Chapter 19 - Makari
Throwing the third jacket on the bed, I turned in a circle, stomping my foot on the ground. I was so nervous about our date. I was worse than a woman. I couldn’t even decide on a simple jacket to wear.
After another three or so, I closed my eyes and just grabbed one off the bed. Turning to the door, I looked at the jacket I had selected. It could have been worse, I thought as I pulled it on and headed downstairs.
Pavel had brewed a fresh pot of coffee. The kitchen smelled divine. Grabbing a cup and filling it, I walked out back. I stood watching the wind rustling the leaves in the trees. My hands were sweaty, and my heart was beating faster than normal. I had never felt like this before.
Grace was an exceptional woman. This date had to match her essence. I also wanted her to see me again. I didn’t want her scared of me or horrified by what I did. She was special to me. I wanted to treat her grandly and show my support for her achievements.
Taking the last sip of coffee, I went back inside. After rinsing my cup, I headed to my office. I had to find a place that was unique for our dinner. It had to be romantic and private. Sitting down, I pulled my contact list up on my computer. Scrolling through, I found someone I had almost forgotten about.
Sitting back, I smiled. Yes, he would surely be able to assist me, I thought as I picked up the phone. Dialing his number, I wondered what he would come up with. Sam didn’t have a restaurant or a place where one could dine, but he knew every inch of the city.
“Sam,” I shouted as he answered.
“Makari?” he replied half hesitantly.
“Yes, it’s me. It's been a long time, though,” I responded.
There was a mumbling I couldn’t make out before he spoke again. “It sure has been my friend. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
Clearing my throat, I replied clearly, not wanting any confusion as the line sounded a bit static. “I need a place. Something romantic and private. A hidden gem, if you will, and I am sure you would know such a place.”
The line was silent for a bit. “Sam, you still there?” I asked, wondering if he hung up on me.
“Yes, sorry, I was just considering your request. I do know of a place. I’ll send you the details, but I’ve gotta run now,” he responded. I could hear someone calling in the background.
Not wanting to keep him, I replied quickly. “Yeah, sure. We’ll catch up soon. Give me a call when you have time.”
“Sure thing, my friend,” Sam huffed before the line went dead.
I had barely hung up when the message came through. That was quick even for him, I thought. I knew Sam from my school days. But once I started working for the Chernykhs, we battled to find time to hang out. Twice a year, we would get together for a long weekend. We’d get girls, party, and just hang out. But this year we haven’t found the time.
Opening my browser, I searched for the place. Looking at the pictures, I knew it was perfect. I called the number he gave me and told the guy who answered that Sam had shared his details with me.
After a swift conversation and explaining what I wanted, the booking was made. Staring at the screen, I grinned at my reflection. Now, I just had to get through the day. I checked my emails, made some calls, and checked in with the warehouses.
The day passed slowly. But it might have only felt that way as I was excited and slightly nervous about our date. Before heading to my room to wash and change, I called and ordered a bouquet.
I had just finished when I heard the doorbell. Sprinting down the stairs, I was there before Pavel. “What’s your rush?” Pavel asked as I opened the door.
“My flowers,” I huffed.
He grinned, shook his head, and went back to where he came from. Grabbing the flowers, I headed up to Grace’s room. As I approached, I saw the door was half open. I knocked and pushed it open all the way. Grace wasn’t in there. My throat closed as panic slowly grabbed hold of me.
I rushed back down the stairs, looking for her. Relief flooded through me as I saw her coming out of the kitchen. She smiled as she saw me. She came closer, speaking in a high-pitched tone. “Are those for me?”
“They sure are,” I replied, holding them out. Grace pulled the bouquet to her chest. Lowering her head, she breathed in deeply. She looked like a beauty queen who had just won the pageant.
Her glittering silver dress hugged her figure. The top appeared to push her breasts up, showing a reasonable amount of cleavage. On both sides of the dress were slits running from her hips down to her feet. She didn’t look like a queen; she was one, and she was mine.
My heart rate increased, and my palms became sweaty as I stared at her. “They are perfect,” she breathed out. “Are we heading out now?”
Turning back, I opened the front door as I replied. “Yes, right this way.” Increasing my pace, I opened the truck door for her and assisted her in.
Pulling out, I glanced at her as I spoke. “You look amazing.”
I noted the blush spreading across her cheeks as they turned a light shade of pink. “Thank you. You don’t look too shabby yourself,” she laughed softly.
As we arrived, Grace looked around, slightly worried. Her eyes were wide, and her brows lifted. “Are you sure we’re at the right place?” she asked softly. “This place looks a bit creepy. There doesn’t seem to be too many signs of life around.”
The place didn’t appear to have a lot of lighting outside. The parking area did look a bit creepy. But there were about ten other vehicles. I trusted the intel, so I knew we would be safe here. Grinning, I replied in a light tone. “Yes, this is the place. Don’t worry, you’ll love it.”
Getting out, I moved quickly to open her door. She leaned closer as she took my hand and got out, whispering. “I don’t think so. It looks like we are in the woods where no one will ever find us. Do you have other plans with me?”
“Grace,” I responded, pulling her close. “I have many plans, but none will cause you any harm.” She accepted this and walked with me.
We entered through the double arch leading inside. The lights of the foyer were also dim. It was bigger than I had imagined. I saw the man standing by a small podium-type desk as we got to the dark wooden doors.
“Good evening,” he said lightly. “Booking?”
“Vasiliev,” I replied, holding Grace tightly.
The man glanced at a book before him and nodded. He stepped to the big doors, pulling one open. “Enjoy the evening, sir,” he said as we walked in.
Stopping just inside, I couldn’t believe the transformation compared to the outside. Grace gasped next to me. “Look at this place,” she breathed out.
Before I could reply, a young woman approached us. “Evening,” she said, smiling. “Please follow me.”
She headed towards the back. The tables were wide apart, and I could see only about fifteen of them. I now understand why they only worked on bookings. It offered a lot of privacy.
The table was set up with three candles. These were packed around the ice bucket, holding a bottle of champagne. On her side lay a box of chocolates. Grace looked at the table and then at me. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Are you okay?” I asked, taking her hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered, beaming. “They are tears of joy.”
Smiling at her, I pulled out the chair and waited for her to sit. I then sat opposite her.
“Would you like to order, sir?” the waiter inquired.
Skimming the menu, I decided for both of us. “Please bring us tonight’s specialty dish,” I replied, returning the menus to the waiter. He nodded and walked away.
“I hope the chocolates are fine; they didn’t have a wide selection,” I said, pouring the champagne.
Grace looked up, grinning as she spoke. “They are perfect. This place is perfect and the whole evening. Thank you for bringing me here. I have never been to such a beautiful place. It is filled with tranquility and joy.”
“I’m glad you like it and are enjoying the evening,” I said, taking her hand and squeezing it tenderly. “I wasn’t sure what kind of flowers to get, so I had them make up an assortment.”
“I like most types of flowers,” Grace replied. “If I have to select a thought, I will most likely go with roses, violets, or white lilies.”
I loved listening to her talk about things she liked or loved. She was passionate about everything and spoke with enthusiasm. We sat in silence for a moment as I watched her admiring the scenery.
Her light brown hair shone, lighting up her face as the light from the candles fell on her. My heart felt like it was melting. She was such a special woman. I couldn’t imagine not knowing her.
“What kind of activities or places do you like? Museums, Landmarks, or any such interests? That is, except for chess.” I questioned. I considered taking her on a second date to see one of the many brilliant museums we have. I wondered if she would enjoy it, though.
“Well,” she replied, staring into the distance. “I haven’t really been to such places. With my studies, I didn’t get a lot of time to explore the world. I do like visiting landmarks, though,” she responded. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“Sports,” I added, grinning. “Please tell me like sport?”
Grace laughed softly. “Yes, I actually enjoy watching football, and after seeing your brother on the tracks, I love racing.”
Her cheeks turned red. I couldn’t help but laugh as I reached out and took her hand. “Well, I’m glad to hear it,” I responded.
Grace squeezed my hand as she leaned in. “Tell me,” she said softly. “What would you have enjoyed doing if you didn’t have to work for the Chernykhs?”
I was shocked at her question. It wasn’t something I had ever truly considered. “I don’t know,” I replied vaguely. “We kind of just fell into work off the debt and never considered doing something else.” It wasn’t something I wanted to discuss as I knew we might never get out.
But I enjoyed learning more about her. So, I changed the subject. “Would you like to travel and see the world?” I asked.
“Yes, I would love to travel one day. Maybe visit Thailand, Paris, Greece, and who knows, even England,” she responded.
“You know,” I said, smiling. “I could take you to those places. We could do a tour.”
“No,” she exclaimed. Her cheeks turned crimson as she blushed. “I could never ask you such a thing. I will travel once I can do so myself.”
“But, Grace,” I started saying when the waitress suddenly appeared.
“Oh my,” Grace said as the waitress placed our plates down. “This looks so good.”
The square wooden board used as a plate was filled with steak blocks, small sausages, potato blocks, pieces of chicken, and some vegetables. The waitress placed a cheese and mushroom sauce fountain in the middle of the table.
Grace stuck her fork into a piece of steak, rolled it in the fountain, and placed it in her mouth. She moaned softly, closing her eyes as she chewed.
“I hope you like it. I didn’t even think twice before ordering for you. I should probably have asked what you wanted. Sorry if it isn’t the right meal. We can order something else,” I said, swallowing hard.
“No, this is perfect. I love cheese on all my food. So, this is one of the best dishes. I would most likely have selected it myself,” she responded between bites.
“Have you had something to eat for lunch?” I inquired as she appeared to be overly hungry.
Grace tilted her head to the side as she thought about it for a moment. “No, I don’t think I did,” she replied, grinning. I was glad she was enjoying it and appeared to be happy. It was all I wanted to do. I wanted her to be happy.
Looking at her, I spoke softly. “Oh, yes, I still wanted to ask you what kind of music you prefer. They said we can choose the music.”
“That’s nice. I love listening to old country music if they can do that,” she said.
“Wow,” I huffed. “That is an unexpected choice.”
“I know, it doesn’t suit me, right? But I grew up with it, and it makes me happy. Plus, I feel it adds character,” she replied, winking at me.
Waving at the waiter, I waited for him to come closer before speaking. “Could you possibly ask them to play some old-country music for us?”
“Some Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Dolly, Kenny, or Merle Haggard,” Grace added.
He glanced at Grace, smiled, and nodded. It wasn’t long before the music changed. An array of country love songs followed. Grace smiled at me the entire time as we finished our meal. The waiter collected our plates and brought out another bottle of champagne. “On the house,” he said as he showed me the bottle before opening it.
I stared at Grace as she spoke about her goals for life. Now that she had graduated, she wanted to focus on building her career. “Well,” she said, smiling. “I would like to work for a big marketing company. I want to dazzle my clients with my own ideas and designs. I am sure I can offer a unique perspective in a variety of fields.”
Nodding, I poured another glass of champagne. “I am sure you will be an asset to any company. They would be lucky to have you.”
Taking her glass, Grace fluttered her lashes as she spoke. “Flattery won’t get you very far, mister.”
I laughed at her before responding. “I’m not so sure about that, but carry on.”
“I have learned how to determine a client’s customer base, their needs and wants, and then how to fill those. Branding messages, proposals, and advertisements are my strong suit, though. That’s why I want to work at a big company; I want multiple clients at the same time,” she said, sitting back.
Taking a deep breath, I gently took her hand. “Now, that is a great idea and pitch. I think you will be terrific at it,” I complimented her. “Want to take a walk?” I added as I got up.
Grace got up and took my hand. “Where are we going?” she asked as we headed out the back.
“I was told there is an amazing view just down this little path they have out back here,” I replied softly. Walking through the outside seating, I saw the fairy lights in the trees ahead. “That must be it,” I added, pointing to them.
Reaching the tree line, we saw the path leading into the forest. I was lit up by rows and rows of fairy lights. Just a little way in, I could see a clearing with a garden. “Come on,” I said, pulling her hand as I moved forward.
“I could walk here all night,” Grace said as we entered the small garden area.
Squeezing her hand, I leaned closer as I spoke. “I’m sure our legs would get tired.”
Grace laughed as she softly tapped my shoulder. “They sure would. But then we could sit down or even lay down here. It is so peaceful. I am enchanted. It feels like I have left the world and stepped into a fairytale.
I noticed another path leading even further into the trees. “Let’s explore then,” I said, kissing her hand.
Grace nodded, and we headed down the next path. We walked in silence, absorbing the peace of our surroundings.
Coming to an opening between some trees, I noticed the swing bench in the center. The moonlight coming through the trees seemed to bounce around on the bench as if playing with it. Turning to Grace, I took both her hands in mine as I spoke. “Would you like to sit?”
She glanced around me at the bench before speaking. “Yes, that would be nice. It sure is pretty here.”
Turning, I pulled her with me to the bench. I held it in place as she sat down. Sitting next to her, I slowly started swinging. “Tell me more about your childhood,” Grace asked tenderly.
Taking a deep breath, I leaned back. Looking up at the stars above us, I spoke softly. “Well, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses, that’s for sure. It was hard as we started working at a young age.”
“I’m sorry,” Grace whispered. “May I ask why?”
“Our father caused the mess we find ourselves in,” I breathed out heavily.
Grace took my hand as she spoke. “Your father?” I could hear the curiosity in her tone.
Glancing at her, I smiled tenderly before explaining. “Yes, long ago, our father used to work for the Chernykhs. Then, one day, he decided to steal millions from them and run away. This is how our service started.”
Grace turned to me as she continued to question me. “Why didn’t you leave, and what do you mean your service started? What does his debt have to do with you?”
Turning to her, I looked her in the eyes as I responded. “We lived in their compound, grew up there, you could say. After he left, they wanted the money from our mother. He left her and us holding his debt. So, to keep her safe, we agreed to work for them until the debt is paid.”
“That’s just horrible,” Grace said, lifting my hands and kissing my fingers.
This was a strange gesture from a woman, but it felt good. “Yeah, I know, and it sucks,” I replied.
“How long do you still have to work for them?” she inquired.
Shaking my head, I swallowed the knot threatening to form in my throat. Turning back, I looked up at the stars again before responding. “Most of it has been paid. Yet, Vadik marrying Tasha complicated it. It placed him into the Dubow family, who are ancestral enemies of the Chernykhs. This has now caused complications for us.”
“Complications?” Grace asked. She moved closer and leaned her head on my shoulder. The air around me filled with her sweet, tantalizing scent, causing my brain to malfunction for a second.
“Yes,” I finally whispered. “You see, now Pavel and I have to work twice as hard to keep the peace. We tried getting the Dubows and the Chernykhs to become allies. The Dubows have no issue, but the Cherbykhs…”
Taking a deep, slow breath, I continued. “The Dubows are ready to ally with set rules, but the Chernykhs don’t trust them. We are in the middle of this now.”
Grace shook her head. “I’m sorry for the mess,” she whispered.
“Oh, no,” I said, placing my arm around her. “This isn’t your fault. In fact, I’m sorry for pulling you into the mess I call my life.”
Grace turned her head, looking up at me, and I had to fight the urge to kiss her. Pulling my arm out, I got up as I spoke. “Come on, let me take you home; it’s getting late.”
Grace took my hand as we returned to the restaurant and my truck. We didn’t speak, but holding her hand was comforting. I opened her door and assisted her in. Getting in on the driver’s side, I glanced at her. I wish I could take her home so she could make me forget.
I started the truck and pulled out. For a while, we drove in silence. I was afraid to open my mouth, as I might ask her to come home with me. We were about halfway to Vadik and Tasha’s house when Grace cleared her throat. “Makari,” she said softly.
“Yes, Grace,” I replied, glancing at her.
“Take me back to your house. I don’t want to go back to your brother’s house,” she added.
“You don’t?” I asked, confused. She was staring out the window, and I couldn’t see her expression. “Are you sure?” I added.
I could hear an urgency in her tone as she spoke again. “Yes, I want to go with you. They are great, but please, I want to go to your house.”
“Okay,” I said. “No problem.” I turned the truck around and headed home in a rush. I didn’t want her to change her mind. I parked in my usual spot. Turning to her, I asked again. I had to be sure this was what she wanted, not only in my head. “Are you sure, Grace?”
She turned to me. Placing her hands on my cheeks, she leaned in and kissed me. Her plump lips burned mine as I pulled her into my arms. Holding her head with one hand, I slid my other one down her back. Our lips didn’t even part for air as we absorbed each other.
My desire for her burned like a wild bushfire out of control. By her passionate kissing, I knew she wanted me just as strongly. As my hand moved over her back to her ass, I gave it a loving spanking.
Her nails dug into my chest. Gracefully, she moved her hands down my chest, over my stomach, down to my pants. She undid my belt and the top button of my pants before sticking her hand inside. As she took a firm hold of my cock, I breathed out hard.
Taking hold of her hair, I carefully bent her head back, kissing her neck. Grace moaned softly. Using my free hand, I squeezed one breast and then the other. Shoving me back, she removed her top. “Not here,” I huffed, opening my door.
Excited, I jumped out.