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"He was really hot, I'll give you that", I laugh as May and I lay on the floor in my living room, sharing a bottle of wine. "But it was so weird. In what way could this man think he could possess me. He was at my table for all of twenty seconds."

"Those men from Volkov can have anything they want", May takes a swig and passes the bottle over. "I'd let any of those men do anything they want to me. Even Volkov himself."

"You know what? You're right. I would one hundred percent let any of them tie me up." We both burst of laughing. 

The night had been long, but when Volkov paid, he left a hundred on the card tab he signed, and then a one hundred dollar bill on top. That was nearly half of what I had made all night, and that also solidified my guarantee to pay rent this month. 

"Okay but really", May rolls over on her stomach to get serious, propping herself up on her elbows. "If he, for some reason, asked you out, would you go?"

I also roll over. "Of course. Who would say no to a hot millionaire?"

I know why though, why she's really asking. My last boyfriend was the reason I moved to the city. He had abused and tortured me for years, and I had finally saved enough of my own money to leave him. I had left everything; my mother, my friends, my hometown where I knew everyone. It's been forever since I thought about dating anyone.

"Would you be ready for that? To date someone?"

"I think if that person knew I would want to go slow, and not sleep with them on the first night", I offer the last bit of the bottle to her, but she shakes her head, so I down it in one go. "Maybe on the second night, if he's really hot."

~

Tuesdays are my one lunch shift of the week. It's usually slow, but with the right clientele, I can still leave with at least two hundred.

May never works lunch, and we don't use our ear pieces, so when I see that man walk through the door then sit in my section, May is not there to warn me of him. 

It's only him and one other man, so they take a table in the middle of the dining room. I fill the two glasses of water and take a deep breath. "Hello again. How are you two today?"

"Well, You?"

He looks up from his menu with his huge dark eyes, clearly brown, but also like they're made of obsidian. "I'm good, thank you. Can I get either of you started on anything from the bar?"

I look to the other man first, who looks similar to my friend, but maybe just a little older. "Godfather, please."

"Excellent",  I turn back to Him. "For you?"

He smirks. "I'll take my old fashioned, extra orange."

"I might have to try this drink of yours sometime. I will be right back."

I wait for the drinks from my bartender, and I'm just close enough to their table to hear them converse in Russian. "That's the one I was telling you about. When we were here on Friday."

"I don't know what's so special about her, she's a waitress. We might as well hire her."

I hear the tone change in my admirer's tone. "Any of you say anything disrespectful about her one more time, I will personally cut off all ten fingers on each one of you."

Seems a bit extreme, but so is the fact that he knows nothing about me and is weirdly protective over me. 

"Here", the bartender breaks me from my funk. I pick up the drinks and bring them over. 

I take their orders without any sort of fuss or comments they think I can't understand. With them being my only current table, I head into the kitchen to get away from them. 

"Oh, Alex", I hear Fredrick call for me when he notices me from his office. "A word please."

I head over to his office. "What's up?"

"Those men you served on Friday night, the Volkov party", he starts, taking his reading glasses off his face. Fredrick is probably somewhere in his fifties, with ever-greying hair and some frown lines he probably got from an unhappy marriage. "They have struck a contract with me, of sorts. Every Friday at nine fifteen, they will take that table, and you will be their server. Sound like a plan?"

"Yes", I say with a smile, though I have mix emotions. "They tipped very well."

"Oh yes, that was the other thing. Volkov liked you so much, he's agreed to leave a permanent tip on each check of two hundred, as well as give the normal twenty percent when he signs the check each night."

"Holy shit", I practically squeal. "That's amazing."

"We've never had them come in and like their server, but we love their business. Please keep them very, very happy."

"Of course, will do". Then he dismisses me. 

By the time I exit the kitchen, the two men already have their food, so I go to check on them.

"Well, sir, you will be happy to know, my manager has approved Mr. Volkov's wish for me to serve your party every Friday. How are your meals?"

He wipes his mouth with his napkin and finishes chewing his bite. "Lovely. The food is very good."

A man of few words, I leave them both to finish their meals. I get another two tables so I focus on them for a moment, then I head back to his table when I notice his friend take a phone call outside. 

I start to grab the plates off the table. "What is your name? I missed it the other night."

"Aleksandra. But you guys can call my Alex."

He sort of chuckles, picking up his drink and taking a sip. "That's going to be very easy to remember?"

"Your girlfriend and I have the same name?" I joke, however, that's usually how it goes when they respond like that.

"Unfortunately, I am currently single."

I give him a look, hoping he'll actually tell me what I'm looking for. When he sets his drink back down, he raises his hand to shake mine. When our hands touch, to me at least, it's like waiting for a firework show and that first boom sends waves of excitement and shock through your body. 

"It's nice to meet you Aleksandra. I'm Alexei."