Blake swallowed another glass of whiskey, looked back at everyone and focused on the conversation.
"Make sure to get a secretary, alright?" Elsbeth told
Blake frowned, "Why?"
"Do handle everything else as you focus on being a fearsome figure that bring nightmares to innocent people." the middle aged man, Leo hiccupped
Blake disagreed, "I'm not!"
"The news would say otherwise." Jerome sighed "I wouldn't go online for a while"
Blake sighed as well at the reality of his life. The media had twisted the misunderstanding into a display of power by the newly crowned Nox family member.
Elsbeth spoke, "Don't worry about it. I'll do something worse for them to nag about, get a secretary candidate and I'll lend you one of mine to train them."
"Should you really be doing that to your secretaries? Moving them around like that." Blake wondered
Everyone looked at him in confusion and he saw several dots trying to connect from their expressions. It seems that being a Nox secretary has as many challenges as it has benefits, he didn't know if he wants one but they were right that he needed help.
Jerome smiled, "Don't worry. If you don't want to lend your secretary don't, we'll respect that."
"Why do you lend them anyway?" he asked
Leo answered, "Because skilled people are hard to find. Sometimes we need a certain type of ability or talent that your secretary has, what should we do?"
"Although the brothers never lend theirs even if Valentine gives Vincent mini-seizures by suggesting it. Also Quinlan over here doesn't although I don't know why." Elsbeth said turning to the gloomy man nursing a beer
Quinlan stammered, "She....she doesn't like it. Iris doesn't but she's so talented that I used up all my luck when she became my secretary."
"Hoo" Leo smiled
Jerome sniffed the air, "This smell....floral with a hint of decay. Lan is it spring my dear brother?"
"Do you love her or even like?" Elsbeth beamed
Everyone was focused on the gloomy man as his pale skin flushed a bit at their persistent questioning.
Quinlan spat out, "I don't know. Should it be some hot heart pounding sensation, I can't get her out of her mind and fall over backwards for her?"
Elsbeth grabbed his shoulders, "Never. If your heart rate increases a bit, for you my dear, you're having a heart attack."
"I'm so glad you care." Quinlan's dry voice chuckled with slight soullessness
A slightly drunk Blake spoke, "Does it matter how it feels and all that. So you don't have butterflies in your gut, do you know her favorite color-"
"Gray because it reminds of over clouds on a rainy day which is her favorite season." Quinlan told
Blake chuckled, "Don't rush it especially if its because we pressured you. Who knows what happens but the relationship depends you only the both of you, some maybe cold and calculating like Vladimir's heart."
They burst into laughter and ordered another round of drinks. After some time everyone was tipsy and Elsbeth yelled they had to leave for the family villa.
"Why, Beth. I can't see straight, can we settle for the hotel nearby?" Leo whined
She groaned, "No. I'm happily married and will not risk even a misunderstanding. Toby is understanding but I'll never do that. Even when I'm bleeding out I've always go home."
"You're married? Like proposed and everything, not a kidnapping" Blake asked letting Jerome pick him up
Elsbeth laughed, "Some mysteries are meant to be unsolved. The minute he proposed I rushed to make it legal before he changed his mind but he hasn't yet."
After the united effort of heavily drunken people, the squeezed it some taxis and got home. They didn't bother searching for their rooms, crushed into somewhere and pilled on the sofa.
Light pierced toward Blake's eyes and he groaned to the body beside him, "Close the curtain...."
"Sure." a voice answered
Everyone rose up, their hangovers were swept away as they looked at Vladimir close the curtain. He wore black pants and his white shirt was unbuttoned revealing the many scars painted on his muscular frame. His hair was styled as though he was going out soon.
"Huh-" Leo reacted his brain failing to understand
Vladimir told, "If you're wondering, this is my bed room or personal area depending on how you look at it. The bed's a bit northward from my sofa that you're on and the bathroom and dressing rooms is behind me, east of the sofa. To the west is my very large balcony filled with many tables and items. I'm on my way to a legal dispute but the my personal kitchen is to the south and I stock up on non-monster product too for picky-"
"You're oddly calm and it's making me less panicked." Jerome pointed out
The door burst open and Valentine entered with a large grin, "He told me you were here but I didn't believe him!"
"Don't worry about it. I asked your secretaries to bring you clothes, make yourself comfortable." Vladimir told
Valentine smiled, "Maybe he'll meet someone and start a relationship...."
"Cold and calutating just like my heart." Vladimir ended
The brother burst out in laughter and the wanted to dig a hole to swallow them up. They wanted to swear off alcohol but that would be a lie. All that was left was to avoid looking up at the laughing sibling clearly enjoying their predicament
"Night." Valentine giggled
The door closed and silence followed for a while
Elsbeth whispered, "Are they gone?"
"Yeah." Blake sighed "How did we get here, who led us last night?"
Jerome spoke, "When I heard him I thought he'd be very angry but nothing. Just a brief tour and a laugh in our faces."
"I know...."
They looked at Humphrey seat beside them with a complementing expression as they stood up and stretched their bodies being in a dog pile wasn't a comfortable type of rest.
"We'll figure it out. So any relationship advice for me?" Humphrey chuckled
Leo frowned, "Won't let us go will you?"
"That's what family is about. Being their to kick you down." Humphrey smiled
Jerome told everyone he shower first and only entered after getting each person's agreement. They began talking trying to understand the brothers' and their odd personality combination.
"They said a legal dispute, are we getting sued again?" Elsbeth rememberd
Humphrey told, "No we're suing. We obtained the port by underworld laws and now they suck up what they can using legal methods."
"They're so greedy." Leo laughed
Humphrey frowned, "Hurry up and get cleaned. They left work for us to do and candidates to interview for you secretary, Blake."
"Good luck!" they smiled as they new day began
Blake thought, "I should visit Gabby as well.....what a busy day we have."