Chapter Text
His phone is pressed between his ear and his shoulder as he drives through the night. He shakes his head in frustration.
“What do you mean ‘you didn’t get him?” Ilya asks through gritted teeth.
There is quiet for a moment. “No, Sir, we didn’t get him. He escaped.”
Ilya sighs, trying to suppress his anger. “Alexander, Fuck!” Ilya breaths out. “You need to find him. Get every man and bring him to me.”
He ends the call without letting Alexander reply. He drops the phone and continues his slow driving through the empty city. Something catches his attention. He parks the Audi by the side walk and looks through the window, right into a restaurant.
There is a guy in there, dressed like a waiter. He is cleaning the tables. Ilya studies his face. Dark hair that is all shiny, sleeves rolled up that revels his slightly muscular arms, brown eyes and….is that freckles?
Ilya shuts the door to the car and enters the restaurant before he can stop himself. The waiter looks up at him slightly startled and confused. His eyes are clearly studying Ilya.
The guy stops the movements with the cloth. “Can I get you something?”
That voice. It’s so pretty and smooth.
”A coffee, black.” Ilya answers.
The waiter nods awkwardly before walking behind the counter. Ilya follows him and stops behind a bar chair. He takes of his suit jacket fully aware that the waiter is watching him.
Ilya hangs the jacket on the chair back before he sits down. He watches as the walks over to the espresso machine.
”Take away?” The waiter asks as he meets Ilya’s eyes with a polite smile. Ilya can see his name tag over his chest.
Shane.
“Would like the coffee here, Shane.” Ilya replies.
Shane freezes for a moment. Ilya can see how his mind is working behind his eyes.
Ilya chuckles lightly. “Your name tag.”
Shane looks down at it with relief before getting a cup and placing it under the coffee machine.
“Oh, thank god. I thought you were some psycho stalker or something.” Shane laughs as the coffee starts brewing.
Ilya smiles.
Oh, Shane, if you only knew.
”Well, I’m not.” Lie.
Shane steps away from the machine and walks over to the counter table, opposite of Ilya.
”It’s a relief. What’s your name?” Shane asks over the brewing sound.
Ilya tilts his head. “Why would you want to know that?”
Shane suddenly finds a mark on the counter rather fascinating. “Well,” he starts. “You’re gonna be here for a little while so it would be nice to know.” Shane looks up at him.
”Ilya.”
He could have given Shane another name but just Ilya isn’t going to make a problem.
”What’s your last name?”
Well…
“Why do you wanna know?” Ilya asks curiously.
Shane shakes his head. “No, it was nothing.” He excuses and returns to the coffee machine. Ilya is eyeing his back the entire way.
Shane places down the cup in front of Ilya.
”There you go, sir.”
Sir?
”Thank you.” Ilya says and picks up the cup. Shane stops him and gestures for him to place it down.
”It’s probably burning hot.” Shane tells him.
“Or maybe you just want it to take longer for me to drink it.”
Suddenly, Shane’s face gets very warm. It’s like lightning going through his back. He clears his throat with Ilya’s burning eyes on him.
”If you burn yourself, I will need to take you to the hospital which will take longer. And I just want to end my shift so I can go home and just wait until my shift starts again tomorrow.” He rattles.
“You don’t like your job?” Ilya asks and picks up the cup despite Shane’s warning. It’s not too hot, thankfully.
Shane thinks for a second. “I do…kinda.”
Ilya chuckles into the mug. “You don’t.
”No, I do. But it’s just long shifts. Feels never ending and I don’t really now how to climb the chain. Probably be stuck here forever.”
Ilya leans back.
”That’s sad.” He mumbles. It sounds halfhearted with the echo.
Shane places his hands on the counter.
“What do you do for work?”
Murder. Kidnapping. Stalking. Lying. Torturing. Shooting.
”I am a businessman.”
Shane nods and gestures to the very expensive looking suit Ilya is wearing. “It checks out.”
”You know you’re also wearing a suit.” Ilya gestures back.
Shane barely looks down at it. “It’s a uniform.”
”It’s cute. Fits you well and showing of your pretty arms.”
Shane feels like it’s lighting in his bones again. Fuck. This man. Shane doesn’t really know what to say to that. But he doesn’t have to because Ilya has finished his cup. He places it down on the counter for Shane to take.
Shane harps it and places it in the dishwasher before return to Ilya.
”You need anything else?” Shane asks.
”Your number.”
At this point. It’s a storm going through him.
”Why?” Shane asks. He wants Ilya to say to obvious.
“I want to prank call you.”
”Fuck off.” Shane replies.
Ilya gets up from his chair, making Shane really regret saying that even though it was a joke. Ilya takes the jacket and swings it around him. He looks at Shane.
”Okay. But I want your last name.”
Shane scoffs. “But you didn’t give me mine.”
”Keep on begging for it and we’ll be having the same last name.” Ilya tells him. It’s supposed to the a threat but Shane might actually faint.
“Hollander. Shane Hollander. Why? You gonna search for me?” Shane asks sarcastically.
Yes, I am.
”Good night, Shane.” Ilya says and digs into his pocket. He takes out his wallet and takes out a bill. Sliding it over the counter. A hundred dollar bill. “And keep the change.”
He walks out the door before Shane could protest. He whispers his name.
Shane Hollander.
He walks over to the car and settles inside. He glances back into the restaurant and sees how Shane puts the bill in the register and closes it.
Ilya wants to go back in there and tell him that the bill was for him. But he doesn’t. Instead he clicks on the seatbelt and drives away. He picks up his phone and presses Alexander contact.
It picks up after two rings.
”Hey, boss. We still haven’t found-“
”I want you to find out everything about Shane Hollander.”