Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
HUDSON
I sit at the table for a while, basking in my foolishness. How could I let myself slip up like that? I can’t understand the effect she is having on me. Whenever I see her, I lose all sense of composure and can’t get my mind to function right. The whole night, there’s been just one thought on my mind, and with the thought finally out, I can see how foolish it is and how much of a mistake it was to let it out.
After paying for the meal, I retire to my bedroom, exhausted. Tomorrow is going to be a long day, so I go to bed immediately. The next morning, Alison’s call wakes me up. I get out of bed as I answer the call.
“When do we meet with the Fejitos?” she asks. I can sense hostility in her voice, but I can’t deal with Alison’s anger now.
“In an hour. Call them and text me the location they choose.”
With that, I get ready for the day's work. I have good mind to leave the hotel and leave a message for Juliette at reception, but I figure that might come off as disrespectful to her. She’s beginning to have tiny impacts on me. I shouldn’t allow this. Anyway, I knock on her door—less because I want to tell her I’m leaving and more because I want to see her.
When she opens it, I remain by the door, having no intention of stepping in and cause myself to give in to temptation. She’s wearing a nightgown, a sheer black one, and I can tell she has no bra underneath because I can see her perky breasts through the sheer material.
“Hi,” she says, still sleepy. “Good morning.”
“Good morning. Did you have a sleep well?”
She replies: “Pretty much.”
“Good,” I say, and then get down to business. I’ll be in meetings all day today, so you have most of the day to yourself. Be ready for dinner by 7 pm. If I’m not here to pick you up, I’ll send someone to.”
“Not Alison, please,” she says.
“Do you have a problem with Alison?”
“You mean other than the fact that she looks like she wants to kill me?” she says.
“Alison can be a little too protective of me sometimes, but she means well. No, she doesn’t want to kill you.”
“Protective is an interesting choice of word.”
“I won’t be sending Alison,” I say, looking to end this conversation as soon as possible.
“What will you have me doing till seven in the evening,” she complains.
“It’s a big city,” I tell her. “Go have fun. If you need some money,” I say and start to reach for my wallet.
“I am not a charity case,” she complains. “I don’t need you to cater to me like a child.”
“Well, I guess what you spend your day doing isn’t any of my business then. I just need you to be ready by 7 pm. The contract binds you.”
“All right, all right, 7 pm,” she says and closes the door.
All the way to my car, I can’t get the image of her breast out of my mind. I imagine what it will feel like to hold them in my hand, to run my finger around her hard nipple, to hear her moan my name.
God, what am I doing?
I get my phone out to make a call.
“Hudson,” a soft voice says at the other end. I can hear soft and tender jazz music in the underground. Don’t tell me you’re in Manhattan.”
“Hi, Jasmine. Yes, I am. How have you been?”
“You mean since you left me on my own?” Jasmine says.
“Don’t play coy with me.”
“Always so brusque,” she tsks. “What is the call for?”
“I’ll be over before the end of the day.”
“You know I’m always available for you. What time should I prepare for you.”
“Five pm, okay?”
“I’ll be here then. You know how to find me.”
“Yes,” I end the call and sigh, feeling angry but not really understanding what the anger was for.
I can’t dwell on that for too long anyway. I have more important business to handle. I get into the car and get a text from Alison. The Fejitos have decided to meet me at their home. That is a good sign, welcoming me into their home. She sends me the address, and I put it into the GPS and it leads me to their home.
The drive takes about fifteen minutes, and when I arrive at the mansion, Alison is waiting for me in the driveway. She’s dressed smartly in a short skirt and silk shirt.
“What’s the lay of the land like?” I ask her as one of the butlers leads us from the garage to the living room.
“It's hard to tell. The whole family is here, but we’ll be meeting with just the father. I think they came to the US for the party.”
“Dubois makes his demands.”
“He runs his ship like it’s the military. Disobedience is tantamount to insubordination.”
Too much control, I hiss to myself. How was Frank able to amass so much control and so much impact in such a short period? He’s been in the financial world for less than three decades, yet everyone treats him like he’s some god, someone that mustn’t be messed with. Crossing him sure means total annihilation.
I’ve been at war with him for the past three months, and here I am, standing strong. Maybe not as strong as I’d have loved. Maybe he isn’t as powerful as he’d like people to believe.
The butler opens the door, and a big hall welcomes us. The grand hall exudes elegance, with its high vaulted ceilings designed with specially crafted chandeliers. Its polished marble floor glistens in the bright light of the afternoon that is let in by expansive windows with velvet drapes, and I can almost see my reflection through it while columns worthy of being in the coliseum line the walls. This extravagance, all delicately balanced, is a testament to the Fejito’s wealth. Down the hallway, the butler leads us to a door, where he knocks twice and waits for a response.
“Come in,” the raspy voice of Rakeem Fejito calls from behind the door. The butler nods at us and then walks away. I open the door and step through the study. It is a medium-sized room with a table and chair facing the window. The design is simpler than that of the hall we passed. While Rakeem has an appearance a man of his position must maintain, in personal taste, he is simple. Rakeem is standing by the window, looking into the garden. He doesn’t turn to acknowledge us but speaks.
“My wife loves coming to the States. It means two things to her. The garden in our mansion here and parties. I hate coming to the States. It means trouble. Too many people looking to show their prowess and gargantuan influence. It isn’t good for my health. I prefer it back in France on my farm. The smell of cow dung and peace in the air. Nothing beats that.”
“Mr. Fejito, thanks for having us,” I say in response, not sure what else is appropriate to the harangue we just received.
“You know to call me Rakeem, Hudson,” he says and finally turns around to face us. He has a handy smile for Alison and me. He walks over, hugs Alison with a kiss on the cheek, and shakes my hand firmly. He points at an empty couch by the wall and takes the loveseat opposite it.
“I hate the US, but I wouldn’t dare miss a party thrown by Dubois. He calls, and everyone comes running with their tail tucked behind their ass.”
“I don’t think you’re one to run with your tail tucked, Sir,” I tell him and get a chuckle from him.
“Don’t patronize me,” he says with a wave of his hand. I must say, you look better than I expected. I was expecting to see a thin, wiry old man already.”
“It’s been just three months,” I say.
“True but going up against a deep pocket like Dubois can age one fast. Trust me; I tried it once and learned the error of my ways.”
“Do you think this is a mistake? You think I’m making a mistake?”
“Hmmm,” he murmurs and stands up. He walks to his mahogany liquor cabinet. The shiny lacquer on the wood tells me it was recently polished. “Bourbon?”
“Just a finger for me,” I say, knowing the foolishness liquor made me commit last night.
Rakeem turns to Alison, who shakes her head. Alison doesn’t drink much. With a nod, Rakeem gets two glasses from the cabinet and returns to the loveseat. He hands me one of the glasses and running my finger around it, I can tell it’s a fine glass. Only the best for a man like Rakeem. He pours me some and then pours himself some more. He finishes his drink in a single swig before he speaks.
“Mistakes are things perceived in hindsight. They don’t exist in the present. I can’t tell you if you’re making a mistake now, but I can tell you a story. My story,” he says and pours himself another drink.
It seems it’s a heavy story.
“Ten years ago, one of my financial advisors came to me with a graph showing the steady growth of the American economy. Oh, God, how I have come to hate graphs. We should have a business here, he told me, and I agreed. We came down to America, met with some people, and started one. Unbeknownst to me, that was the beginning of my troubles. We had good returns in the first five years, and then we started to make headlines. One night, back home, I got a call. It’s the middle of the night, so I ignore it. Whoever it is, must have the sense to call in the morning. But the caller was incessant and disturbed my sleep, so I was left with no choice but to answer. It was my financial advisor telling me I have a call from someone in the US. A man called Frank Dubois wanted to discuss my new business in America. I thought it was a good thing, people are noticing me and want to partner with me. Partnering is a good way to get myself strong footed over there.”
Rakeem laughs maniacally before he continues.
“How wrong I was. Frank doesn’t partner. He hates it. It disgusts him. He wanted the world to be about him and him only. He wanted the spotlight all for himself, yet this strange man hated the spotlight. I answered the call, and those five minutes I spent on the call with him were the worst moments of my life. His demands were simple. I sell to him with no struggles, and he’ll buy me out fairly. He gave a delicious offer, but I’d never had someone threaten to buy me out before, so I refused. Who does he think he is? America is the land of the free, and I must exhibit that right. By morning, I got a different kind of call. My license to import in the US has been revoked. I understood the message. This man has a reach and power in the United States that I can only wish for. I wasn’t fighting against snakes and vipers, not even giants. He was the leviathan beast. Well, I was one stubborn mule, though.”
Rakeem smiles and drops his glass.
“But you, you’re young. You’re different. He can’t wave his wands and get your license revoked. You’re a citizen here. It is harder for him. You can give him the scare that no one has been able to. What, three months now, isn’t it? You’ve got him worried, that I am sure of. But is he worried enough?”
“There’s a hole in my company’s finances. He’s blocked my access to loans and funding. The longer I’m in this battle with him, the bigger the hole gets, and it’s only a matter of time before the whole thing starts to sink,” I confess my fears to Rakeem.
“That is his game here, isn’t it? Time and money. He has an excess of it, and you, unfortunately, do not. He can wait you out for a year, but you don’t have that luxury.”
“We would if we had a golden chest,” Alison says.
“And that is why you are here, isn’t it? You see a golden chest in me.”
“We know you still want to do business here in America. Frank might have snuffed out the dream once, but you know your financial advisor was right to draw your attention to it. This country is a viable organism that is assured to procreate in large quantities, and you want to be there to enjoy those fruits.”
“How much are you talking?” Rakeem asks.
“Endless,” Alison chips in.
Rakeem laughs. “My great-grandfather was a pirate. He made most of his wealth stealing what others wouldn’t dare to go close to. He was a madman. I come from a place with so much sand. The desert is large, wide, and unending. He left it to seek a different kind of desert. His favorite words to me while he was still alive were: What is so familiar is easy. What is strange is what is worth fighting for.”
“America is your treasure trove,” I say.
“True. But my great-grandfather died from a shark attack. He was seventy and just wouldn’t give up the hunt. It filled him with life, yet it took that life from him.”
I look at Alison and wonder where this harangue is leading to. To keep up this war with Frank, I need some leverage and backing with a lot of cash.
“I am sixty-five. My wife tells me it is time to retire. Let’s come to America and live the rest of our lives here. She wants a lot of servants, big gardens, and parties. America is the ocean to me. It calls to me every time I step foot here, and whenever I do, I see myself going out just like my great-grandfather, bitten by a shark. Life is all about learning from the mistakes of others. I told you; mistakes are brought to light by the passage of time.”
“You said it yourself. Frank’s greatest leverage is time. His other leverage is money, and that provides him with time; if I can match him in money, I can match him in time.”
“I’ve read your financials. You’re doing good,” Rakeem continues.
“And we are projected for a two hundred percent increase in ten years.”
“That drew the sharks in, didn’t it? Sharks like me,” Rakeem continues. “Last night, Frank came to me.”
My heart skips a beat. Frank is unbelievable. How is he able to move so fast, so easy, so wise? I know immediately the destination of this new information. Frank will match and outbid whatever my offer is. It’s over.
But Rakeem is telling me something. There must be a reason he is. There might still be hope.
“His offer was simple. I do not provide you any support and I get my company back. My financial advisor, the one you’ve tagged as intelligent, tells me it is the best and safest bet for me. I get my treasure trove and stay protected. I don’t have one of the biggest sharks in the water as an enemy.”
I watch him intently and can sense the anger coming from him.
“How stupid. A man comes into my home and returns that which he stole from me and then makes demands of me. My great-grandfather will say: Cut his legs off so he crawls out of your house and knows there is no mercy for those that pilfer. Very wise words from a pirate, don’t you think?” he chuckles.
Alison shifts to chip in, but I hold on to her thigh, This isn’t the time to offer any advice. Rakeem has made a decision. We just have to sit here and watch him meander his way to it.
“Here is what I think I’ll do,” he says. “My financial advisor is right. I need peace to function here. But I am also a prideful man. He who hurt me must hurt back. You want cash? You’ll get it. I want my company back; I’ll get it.”
“What do you suggest?” I ask.
He stands up and walks to his table. From one of the drawers, he pulls a folder out for me. “That’s your treasure trove,” he says.
“You want to play the game on two fronts.”
“I want to play it safe,” he says and returns to watching the garden through the window. “There are two ways this goes. No, three. And I intend to benefit should it go either way. Now, I’m sure I can count on your discretion.”
“Frank will know I have met with you.”
“Of course, I’ll call him to tell him about this meeting. He must think we have a deal, he and I.”
“But you do have a deal.”
“And I have a deal with you also.”
I smile, quite impressed. He’s acted like the great-grandson of a real pirate. He has nothing to lose in all of this. The game is up to the players now. But this is good for me. Very good.
“Thank you, Rakeem,” I tell him.
“It’s just business.”