Brute

12. Max

Max found himself half asleep on the couch in a lobby, he fully came to his senses when he saw a couple walking towards the reception desk, chuckling about something. He rubbed his eyes and blinked to focus properly.

It was Mick, and a tall girl by his arm he couldn't see her face that well. When she brushed away the strands of hair out of her face, he had already locked eyes with her.

"Max! What are you doing here?" Mick asked him, looking flustered.

"Waiting to check in." Max smiled, "Already mixing business with pleasure Kalki?" He teased her.

"I don't start business until tomorrow, so it's just pleasure." She glared at him. Her dark eyes were lined with Kohl, it made her gaze all the more intense.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, thanks for making this evening special." She smiled at Mick.

"It's my pleasure! Thanks for letting me join your birthday celebration. Good night Kalki." Mick said, placing a gentle kiss on her hand before leaving.

She didn't lose her composure Max noticed, she was completely in control. He couldn't say the same about Mick, the boy looked smitten, head over heels for her, so much that he glanced at her and did a double take even walking away from them.

With Mick gone, all her attention was diverted back to Max. She walked closer to him, with purpose in every step she took. He wasn't frightened of her, he wasn't ten anymore.

"Let's set some ground rules before we start." She said.

"I love rules, go on." He crossed his arms.

"Number one, stay out of my personal life and I'll stay out of yours." Kalki announced. "I don't care what your hot take about what I'm up to is, but I'm the manager here not you."

"Alright boss." He scoffed.

"I'm just here to do my job, please don't make it harder than it already is." She added.

"We're setting ground rules so I get to set some too." He said.

"Go ahead." She crossed her arms.

"You're not going to coerce me into doing things I don't want to-"

"No can do, Raymond already told me my job IS to make you do things you don't want to." She laughed.

He realised, she still laughed the same. Her nose scrunched up weirdly, and eyes almost completely shut. "Don't expect me to cooperate then." He said.

"Mister Verstappen, your room is ready please follow me." A host cut in.

"Thanks, give me a minute." He politely smiled at him. "Try not to act like a child, and I'll do the same. That's all I've got to add." He said walking after the host.

***

The exhaustion of flying, having that conversation with her all of it gave him one tough fight. He found himself waking up still a little groggy, he couldn't afford to sleep in. He didn't feel like running so he'd ask his trainer if they could walk instead, he'd make up with cardio training later in the day.

Turns out a walk was just what he needed, he got in steps and the time he needed to clear his mind. It really felt like a battle, he could see Evi having fun with her friends on her social media but she didn't seem to want to talk to him and life had thrown just another curveball. Kalki. He really wanted to believe people changed but she was so stuck and fixated on the past for some reason it made it incredibly difficult to be reasonable with her in the present.

A nice shower later, it was time for him to head to breakfast. Raymond had told him that he would meet Kalki there, Raymond didn't need to know about the previous night's run in and the brilliant work his newest employee was up to.

He walked into the hotel's restaurant, Kalki and Raymond were already at the table waiting for everyone else to arrive. He could tell that Kalki had given him the most fake smile he had ever witnessed while wishing him a good morning.

"How are you doing today champ?" Raymond asked him.

"Good! I didn't sleep too well so Brad took me on a nice long walk instead of my usual run, it was nice almost felt like meditation."

He decided this was a good chance to make Kalki dread what she had signed up for, he was going to talk in excruciating detail about last night- leaving the bits of her little rendezvous. Raymond looked a little confused but heard Max ramble on anyway.

Max wanted to get a reaction out of her, and yet she sat there with a neutral look on her face. Who was he kidding? It was Kalki. She was never going to let him have that sort of satisfaction. Shortly, Christian walked in followed by Helmut.

He observed Kalki the entire time, she wasn't nervous at all. She exuded confidence, a big smile and firm handshake to both of them. She didn't wait for Raymond to introduce her, Kalki Burman.

"I already like her. One strong personality managing another." Christian said.

She let out a little chuckle, Raymond talked to them more about what exactly her role would be and answered questions of both the parties.

"You haven't spoken a word Max." Helmut said.

"There's nothing to say, I've known her for a while and I think she'll do a good enough job." He shrugged. Good enough. He knew this would annoy her, push some buttons and get a reaction out of her.

"I'll give my best and I assure you it's going to be more than good enough." She smiled patronisingly.

"A word Max?" Christian pulled him aside.

"Sure." Max followed him.

"That was uncalled for, if you don't think you can work with her just say it." Christian said gauging the situation.

"I don't have a problem with her. She has a problem with me." He explained.

"And yet you're the one throwing jabs, not her. Be clear with me." Christian said.

"No seriously, I don't have a problem with her."

"Okay then," Christian nodded, "get back to the table, and tell her she's on your team now."

"Why do I have to say it? You're the team boss!"

"Team Bonding. She's part of your entourage." Christian said.

"So theoretically if I want to-"

"No Max, you're not firing her without giving her a fair chance." He sighed.

"Fine."

They walked back to the table and resumed to their seats, Kalki was telling Helmut about the people she had worked with in the past. Clearly, he was very impressed by her.

"So, sorry to cut in but I've got an announcement to make." Max cleared his throat.

"Go on." Raymond urged him.

"Welcome to the team Kalki." He clinked his glass of orange juice with her.

"Thank you for having me here." She smiled.