Aster

Chapter Five: More Than A Flood In Manhattan.

Jacob

     Two days had passed since he last saw Aster. If it weren't for that bastard of a man who calls himself a father, she'd be the only thing invading his thoughts. She looked so hurt the entire time. How was he expected to take anything Bastien said, serious? None of it made sense, save for the fact the entire situation was nothing more than a man hungry for power. Whatever it was he wanted Jacob's company for, it couldn't have been legal if he was willing to throw not one - but both - daughters under the bus for the money that comes along with it.

     By the time he'd finished work, he was right back to where he started, worrying how exactly he would make "everything okay". A knock on Jacob's office door ripped his eyes away from the glow of the laptop screen in front of him, and he slowly closed it while muttering deeply, "Come in." His assistant Emily carefully closed the door behind her, fidgeting in the pumps adorning her feet as she played nervously with a button on her blouse, "You wanted to see me, Mr. Sterling?" The soft tone of her voice left vibrations in the dark room. She was nervous - as she should be.

     He replied with a grunt, lifting his chin to motion towards one of the chairs which she quickly took a seat in; shrinking beneath his gaze. He allowed the silence to thicken around them, not once removing his dark eyes from her. The only sound was the gentle ticking of his analog clock. Each second seemed to stretch longer and longer until he finally broke the quiet, "I want you to explain to me what in the hell happened two days ago."

     Of course Emily was expecting the question, and she was more than willing to answer, she just didn't know how to put it into words. Her blue gaze steeled itself as they looked up behind a thick curtain of lashes, meeting his own head-on. Her shoulders straightened but her fingers remained gripping onto the hem of her pencil skirt, "Where... Would you like me to start?" Jacob leaned back in his chair, leaning against the armrest as his finger drummed quietly against the desk, "From the beginning. Are you married?" His question earned an immediate, "No," With an earnest shake of her head but she seemed to droop with it, "But I will be."

     His head nodded, his brows creasing slightly, "Did he force you? Bastien." Her reply was much more hesitant, with only a single nod that came after a brief pause of silence. He could feel himself flare with anger, his fists clenching, "What's he getting involved with, if he isn't already?" Emily visibly swallowed, her eyes rounding slightly but her resolve still remained, "The Russian mafia. He's been a part of the hierarchy for as long as I can remember - I'm not even supposed to know." Even Jacob was slightly taken aback by that. Although it didn't show on his face, he was surprised, to say the least. Rubbing a hand over his jawline, his eyes hardened, "Why does being part of the mafia require him to auction off his children?"

     Her blonde hair bounced in waves around her shoulders as she shook her head, "No, he-" Emily seemed to flounder around now, trying to think of a good answer, her perfectly-shaped brows furrowing together, "He is just trying to protect us." Jacob scoffed, a laugh that didn't reach his eyes echoing around them, "Bullshit." Even to her chagrin, she didn't back down, once again shaking her head, "I'm telling the truth. My dad might have willingly been a part of it, but he would never purposely put us in harm's way. He got involved with a partner's drug ring as it was about to make into the states, a shipment. Apparently his partner was pretty important figure, but something happened to it, and now they're after my dad. That's all I know-" She paused to catch her breath, her eyes searching his own to see if he truly believed her or not; even he wasn't sure.