Then

"Oi, Phoenix, would you mind compiling files on that brokerage firm and getting them to me by the end of the week?"

Phoenix turned from the stack of papers he was organizing on a separate desk to see Gareth momentarily look up from his laptop, seeking confirmation, a small frown of concentration on his face. He was in full work mode and happy to have Phoenix learn more and more, and soon take over the majority of the responsibilities Gareth had.

"Sure, I'll do it after the meeting?"

"No worries. I don't need them right away. Do it tomorrow, mate. I've sent what I need to your BlackBerry." Gareth already had his nose back in his laptop, and Phoenix made to leave the office at Gareth's Dublin Mansion, where they had been going over all of his new assignments for hours.

And fucking hours.

The last few days had been hectic. Not something that really bothered Phoenix. He was used to it, especially working with Gareth. The difference was working sixteen-hour days, absorbing new information, remembering procedures, signing a shitton of papers with Gareth, giving Phoenix access to basically everything, while uprooting himself from England, where his family lived, to move to Ireland. Moving to be Gareth's right-hand man in everything business related, leaving a high-paying job, and an equally lucrative teaching position.

The pressure of being trusted like that, knowing who Gareth was, messed with his head a bit.

One wrong move and he would be fish food, and nobody would ever find out where he had gone. And that was, of course, only after he had been made to pay for whatever wrong move he had made, which would probably be painful and long-lasting before he met his end.

Phoenix knew the risks.

He also knew that saying yes to Gareth's offer was the right thing for him to do.

It was daunting having been employed by a man like Gareth Adjenkov Tempest, who was not only an exceptional businessman but also the leader of a Russian mafia faction, ruling large parts of Europe. Not really because Phoenix had doubts about his ability to live up to Gareth's expectations. It was more in having actually been accepted into Gareth's inner circle after years of knowing who Gareth was and working side by side with him.

Earning his respect in business as well as in friendship.

Planning on stopping by his office, and then grabbing a sandwich or something before the meeting, Phoenix made his way to the door when Gareth absentmindedly looked up again. "You going to check out apartments one of these days?"

"I was planning to. Do you need me to do something? I can reschedule the viewings."

"No." Gareth scribbled something on a piece of paper and pushed it across his desk, a light smile tugging at his lips. It made him look somewhat predatorial. The facial expression combined with his always black attire gave him a dark and dangerous aura.

"You might want to check that out. I think it'll fit you. Go on, get out of my face. I'll see you at the meeting."

Snatching the piece of paper, Phoenix mumbled a thanks to Gareth for whatever it was and left. Outside the office, he glanced at the paper. All it held was an address. Gareth had already opened his real estate portfolio to him and allowed Phoenix to choose an apartment or a house if he found one he liked. Some of them had seemed promising, and he had scheduled viewings of them.

Maybe the address was a new apartment building Gareth had bought.

Phoenix shrugged, stuffing the piece of paper in his pocket, and made his way down the hallway toward his temporary office.

Deciding to skip his own office, Phoenix walked past the door and farther down the hall to the next door. After a quick knock and a less than subtle 'come in', he opened the door and stepped inside.

The office resembled his own in many ways, at least in décor. Beige wall-to-wall carpeting, probably a choice of Gareth's because he himself had a habit of pacing while on the phone, and he had no patience to listen to himself, let alone others, trample on hardwood flooring. A large high polished desk in dark wood matched the coffee table between two dark brown couches near the windows. Shelving on one wall, and a picture of some generic forest landscape, Phoenix swore he had seen on a puzzle box once upon a time, on another with a smaller matching desk beneath it. Behind the main desk were cabinets for files and whatnot, and a mini fridge.

That was where the comparisons stopped. Where Phoenix's office was meticulously neat, the office he stood in was in a state of organized chaos. Papers and files were scattered all over, some even on the floor. Blueprints and rolls of maps littered surfaces mixed in with the papers and files, pretty much hiding the fact that there were ordinary office supplies underneath.

"Be with you in just a sec," the man, standing at the second desk with his back turned, said, not bothering to even look who had entered.

"No worries." Phoenix made his way to the mini fridge and grabbed a soda, leaning on the desk while he waited, enjoying the cool drink to keep his hunger at bay.

His gut already growled like an angry lion.

About five minutes later, the man turned. A bright smile spread across his face, making his hazel eyes sparkle. "Good to see you, Phoenix. You settle in alright?"

"Yeah, it's a lot. I'm dealing, though."

"I can imagine. Do you need help with anything?" He tilted his head like he always did when he got ready to push his shoulders back and do whatever was needed of him.

Though Phoenix rarely smiled, or showed emotions in general, he did soften a bit at the bright smile and helpfulness of Vladimir Kostikoff, one of Gareth's entrusted workers. One who had tried to juggle everything Gareth had not had time for before, which now would become Phoenix's job. Vladimir had gone above and beyond to help Phoenix settle in and get accustomed to everything, while Gareth had been busy with his own concerning the move to Ireland, and the job that had made it important for him to move. Vladimir had shown him around some of the property and made sure to get him loaded up on tech stuff and passwords to the different areas of Gareth's business portfolio that Phoenix needed access to.

It was nice knowing he was going to work with somebody as enthusiastic and knowledgeable, considering Vladimir had worked with Gareth for years, as it turned out. At least since Gareth had taken over his mafia faction at the age of eighteen, and probably before that.

"Not really, Vladimir. I just thought I'd pop by before the meeting."

"Call me Vlad. All the other miscreants here do." He laughed and flashed his teeth as threatening as he could, though, with no sharp fangs, he tried to look scary, failing miserably. "You know, like Dracula. I'm not really into the blood and the biting, but I see where they get the idea."

To his credit, Vlad was very humorous about his nickname, and it was not entirely off. He was sort of pale, accentuated by his dark eyes and even darker hair, which he at all times had gelled back and away from his face, showing a prominent widow's peak. It almost looked like he flattened it and then gelled it. The look did give him the classic movie vampire look, also because of his smaller and leaner build. That was if one chose to look for it.

Vlad was not a tall man. Then again, compared to Phoenix, most were short. He was of normal height and build. One of millions with the same coloring and plain features. In terms of appearance, he was unbelievably normal to look at. Nothing stood out as being exciting or interesting. He was just a man with no prominent features, which was probably why he did what he could to spruce up his appearance through his clothes.

Vlad always wore expensive suits. They looked off the rack, but they were high-end off the rack, just like Phoenix's were expensive, though they were tailor-made due to his size. While Phoenix liked to keep his suits in different shades of dark, not necessarily black, with a lighter shirt and a tie with a splash of color, Vlad was very traditional with the black suits, white shirts, and blue-ish silk ties.

From the get-go, Phoenix had gotten the impression that Vlad was not a particularly stylish man and kept to what worked without having to think too much about it. Classic suit and classic hairstyle, and he fit in with the business crowd without a hitch.

In a sense, Phoenix envied men like Vlad for their ability to fit in. No matter where he went, Phoenix stood out like a sore thumb and not in the mysterious, and quite frankly, sexy way Gareth did in his all-black attire, boy band hair, and piercing eyes, but as a giant, humorless space filler.

"If you're sure it doesn't bother you? I don't mind using your full name."

"Not at all." Vlad kept smiling and walked over to the fridge to grab a soda too. He sighed after a large gulp, closing his eyes with joy, as if he had been parched. "You ready to meet the runts?"

With a humorless chuckle, Phoenix shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. I get that I need to meet people, but I don't see the meaning of me being introduced like a freaking, blushing debutante."

It was of no use; Vlad could not hide the grin on his face. He loved how Phoenix had that grumpy, stoic thing going and spoke with a serious tone, being humorous without even trying or seeing it himself. "That's Gareth for you."

Phoenix glanced at the clock on Vlad's desk, which was miraculously not hidden under loads of crap, and grumbled loudly. "I should probably get going. I need to eat before the meeting. Gareth's had me in back-to-back meetings all day. Do you know a good sandwich place nearby?"

"Natalya's in the kitchen. She's always got something cooking. Just ask. No need to drive into town for food."

"You sure? I can go to town. I don't intend to impose on Gareth's cook."

"Call Natalya 'cook' to her face, and you'll go down like a dead tree. Natalya is our mother hen, and she spoils us all rotten. And trust me, she'll have your balls if you go to town for food and not come to her." Vlad grinned big at Phoenix's face. He had not said anything untrue, though the image of her taking down Phoenix was hilarious. Natalya was the heart and soul of Gareth's mansion. She ran the place with an iron fist, just as she had done for Gareth in London. The small lady had no fear of the large mafia guys Gareth had working for him, and she could hold her own in any situation while still having that cute Disney housekeeper thing going for her.

"I guess I can ask her." Phoenix clearly was not comfortable doing something Gareth had not sanctioned or even mentioned. Sure, they had gotten food brought from the kitchen for their meetings and such in the time he had been there. That did not mean Phoenix had a right to mooch off of that courtesy.

"Just go down to the main floor. Left around the staircase, straight ahead, and to your right between the dining rooms. If she asks, tell her I sent you. You should be good, though."

"I appreciate it. See you at the meeting?"

"I won't be there. Gareth has me going to some office up north for the next few days, and I leave in about an hour." Vlad smiled and dropped into his chair with a sigh, still nursing the soda in his hand. "If you need help with something while I'm away, don't hesitate to call. I should be able to guide you through anything."

With a curt nod, Phoenix dropped his empty can into the wastebasket. "I appreciate it," he said and left the office, feeling Vlad's gigantic smile following him all the way until he closed the door.

That man was seriously creepily happy.

Ok, kitchen and food.

Then being paraded around like a circus freak until he could politely take his leave and go apartment hunting before a relaxing evening at his hotel.

Doable.

Hopefully.

On his way through the hallways and down the stairs, he nodded at a few people who gave him less than discreet looks. Apparently, they had some inkling about who he was, because nobody said anything openly about his presence.

He smiled to himself because of that. Obviously, he posed no threat to them. Most of them were armed and he was not. It was more in the fact that he towered over all of them, and he would probably be able to take a few down by hand before being greeted with a bullet. Being tall as a house and fairly muscular, with a cold and 'do not fuck with me' look about him, he was not one people usually picked a fight with for any reason.

Walking casually, minding his own business, being among those.

Following Vlad's directions, Phoenix made it to the kitchen. In all honesty, he had no idea what he had expected. Knowing Gareth and his particular tastes in fine dining and luxury, combined with any and all whiskey brands, he had no idea what he would walk into. Regardless, Phoenix found himself in a large, very large, industrial kitchen where a small dictatorial woman in a house uniform, with a crisp, clean apron, gold-rimmed glasses, and a sweet rosy tint to her rounded cheeks ordered ten people about with short and effective Russian commands.

The smell in the room was amazing.

Intoxicating even.

Pots and pans sent up alluring fumes of cooked meats, roasted vegetables, and spices wafted through the air. Ovens emanated mouthwatering scents of fresh bread and sweet cakes. On counters stood different chopping boards with prepped veggies, jars of spices, and bowls of different meats ready to be made into whatever magical dish the woman had envisioned.

It was food heaven.

Nobody had noticed him yet as he stood to the side, observing the people working together in perfect harmony. The little woman moved to a set of cabinets, which she opened and reached for some kitchen gadget on one of the upper shelves. She stretched onto her tiptoes, trying to reach, and flew startled back when Phoenix reached over her head and carefully lifted the desired gadget from the shelf.

Huffing a prayer or curse in Russian, she turned to Phoenix, who had placed the gadget on a nearby counter, staring at her with a dumbfounded look as she spoke to him in Russian.

Though he understood parts of what she said, the entirety was lost on him, and the words made no sense. It didn't help she spoke heated and fast, still clutching her chest like she fought off a heart attack, one he most likely had caused.

"I'm sorry ma'am. Russian isn't my strong suit." Phoenix noticed all eyes in the kitchen were upon him, and the looks he got were tentative and somewhat fearful. His muscles involuntarily tensed at the attention. "I'm Phoenix, and I'm guessing you're Natalya? I'm sorry if I startled you, I was just afraid you'd drop it on your head."

He motioned to the gadget with an explaining gesture.

"Aren't you adorable and quite handy with top-shelf items?" The woman, he assumed was Natalya, clapped her hands with glee, looking at Phoenix from head to toe with an appreciative smile on her face. "I'm indeed Natalya. You're the new guy. To what do I owe the pleasure? Don't tell me Adjenkov needs a snack, again?"

She rolled her eyes like that was a common occurrence.

"No, no, not at all. I was going to drive into town for a quick belated lunch, but Vlad told me there was a kitchen here. If you could direct me to some bread and maybe some cold cuts, I'll fix myself a sandwich, please."

"You'll do nothing of the sort," Natalya exclaimed, resting her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed, like he had offended her greatly. Without another word, she turned and gestured for Phoenix to follow.

Seeing as he had no real choice and the people in the kitchen had returned to their tasks, he shuffled after the woman through the kitchen and into a dining room he had not been shown before. It was not a traditional dining room with one large table and chairs. There were several large tables in the tastefully decorated room illuminated by the sun, pouring in through the large windows that covered the side to the garden.

Natalya smiled in a welcoming way, gesturing to a long buffet table to the side of the door they had entered, running pretty much the entire length of the wall opposite the windows.

"Help yourself to whatever you want. There's always food here for the lot of you. Breakfast is served from 6:00 am, lunch from noon, and dinner from 6:00 pm. Snacks, cake, fruit, coffee, and other beverages are available throughout the day, and the fridge at the end holds sandwiches and soft drinks for people to grab after 9:00 pm when the kitchen closes."

There was a proud smile behind her huff at the end of her proclamation, which Phoenix understood to the fullest. That was quite the spread he noticed on the buffet table. Gareth sure knew how to treat his people, and Natalya was the woman who made it happen.

"I appreciate it very much. Thank you for showing me."

A mischievous glint came to Natalya's eyes as she crooked her finger for Phoenix to lean forward for their faces to be closer. Complying, because what else could he do, Phoenix leaned in only to have Natalya pat his cheek.

"I like you. If there's a favorite of yours you'd like me to make, or if you ever need anything you don't find here, look me up. I'd be happy to make it for you."

Very unsuspected, and definitely untrue to his character in general, Phoenix leaned closer and pecked a kiss to Natalya's cheek, receiving a rather girly blush for his effort.

"And if you ever need anything from the top shelves, I'm your guy."

Natalya giggled and gave his arm a playful dash. "You charmer. Go eat. I'll see you around."

Ok, one less person to worry about.

He had won over one of the important ones, it would seem.

A self-confident smirk pulled at his lips as Natalya turned away from him.

She scurried back to her kitchen and left Phoenix in the dining room where he walked the length of the table, lifting lids to get a feel for the selection offered. And it was a grand selection, making his mouth water. He almost regretted having told Gareth he would prefer to work from home once he had found a suitable apartment.

Lamb, beef, pork, and chicken, all cooked with spices that lured him in. Rice and different kinds of potatoes. Dips and sauces. A salad bar, fruit tower, and dessert station.

It was heavenly.

There was no time wasted after Phoenix had surveyed the buffet. He loaded up on roasted potatoes, slices of different meats, and sticky Asian-styled veggies with a chunk of freshly baked bread with thyme and sea salt. He might even have sampled a curry and some sweet pierogi before he rubbed his stomach with a satisfied grin. It took a lot to keep a big guy like him going. Usually, he was not picky with his food, it was fuel for his engine, nourishment, nothing else, though Natalya's cooking might have converted him into enjoying food a little too much.

He found himself stalling as much as he could by smoking on the terrace outside the dining room, because he had no desire to attend the meeting. Eventually, Phoenix reluctantly left the dining room area and slowly made his way back to the hall and into the common room where the meeting was to be held.

The common room on the ground floor of the mansion slowly began to fill. Not in a crowded way. Somehow, Phoenix had expected a lot more people if Gareth had wanted to introduce him to the entire Irish part of his organization, but many of the people he had encountered the last days were not present. Phoenix kept to himself at the side of the room, not really knowing anybody, and they clearly chose to ignore the giant man standing alone, leaning against the wall with a closed-off expression. It felt rather rude, though he understood their reluctance to greet him and include him.

He did not exactly depict a ray of sunshine and a welcoming attitude.

He was the new guy.

Still, being ignored was far better than having a gun shoved in his face, like when he had first ventured out in the house without Gareth beside him in search of a restroom. Being held at gunpoint had not really fazed him. They were probably not allowed to shoot on sight anyway.

A show of force had been the logical course of action until Phoenix had proven his identity and belonging by showing his mafia tattoo on his chest. One Gareth had insisted he had gotten before they had left their London base for Dublin. Gareth had explained he could have the tattoo anywhere, not all had room for it on their chests. Some of his guys were walking inkblots, as he had laughingly informed, but most had it on their front or back torso or upper arms.

About ten minutes later, Gareth came striding into the room. It had filled a lot in the time they had waited. The second people saw Gareth confidently move through the room, everybody quieted down. In respect of their boss or because it was the rule, Phoenix had no idea about. What he liked was the fact that they did it.

For a man of only twenty-something, Gareth knew how to command a room. Then again, he had known that at eighteen, when he and Phoenix had met for the first time. In reality, he had only gotten better at it, and maybe it helped he was in a room filled with people who already acknowledged him as their leader.

The alpha male, so to speak.

Stopping to talk with a few people on his way through the room, Gareth seemed at ease and in no hurry. It was his meeting, and things would commence at his pace. Gareth made his way to the grand fireplace at the end wall, chatting a bit here and there before he made a stop and turned to face the room. People took their seats on couches and on chairs placed in anticipation of the number of people.

There were enough to make Phoenix uncomfortable, but not as many as he had expected. They all looked at Gareth and waited, Phoenix's presence long forgotten.

"Guys, I'm glad to see you've all made it. Thank you for coming." Gareth's piercing blue eyes swept the room and somehow acknowledged every man there, though it was a swift sweep. He took on a relaxed stance and smiled the way he usually did in meetings before he turned into the fierce businessman he was known to be. "This is the formal part, and I needed you to be here. Dinner afterward is optional. I would, however, like for you all to join before returning to your cities."

Cities?

With that statement, Phoenix realized that many of the men there were not men he would interact with in general, as they were not from Gareth's Dublin team. Apparently, Gareth had called in a lot to introduce Phoenix to the organization. Phoenix had thought it were only Irish members he would have to meet that day.

Phoenix looked out at the men to assess them.

They were in their mid-twenties to late forties, most of them it would seem. Many were fairly good-looking and not in that Russian bulky, movie stereotype way. There were many different body types, coloring, and styles of clothes. Common for them all were, they were well-groomed and clean, and all were nicely dressed, though jeans were used by most in combination with a nicer shirt or a blazer and t-shirt combo.

That did not take away from the fact that they all seemed badass.

"I usually don't do this when incorporating a new member, but this is a special occasion."

Phoenix was snapped out of his observing mafia couture when Gareth called for his attention. He schooled himself to not blush for having been caught not paying attention.

Not that blushing was his thing.

"Phoenix?"

Nodding, he made his way to Gareth, feeling how everybody looked at him - again. It was not exactly that he was nervous; it was more being the center of attention that bothered him. Hopefully, Gareth would not make him do a larger introduction. When doing lectures or business meetings, Phoenix was in control. He held the information and knew how to navigate through introductions and questions, because they were not about him personally, they were about his credentials and knowledge.

Gareth noticed how Phoenix's usual casual indifference seemed a little frazzled. That was interesting and something he noted he should not do again. In front of a room filled with board members or doing negotiations, Phoenix was like an ice block. Calm, collected, and never let anything rattle him. His temper was always even, and polite when possible, considering he was a rather withdrawn man who had a tendency to state the painfully obvious in a somewhat rude manner.

But apparently, Phoenix was not ok with having attention drawn to him outside the work arena. Though it was work, it was not work, as Phoenix perceived it.

"Guys, this is Phoenix. We've known each other for..." Gareth scratched his chin and thought about it, and it dawned on him that he had been enough of an asshole to have trusted Phoenix with his secret, but not trusted him enough to let him meet any of his people for far longer than he cared to admit. "Four years, da. We've known each other for four years. He's known about me for three and a half and has never disclosed anything. Never asked questions or looked at me and our friendship differently. Something I've greatly appreciated."

In a grateful and friendly manner, Gareth patted Phoenix's shoulder to reassure him that he meant every word. It was not that Phoenix did not appreciate the gesture or the words; it was more the sincerity of it and the underlying meaning. Gareth actually felt bad for not having included Phoenix before, when Phoenix had not felt left out at all. They had worked together and on occasion gone out, had a few dinners, and gone to some sports games with company tickets, but other than that, Phoenix had held no desire nor aspiration to have been included in Gareth's gang.

That was Gareth's private life and none of Phoenix's concern and had held no bearing on their friendship.

"I trust him explicitly. His abilities when it comes to business are uncanny, which is why I've put him in charge of my companies worldwide. He'll have his base here with me and, when needed, travel to do on-site dealings. I've sent all of you his dossier with contact information, his resumé, and business credentials to prove he's accomplished."

The murmuring in the room did not escape Phoenix. He felt the uneasy suspicion from some of the men, backed up by pointed looks. They did not approve of Gareth leaving all his legitimate businesses in the hands of a stranger.

None voiced it. It was felt, nonetheless.

Not that he could blame them. He was the outsider, who suddenly held privileges and power over their boss and his income, and in turn, them. If Phoenix were so inclined, he could ruin Gareth by messing up his businesses. Not an act he would survive, but he was in a position to do so.

And they all knew it.

"It's an honor to be here," Phoenix said calmly, trying to convince himself as well as the people in the room, as he kept his voice steady and stopped himself from visibly tensing or shifting his position. "I look forward to getting to know you all and working with you."

There, he had done it.

Tried.

Made an effort.

Acted socially acceptable.

Not been rude.

Right?

A few nods and smiles were returned, though most kept silent and did not reveal anything.

Stoneface convention.

Something he would normally have enjoyed a lot.

Right then and there, it was just unnerving.

Gareth went on to point at different groups of men, telling Phoenix which cities they were from, and giving a bit of personal information about them. To Phoenix's surprise, Gareth held a lot more cities than he had initially known. Though from the research Phoenix had made, some cities were at war with other factions trying to claim them, and in many places, factions of different mafia gangs lived in quiet acceptance of the others. Knowing Gareth, Phoenix did not doubt he had the wars under control and would prevail.

Gareth had no clue how to fail at anything.

"Ok, settle down and listen up," Gareth called for attention once more. If his words and tone of voice had not done it, then the way his eyes locked in that scary, ice-cold glare, and his body suddenly exuded power, would have. "I'll need a few of you to help Phoenix settle in and get him up to speed on everything. He'll not be involved, per se. He'll need the information, though."

There had been a change in the room. People seemed more at ease after Gareth had introduced the city leaders and explained a bit about them, and Phoenix had gotten a chance to acknowledge them with nods of understanding and respect.

"Roarke?"

"Aye, boss?" A tall, handsome-looking man with tousled blond hair stood up and awaited Gareth's instructions. He looked to be around Phoenix's age of nearly thirty. His style was casual, and his eyes held intelligence as well as friendliness.

"Introduction to human trafficking and internet surveillance. Team up with Cellmate and schedule time for it."

"Sure thing." Roarke sent Phoenix a smile and did the hand gesture for 'I'll call you', and sat back down. Phoenix nodded with a faint smile.

"Vasili?"

A gruff-looking man in his early to mid-forties stood to the side of the groups, leaning against the windowsill. His bulky arms crossed over his chest, eyes trained on Phoenix. "Russian lessons?" he asked with a grin.

"Exactly." Gareth grinned back and leaned into Phoenix, whispering, "He's a great teacher. I'll bet you can swear and ask for vodka in the course of the first lesson alone."

That made Phoenix's lips curl up. He already liked Vasili just from the assuming comment and the grin still plastered all over his face. There was no reason to tell then and there that Phoenix had been taking Russian lessons since Gareth had sprung the idea of joining him eight months earlier. Maybe a bit of playing dumb to overhear a few conversations without filter from the guys could help him later on. Though, if they all talked as fast as Natalya, he would get zero information.

It took a while for Gareth to assign people to help Phoenix get a crash course in all of Gareth's mafia businesses. Weapons handling, drug trades, and money pickups. Night clubs and adult entertainment establishments. Safe houses and security. Gambling facilities and profits.

Jeez, there was a lot to learn.

Gareth certainly knew how to branch out.

"Jace?"

"My liege." A tall guy with a tight, blond man bun and a cheeky grin stood and did a provocative bow, with arm gestures and all. "Here to serve."

Gareth rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly, much to Phoenix's amusement.

"Combat training and gun license."

"Of course, I'll teach him ballet too. He'll look stunning in a tutu. Just look at those legs."

"Zip it," Gareth barked.

The man just laughed and sat down with a wink and a kissy mouth at Phoenix. The eye roll from Gareth was understood. Phoenix wanted to smack the kid upside the head. At least Gareth had shut him up before Phoenix did.

"Guys, it's..." Gareth checked his watch. "2:45 pm. Dinner is at seven. I'll see you all there. Feel free to mingle a bit and get to know Phoenix." Gently, he patted Phoenix on the shoulder again and walked off, leaving Phoenix to fend for himself.

Maybe he should have brought a chair and a whip because he had just been thrown to the lions.

Vasili instantly came over to greet Phoenix and engaged him in an interesting conversation about the inner workings of Gareth's organization. From what Phoenix understood, Vasili was Gareth's second in command when concerning mafia business, like Phoenix was the second in command when it came to his legitimate businesses.

Some joined just to say hi and others came over to let him know they would talk at the dinner. A dinner Gareth had failed to mention to Phoenix, which he was obligated to attend.

It was in his honor, after all.

There his evening plans of relaxing went down the drain.

They were nice conversations, which made Phoenix feel at ease. He liked the guys he had talked with so far. Roarke seemed like one he could hit it off with, and Vasili had that fatherly vibe to him. Hekim and a guy named Malachai, who were based in Dublin too, had made an effort to come over and talk with him to include him, and offer their assistance if he needed help with finding a gym, night clubs or places to eat, and where to meet women.

All of it greatly appreciated.

During their casual talking, something which Phoenix enjoyed a lot, to his own surprise, he overheard a few conversations between some of the men there. Of course, because his Russian was not perfect in any way, there were words he did not understand, sentence structures that made it hard to interpret, and they spoke fast and hushed, but he got the overall picture of the conversations. There was a vague uncertainty from a few of them, mainly because they did not know him and, in turn, did not trust him as Gareth did. Most, however, seemed ok with Gareth's decision to let Phoenix in and were rather impressed with the credentials Gareth had sent them.

It made Phoenix feel good that they were just cautious and not hostile or even hateful. It would take some time, and maybe some hard work, to convince them of his commitment to Gareth and the job he had accepted, but at least he felt he stood a chance of fitting in.

Slowly, the room emptied, and only a few stayed back.

Vasili had excused himself, but Roarke had remained and was talking about schedules for his education in human trafficking, or as it was in Gareth's organization, the opposite. Gareth stood firmly on not wanting to take part in human trafficking and exploitation of women, something Phoenix had sensed, though not understood clearly until Roarke had told him about everything Gareth did to stop that. That part of his pending lessons he was looking forward to.

Phoenix was making his way to the hall to get to his car, finally having been able to escape from the common room. He had just about enough time for a quick shower and change before dinner. Gareth had already sent him a text with the address. From the looks of it on his GPS, it would take him past the address Gareth had scribbled for him on the piece of paper. He could have a quick look on the way.

"Oi, Nureyev?"

"I swear to..." Phoenix grumbled to himself. He unclenched his fists and calmed himself before turning around to meet the twinkling blue eyes of that annoying, little shit who was supposed to teach him combat. By all things holy, he wished it would include actual hand-to-hand combat, because he wished for nothing more than to clock him for calling him the name of a famous Russian ballet dancer.

"The name is Phoenix."

"Well, you reacted, didn't you, Mr. Prima Ballerina?"

Yeah, he wanted to kick the kid's ass.

"What do you want?"

"Just wanted to make sure you knew where to meet and what to wear?"

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "What? You're going to tell me to wear a leotard?" Sarcasm dripped from his words, unable to hide the annoyance he felt.

"Naah, you can doll up for our training sessions." A bright smile graced the kid's face. He seemed completely unfazed by Phoenix's temper, standing with a relaxed stance. "But it's suit and tie as a minimum, preferably a tux, and since you've not moved in yet and maybe don't have your full wardrobe, I wanted to tell you."

"You sure?"

He cocked his head, studying Phoenix for a second. "Have you ever seen Gareth in anything but a suit and tie, even for the smallest of occasions? This is a welcome dinner. He's going all in."

The kid had a point.

Gareth, as a minimum, always wore his black suits and silver ties. At work parties and fundraisers, he wore a tuxedo. And the restaurant was a fancy place, according to Google. Phoenix had made a quick search when the text from Gareth had ticked in.

"I've got a tux. No worries. Thanks. Jace, was it?" Phoenix sheepishly half-smiled in appreciation for the heads up. He surely did not want to show up at a dinner with Gareth, wearing jeans and a shirt like most at the meeting if that was not the norm. Even his current suit would maybe have been frowned upon if everybody were dressed to the max.

"Yup, I'm Jace."

"Well, Jace. I appreciate you telling me. I'd better get back to my hotel and change."

"No problem, I'll do the same. I'll see you later and welcome." Jace waved and disappeared up the stairs. 

Shaking his head, Phoenix walked to his car. That kid was either going to kill him or the other way about.

An hour later, Phoenix was newly showered, shaved, and in one of his tuxedos on his way to the restaurant. The GPS told him he was closing in on the address Gareth had given him. Checking the clock on his dashboard, he figured he had enough time to see if the apartment building was to his taste. If it was, he could schedule a viewing of whatever was available.

Having parked in a nearly empty parking lot, looking up at the facade, Phoenix did not really feel the building. It looked more like an office building than a residential one. And it was not in the best area of town. Maybe it was Gareth's idea of an office space? Shrugging lightly, Phoenix went to the large black double doors, which he assumed were the entrance.

"Who are you?" A bulky man with a stern look on his bearded face stopped Phoenix the second he walked in, a large hand placed directly on Phoenix's chest to hold him back. He was significantly shorter than Phoenix, but had far more muscle.

Bouncer material straight from the factory.

"We're not open until 7:00 pm on weekdays."

"Open? What is this place? My boss gave me the address."

The bulky man smirked and removed his hand, obviously thinking something Phoenix was not. He stood for a moment, sizing up Phoenix in the tux, looking at his black hair combed back into a man bun and the newly shined dress shoes, a small smile playing on his lips as he arched an eyebrow. "Your boss?"

"Yeah, I just moved here a few days ago, and he gave me this address saying it might fit me."

The man laughed.

"I wish all bosses were like that." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Brannon."

"Phoenix."

The handshake was welcoming and powerful. Brannon clearly tested him, and they both stood their ground well. There was something about Brannon that Phoenix liked. Maybe not his choice in wardrobe, though fitting the bouncer theory with his dark jeans, tank top, and wide leather belt, completed with large combat boots.

"Come, let me show you around." He began walking into the dark, signaling with a finger for Phoenix to follow.

"Oh, you sly fucker," Phoenix mumbled with a hint of a smile when he took in the room Brannon had led him to. Gareth clearly had tried to give Phoenix a place to go to find new friends.

Hi dear Wattlings.

Thank you for reading.

So, Phoenix met the gang. Had his first interaction with Jace, and got to know the house. How is it so far? 

If you like it then pop a vote and please leave comments. The comments are important for me to know how the story is progressing and the characters are developing. And I'd love to know what you think and interact with y'all.

Give me a follow too for updates on other work and put this book in your library. I'd appreciate that.

Love, Alix

Published: August 2nd, 2021. ©Alix Davenport, Copenhagen