*ERICA*

 She doesn't understand the logic behind this whole place and the color choice of this place. Whoever chose it, really needs some help, according to Erica. Because well, who covers a whole fighting club in blue color. From the walls to the ceiling, from the bar area to the table covers, from the fighting ring in the middle to the fighting cage in the corner, everything is colored in blue. And even though it doesn't look heavily bad or bad at all but still it's nothing like Erica imagined it or according to her taste.

She doesn't like this color, actually she despises this color. 

Why? even she doesn't have answer for that question. But who cares because some questions are meant to exist without answers. Just like the biggest question of her life.

But she won't think about it today. 

Why? Well, because she didn't come to Ireland to question the existence of her life's mystery. She's here to enjoy her solo vacation and to find her muse and the other reason she won't even admit to her own conscious self, yet. So, that she could start the next book, which she's about to publish within six months. And till now, she hasn't even written one single word of it. 

"You think i'll be able to find my muse?" Erica asks her friends at the facetime while sitting in an almost empty fighting club. There are only two other customers in the club, other than her. A guy in his mid-twenties and another guy older than him. They look attractive with their black leather jackets and inked hands but not enough attractive to gain Erica's full focus. While she sits at the stool on the bar of the fighting club. A cute waitress working in front of her. She's younger than Erica, probably younger than the legal age, which makes her question why exactly she chose a place like this to work. 

But was she in the place to ask this question to her when she, herself came here solely for work purpose. 

"I think you'll be able to find a hot mafia man for yourself, Eri." Zara her best friend says, winking her way through the phone.

"And i highly recommend to not do anything stupid if, by any chance you find a mafia man." Veronica says, threatening Erica with her advocate eyes. 

"How romantic V?" Both Erica and Zara say in unison making Veronica roll her eyes and both of them giggle, like teenage girls. 

And there was nothing wrong in that because Veronica was literally the mother of their little group who always worried over their tendencies of getting in trouble. Even though Zara was not someone who would invite trouble on herself, but Erica thrived in troubles. She felt alive in those moments. Like she was feeling right now, sitting in the Irish Mafia's fighting club. And that was also the reason why she was forced to face time Veronica and Zara. Because even though Veronica was the one who gave her the information about this mafia club, she wasn't kidding when she said that Erica wasn't allowed to mess with her own security in the name of finding a muse.  

"I'm not romantic, i'm being serious. You know that's a dangerous place where you're sitting at." Veronica says as Erica notices her walking around her office and stand in front of the sofa while adjusting her phone for better display. In the meantime, wearing her black blazer over her red shirt, probably getting herself ready for the next meeting with her clients.

"I know, but why are you not taking this mafia romance writer seriously huh? I write those men V, and i know how they are, god chill." Erica says noticing the shock look the waitress gave her as soon as she mentioned her job profile. 

"Zara you put some sense in this kid, i'm done for the day." And with that Veronica cut the call and this was nothing new for Erica because she knows her best friend's personality and according to that, she has a limit of how much shit she's gonna take from someone within 24 hours and seems like Erica exceeded that limit for today.

Erica hears Zara sigh loudly and then her voice fills Erica's ear through her blue tooth earpiece, "I know you're not a kid and even V knows it but her whole point it, the mafia men you write are a part of imagination while she meets them every single day Eri, she's seen them, She's a criminal lawyer for fuck's sake." Zara curses and then hisses loudly as her manager says something in the background.

"And you're a fucking celebrity, so keep those curses in check kiddo." Erica says with a wicked glint in her eyes, suddenly noticing something.

"Yes mommy." She hears Zara say as Zara sets her hair, doing the last touch-ups before going on the stage and then chuckles, "But on a serious note, even if you meet a real-life mafia man, which you're definitely going to meet since you're literally sitting in an Irish mafia club, please don't do anything stupid, Eri. You know my dream of becoming the model for your new book will only remain a dream if you die by the hands of a mafia man." Zara says with a glint of humor in her eyes but even Erica knows she's worried for her. Zara might be just 23 years old and way younger than both Erica and Veronica but she's the calmest and composed one in their group. 

"I understand Zee, chill. Nothing's going to happen. I'll take care of myself, by the way i gotta go, these hot mafia men are coming in now." And with a kiss on the screen the call is ended from Erica's side. 

A weird and wicked smile touches her face as she eyes the people who started to come inside the club, as the time of the fight comes near. It still has a whole one hour for the fight to start, but the reason why people are coming in this early is because this is not any normal fight. Today's fight is special because this fight is going to happen between the enforcer and the consigliere of Irish Mafia. A death match between the left and right hand of the Irish Mafia boss. 

"This is the day i was waiting for." Erica says with a big smile and clap her hands together, feeling thrilled and excited all over again.

Erica turns in her seat, smiles at the cute young waitress and asks, "Hey, where's the washroom?" 

The waitress contemplates for a second before answering but then answer anyways, "The guest washroom is on upper level, the lift is there." She points a manicured finger on her right, pointing at a grey elevator door where one of the bouncers of the club stands in his position. 

After muttering a soft thanks Erica makes her way towards the elevator only to be left blocked a few inches before the door by the bouncer, who is probably double in height and triple in size in comparison with Erica's 5 feet slightly curvy frame. 

"Cá bhfuil tú ag dul?" (Where are you going) The bouncer asks in his normal threatening tone.

Erica looks up at him, "He's not 6 feet that's for sure." She thinks in her mind and then says, "Hey dude, i don't know Irish but here's my answer, i need to use washroom." She says and looks at him, looking confusingly at her.

She looks back at the bar area only to find it totally empty. Now she can't even ask for that waitress's help. 

Then suddenly the guy, who was wearing black leather jacket and was in his mid-twenties came where Erica was standing and asked with his charming smile, "Need any help, beautiful?" He looked like one of those biker guys she's seen on her instagram reels, hot and cute at the same time but something in his smile made him look like a wicked person, but smoking hot wicked.

"Hi handsome." Erica replied with her own flirtatious smile, and this is what exactly for Veronica warned her, she remembered her best friend's voice somewhere in her head but she continued anyway, "I need to use the restroom real quick but this big guy is not letting me go." She said pointing towards the bouncer on the elevator door. 

The smoky hot biker guy nodded his head in understanding and then talks to the bouncer in Irish. In the meantime, Erica notices many things about him, like a detective on a mission. He's got blonde hair he's 6 feet tall and is definitely younger than Erica maybe just one or two years. He's not proper Irish because first, he's got the same American accent as Erica and second, his looks are a mix of any boy next door American guy and of a traditional Irish biker guy. 

After, what seems like two seconds the bouncer moves away from the door and the blonde guy looks at Erica with a smile, "There you go." 

"Thanks." Erica mutters and then a quick idea make its way inside her spooky head, so she moves her hand forward and grabs the idea or more like the blonde biker guy's hand in the name of the idea.

She moves her hand forward, "Erica, nice to meet you." 

The guy gives her another one of his flirtatious smiles and shake her hand with his, "Ivan Martin." He says and Erica forces her eyes to not widen and control her facial features to give him her fake polite smile while her heart starts to race fast in her chest. 

"And the pleasure is all mine." He says as he shoots her a wink and then motions towards the lift, "We'll catch up." He says as he presses the button on the lift for Erica. 

"Of course we will." Erica says with a hidden tone behind her sweet words and sweeter smile. And then proceeded to go inside the lift. 

Once the lift closes on Ivan's beautifully brutal face, Erica fills her lungs with deep breath, still trying to look unaffected. She gets down of the lift on the upper floor and as she reads the board of washroom, with quick stride in her 5 inches high heels, she makes her way inside the women's washroom. Once inside, she enters the empty stall and make sure to lock it before losing it totally. 

"Holy Fuck." Erica mutters while trying to process what just happened. And then just to make herself 200% sure. She opens her phone and checks the word document that Veronica sent her informing her about the whole mafia family of Irish world. And there it is Ivan Martin's name is written just below his brother Rowan Martin's name who also happens to be the enforcer of the Irish Mafia. 

"Holy shit." Erica mutters again, this time it comes out muffled as she is covering her own mouth with her free hand in shock. 

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. You got the fucking jackpot, Erica." And it genuinely was a true jackpot for Erica. Ever since the idea of finding a real-life mafia man and writing a story inspired by him, came into Erica's mind. She was adamant on completing her dream by hook or by crook. So, here she was, in Ireland. 

Why Ireland though? Well, that was the story for another day but for now what mattered was her first step towards her plan. So, she puts the phone back in the pocket of her dark green Jumpsuit and racked her hands through her hair to ready herself for the upcoming success of her plan. 

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and then opened them and then started talking to herself as if she was explaining her plan to someone else. Which was the fucking wrong move, considering the fact that she was in the mafia territory now and even walls have ears, here.

"So, your main focus is Ivan. Talk to him, sit with him and try to take out as much information from him as you can, of course without ringing any bells. Even though no mafia men are naive and stupid enough to say anything and everything about themselves but you gotta do it, Eri. If you want to succeed in your mission you need to do it." She talks to herself charging up her energy. 

She again takes a deep breath, come out of the stall and wash her hands then look at herself in the mirror one last time, to see nothing but only confidence and wicked glint in her eyes. So, as it was said before, Erica thrived in troubles, she came alive with them.

And with one last smile at herself, she exited the restroom and made her way towards the elevator, happily swaying her hips on her way. But as soon as she got in front of the lift, it was about to close, but it stopped because someone stuffed their shoe in the middle of the tiny gap. 

And slowly the doors opened, showing a very handsome, tall, well-built and very well-known man to Erica. 

Rian Byrne, the king of Ireland. 

"Well, what the fuck is he doing here?" Erica thought and stood rooted to her place outside the lift.

Even after five seconds when her feet didn't move in the direction of the lift, she heard the masculine voice coming from a very very masculine man, "Are you coming?" No expressions held his square shape face captive. 

"Sorry." Erica muttered softly and got inside the lift and quickly moved her hand to press the button for the ground floor which was already pressed, her hand hung in the air as she glanced in Rian's direction noticing his sharp jaw line, his brown hair but most importantly his blue eyes. 

"You can press the button for whichever floor." He spoke smoothly in English with a hint of Irish accent. 

Erica nodded her head but before she could press the button, the lift stopped, abruptly. 

Caging Erica inside with the muse she was finding in the outside world. 

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Author's Note

So, this is was the first chapter guys, do let me know if you all liked it or not and also from now on i'll be making all the chapters followers only so you can read it only if you follow me.

I'm new to scroll stack just like you guys so it might take us some time to adjust to this but if you guys face any issue while reading, my IG is @author_rayna , which is also mentioned in my profile, you guys me DM me and let me know what issues we need to tackle. (You guys can follow me as well, i won't mind)

Also, i won't mind some suggestion regarding the book.

I'll be also starting my other books here, it'll mean the world to me if you guys support me.

Okay then, bye ; )