Anya groaned, frustration, disappointment and red hot anger washing over her. This was not what she had expected. She fumbled for a flashlight, her eyes squinting in the darkness.
Grabbing an emergency kit and her bag,she took a brief moment to check her phone-still working, but the battery was low. Too low to call or even text home to say she was on her way. Time to get going. Frowning,she bundled up, found a plastic bag and threw the phone in it. If she was gonna get drenched out there, her phone would be safe. Not that she expected to get drenched. She was driving home,but still...She shouldered her bag and made her way to the door.
Out the door, the icy wind slapped her like a hand in the face, snow swirling everywhere around her, reducing visibility to near zero.
She inched forward,her car keys clenched in her hand.
The drive home was a whiteout, her windshield wipers struggling to keep up. She crept along, her knuckles paper-white on the steering wheel.
Suddenly, the car skidded, and she felt herself going...whoa...whoa...the car stopped, stuck in a snowbank. Anya groaned, banging her hands on the steering wheel. Why did the universe sometimes seem to go against her? "Why? Universe, why?"
She sat there for a moment, contemplating her life choices. Should she try to dig herself out? Call a tow truck? Or just abandon the car and walk?
The universe answered with a gust of wind that rocked the car. "Okay, okay,I get it."
She took the last choice.
She zipped up her coat, grabbed her bag,and stepped into the maelstrom. The wind howled, stealing her breath. Snow blinded her, and she stumbled, disoriented.
The cold seeped into her bones, her clothes getting drenched and plastered to her freezing body. And just as she wondered if she'd make it, she spotted headlights. It was a stranded taxi, it's driver hunched over the steering wheel.
Anya stumbled towards it, banging on the door. The driver, a grizzled old man in a black puffy jacket, rimless made for television glasses perched on his chiseled nose, and a bushy beard peered out, then rolled down the passenger side window. "Need a ride,sweetheart?"
Anya nearly sobbed with relief. "Please,yes! I'm freezing!"
The driver grinned, pushing open the door. "Hop in! I'm Joe,by the way. Been driving through this stuff for twenty years. You ain't seen nothing yet."
"Huh? Anya said as she slid into the warm taxi, shaking the snow off her coat. "Call me Anya".
"Anya?" Joe repeated, trying to place the name. "Damn,that wouldn't be the Anya that's been talking on my radio about an hour ago. Would she?"
"Yeah," Anya said with a smile. "That'd be me."
As Joe pulled back on to the road,Anya closed her eyes, letting the warmth seep in.
"You okay,kid," Joe asked,his voice gentle.
Anya nodded, opening her eyes. "Yeah. Just glad to be off the streets. This storm is a monster."
Joe chuckled. "Told ya',sweetheart. I know these roads like the back of my hand. We will get you home safe and sound, sugarbun."
Anya playfully slapped him on the thigh. "Don't call me that," she said, and Joe chuckled.
Joe was just amiable and fun to chat with, but not even his knowledge of the city helped them navigate the treacherous streets. They almost got stuck twice,and visibility became too low that they both had to agree that they weren't making any meaningful progress.
"There's a hotel just around the corner," Anya commented. "It's high-end, but I think they'll have rooms. We could shelter there until the storm abates."
And a minute later, Joe grinned, "The Grandview at your service! Fancy place, but I reckon you deserve it after tonight."
Anya smiled,her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you,Joe. You saved my life."
Joe winked. "Just doin' my job, sweetheart. Now get on in there and warm up."
Anya pushed open the door,stepping out into the swirling snow. She turned to Joe,her eyes glowing with gratitude. "Thank you again, Joe, i owe you one."
Joe smiled,his eyes twinkling. "Just take care of yourself, kid. And maybe send me a weather update when you get inside?"
Anya laughed, feeling a sense of relief sweep through her. She was starting to like him. "I will, Joe,I promise," and with a final wave, she turned and stepped onto the curb,the snow swirling around her ankles. She took a deep breath,feeling the warmth of the hotel lobby beckoning her inside.
As she pushed open the door, a tall, slim doorman with a little yellow badge at his breast pocket that said:'Sloan', greeted her with a warm smile. "Welcome to the Grandview hotel, miss. Looks like you are having a wild night."
Anya smiled, her eyes scanning the luxurious lobby. "You have no idea."
She stood there for a brief moment, taking in the warmth and elegance of the lobby. she was safe and sound, thanks to Joe, and she felt a wave of relief roll through her.
The doorman cleared his throat,his expression sympathetic. "Would you like me to take your bag, miss?"
Anya shook her head, smiling. "No,thank you. I'm fine."
As she made her way to the reception desk,she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. She had never been here before,would she finally get a chance to relax?
The cold wind hit him as he burst through the revolving glass doors. 'Who rejects a multi-million-dollar proposal?' The question kept flashing in his mind, and he kept coming to one final conclusion:Only a retard could. He wasn't surprised; the guys in his last meeting weren't exactly the sharpest knives in the dishwasher.
Shaking his head,Sebastian hurtled down the cobblestone pavement to his car, the Snowflake's fancy routine dance in the wind like a dirty joke to him,mocking his frustration.
He popped the trunk, threw his overnight canvas bag inside, slammed the lid, and slid into the welcoming warmth of the sleek,black Sedan;the engine purring to life like a contented cat.
His plan was to drive across the river to Minneapolis, where he'd briefly meet an old friend who'd dealt with the Chicago investor before,gather enough intelligence on the sort of incentives to throw at the investor during their meeting to lure him in, then proceed to Chicago from there.
Sebastian was really good at playing 'dog and bone'. If he only knew in advance what bone to throw at which dog, that was always an added advantage on his side. Seemed to work for him almost always.
Exactly what the dump shits in his last meeting seemed to recognize and hate. Jesus! For a moment there, he'd thought he'd them, and he'd kept working them up, until when the fat one had asked how much their client had to pay upfront.
That stirred them,and the fat idiot whistled at the amount, prompting more questions from the other two idiots. And then they wouldn't stop;the questions coming at him across the huge darkwood conference table like burning meteorites, never giving him time to clarify or explain anything. Just blabbering and chittering and neighing without taking time to listen? Think?
"Shitheads!" Sebastian blurted out suddenly, a new wave of anger starting to stir deep in his belly. What sort of crafty financial experts do that?
And just like that, the dumb shits had cost him a deal worth well over a quarter a billion dollars. Just because the three idiots representing Tom Grant, the Minnesota Governor in the well-crafted deal ineptly but unanimously rejected his offer.
Sebastian ran another exasperated hand through his hair,cursing.
Hasn't they agreed they could reconsider the deal if he...did something on what the fat idiot had called ridiculous prices. Did that mean he still stood a chance of winning the deal if he clipped the payments a little? Alter the prices just a little? Meet their boss with the new deal in person?
With a heavy sigh, Sebastian rubbed his sleepy eyes, yawned, and forced his attention back to the present.
He'd a chance to win back the governor, but fuck them all, he decided. If he got lucky enough to bag the Chicago investor, that would be... great. The governor and his unbelievably inept trio of idiots could take their reconsideration and chance and shove them up where the sun doesn't shine.
Now, if he could only get to Minneapolis fast enough...
Running an exasperated hand through his hair for the hundredth time this evening, Sebastian cursed out loud, leaned on the gas pedal.
But Mother Nature had other plans.
Shit, this was certainly going to be a tough drive, he was sure,but he intended to make it as comfortable as he could manage under the prevailing circumstances. Not that he could do much about it, so he just fiddled with the buttons at the dashboard, switching on the radio and clicking through the channels, searching for something descent. Something that could do the daunting task of cheering him up as he wrestled the car through the worsening roads. Like he'd come to learn, music was always the best stress reliever.
He caught Mark Hail of 97.5 FM halfway through the storm update, speaking to a smooth voiced weather forecaster. The forecaster had the sweetest voice for pillow talk, he thought distractedly. But who in the fucking world talked about snow in blizzard proportions?
Sebastian groaned at the radio broadcast,and clicked on the channels some more as his thoughts momentarily veered to the past, to the tragedy that had shaped him into the man he was today.
His beautiful little sister Ava; the only sister he ever had. The only other sibling he ever had.
Damn, he could see her picture clearly in his minds eye, as if it were just yesterday. Frolicking happily around the house.
Damn it. Focus,Sebastian, he reprimanded himself, because he really didn't want his mind drifting off in that direction. Didn't want the unpleasant memories darkening his mood even more than the goddamn storm had so far.
Pushing the poignant memories aside, Sebastian focused on the road ahead,but the goddamn storm seemed to intensify, the wind howling like a beast, and his driving skills were put to the test.
He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning as white as the falling snow. "Why didn't I just stay in bed?" He muttered in frustration.
The snow-covered roads were getting too risky, too treacherous, and he was forced to slow down.
The bridge across the Mississippi was a slippery, winding tunnel, and with the progress he was making so far, he probably was going to get to Chicago next year. His heart raced and his pride took a hit.
And just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, the storm decided to up the ante.
The wind howled even worse, the snow blinding him; his dignity taking a hit once again.
Eventually, he pulled over,defeated. And then realized:He was just about a block away from his Minneapolis hotel. He could actually see it's neon sign from where he was- if only the fucking storm would let him.
With a sigh of relief, Sebastian pulled back onto the road,his eyes fixed on the hotel's warm, golden light.
The Grandview was a sanctuary;a haven from the storm raging outside. He navigated the short distance, his heart still racing from the ordeal. As he pulled up to the valet, a uniformed, tall, slim man rushed out to greet him, shielding his face from the wind.
"Welcome to the Grandview, Sir! Let me take care of your..." The tall man's voice trailed off as recognition set in, and then:" Jesus Christ, Wolfe, is that you?"
"That's me,Sloan," Sebastian quipped. "How's every little thing?"
"Not bad," Sloan said. "Well,Jesus, Wolfe, let me take care of your car,Sir."
"Yeah,yeah. Here you go, "Sebastian handed over his car keys,his tailored suit and the designer shoes now resembling a snow-covered mess. He hadn't yet looked at his reflection in the mirror, but he was certain he would look like a fucking golem if he did. He took a deep breath,feeling the warmth of the lobby envelope him as he stepped inside.
The Grandview's lobby was luxurious and warm;exactly what he needed.
He strode towards the reception desk,his eyes scanning the opulent décor. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, and soft jazz music floated in the background. This place was his, a pass-me-down from his father. He hadn't really needed it,or any of the other hotels, apartments, and companies his father had left behind. Sebastian had built his own empire. Had an ocean of money. But God bless the old man, he thought with a thin smile.