Chapter 2

Liana Reeves sat at her desk with her legs crossed under the desk, pencil tucked behind her ear, staring at mood boards taped to the wall in front of her. She was on an internship in one of the oldest interior designs companies in the town, but it was also one of the best with good reputations so she was glad when they accepted her.

Her internship wasn’t all glamorous; it wasn’t some magazine-featured interior designs firm. It was just a mid-sized interior design company that took anything with money attached to it. They’ve handled spas, dental offices, home offices, and even Bars.

Mostly bars actually.

“Liana,” her boss called.

Liana turned fast, too fast that her knee hit the edge desk. “Ouch… Yes, Marla?” She asked while rubbing on her knee to ease the pain.

Marla didn’t smile much these days. She used to before deadlines and clients and the economy beat it out of her, but Liana could tell it wasn’t that today. She stood at the glass door to her office, fingers wrapped around the handle like she was deciding whether to walk in or walk back out.

“We have a…new, different kind of client, and I’m not sure you’ve dealt with one before.” She said.

Liana chuckled when she heard ‘different’ because it made her wonder how noticeable the person must be to termed different. She stood and smoothed her skirt. “Okay,” She said calmly and plainly with a shrug.

“They walked in about ten minutes ago asking for a design consultation. They want us to take care of a new bar they’re trying to open up.”

“They as in…?” Liana asked.

Marla glanced toward the reception area. “Three men. Very…intense men.” Marla forced a smile.

That was when Liana heard their footsteps. Heavy, but yet, slow and quiet footsteps. She thought it was the kind of footsteps that sounded like they belonged to people who controlled things wherever they entered and she was right. They had her Marla forcing a smile on her face even when she rarely smiled. She didn’t see them yet. Only heard them.

“I want you to handle it,” Marla said, shoving some files to her.

Liana blinked. “Me?”

“You’re good at thinking in textures and mood. And…” She paused. “They specifically asked for someone young. They said they had older aged customers already and wanted younger customers so they needed a design that reflected such atmosphere…”

Liana could see that Marla was scared of dealing with them, but was more scared of turning them away so she was pushing things to her. She should feel bad, but she didn’t, strangely. She was actually okay with it. Excited even.

Liana nodded. “Okay.”

“Bring your notebook to write things down,” Marla said. “Just come sit. Observe for today and then tomorrow you’ll present something that works. If they like it, you’ll work with them.”

Liana nodded again and stepped into the hallway with Marla to follow her to her office but then she saw Cain.

That was the first time she saw him. He was tall; taller than the tall men walking next to him, shoulders visibly broad even when he was wearing an ash hoodie with a black Kutte that didn’t look like fashion. It wasn’t. The name of the motorcycle club was boldly written at the back of It but she couldn’t see It yet.

He had a stubble for a beard with long dark hair held together roughly at the back of his head. His light brown eyes reflected the little rays of sun seeping into the reception. He just stood there, so calm, the kind of calm that felt trained. Liana thought they’d make the receptionist stop attending to the people she was attending to because of them, but when the receptionist offered, she saw Cain shake his head lightly, asking her to finish with them first.

His gaze turned and landed on Liana and she froze, and she even forgot to breathe because of how assessing his eyes seemed at the moment. This was not what her Pinterest boards prepared her for.

“Gentlemen,” Marla said brightly, stepping in to save the nervous receptionist. “This is Liana. She’ll be handling your project with me. Please come with me.”

Liana studied Cain, trying to catch his every action but the man’s brow barely moved. He studied Liana too. She looked disorganized with her pencil sitting over her ear and her green eyes staring back without blinking.

Then he finally nodded once, making Marla breathe in relief.

“Cain,” he said, introducing himself with only one word. The others didn’t bother introducing themselves.

When they went to Marla’s office, Liana sat first before anyone, at the far corner. Marla was going to offer that chair to the last of the three men because only two chairs sat opposite her desk so she just made her smile brighter. Cain sat with the older man on the remaining two. Liana saw PROSPECT written boldly at the back of the younger man standing.

She did her best to keep her hands from shaking as she flipped through blank pages, only now realizing what they were. As the meeting went on, she didn’t speak much, just listened.

She noticed how when Cain spoke, the room felt like it leaned in. After he added one more thing he’d like in the space, Marla looked in her direction.

“You’ll present tomorrow,” Marla told her. “Same time as today. You made sure to take all their preferences?”

“Yes. I’ll make sure to add them in the preparation.” Liana replied.

Cain looked at Liana once more, and so did the others, but only Cain’s eyes was noticeable to her. A slow, measuring stare.

“You don’t have to impress us, you know?” He said. “Just get out specific preferences right. Jay here will be who you’ll be dealing with for the finances and payments,” He got on his feet.

His voice was low and deep, and firm and that somehow scared her more than if he’d been loud. She had expected he’d be loud like the things she heard about motorcycle club’s men, but he was so calm, and did more observing than speaking. Liana immediately noted that the older man with a black and white beard was Jay. She nodded.

“Thanks for coming in,” Marla told them on their way out, and the prospect Leon smiled with all his teeth out.

“Thanks for your time,” He responded so jovially and Jay turned slowly to him, making him dim his smile.

He opened the door for them and Cain walked out first, his eyes scanning Liana briefly, and Jay following after him. The prospect forced his last smile before leaving.

Liana chuckled over the prospect’s playfulness after they left. But Marla didn’t. “You can go home early, so you can start getting their project ready. You can’t fuck this up.” She told Liana.