I sighed loudly, still unmoving in my chair.
“I see. Come here, Alicia.”
Alicia bustled inside with sweat sliding down her brown face. Her cheeks were flushed a burgundy color, and her usual tight bun was quite unruly.
“Mr. Henri said he demanded white gold trimmings for his romantic retreat, but was disappointed to find plain gold.” She pursed her lips. “And he’s a very important guest, isn’t he?”
I looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. Alicia squirmed on the spot.
“Sir,” she said breathlessly. “What should I do?”
I rolled my eyes and pulled a cigar out of my desk drawer. I lit it slowly, not caring that Alicia was waiting.
“Tell him he’ll just have to make do with what he’s given.”
I would typically go above and beyond all measures to make sure my hotel guests were pleased with their rooms. I knew Mr. Henri from a golfing tournament. He was at The Grand to celebrate his marriage to his young, hot new wife.
She was twenty-two, and he was forty-six. I guess I was jealous of his freedom to marry the woman of his dreams.
I had hurt mine.
Alicia shifted nervously and cleared her throat.
“With all due respect Mr. Steele, that is not what we do here.”
I looked up and glared at the frazzled Alicia. She avoided my gaze, keeping her eyes glued on the red carpet.
I finally waved my hand at her to get her out of my office.
“Do whatever then.”
My heart wasn’t in The Grand that day. My heart belonged in Rosy’s chubby little hands.
I tried to do my best to finish my work and make the appropriate calls, but I simply couldn’t. I was exasperated with thoughts of failure and incompetence.
My office was no longer the safe space of serenity and escape from the shrill of the outside world. It seemed to close in on me, shrinking me into nothing but the sad, pathetic monster I had been my entire life.
I assumed that was my karma. It was coming back to haunt me.
The last time I fucked Rosy had been amazing. The mystique and uncertainty of fucking in the school library was such a turn on. Just her and her sweet ass, surrendering to me behind the stacks. Just thinking about it now was enough to get me hard.
It sounds stupid, but I had been shocked at her beauty. Rosy had always been beautiful, but getting her a new wardrobe had been the right call. And it was no wonder that little shit Cris had fallen for her.
She’d looked so sexy in that little miniskirt paired with thigh-high stockings. I could still see the red imprints on her soft thighs from the stockings. The outfit had been just a touch too small, and the sight of Rosy’s magnificent curves had awakened the beast inside of me.
My cock was immediately hard at the thought of her. Her ass had felt so good when I fucked her, and her lips had tasted fresh and inviting.
But it all felt wrong. I knew I was wrong for confronting her, for taking her and fucking her into oblivion. My plan was to confront her, but seeing her in the flesh reminded me how weak she made me.
Her eyes seemed to piece through me, drawing me back into her world. She was different, though.
She was defiant. She was no longer that soft spoken girl who looked down at her feet when she spoke.
She was full of fire and light, and she was no longer my prey. Somehow our time apart had placed her in a cocoon of confidence and maturity.
It was a turn-on, but also almost a little sad. I had just wanted her to remain my sweet girl who giggled and blushed whenever I complimented her sexy body.
That Rosy was still there I was sure, but not as much. My chest felt heavy and empty. Why had I been so stupid?
My guilt was driving me to commit serious crimes and if I wasn’t careful, I was going to start distancing myself from everything I’d worked so hard to build.
Everything important in my life would fall to the ground and perish in a heap of dust if my guilt wasn’t repaired.
I had to get out of The Grand. Staying there would drive me insane.
I snatched my coat from the coat hanger and dashed out of my office, and through the large swinging front doors.
My only antidote to my pain was drowning it in alcohol.
I quickly rang my driver to be outside in fifteen minutes. I was in desperate need of alcohol. I craved the sensation of it burning my throat and washing the pain away.
I felt strange as I paced back and forth in my office. Normally a day at The Grand was busy and filled with work. Today I’d spent the entire time sequestered in my office. As I waited for my driver, I ignored what felt like knock after relentless knock. Finally, I heard my phone buzz and I sighed deeply.
Relief washed over me like a waterfall. I grabbed my jacket and walked swiftly towards the car outside.
It was my favorite: a sleek Porsche. I never rode in limousines because I felt they were too flashy and unnecessary. I loved simple looks.
Simple things had always been the best for me, which was why I had chosen the cabin. Ever since I had left the cabin three months ago, it had been on my mind. I had bought it for over half a million bucks, but there were tons of people who were dying to rent it.
They had got ahold of the rumors that Randolph Steele, founder and owner of The Grand, lived in the cabin for a month, and they wanted to occupy that same space.
It would have been an easy million, but I refused. That cabin was the cradle of my only satisfying memories. It was where Rosy and I had shared something so sweet and real far from the prying eyes of the outside world.
I ordered the driver to take me to my favorite bar, La Alamode. It was a quiet, dimly-lit bar where tons of big time spenders liked to bring their young, hot fucks for the night. My first time going there I had met a girl named Amanda.
At twenty to my thirty-five, she’d had huge, bouncy tits, and short black hair. She’d had a sweet mouth with a gorgeous smile: just one look at her had been enough to tell me that I wouldn’t regret fucking her.
I had bought her a few drinks and then before I knew it, my cock was in her mouth. We had barely gotten the chance to fuck though because she passed out with my cock still halfway in her drunk mouth.
Sitting outside of La Alamode only brought back those shitty memories. It was the battle ground where I had brought girl after girl to reel them in and get what I wanted from them.
I couldn’t count the number of women I had deceived. Being young and rich, I was so proud of my adventures. The women were just a touch of fun. I conquered and destroyed and it made me feel like a man.
But it really wasn’t enough. It wasn’t anything, and it had taken me years to realize that. Now, at forty-five, I felt like an idiot whenever the bar came into my mind.
I staggered into the bar with my hand over my eyes to shield me from the sun. Going inside was like entering a hole of despair, albeit one with good booze.
As soon as I was inside the usual bartender waved me over with a wide, toothy grin.
“Hey there, Steele! Haven’t seen you in a while!”
I nodded and walked to the bar with my hand lazily on my wallet. I was ready to blow a shitload of money on overpriced booze.
“Hit me with the strongest you’ve got,” I muttered as I slid into a chair at the bar.
Drew raised his blonde eyebrows in surprise.
“Are you telling me that Mr. Classy Guy Steele wants to finally let me get him one of my best drinks?”
I nodded my head quickly.
“I need to black out.”
Drew nodded his head in understanding.
“Long day, big guy?” He asked as he started to whip up a deathly conclusion of memory loss and vodka.
“Like no other.” Drew slid me a shot and I greedily slurped it down and slammed it on the bar table.
“Did you lose stock or something?”
I shook my head. I knew I shouldn’t spill my business, but it was too late. I was far too wounded to keep my mouth s
hut.
“Women,” I grunted as I took another shot.
Drew snorted.
“Never thought they’d be a weak spot!” He shook his head in disbelief. “Women love you, man. They go right to you like moths to a flame.”
I laughed bitterly and sucked on a lime.
“I had the light, though. She was better than them all, and I fucked it up.”
Drew fell silent and poured me another shot, then slid it towards me. He leaned in and looked all around before speaking.
“Did you...hit her?”
I snapped my head up in disgust of such an accusation, and threw my shot in his face.
“Fuck you,” I growled. “I would never touch a woman unless she wanted it!”
Drew threw his hands up in defense, wiping his face off with his raggedy shirt.
“Hey, man, I was just asking. I know you rich fellas have tempers. But what was she like?”
I sighed and took another shot. My head was starting to spin and my throat burned, but I was nowhere near done with drinking. I wasn’t numb enough, and the memories were still flowing through me.
“Dark curly hair, nice tits, and an ass that you could only dream of,” I blubbered with a wistful gleam in my eyes.
“Fuck, she sounds hot. Why’d you let it go?”
Silence fell over me as Drew’s words echoed in my ears. Why did I let her go? Because I was a coward?
Because Rosy was too good for me?
It seemed as if I could never find the right answers.
I shrugged and tried to think of a good lie, but nothing could come to mind. I kept my eyes glued on my shot with Rosy’s smile playing in my head.
“Who knows,” I grumbled. “Life happens. That’s what gets in the way.”
Drew slid two more shots my way and patted my on the shoulder.
“Well there’s many more fish in the sea, buddy. Take it easy on the shots, you already look like shit.”
I gave Drew a weary thumbs-up as my head started to spin faster and faster. I was seconds from falling on the floor, and right as my legs started to give out, I felt a pair of arms hoist me back up.
“Shit, thanks Drew,” I said, completely slurring my words together.
“It’s not Drew.” The voice sounded so familiar, and when I turned I saw it was Gabriel, my old driver.
My jaw dropped as I stood face to face with the aged Gabriel. He wasn’t in his usual sharp black suit. He had on a blue jacket with a hat pulled low over his face.
His eyes were tired and bloodshot red.
“Gabriel, what happened to you?” I asked with shock in my voice. Gabriel sighed and took a seat next to me.
“The driving company let me go. Told me I was too old.”
My stomach twisted at the sound of his news. I felt terribly bad. I was aware that he had been dealing with the early stages of arthritis, but I didn’t know it had gotten that bad.
“I’m terribly sorry, Gabriel.”
Gabriel shrugged and took one of my shots and slugged it down. He grunted and turned towards me.
“No need to feel sorry about me, Steele. I’m seventy-five, so it was bound to happen. You know what keeps me afloat though?”
“What?”
“My wife, Marcina. She’s the light of my life.”
I felt a huge pang in my chest and hung my head.
“Well that’s good for you,” I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
“I was fifty-six, and she was thirty-two when we met. Everyone thought I was crazy for dating such a young woman, and I had never thought about settling down. But I’m glad I did. She saved me from myself.”
I stared at Gabriel with wide eyes. I couldn’t believe what he was telling me. I immediately thought about Rosy, and our age gap.
The age difference wasn’t a huge thing to me, but I did wonder what others would think. I felt ridiculous now.
“Well, that’s a beautiful story. But I’m not sure how it pertains to me.”
Gabriel slid his chair closer to mine and grabbed the shot glass out of my hands. He slammed the glass down on the bar so hard I thought it would break.
“It pertains because I know how you feel about Rosy. She was my last client before I was let go, and the only thing she ever asked about was you. Even a blind man could see how much she loved you.”
I turned away from Gabriel as my heart started to race.
“You don’t understand how hard it is though,” I lamented. “I’ve never been able to commit. I’d only hurt her in the long run.
“You think running away from her is better?”
I fell quiet. As much as I hated to admit it, Gabriel was right. I was running away from her, and it wasn’t saying anything. I had just broken Rosy’s heart, and sent her straight into the douchebag arms of Cris Lovington.
“I guess not. But I can’t get hurt. I’m empty but it’s familiar.”
Gabriel got up and pulled a wrinkled one hundred dollar bill on the table. He placed a wrinkled hand on my shoulder and squeezed it tightly.
“You’re only empty because you allow yourself to be. Pick who you want to be.” Gabriel slowly walked away from me, grabbing his leather coat that was laying on the chair behind us.
“Gabriel,” I said weakly, reaching for the crumpled money with a shaking hand. “Let me get this.”
Gabriel shook his head. “No,” he said. “Let me.”
As I watched him leave the bar, the hole in my heart felt bigger than ever.
He was right though. I needed to see her. I wasn’t content with being this way forever.
When I turned around to face the bar again, the sight of the empty glasses filled me with disgust.
What was I doing?
I pulled out a wad of cash and threw it on the bar, then got up and started to make my way towards the door.
The sunlight was breaking through the windows of the bar, making little squares of light on the floor. I needed to see her.
As I put my hand on the door, a rush of determination pushed through me and I felt stronger than I’d felt in twenty years.
Rosy was mine, and I had to get her.
I staggered out into the bright sunlight and squinted. I was completely drunk and out of it. I fell onto the ground, but wasn’t prepared to give up.
I could see my driver running over me quickly. I didn’t want his help though. I wanted my Rosy.
“Mr. Steele!” He cried out as he tried to help me up. I swatted his hands away and tried to pull myself up.
The Dirty Hotel King: A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance Page 24
