himself before people disappoint him but even with that, he still felt odd, but not really odd.

Well, to him, that's the thing about passerby-s. But unlucky for him, this passer-by may be one of his worst nightmare and… only time will tell.