When he was alone and no one to indulge him, Joseph had some demons that had once claimed him and he would need to take care of those demons, sometimes it would be that of his drinking bourbon, too bad that he had drunk all of that, he really needed to re-stock his liquor cabinet. He would usually have a pack of smokes if that was not on the cards and he had none left, he really needed to get round to buying some or he would not be where he was now, but more on that later.

If something else was not ready for him to drink or smoke, there was only one thing that allowed him to escape his demons, it was that of the womanly persuasion, that of the night where he would crave a woman badly, yet that was not tonight and it would certainly not be when he was supposed to be working. He had a code and he was not looking to break it now, only here he was, in a famous brothel of the Emerald City, one of the great places that seemingly fit the needs of many men and women, the drinks flowed and as did the loose women, yet he was not going to be one of those that indulge in the pleasures of flesh. 

"Can I get a glass of bourbon?"

He continued looking down before the glass was poured and served to him, he noticed that a slender arm seemed to be wiping down the bar, he looked up and his eyes widened once his eyes landed on the woman before him, his cheeks had gone a ruby red before he coughed into his hand and noticed that the woman seemed to not care for his staring, simply paying to her work and continuing to wipe down the bar, he took his drink in hand and sipped cautiously before looking back down to his work, he tried to pay no mind to the bartender that had now invaded his mind, the only thing on his mind was an urge to know her.

Mei could see the man before her, had suddenly gained a reddening tint to his cheeks and was clearly looking at her every so often. She would have found it annoying if she had not gone through that every day working in a brothel, only now here he was another man, holding himself back and not trying to jump her bones and that was something that interested her, it was clear that he was one of the important people in Seattle as he walked around the brothel like he owned the joint and everyone owed him the world, clearly no one was going to fight against that as it looked like he was not going to have that either way. 

"Hey! What is someone like you doing here?"

The man's head had raised, almost like a bird who could sense when someone was going to try and kick it, he looked around for a while before noticing that it was only him at the bar and many others would simply be entertained by the many women that decorated and floated around the joint like the common cold. Luckily, Mei was not associated with such acts and was restricted to the acts of serving drinks, cutting men and women off if they had too much to drink and simply enjoying controlling her own bar, even if it was small scale compared to the amounts of money that were being made by the escorts. 

"Yeah I'm talking to you wiseguy, what are you doing here? You like someone who is meant to be home by nine on the dot unless your lady is not missing your warmth in bed."

The man blushed before his eyebrows furrowed, it was then that a small smirk twitched at his lips before he took another sip of his bourbon that she had gotten him moments before. 

"Well first, I do not have a lady and second, I'm here for booze, why else? I'd rather not have a woman that has lain with another man before me, it does not seem for me, you understand, don't you?"

Mei was the one that now blushed before turning away, she had heard of many brothels like this that catered to women more than men and she had heard of one in Las Vegas, her friend had gone one time and invited her out, she did not go and from what she had heard, it was one hell of an experience. 

"I understand you, Mr.?"

The man stuck out his hand, his smirk still in place. 

"Joey Pavanno, and who are you?"

Joe asked with a thick British drawl coming out as Mei's cheeks had reddened, even more, having a feeling on who she was talking too.

"Mei, Mei Nguyen"

He raised his eyebrow curiously, while he hummed, she could have a connection with the Nguyen dynasty, which he highly doubted but he was not going to grill her about the history of her family, that was not what made him curious, what made him curious was someone like her working in a place like this. She was obviously trying to fund something, perhaps some sort of educational pursuit that she needed to pay for and the only way she knew how was working for tips and the general income about such a place, he would have guessed that she made enough for the common bartender plus hush money and tips, so it was a lucrative job for her personally. 

"Hm, Mei, well, what is someone like you doing here? Why are you working in such a den of the carnal desires? It's obvious that you are not one of these escorts who simply are here for the need to earn money on the side or you get some sort of thrill from it, no, you are here for something more than the money or thrill of working in such a place."

Mei trailed her finger along the palm of Joe as he finished his statement, she knew what she was doing, it only looked like she was trying to prove something and failing as Joe narrowed his eyes on her before she smirked a small glint of mischief shining in her chocolate brown orbs. She leaned forward, finding herself more interested in this Pavanno character more so that he seemingly figured out that she was not here for the thrill or was scraping together the cash.

"You don't know me Mr. Pavanno, I could be an entirely different woman that you are portraying me to be, either way, you are correct in the assumption that I am here for much more than the carnal desires or money, I am putting myself through Law School right here in the Emerald City and needed cash to do so, and here I am."

Joe raised his eyebrow curiously once again before taking another sip of his bourbon that was suddenly less interesting as he spoke with the woman of beauty before him. 

"Tell me, Mei, why are you putting yourself through this? Surely your parents want to see their daughter become a Lawyer."

It was here that Joe realized that he had made a mistake, knowing that this was not going to end way in any way, he finished his drink, waiting for the answer that he wanted her with a burning desire pumping throughout his body.

"Heh, my parents want a lot of things Mr. Pavanno, their daughter becoming a lawyer is not among them."

She noticed that her shift was ending, knowing that this little conversation would have to come to an unsatisfying end in her opinion, she hummed before stepping away from the young man that interested as much as she interested him, clearly she wanted to give him something to remember her by. She walked around the bar, giving him a nice view of her stunning velvet dress that hugged her figure perfectly, she was clearly the only thing that he had eyes on, as his eyes had never strayed to anyone else, simply staying on her and that was something that made her blush like a schoolgirl before leaning forward with a smile in place.

"I really enjoyed our talk Joey, I'd like to do it again sometime, in a much better environment than this one, I believe that we have a lot to discuss that could really be beneficial for a man of your stature."

She walked away, but not before placing her card in his breast pocket, before grabbing her beige trenchcoat and leaving the brothel. She knew what she had done and left it all to him, he would either take the plunge with whatever type of heat existed with them, or he would allow it to be cooled down by his own nerves, nonetheless, she had enjoyed the conversation with Mr. Pavanno, not knowing that she had left quite the impression on the man

As she walked away from him, Joe could not help but repeat over her words, it was like she knew what he did and how he made his money, how he had gained the respect of every single person in this room without lifting a finger, he would not allow a hint of paranoia get to him, this Mei woman was interesting and he was going to pursue it, he needed something in his life besides money and drugs, he wanted a real life and he would not be getting that by going to the social club.

"It seems that I have to set up a date."

He stated with the drawl back in his voice as he pulled out the card, finding her address, which was not that far from his, he would make sure that this one did not get away.