Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 1-3) ✓

88 | Different Flavors

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CJ STEPS OUT OF his car holding a coffee cup. As his driver closes the door for him, he instantly spots the homeless old man that's been there before he even bought the building two years ago. "Working hard today again Grover?" Cj asks with a charming smile before handing him the coffee.

     The man named Grover happily takes the coffee and shows Cj a thousand-dollar bill that he received from Max earlier.

     "A very rich-looking man just arrived and he was looking for you. He even gave me this. I might as well ask him for a job," he manages to joke.

     "I've been offering you to be our security guard for months and you always decline me. Is it because I'm broke?" Cj asks, and Grover laughs and brushes him away.

     "Alright, I'll see you later Grover."

     Cj heads inside his empty building, the soft expression on his face instantly changing into something more serious. There weren't any people at the building yet since they usually operate during the night. Max is just a special case.

     "Why do people always work so early?" Cj complains while yawning.

     He heads inside the small elevator that brought him to the top floor. As soon as he steps out, he sees his secretary who was just about to head inside his office.

     "Master Charles!"

     Cj steps out of the elevator, and Rose immediately runs to him to give him a respectable bow.

     "Where is he?" Cj asks instead of acknowledging the greeting. He doesn't even have to specify who he's referring to because his secretary immediately stands back straight and gestures at his office.

     "They're waiting inside," she tells him, and Cj raises his right eyebrow and asks, "They?"

     Rose doesn't answer him as Cj finally steps inside the room without saying anything else, and there he was welcomed by Max and his butler, Étienne. They were sitting at the sofa, and piles of papers and folders were scattered on the table in front of them.

     "Am I somehow disturbing you?" Cjasks when Max and Étienne didn't even notice him when he went inside.

     Max stops what he's doing and instantly looks at the man standing in front of him. "Cj...you're finally here," Max says, but Cj doesn't say anything and looks at Étienne instead.

     "He's my butler," Max tells him when he noticed the count staring.

     Cj's expression suddenly turns bitter as he answers back, "I know."

     Max was confused about the unwelcoming response, but then Étienne suddenly stands from his seat and faces his master. "I'll wait for you at the car, master Leigh."

     "What? You can stay here and-"

     Not even letting Max finish his sentence, Étienne leaves the room, completely ignoring Cj, which made Cj roll his eyes in annoyance. Max was confused about what went down, so he looks at Cj with a puzzled expression and asks him, "Do you know my butler? Because it's obvious that you don't seem to be fond of him."

     "I just don't like people who are older than twenty-five," Cj answers, which was an obvious lie, but it's probably the truth too considering how Cj can be very truthful.

     Just when the atmosphere was getting awkward, Cj takes a deep breath and takes the seat where Étienne was seated earlier. "Would you mind?" he then asks, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket.