Chapter 29

My hair resembles the makings of a bird's nest and my posture is less than great as we exit the plane. I feel my mood slowly go from bad to worse as I silently follow Alexander towards what I think is a rental car, the two of us being the last to leave the aircraft that landed a little over a half-hour ago. It took so long because of the football team of a family that I have, mainly Theodore who misplaced his passport that everyone spent thirty minutes looking for before he pulled it out of his back pocket.

The gravel under my feet makes these loud crunching noises which somehow can be heard despite the loud turbo engines of the metal monsters nearby. Alexander walks beside me as we make our way to the awaiting black car, which has Theodore waving his arms in the air wildly as he sticks his head out of the half-opened window.

"I apologise for my brother's behaviour," I sigh as I begin to jog to keep up with Alexander's quickened pace. "Especially Theodore."

His deep baritone chuckle startles me a little as he replies, "They excel exceptionally at the work they are assigned to do. That's all that matters to me. They get their jobs done efficiently with little to no errors. The amusement of them embarrassing themselves is just a bonus to being their boss."

Eying him curiously as we reach the car, I find myself wondering if he knows what my brothers were involved in when they were in their early twenties and early teens. The thought is immediately dismissed as I conclude that if he knew about what they did, my brothers wouldn't even be working for him.

Alexander pulls open the backseat door for me to which I give him a soft 'thank you' smile as I fold myself into the seat. Theo who had his head sticking out of the window earlier sits down next to me as Alexander exchanges some words with Adam who appeared out of nowhere before folding his rather long body into the seat next to me.

"Well, isn't this a tight ride," Theo comments as Adam straps himself into the passenger seat next to the paid driver who starts driving us in the direction of a hotel.

I'm pretty sure his words have both a clear meaning and a dirty meaning.

"Theodore Summers if you say another word during the rest of this ride to the hotel, I will open your car door and push you out into the freeway," Adam threatens, glaring at Theo through the review mirror.

The ride goes by rather silently after Adam's hollow threat that is occasionally interrupted by yawns spread by me. With my head resting on Alexander's shoulder, I watch him through my lashes as he focuses on a tablet in front of him, flipping through what looks like PowerPoint slides as the car speeds towards our destination.

"Is that for the acquisition?"I ask quietly, looking at the proposal. "Will you be presenting that?"

"No," Alexander replies absent-mindedly. "This is the proposal from the company representatives who will be trying to convince me to buy the company."

As though he can feel my confusion, Alexander continues, "I am buying the company regardless of the presentation, it's more of a formality."

"Oh," I reply, looking over the six-figure digits and pie charts. "Interesting."

Alexander's suppressed chuckle is not lost on me and I look up at him inquisitively with my brow raised to which he tries to suppress another chuckle.

"What's so funny?" I finally ask, glaring at him now.

"You don't find business interesting," He states rather than asking. "And in an attempt to carry a conversation the most you could come up with was 'interesting' which to me is quite funny."

"I am glad you find me amusing Mr Holt, "I huff, looking back down at the tablet.

"Get some rest before we reach the hotel Ms Summers," He murmurs, pushing his hand into the bird's nest on my head, painlessly detangling the knots as he massages my scalp. "This time our conversation won't be interrupted and you'll need the energy to keep up."

Before I know it, I am awakened by Alexander carrying me bridal style out of the stationary vehicle. In my half-awake state, I can hear Theo teasing Alexander but I don't catch exactly what he says I do feel Alexander tense at his words. Waking fully as he puts me in an armchair, I realise that we are in a very fancy-looking hotel. The space radiated grandeur, boasting a fusion of modern sophistication and timeless elegance. High ceilings loomed overhead, adorned with exquisite designs that whispered of luxury. Every corner was meticulously curated, a symphony of tasteful decor and contemporary furnishings seamlessly mingling with traces of Taiwan's cultural legacy. Marble floors gleamed beneath my feet, reflecting the ambient glow of carefully positioned lighting. Intricate artworks and cultural relics, thoughtfully chosen, painted the walls with stories of heritage and tradition.

"Where are we?" I ask him, sitting upright.

"The Mandarin Oriental, "He replies as he straightens his suit.

"Mr Holt, there seems to be an issue with the check-in, " Todd informs us as he returns from the front desk.

With a heavy sigh, Alexander follows Todd back to the registration counter where a lady dressed in a pressed grey dress suit seems to nervously watch their approach. Following quietly behind them, I eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Evening good, name my is Mei," The receptionist states with a bright smile on her face, her words sounding like a real-life Google translate. "You here have booking? I can know booking name?"

"Alexander Holt?"Alexander replies, looking perplexed.

"Evening good, name my is Mei," The receptionist repeats with that same bright smile on her face as sweat begins to gather at her collar. "You here have booking? I can know booking name?"

Noting the badge on her chest that says 'I am New' in Chinese,  I come up behind him, speaking confidently in Mandarin without a spare thought, "对不起我的老公不会华文. 请问你们有没有个定位在亚历山大·霍尔的名字下面或者在亚当·萨默斯的名字."

(Sorry, my husband doesn't know Chinese, do you have any reservations under the name Alexander Holt or Adam Summers?)

With my help, we are checked in under less than ten minutes and in my hand, I hold about thirteen room keys. I pass out the room cards, telling my brothers that our rooms are on the twelfth floor.

"Some of the rooms are conjoined and some are not," I report, making sure to pass conjoined room keys to the more mature brothers and the non-conjoined rooms to my less mature brothers. "It's up to you guys if you want to switch rooms or not but I do not want to hear any fighting. Understood?"

Murmurs of distracted agreement go all around as they take the key cards from me as we make our way to the bank of elevators opposite the registration desk. Glancing over my shoulder when I see that I still have two extra key cards in my hand, I notice Alexander and Adam caught in a low conversation at the very back of the overly loud and energetic group.

When we reach the floor, Alexander tells me to go to our room first to get some rest while he briefs my brothers on the plans for the night.

"Don't take too long," I state as I tap the key card to the scanner on our door while Alexander stands behind me with two duffel bags. "We have a lot to talk about."

He gives me a gruff sound of agreement as he sets our bags on the set luggage holder near the mini-fridge and before I know it he disappears out the door before it even closes, not even bothering to check out the room.

Shaking my head, I open the duffel bag which so happens to have my name on it. Finding that the clothes range from sleepwear to formal wear to casual wear, I silently thank Mrs Denise for also packing the stick concealer.

I can ask Adam to cover the scars if needed.

Turning my attention to the room, I take in the suite's spacious living area adorned with tasteful furnishings and meticulously chosen decor that exuded refinement. Plush sofas and armchairs beckoned me to just melt into them while the panoramic views of the cityscape framed by expansive windows added a touch of grandeur to the room and called to me to look out of them. The bedroom featured a lavish king-sized bed adorned with fine linens, and soft ambient lighting cast a warm glow, creating an inviting atmosphere that enveloped the room in a gentle embrace. The ensuite bathroom boasted sleek marble finishes and luxurious amenities which included a spacious bathtub and a rain shower.

Heading to the windows, I pull the sheer curtain aside, smiling a little when I see that our room has a street view. This is always preferable to a building view. With a price on my head, I'll need to be on the lookout. Based on what happened in Seattle, bounty hunters attack whenever they see fit. Then there is also the matter of that email earlier.

Just when I decided to head to the lobby to ask for the nearest payphone, I hear a low buzz come from inside my duffel bag behind me. Curious I dig my hand into the bag to search for the buzzing item only to pull up my flip phone. Confused, I examined the phone closer remembering that when Mrs Denise cleared my room in Alexander's apartment, she didn't touch my flip phone hence it wouldn't make sense that she packed it for me. My blood chills as I hold the unregistered device in my hand and I confirm that it is not mine.

Checking the caller ID I note that it is a local one.

I guess, they found out about my arrival.

Gently opening the screen, I accept the call.