Oh No!

Iram POV

Here, I am sitting in the Manhattan Bar, the chicest place in town, wondering how the hell I got here!

Oh yeah, let me remember. The worst day of my working life, where Angus, my ost senior board member told me that I had three days to rustle up 5 million dollars if I wanted to keep the company going. After umpteen phone calls to every person I had ever known, all of dad's friends and my own business associates I realized that people only liked you when you are up. Azure Hotels Incorporated, dad's beloved company, my legacy was going down, and fast. Finally, after five hours of frustrating calls and mails, I realized that I didn't have much of a way out. I had drawn a blank for all the people I thought I could trust and approach. It was either the ignominy of bankruptcy or getting to know Mr. Lou Grant.

Eva's brother had been sympathetic but real.

"Iram, I feel for you, I really do, but I think you will need to meet the Boss!", he had said finally.

I had felt a shiver run down my spine. The Boss sounded like a slimy bastard. After all, he came from a prominent mafia family with interests in all sorts of trafficking. He was also quite a known playboy. His pictures were often splashed on tabloids and had been a subject of weekend amusement for Param and myself.

"Lou Grant caught in Limo with Hollywood actress, Hazel Ketring."

"Lou Grant and friends spotted snorting coke in Ibiza's swishest nightclub."

"Lou Grant in Sexgate scandal. Five sex tapes released."

I fingered my single malt and wrinkled my nose in disgust, who the hell was so narcissistic to tape themselves having sex. Lou Grant of course.

But make faces, all I liked, I was here to meet him. Eva's brother had been pretty emphatic about it. "Boss will meet ya, around 9ish at the Manhattan Bar, to ummmm have a chat he says. I think you better meet him."

The Manhattan Bar was pretty swish so I decided to go and get this meeting over with. If I was going to go down, might as well, go down fighting. I wasn't going to beg, I was good at making deals, dad had trained me well. I had negotiated with the Japanses, the Chinese, the Americans, you name it. This one spoilt brat of a man wasn't going to scare me off.

I had dressed for the occasion as well. I was wearing my favourite red, in a delicious V neck, that just stopped tantalisingly before my cleavage began. It was also slit at the side, but so discreetly, that you had to really look. I had piled my hair up high and worn simple gold hoop earrings and layered necklace. Gold pumps sealed the deal. I wasn't going to let this man see some weak woman, no sirrah. I was going to be all business and see what I could get out of it.

Of course, Lou Grant was not fifteen minutes late. Intimidation tactics. If I was a man, I would say, he had me by the balls and he knew it.

So I sat looking out into the Manhattan skyline, cursing Lou Grant and all his devils to kingdom come, till the man himself walked in.

In person, Lou Grant looked like a very good looking businessman. He was about 5'10, with classic broad shoulders, a ripped body (must be all the coke, kept him lean), and he was dressed in an impeccable Walter Brother's suit, in a dark colour. White shirt. No tie.

The Maitre De of Mahattan followed him a few steps behind and was bowing and scraping so much, I wanted to pick his ass right off the floor. But, I didn't. I sat there, hands on my lap, waiting for Mr. Grant to come and say Hi.

I reached out to shake his hand and he took it to his lips instead and kissed it saying, "Enchanted"

I was still in shock over this grand entrance when he said to the Maitre De," Richard, get us a bottle of your best Single Malt, some sushi, some ramen bowls, tiny tasting portions and top it up with a Mango cheesecake will you?"

I looked at him in shock, as he shrugged off his jacket, placed it on the chair next to him and sat opposite me.

"Had the man just ordered all my favourite dishes?"

He probably saw the question mark on my face and said, "Yeah, the dossier said, you liked Mango cheesecake. I quite like the Blueberry myself, but I'm willing to have a taste!"

He licked those rather perfect lips of his as he said the last line, and I had an inkling that the 'taste' he was referring to was suddenly not the food but something else itself. I found myself, flushing despite my staunch resolve to be the ice maiden. I was warm all over and he was having an effect on me that I could not ignore.

"More ice?", he asked me silkily. "It seems like we need to turn the air conditioner up, your cheeks are flushed. Are you hot?"

This man spoke in innuendo all the time. He had been here ten minutes, and he was already making me feel very uncomfortable. Also did he say dossier?

Lou smiled a dazzling smile at me and said, "So Iram, I know you like to play hardball and want to come straight down to business but I will discuss it over dessert. I've had a really long day and I'm starving, which reminds me, he said as the Maitre De came running in with plates and bowls and glasses himself, "Richard, will you please get me some noodles. I need carbohydrates and sushi doesn't cut it for me."

Richard nodded and scurried off.

I looked at him and said, "It's a long discussion, Lou. I'm sure you have lots pending and I would like to get it out of the way immediately."

Lou, looked at me, took a swig of his whiskey and grinned, "I know Iram. I'd be sweating tonnes if I was in your place and look at you, like a cool cucumber, well actually like a hot red chilli in that number but well...you know what I mean."

I looked at him in consternation. No man had ever called me a hot red chilli. Not even my fiance.

He eyed the ring on my finger and said, "That diamond you wear is pretty but it's got a few spots in it. I think your fiance took some shortcuts on buying it. I would have it evaluated if I were you."

By now, I was wondering if I should slap the man and walk out when he deftly placed some sushi on my plate, expertly mixing the wasabi into the soya sauce just the way I liked it. How thick was that dossier on me really?

"Ok, let's get this out of the way so we both can eat in peace. You need 5 million, I'll give you 6, but there are some things I'd like to discuss with you. Now can we eat in peace."