21: Of course, it's my honor

The night in San Francisco was breezy, dispelling the heat of the day.

Inside "Henry Africa's" bar, the lighting was dim, and the air was filled with the mixed scent of whiskey and faint cigar smoke.

A male singer with a raspy voice held a guitar and sang a low, unknown country blues song on a small stage.

There was no deafening music here, no men and women dancing crazily; it was more like a quiet bar for people to relax their body and mind.

David liked this kind of vibe.

He sat alone in a corner booth, with a glass of "Godfather" on the rocks in front of him.

The amber liquid refracted a charming luster under the lights.

Having just completed a big deal worth forty million dollars, even with his steady temperament, he couldn't help but feel a little excited.

He needed some alcohol and a quiet environment to calm his mood.

"Hi, can I sit here?"

A crisp, pleasant female voice sounded in his ear.

David looked up and saw a blonde woman standing by the table, holding a Margarita in her hand, with a just-right smile on her face.

The woman looked to be twenty-two or twenty-three, tall and slender, wearing a simple white T-shirt and tight jeans.

Yet they outlined the curves of her body perfectly.

Her long golden hair was draped casually over her shoulders, and her bright blue eyes were astonishingly bright in the dim light.

She was a standard American sweetheart, and a top-tier version at that.

"Of course." David made a gesture of invitation.

A beautiful woman taking the initiative to strike up a conversation—he had no reason to refuse.

"Thanks." The girl sat opposite David naturally, extending a fair hand, "My name is Judy, Judy Foster."

"David." David took her hand; the touch was soft and delicate.

"Are you waiting for someone, David?" Judy swirled the drink in her glass, looking at him curiously.

"No, I just wanted a drink by myself." David leaned back on the sofa, his posture relaxed, "How about you?"

"Me too." Judy smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth, "I just finished a day of work and wanted to find a place to relax."

"Oh? What do you do?"

"An actress, not very famous." Judy shrugged, her tone carrying a hint of self-deprecation.

"You might have seen me in some TV shows, playing some... well, bit parts that don't last more than three episodes."

"Acting is an interesting profession." David took a sip of his drink.

"Interesting, but very tiring." Judy sighed, then immediately put on an enthusiastic smile again.

"What about you, David? What do you do? Judging by your demeanor, you don't look like an ordinary office worker."

She was indeed full of curiosity about the man in front of her.

Sitting alone in the corner, he had an indescribable aura—steady, confident, and a sense of composure that comes from long-term leadership.

This was not something an ordinary person could possess.

"Me?" David smiled, "A businessman doing some small business."

"What kind of business?" Judy pressed, her body leaning forward slightly.

"Everything." David's answer was ambiguous; he looked at Judy's inquisitive eyes and suddenly lowered his voice.

"I advise you not to be too curious about me."

"Why?"

"Because curiosity sometimes brings danger." The corners of David's mouth curled into a playful arc, his eyes deep.

Judy felt her heart skip a beat under his gaze.

This warning, far from making her retreat, actually stirred up even stronger interest.

Danger?

This word made her adrenaline start to surge.

Just as she was about to say something, a burly Latino man walked quickly to the side of the booth.

Bowing slightly, he whispered to David in Spanish: "Boss, Alberto and the others are back."

It was Juan.

David nodded and replied in English: "Got it, have them wait for me outside."

"Yes." Juan acknowledged, turned around, and left quickly.

Throughout the whole process, Juan did not look sideways, completely ignoring Judy's existence.

But Judy had heard that word clearly.

Boss.

Her blue eyes were full of surprise as she looked at David.

This man was actually a "Boss"? And looking at his subordinates, he was definitely not the boss of some ordinary company.

"It seems my time alone is over." David finished the last sip of his drink and stood up, "It was nice meeting you, Judy."

"Wait!" Judy stood up too, almost blurting out, "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah."

"I... can I go to where you're staying to take a look?" Judy asked, summoning her courage, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She knew this request was very abrupt, perhaps even too forward.

But she didn't want to miss out on this mysterious man.

David gave her a slightly surprised look, then readily agreed.

"Of course, my pleasure."

Walking out of the bar, the sight at the entrance shocked Judy once again.

In the night, four black Ford Bronco SUVs were parked neatly by the roadside, headlights fully on, like beasts ready to strike.

A dozen or so burly Latino men in black suits were lined up on both sides, and upon seeing David come out, they bowed in unison.

"Boss!"

The uniform greeting carried an air of chilling solemnity.

Judy instinctively grabbed David's arm.

This setup was even more exaggerated than in a movie!

This guy... what is his background exactly?

David felt the softness on his arm, looked down at Judy, his face still maintaining that calm, detached expression.

A bodyguard stepped forward quickly and opened the back door of the middle car for David and Judy.

The motorcade drove smoothly out of the city, heading all the way to a villa on the hillside on the outskirts of San Francisco.

The villa was brightly lit, with a luxurious yet tasteful decor.

"Wow." Judy stood in the center of the living room, looking around, and couldn't help but exclaim, "This place is beautiful."

"Feel free to look around." David took off his coat and tossed it casually onto the sofa.

Judy was like a curious baby, touring the villa, from the living room to the wine cellar.

And then to the huge terrace that overlooked the entire night view of San Francisco.

The more she saw, the more shocked she became.

The value of this villa was probably something she couldn't earn even if she acted for her whole life.

Just as she was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the terrace, admiring the brilliant night view outside.

Click.

All the lights in the entire villa went out instantly.

Everything in front of her plunged into darkness.

"Ah!" Judy was startled and instinctively cried out.

The next second, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

Warm breath sprayed behind her ear.

"Don't be afraid, the power just tripped."

David's deep voice sounded in the darkness, carrying a kind of magic that put people at ease.

Judy's body tensed up instantly, but soon relaxed again.

She could feel the strong heartbeat coming from the man's chest and that intense scent of male pheromones.

She didn't struggle but slowly turned around, groping in the darkness, and climbed onto David's neck.

"I'm not afraid."

Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling, but more than that, it was excitement.

The darkness became the best catalyst.

David lowered his head and accurately found her lips.

That night, the spring scenery in the villa was even more charming than the night view outside the window.

Judy was indeed a professional actress; her physical flexibility and coordination were far beyond that of an ordinary person.

She could easily complete many high-difficulty movements and enjoyed them.

The night was still long.