Adonis | H.S

chapter ten: acrimony

Harry scrubbed profusely at the blood layering his bruising knuckles and glistening rings.

Once the gore was free from his hands, he swore at the purple dustings from his aggression that were marring the skin. He wasn't opposed to having them but he definitely didn't want Scarlett spotting them and asking what had happened. He was used to having destroyed knuckles, honestly, it was a rarity when they weren't in such a state.

Besides, the other guy was far worse off.

He was grateful he had an adjoining bathroom in his office of the Blue Ribbon, especially during those kinds of nights. Following a swift clean-up and change of suit to an eccentric and patterned number, Harry made his way to the bar front.

It was 10:37 pm, and he was trying to shelf his excitations from the night so far. He needed information and soon but no one was willing to give it to him. He pushed the failed interrogation from his mind and focused on what was to become of the evening.

Xander made eye contact with him across the bar, nodding with a warm smile. He was sat at his usual table with a girl on his lap and a client who had been newly introduced to the business. Harry knew Sebastian had debriefed him on everything, as always.

While Sebastian joined Harry in those types of conquests, Xander was the man behind the business while Harry was busy with other tasks. He trusted him to run the bar and staff, as well as keep his clients comfortable and loyal.

Harry assumed Sebastian was dealing with what remained of their meeting. He didn't bother asking him how he disposed of it, he did when it first happened but after a while, he got bored with the logistics of it.

Sebastian had teased Harry about rushing off to look pretty for his date, and Harry frowned at his friend's cheeky behaviour, almost as if he was having a laugh over a pint and not moving a dead body so he could dispose of it.

He checked his phone, not seeing any texts from Scarlett. It was only seven minutes past their agreed meeting time. Any other night, he wouldn't mind as much but tonight he was extremely impatient and vexed. After the night he'd had, he was ready to brand more of his handprints into her skin.

Signaling Ben to where he was stood at the bar, Harry ordered a glass of scotch and a glass of wine for Scarlett. He instructed Ben to bring them to his table in about five minutes, assuming she'd have arrived by then.

He made his way through the tables, crowded with guests enjoying his liquor, he nodded at a few of the clients that he spotted. The pianist, Leo, twinkled his fingers along the ivory to emit the classical aura he loved.

Almost as soon as Harry was settled into his usual VIP booth, he spotted Scarlett entering his establishment and his irritation suddenly dissipated into heated arousal in the pit of his stomach.

She looked surreal, a cream-toned oversized blazer with matching wide-legged pants. Underneath the blazer was a lacy bodice, black and sensual.

She was a prurient gift wrapped in angelic, innocent demeanour and dripping in liquified ruby.

Her shoes were tall, black, and sleek. They sounded in head-turning clacks as she walked towards the bar.

Scarlett smiled at Ben, the bar being right near the entrance meant she saw him almost immediately. She greeted him politely as he all but drooled, Harry was surprised Ben didn't launch himself over the bar and beg at her feet for a scrap more of her attention.

Ben had tried to win her over those first couple of nights with free drinks but all that did was mess with their stocktake and figures.

Harry was a very possessive person, and he knew the kind of attention Scarlett received from others but he especially hated how Ben looked at her. Men pined for her with slimy gazes and foul intentions. And Ben was no different, aside from the fact that he worked for Harry and knew damn well that Harry was the reason she was there.