“No,” I say shocking him. “The old man, who’s right up here in front of your ass thinks he’d like to follow through with his plans to make this a team project. We don’t have time for shit and charm.”
That’s me the straight talker, except he’s never heard me talk like that before.
Peter; Rachel’s father, loves this guy because he’s a hot shot. I think he’s a prick but maybe, truth be told, I just can’t stand the fucker because he has a better chance of getting the woman I want.
The restructure was last week and Peter put me in charge of their department.
This is the first time we’ve all worked together, although I’ve always worked for the company. I travelled and came back to Chicago a few months back.
Allen has probably seen me around the office but thinks I’ll treat him like God’s gift because Peter likes him and wants him to date his daughter.
“Oh… I just assumed that you’d delegate,” Allen states.
“No,” I say again, more pointed this time and out the corner of my eye I catch Rachel trying to bite back a smile. “For this project to work the way I envisage we’ll work together. This week I want us to plan out what we think we’ll need to make this campaign a success. Then, and only then, will we talk about the budget.”
“I like that idea,” Rachel answers much to his dismay. She holds my gaze and I feel that thing I’ve been feeling since she was about sixteen.
It’s the lure of attraction.
Temptation to explore the spark of chemistry that’s always rippled between us. Temptation to venture into paths I know I shouldn’t touch.
“Fair enough,” Allen says snapping me out of the trance. “Just know though, in case you change your mind that I know a thing or two about getting people to agree to whatever I want.”
“I’m sure you do.” I give him a fake ass smile, but he doesn’t take the hint that I can see through his bull shit and I know he’s used this meeting to parade himself around Rachel. “Anyway, that’s what I have for now. What I want is you guys back here on Thursday, same time same place with ideas we can put together for brand awareness and sales. I expect you to do your research on Activate, which should include looking at their sales figures and other reports, basically everything they sent over. If you need more info contact their business liaison officer. Any questions?”
They both shake their heads.
“Great, meeting adjourned,” I add and move back to the desk to start packing up my paperwork. While I do that I’m half listening to the lame ass conversation Allen starts with Rachel.
“So when are you going to lunch with me, baby?” he asks her.
“I’m not, I’m busy,” she answers with an edge of irritation in her tone.
“What about dinner then, you had a mountain of excuses last week, surely you can fit me in for dinner this week. How about tonight at eight.”
“Allen, I’m busy,” she dismisses him.
“Fucking hell woman, what the fuck are you afraid of? Do you think you’ll like me too much?” He laughs.
I glance up at her to see her reaction. I’m just curious to see if she likes him. I’ve seen her with so many different guys over the years and this is what I do. I just watch and turn a blind eye. That’s all. I won’t cross the line. I won’t even go near it.
I can’t stand this guy though. His arrogance and the shit that comes out of his mouth grates me the wrong way and I fear I’ll just snap one day.
“I don’t think I’ll have that problem,” Rachel answers to my relief.
He smirks and runs a hand through his spiky blond hair. “Can’t say no to me forever baby. I’ll give you credit for trying though.” With a wink he saunters away.
His departure leaves her visibly relieved. She looks less tense and more relaxed. I straighten up when she turns to me, and try to steady my emotions as she makes her way over.
I’m not supposed to engage in too much conversation with her. Five minutes tops, that’s all I allow myself these days. Months ago no week would pass without me seeing her at least once or twice. We’d have dinner, see a movie, or just hang out. Then things changed. They had to though.
“Hi…do you want to grab some coffee?” she asks, giving me a sweet smile.
“I can’t… I have too much to do, but maybe we can catch up some other time,” I answer.
The crestfallen look on her face pulls at my heart. I’m not going to pretend I don’t know how she feels about me. What I can’t do is entertain it.
I’ve already lost enough in my attempts to be oblivious, but some people are gifted enough to see through the shit.
“It’s just coffee Dante, we could walk and drink up the stairs or across the building in between meetings.”
She’s right and now I’m the prick, but there’s a reason for that.
“I just can’t Rachel. You’d be surprised how the minutes add up. I’m busy.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You’re always busy now. It’s the same excuse whether you’re at home or at work. Dante, busy, is the answer you give when you don’t want to see a person. I thought I meant a little more to you than that.”
I only take a moment to note that she told Allen she’s busy because she doesn’t want to see him. That’s all the time I take though, a moment. What snaps me into action is the other part of what she said. It was the part that worried me when I started this distancing process. I knew it would hurt her.
“Princesa don’t be like that.” That’s what I’ve always called her. “You know I’m busy.”
“I also know when you’re lying. You’re avoiding me.”
“I’m not.”
“Yes,” she says with more emphasis and now she looks pissed. “I’m not a child anymore. You can’t just make up some excuse and I’ll believe it. But it’s okay, I’ll stop pressing, if you don’t want to see me it’s fine.”
She starts walking away and I drop the damn file on the ground. It can stay.
I go after her instead and grab her arm.
“Rachel, stop.”
“What? What are you going to tell me now?”
“Rachel… I can’t hang out with you the way I used to.” I know if I wanted to make it look more legit that I’m busy, I shouldn’t have told her that, not in that way. Now she’s obviously curious as to what I mean.
“Why? Why not?” She gazes up at me through the fringe of her thick black lashes.
When I don’t answer she shakes her head and wrenches her arm free of my grasp.
“Dante…you have a way of not seeing what’s right in front of you.”
“What? What am I supposed to see?” This is me pretending to be oblivious. This is me carrying on a charade that I have no knowledge of how she feels.
It’s a complete contrast to the moments when I catch myself staring at her and she sees me and I don’t look away. Those moments, although brief are always wild, hot and fiery with the primal sexual energy that makes me want to give in and put two fingers up at the consequences.
“Do you really not know?” she asks and her beautiful brown eyes brims with tears.
I bite down hard on my back teeth and lift my head slightly assuming that persona again.
“What don’t I know?” I ask continuing the pretense. It’s my last attempt to keep this vagueness between us. It’s safer that way.
Her gaze burrows into me. “It’s nothing. I guess it’s nothing. Or whatever it is will be nothing. One day it won’t be there. Maybe that’s better though.”
She walks away and I watch her go through the door.
That right there was the closest she’s ever come to telling me how she feels.
The reason I can’t go there with her though is valid enough.
Not only did I loose Marie when she knew that my interests in Rachel ran deeper than what I portrayed, but Peter knows too. Her father, my best friend knows too that I feel more for his daughter than what I allow her to see.
In the space of a mo
nth, Marie broke up with me and we had to cancel our wedding. Then Peter guessed the reason for the break up.
Rachel.
Both him and Marie could see what I didn’t want anyone to see.
Your best friend’s daughter is not only off limits but she’s out of bounds too.
There’s a difference. Off limits has some give. Out of bounds though, signifies danger of a higher degree. It means I could lose things like a forty-year old friendship with a guy who’s been like a brother to me.
Peter gave me the warning.
He told me to stay away from his daughter. That’s why I am.
Chapter Three
Rachel
I’m so stupid.
When am I going to get over this man?
Why the hell do I keep pushing and trying? Prodding and holding on like one of those desperate people who can’t do any better.
Jia rests her hand on my shoulder and gives me a little tap.
Giselle just looks at me from across the table in her usual way. Like she’s contemplating and won’t give a decisive answer until she’s sure of what to say.
She’s a lawyer and I’ve noticed the trait common to most of them. She’s no different and while I love my best friend to no end it can be irritating at times.
Jia, best friend number two, is different. At least she’ll throw some ideas out there for us to talk it out.
That’s why we’re here at the coffeehouse, gathered in like it’s our hub, airing the shit out while we indulge on fattening pastries.
“I think you should be objective about this,” Jia says.
I appreciate that she’s talking. It’s different to Miss Silent on my right—whoops I forgot she’s Mrs. Silence now. Giselle has been married for six months and she’s all loved up with Josh, her gorgeous hunk. He can be silent too. They’re both lawyers.
“Objective in what way? I actually don’t know what to do,” I answer.
I summoned them here for an emergency meeting because I’m at the point where I’m ready to pull out my hair over this man.
Something’s happened and I don’t know what it is. Dante and I have always been close and the years that have passed have made us closer. Even when he was engaged he still made time for me.
I’m not a bitch so I won’t be one of those women who’ll be happy to see a couple who were enroute to marriage break up. However, I am an opportunist and I won’t pretend that their breakup didn’t signify that he was back on the market.
I took it as a second chance for me to tell him how I feel, except I haven’t done that part, yet. I nearly did though earlier.
“Well think of it this way,” Jia begins. “If this was some other guy you wouldn’t give him the time of day would you? I mean if he was acting like he wasn’t interested or avoiding you, you’d let it be.”
Jesus Christ, that’s not what I want to hear but she’s right. “I’d let it be. I wouldn’t chase him at all. Fuck… I’ve never chased a man in my life.”
I haven’t. This one’s the first and he’s driving me crazy. His signals are completely mixed up and I don’t know what to do besides give up.
“Rachel you’ve never chased any guy and I don’t think you should start now. No matter who he is.” Jia nods her dark head and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.
“That’s just the problem though,” Giselle cuts in before I can answer.
“What part?” I ask.
“Who he is,” she says. “Dante is the guy you’ve been into since forever. You’ve never chased a man but he’s the exception to the rule. I’m going to say that it does look like something’s happened. It’s odd that he won’t even go get coffee with you.”
I sigh and gaze on at her. then I look to Jia who seems to be in agreement with her now.
“I don’t know what happened. It’s been months of it. Do you think he’s still hung up on his ex.”
Giselle shakes her head. “This is the kind of behavior I’d expect if he was still with her. Not after the break up.”
God…maybe I should just give up. This is a thing that’s plagued me all my life.
It was hard growing up and fantasizing about him. I used to conjure up so many things in my mind, of all the ways we’d end up together, somehow someway.
But perhaps I am wrong.
Maybe it’s me who wanted to see things that weren’t there and make shit up to give myself hope where there was none in the first place.
“Rachel…” Giselle stretches her hand across the table and takes mine. “Have you actually told him how you feel? I mean in those words so there’s no room for confusion.”
I shake my head. “I haven’t told him and I don’t know if I can. I’m scared of what that might do to us. If he knows and he doesn’t want me I’d feel so foolish. It would break me. This madness is almost better than the fear of hearing him say that he doesn’t want me.”
Giselle’s shoulders slump. “Rachel… here’s what I think. You need to tell him. you need to actually tell him. Do it or forget about it. If you don’t do it then this thing today is just going to be one more thing to add to the craziness.”
I continue to stare at her, processing her advice.
I can’t keep on like this and what’s worse is Dad keeps pushing Allen on me. That was why he was the way he was during the meeting this morning. That was why he came back for me at lunch time and continued his pursuit, and that was why he told me he loved my game of playing hard to get and would thoroughly enjoy getting in my pants when I decide to let him in.
What an asshole.
“You’re right. Both of you are right and I’m sorry to burden you with this shit again.”
“It’s not a burden,” Jia says with a warm smile. “Who else are you going to talk to if you don’t talk to us.”
“Exactly,” Giselle adds. “Besides, Rachel, we’ve always been fascinated about this thing you’ve had with Dante. He’s gorgeous and I swear every time we see him he looks better and better. Have you ever thought though that maybe he’s just being careful because of your father.”
I shrug. I honestly don’t know. I have no idea now. It’s a good point. I guess I’ve been so stuck in my fantasy of being with him that I never thought about how not only Dad would feel, but Mom too.
They’ll think he’s too old for me although I don’t care about that. I might have when I was younger. Definitely when I was sixteen and right up to eighteen. Maybe even my very early twenties. But I’m twenty-six now, a woman in her own right. I can be with a man who’s twenty years older than me if I want to.
But not if he’s avoiding me.
“I don’t know. That’s the answer. I don’t actually care about that. My father is a control freak and he has no right to that part of my life.”
“You might not care, but maybe Dante does.”
This is ridiculous and I can’t keep doing this to myself. I have to get my act together. To do that I think that means I have to forget Dante.
He doesn’t want me. That’s the answer. There’s no point speculating or even planning to tell him how I feel when the answer is obvious.
He doesn’t want me.
The sooner I accept the facts the sooner I can move on. That’s the solution to this mess in my head, even if I don’t want to accept it.
I just have to try. Try damn hard and I know just the thing to help me, the place. The Dark Odyssey. I’ll go there.
I’ll go off to my guilty pleasure in attempts to forget. I haven’t been there in a while because I thought I might have a shot with Dante.
The Dark Odyssey is a club built to explore wild sexual fantasies. It’s escape.
That’s what I need, after all isn’t finding another guy the best way to forget a guy? I think I need a healthy dose of escape with a man who wants me, someone who will make me forget the shit.
I’ll make plans to go tomorrow night.
Chapter Four
Dante
I take a draw on my cigar, hold it
for a few seconds in my lungs, then blow out the smoke.
Salvatore chuckles and leans forward in his chair. “Dante… I swear you’re going to do some damage to your lungs one day and then I’ll say I told you so.”
“What? You expect me not to smoke like a real man come on now. What’s the point of a good Cuban if you don’t do it right?” I challenge.
“I guess so man,” he says.
I needed this time with a friend who’s not Peter. I’ve managed to catch Salvatore on this very rare occasion where he’s not here with his wife, or running after his kids.
I call him my friend who walks the dark side. We’ve known each other since we were boys, a little like Peter and I, but our meeting was down to our families working close together.
Well… close as in mine worked for his, not with his.
Salvatore Giordano belongs to one of the wealthiest families in Chicago. They also happen to be one of the biggest mafia families too.
He’s a guy I’ve always been able to relate to and sitting here in his private lounge at The Dark Odyssey reminds me of why that is.
Even as a married man, Salvatore lives life on the edge and pushes the limits of what’s acceptable. He doesn’t give a shit about what people think. It’s called existing outside reality. That’s how I wish I could be.
This club is just one example of that. He’s one of the owners of this taboo as fuck joint. It’s a sex club and we’re sitting here amongst all the sex like it’s nothing. We’re just two guys smoking cigars and drinking like we could be in the park.
There’s sex going on all around us from the ground up. We’re on the fifth floor and there are two more floors above us.
People come in droves for the wild Venetian masquerade themed lingerie parties that’s held here. There’s every kind of fantasy you can think of and ones you can’t make up even if you were given the blueprints.
“What’s with you?” Salvatore asks straightening up against his chair. “It’s not like you to come here and see me, not anymore anyway.”
Tempt: A Dark Billionaire Romance (Dark Odyssey Club Fantasies Book 2) Page 2
