Chapter 453
The sun went down behind the high walls, and the city was shrouded in darkness. The streetlights came on.
The restaurant “Star Shine” was among the top ten in the capital. Not everyone can afford to book a table here. Usually all the tables are reserved for a week in advance, but there is always a free one for visitors who are willing to pay a tidy sum.
A pot-bellied man in a pantsuit and a gorgeous girl in an exquisite black dress, effectively fitting a slender, flexible figure like a glove, approached the entrance. They ordered a VIP table and, to the surprise of the head waiter, a beautiful lady paid.
The visitors looked at the couple in surprise: is it possible that an adult man and an irresistible girl, young enough to be his daughter, have a date? No, it can’t be. She is too good for him, and there is no place for a black pearl next to a ball fish. Her perfectly straight posture clearly betrays the noble origin of the stranger. It looks like the fat man is her father or uncle, because they have common facial features.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was conducive to a leisurely relaxed dinner. It was clear that the restaurant owed its name to the brilliant interior design. A professional musical ensemble of 5 people, led by a pianist, played a pleasant background melody. In the center of the hall there was still an empty platform – a small dance floor, one of the many features of this restaurant. However, in order not to disturb the romantic atmosphere, they mostly perform slow lyrical songs here.
Five minutes later, a guy in a wig, black glasses and a fake mustache appeared at the entrance. To his disappointment, people were not allowed inside without booking. The unlucky spy had to buy a VIP table, taking an amount equal to his annual income from his savings. The heart was bleeding from such waste, but poisonous jealousy did not leave greed a chance.
Tymoshka sat down at a table not far from Lanai with Zosimos. He could see the expression on the face of his beloved girl and hear her every word. The ideal position for surveillance.
Looking at the menu, the young man felt the ground giving way beneath his feet. The prices are not just high, they are higher than a cat’s back! He couldn’t afford that.
When a pretty waitress approached him with a notepad in her hands, Tymoshka coughed dryly and said in a low voice: «I’m sorry, but I can’t make an order until my wife comes.»
«Sir, but you can’t take a table without ordering anything…»
The guy tensed and whispered: «Then give me some bread…»
«Excuse me, what?»
«Can I have some bread?»
«Bread?» – the girl asked in confusion.
«Yes.» – Tymoshka nodded, blushing with shame. The waitress’s gaze seemed to express squeamish pity, as if she were looking at a crippled beggar. And she asked again for some reason, almost giving away his surveillance! Bitch! No, no. It’s all nonsense. He just misunderstood.
Meanwhile, Kyon, who was secretly watching the «pursuer», had an acute attack of contempt, almost punching his face with his palm.
Valeera handed the menu to the waitress and, gracefully lowering her chin on her hands clasped in the lock, turned a languid look at the man: «Eve and Leila are simply charming, but they need to become stronger to be able to stand up for themselves in a difficult situation. I just have a good technique for establishing a connection with the soul. Do you mind if I practice with them?»
«Um… No, better not…» – Kyon refused politely, vividly imagining how the head of the clan would be turned into a punching bag. Because of this picture, the brilliant investigator had a lump in his throat, and he nervously sipped water. – «I’ve already hired a good master. I am sure the first results will appear soon.»
«It’s good. May I know how their mom died?»
«Stroke…» – Kyon sighed sadly, not inventing too much.
«I’m very sorry…» – Valeera sympathetically put her palms on the man’s warm hands.
Tymoshka, sitting at the next table, almost had his eyes popping out of his head. Earlier, he tried to touch Lady Lanai, but she deftly slipped away and menacingly ordered him not to do that anymore, but now she touched the man herself! How so?!
Kyon wanted to cover the cold and tender palms of the beauty with his own, but he reluctantly removed his hands under the table, shaking his head: «Everything is fine. Don’t be sorry. I’ve come to terms with it for a long time.»
«But do you feel empty?» – she asked pointedly.
«The emptiness was occupied by the daughters. They are my light in life.» – Kyon evaded the answer.
The waitress brought the dishes and the couple proceeded to dinner.
After finishing his meal, Kyon decided to break the silence: «Arpha isn’t your real name, is it? The head of the shadow clan wouldn’t reveal her real name without a good reason, right?»
«Right. I don’t tell anyone my real name. But I’ll make an exception for you…» – the lady approached the man and whispered in his ear with a gentle hot breeze. – «Valeera.»
{Her name is not Lanai?!} – Tymoshka felt, to put it mildly, shitty. The hand of the guy shaking with tension, with which he had been lazily playing with the fork, jerked so that he almost stuck the cutlery in his eye. He has known the girl for several years and considered himself her most trusted subordinate, but she never told him her real name. And then some weak old man got so close to the head of the clan in a month that she intimately whispered such secrets in his ear! Cosmic injustice!
Kyon noisily inhaled the frosty aroma of the brunette, and then calmly shoved a piece of meat into his mouth.
Valeera sat back down with a slightly distressed look: «Do you have any secrets?»
Swallowing with an effort a piece that almost got stuck in his throat, Lovr replied: «Once I accidentally swore out loud in front of Leila, and she remembered it for sure. Now I’m afraid that no one will marry her.»
«Oh… It’s serious… My secret is nothing compared to yours.» – said Valeera sarcastically.
«But seriously, I’m an open-minded person. I try to live without skeletons in the closet. Especially when it comes to people dear to me.» – Kyon told the truth. Despite his tendency to lie for profit, he tries to be honest with his loved ones. However, he is not very good at it.
«A good trait. I respect you. I can’t stand liars. I’m ready to kill them.» – Valeera said with a barely perceptible threat in her voice, and her gaze into the pale blue eyes of the man became piercing like the tip of a dagger for a few seconds.
Because of the sudden surge of bloodlust, the air in the restaurant seemed to get colder by 10 degrees. Many visitors fidgeted anxiously, looking around cautiously. Someone could not stand it and left in a hurry. Even the pianist shuddered and lost the rhythm for a moment, but quickly came to his senses.
It might seem that Valeera has just hinted nontrivially that she knew Zosimos’ secret, but Kyon thought otherwise. Her reaction is connected with memories of a young man who deceived and betrayed her: he made her fall in love with him (or almost did it); destroyed two organizations in which she put her whole soul; inhumanly tortured her and killed her beloved uncle. Considering all this, there is nothing surprising in such a thirst for blood at the mere memory of her tormentor.
Lovr with great difficulty pretended that his blood did not freeze and the back of his head was not covered with cold goosebumps: «I see you really hate deceivers… What is the reason?»
«Sorry…» – Weber suddenly came to her senses. – «In the past, my father often told me that he loved me the most, but judging by the fact that all his attention went to my brother, he lied to me… Since then, I’ve hated cheaters.»
«Did you hate your father?»
«Not at all. I loved him, just…» – Valeera abruptly fell silent. A close relative left her so suddenly… The girl always lacked her father’s attention and affection, but she did not hold any grudge or resentment against him, and instead she hated lies in any form, which means that liars too. But this does not apply to jokes. There’s a fine line here.
«Will you share your story?»
Valeera shook her head resolutely: «I don’t want to talk about sad things. Let’s drink to your promotion, Zosimos.»
The man and the girl clinked glasses with champagne and drank their contents.
The ensemble played a gentle melody for a partner dance.
Kyon’s worst expectations were confirmed:
Charmingly arching her thin eyebrows, Valeera said: «Zosimos, how about a dance?»
«Oh no, I don’t know how to dance…» – he tried to get away.
«Do not worry. Partner dance does not require skills. The main thing is not to step on your partner’s feet…»
«That’s exactly what I have a problem with. I step on all the feet nearby like an elephant.»
«You definitely won’t be able to step on my feet. Come on, don’t be shy.» – the lady teased him, holding out her hand for an invitation. She acted persistently, while managing not to lose her feminine charm and tact.
The eavesdropping Tymoshka turned pale and trembled like a puppy exposed to frost. Lady Lanai invites the old man to a slow dance… Such nonsense cannot be seen even in the worst nightmare! Why does she sink to his level?! No, not like that… Why does she consider Zosimos worthy of dancing with herself?! He does not even have the minimum qualification for this!
Kyon closed his eyes wearily and shook his head: «Let me play the piano instead.»
«Can you play?» – Valeera was surprised.
«I attended courses as a child.»
When the ensemble finished playing the melody, Lovr approached the pianist and asked him to give him a seat. He hesitated, but eventually agreed on the condition that he would play well enough to correspond to the spirit and prestige of the restaurant, otherwise he would have to intervene.
Under numerous surprised glances, in particular Valeera, the man sat down at the piano, twisted his neck until it crunched and put his fingers on the keys…
(Author’s note: the author sees (hears) something like this melody on the piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZHNeZmdA0w&list=FL3ow67tFgdYLY8NTyzdBg0w&index=11 )
The gentle sound of the notes woven into a single whole flowed from the instrument to the listeners’ ears. From the very first seconds, the restaurant’s visitors unknowingly put their cutlery aside to enjoy the man’s piano playing. The depth and harmony of the melody amazed the imagination, awakening in the memory of listeners the brightest episodes from their lives, resonating with them and amplifying them many times, which made some people even cry. It was as if they had entered a trance state. The wonderful melody satisfied the most refined taste, and even those who did not like the sound of the piano decided to reconsider their opinion.
Valeera listened to the man playing the piano as if spellbound. Happy memories of the past flowed through her mind, and from the impossibility of returning those times it became so sad and bitter that the eyelashes of the beauty trembled from an overabundance of feelings, and her cheeks were streaked with wet paths of tears. The girl thought that after the events in Boston she would never again succumb to weakness, but no… She had deceived herself. She underestimated the insidiousness of fate.
Kyon played the last notes, and…
«Bravo!» – someone’s loud voice boomed.
The visitors burst into applause. They had never heard anything like it, it was as if the man had descended from heaven to play the music of the spheres to sinners.
The pianist firmly shook the musician’s hand and even hugged him, patting him on the back: «Amazing… I’ve never heard anything more beautiful! I’m not even close to that…»
Everyone was clapping, and only Tymoshka was choking with jealousy. He saw the reaction of the lady in great detail and went crazy from the fact that the old man is able to cause such feelings in the icy beauty…
Kyon sat back down at the table: «What do you say?»
«Incredible…» – Valeera resolutely touched the man’s palms. – «I have never experienced such emotions from music… You are great. With such a right hand, I will never get bored. I don’t regret the decision to promote you at all.»
«Nice to hear. Well, let’s have another drink!» – Kyon offered with the intonation of an avid drunkard, pretending not to notice the girl’s efforts.
He understood that he was to blame for what was happening: he ignored her calls on those days when she was going crazy with the desire to get answers, thereby putting himself above her; he behaved like a man who knows his own worth too well, although anyone else would bow his head to her and be afraid to look into her eyes; he also saved her twice, destroyed her sworn enemies and brought Edward on a platter for revenge (one can say, he made Weber feel indebted.); and, as a final touch, he requested half of the clan’s income, putting her in front of a choice: either I leave, or treat me as an equal. But what does it mean to treat as an equal? And this means that she will have to appreciate all his actions. And now he only aggravates the situation by behaving so unapproachable, as if a statuesque beauty still has to try to win his heart. He unwittingly carried out an inversion of value between them.
Lovr came to such conclusions based on his observations of his companion, but is he right? Big question.
Valeera did not even think to give up. She had already made a final decision, and was not going to retreat. With her stubborn character, the girl will definitely achieve her goal. She continued to provoke a man in a feminine way with enviable persistence: she touched him casually, prettily bent her eyebrows, burst out with compliments.
Meanwhile, Tymoshka looked like a zombie whose head was about to fall off.
The waitress brought the bill, and the guy was dizzy from inadequate prices. Is this bread made from white dragon bone meal?! But he kept his objections to himself, paid the bill and, bowing his head, left the restaurant.
«So, that’s it, it’s time for me to go to my daughters!» – Kyon could not stand another hint from the girl.
«So be it, I’ll walk you out.»
«No, don’t do that. I will feel uncomfortable.»
«Do not worry about it. I live in the same hotel. We’re going in the same direction.»
{Then why the fuck did you say “I’ll walk you out”?!} – Kyon got angry inwardly and took out the money to pay his part of the bill.
«Zosimos, I’ll pay.» – Valeera stopped his hand.
«I’m a man, and I have pride!» – Kyon was indignant, although he perfectly understood that a real alpha male would convince a girl to pay for him, thereby increasing his importance.
«Man, today we celebrate your promotion. In such situations, the boss is responsible for the costs. Besides, I invited you, not the other way around.» – retorted Valeera maliciously.
{Well, what the…} – Kyon sighed with the annoyance of a commander defeated on all fronts. The truth is on the lady’s side. It turns out that she, being broke, not only ordered a VIP table, but also will pay his bill… If she continues to behave like this, then she will definitely fall in love!
On that bitter note, “the date” came to an end.
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