Heart of Glass / Z.M

3: know better

*look at my baby looking like a whole ass mafia queen😍😍😍*

Alina's POV

I can't wait for this meeting to be over so I can finally be home and hide away like always until I have to come out again.

I try cheering myself up with the fact that the meet up spot is one of my favorite places. I may be partially biased on the fact that I'm the other owner of this place. We serve the best mixed drinks with the perfect juice to alcohol ratio. Plus all our drinks are served with top shelf liquors only. None of that cheap crap I used to sneak around with friends back in high school. The idea is for people of a certain class and with certain understandings to come spend their money here.

"You're almost on your third drink for the night. Slow down A." Derrick says as I place an empty glass down and signal our server.

"Stop being so dramatic and leave me alone." I roll my eyes before letting the waiter know I want another lime Mojito.

"When's this guy supposed to be here and why are we agreeing to meet again?" I bring up instead to shift the focus off me. I'm starting to feel how my body loosens up even more and I find myself slightly swaying along to the song that's playing. I might be in the mood to hangout afterwards and socialize if I'm able to get enough drinks in me.

"Apparently we have some territories that would be easier to cross through with some merchandise." Derrick raises an eyebrow watching how I take the news in carefully.

"The ranch lands?" I furrow my eyebrows automatically not liking the idea.

"Yes. Even though our own merchandise goes through there it wouldn't hurt to let someone else use the route too...for a good price." He fails horribly on selling me the idea making me roll my eyes.

"We agreed to keep our business  small. Are we in need for a partnership?" I focus completely on Derrick to see if he's about to lie to me.

Derrick knows it too but knows better than to lie or try hiding things.

"Not at all, but the eyes Alina. We have to focus them somewhere else and if we do this right, it could help a lot honestly." He lets a hint of worry touch his tone making my stomach clench tightly.

"Is that that bad?" I question feeling myself freeze completely as I wait for his verdict. If that was the case then it would change things. A lot of things actually...

Derrick isn't able to answer me because Biggie appears in my peripheral sight so I stop talking to look at her.

"Our guys up front are doing the pat down and will bring him here shortly." She informs looking from Derrick to me.

Derrick holds out his hand for Biggie then she places a gun in it  and he hides it away nearby. Obviously out of the way so we don't alarm our guest. Although I don't think they will pull something stupid since it took forever to get this meeting.

Biggie speaks something into her mic then goes to stand outside our booth with Jaime, Chris, and Mala. I can see from where we are the security team escorting our guest towards us through the club. I can't make out much yet besides the thick dark hair and nice suit jacket.

I sit perfectly still and just before they reach us the waiter comes back with my drink. Derrick orders a round of shots to be delivered in 15 minutes which is hopeful of him to assume we'll be done by then.

Our guest finally arrive and Derrick stands up which partially blocks me from the view. I know why he does it though, he loves introducing me as his wife. Although I don't always like being shown off like a trophy it is reassuring to know I'm the only one in Derrick's life. His infatuation with me hasn't changed one bit. There is still anger sometimes but for the most part I'm what's most precious in his life.

The world's highest paid super model could walk into the room and Derrick wouldn't even turn his head for a look. There's peace in knowing I never have to worry about Derrick wanting someone else. Despite how I feel on the day there's peace in living with harmony. There is a love that may not have started with cute long walks and flowers at open doorsteps but we've had our own moments.

Just as I expected he steps to the side to introduce me. I remain absolutely still surveying our guest from the bottom up. Usually no one makes an impression but I have to work very hard at controlling my own expressions. He's not someone familiar at all but there is something there my gut is saying.

"Hello Mrs. Montgomery it's definitely my pleasure to meet you. I'm so thankful we could get together." Lei holds out his hand to which I take for a firm shake.

Everyone sits down and I sit up more leaning into Derrick. We look at him to start which he thankfully catches the hint so we don't have to ask questions.

"I do want to start off by really thanking you guys for meeting with me. Giving what we do it's not the easiest thing to get meetings but I honestly wouldn't have given up." He tries to offer friendly smiles but I've been in this long enough to know better.
I offer a small smile instead keeping it simple.

"Well, we are here now so let's hear it." I say with a hint of seriousness so he understands I'm not here to socialize.

Lei understood the message nodding slowly before opening his mouth to speak.

"I know it takes sometime to get to where we want and that it takes a tremendous amount of hard work as well. So please understand that I'm not here for easy handouts but I am hoping to throw an idea out there and see if it's workable for both parties." He starts off with his eyes on me first before turning over to Derrick.

"My partner and I are very interested in certain routes we understand fall into your property. We would like to pay a quarterly amount in order to have access to the roads that cross those territories, just the roads solely nothing else." He looks back towards me with a hopeful smile.

I pursue my lips and fix my gaze onto this man trying to determine something. There is a reason we agreed to this meeting. He was able to pass our extensive background check but there is still something.

"Remind me who your partner is again?" I hear myself question.

"Alia Scott. She's a broker for a well known Arab company." He answers right away.

That's interesting.

"Why is she not here doing this negotiation then? The job title definitely seems her more qualified." I murmur.

"If you'd like to meet with her I can arrange it Mrs. Montgomery. She's in the middle of some negotiations so that's why I'm here. I can 1000% guarantee that she's very serious about building a partnership."

I look over to Derrick to see what he thinks and he gives me a discreet nod immediately. Even though it sounds unusual I think of Derrick and I along with what we have. I'm not "supposed" to be here doing what he does but I am. So surprisingly but not unusual is the better term I guess.

"Let your partner know that we'd like to sit down to discuss everything. Have everyone in the room so there's no game of messenger going on and no miscommunications. If she agrees we can come to you this time since you already traveled all this way to us." I finally offer what I've been told is my entrancing smile.

A/N: Your patience is appreciated! Comment and vote your butts off pls 🥰 Enthusiasm = Faster Updates

Also do you think Alia will agree to a meeting? Even more so, do you think Zayn should be present during it?? 😌