10. Chris

I flip through my clubs record book while my manager, Pratt, stands in front of my desk, his hands folded at his back.

“We ordered more crates of that vodka since it is the customers’ favorite.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” I close the record book completely satisfied that there are no discrepancies. “You can go now,” I say dismissing him.

“Um, boss. Your friend, Mr. Watson, is waiting for you outside,” he adds.

My dull mood lights up at that. “Let him in.”

He nods and leaves. I clear my desk and recline in my chair as I stretch my back and hips. The past few days have been hectic with me flying to New York and London to check on my clubs there.

The door opens and Luke walks in with two buckets of KFC chicken.

“I got this for you,” he says as he places one of the buckets on my desk.

I smile in appreciation and stand to wash my hands in the sink. After washing my hands, I sit back in my chair and place the bucket of chicken on my lap.

“To what do I owe this kind gesture?” I ask as I pick out one piece and munch on it.

He playfully rolls his eyes. “You talk as if I do things for you just to get something in return. I know you have had a busy week, and Ive come to relieve you.”

“Thats so sweet of you.”

“I forgot to tell you that I was able to prevent the buying of those shares.”

My ear perks up at that. “Thats great news. We should celebrate.”

“Thats why Im here. When the club is in full swing, Im balling.”

I roll my eyes. To Luke, partying and sleeping with random strangers is his own definition of fun.

“What I mean by celebrating is for us to relax and have some good whiskey,” I try.

He chuckles at my expense and slaps his thigh. “You know sometimes I doubt that you are just in your thirties.”

“Why?” I ask, not a bit amused.

“Lets just say you act like you are older sometimes. Loosen up and have some fun. I cant believe Im telling you this,” he says.

“Theres nothing fun about getting wasted and waking up with a migraine.”

Luke raises up his hand. “Im not going to argue with you. Im just going to enjoy my chicken.”

“You always say that when you are losing the argument,” I point out.

He rolls his eyes and continues munching on his chicken.

My phone rings, and I pick it up from my desk.

“Who is it?” Luke asks absentmindedly.

“Nala.” I answer the call. “Hello, sis. To what honor do I owe this call?”

She snorts. “Im just calling you to inform you that Im coming in a few days’ time. And this time Im staying for a long time. Prepare for me.”

“Wow, do I have a say in this?” I tease because she has never had to call before she springs a surprise visit on me. The last one lasted two days. I wonder how long this one will last. Little sisters get away with everything.

“Just thank your stars Im being polite this time.”

“Wow, thank you so much.”

“Anyway, dont tell Gianna Im coming. Im planning to surprise her.”

At the mention of Gianna, my heart skips a beat. I havent seen her in four days, in fact, since our night together. Every time I go to her apartment, shes not there. I dont know where she works, which makes me realize that I know little about her.

“You talk as if we are best friends who keep in touch.”

“Well, I know you guys will get there.”

If only she knew how complicated Ive made our relationship. “Why do you want to surprise her and not me?”

“Duh, her birthday is coming up, and I want to be the first to give her a gift, as usual.”

‘Her birthday is coming up’keeps ringing in my ear.

“When is it?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luke look up.

“Next Tuesday.”

“Okay.” I make a mental note.

“Remember not to tell her anything,” she urges. “Anyway, you may not see her or even have the chance to tell her. Hopefully, she will be busy with her date this week.”

I freeze, wondering if I heard her right, and sit up. “Her date? She has a date?”

She scoffs, making me sound ridiculous. “Of course. Cant she have one?”

I rub my forehead. “Thats not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” she presses.

I rub my forehead feeling stressed. “Never mind. What were you saying?’

“I organized a blind date for her. I hope it works out.”

“Where?” I blurt out, letting my intrusive thoughts take over me.

“Why are you suddenly interested? Its none of your business,” my sister harshly reminds me.

I flush in embarrassment, sweating under the air conditioner. “Dont mind me.”

“I think you need some coffee. I will get out of your hair now. Bye, bro.” She cuts the call before I can even say goodbye.

I let out a sigh and looked up only to meet Lukes inquisitive eyes.

“What?” I fling at him.

He shrugs and stands from his seat. He places his bucket of chicken on my desk and washes his hands at the sink in my office’s en suite.

“I should be asking you that. Why do you want to know where Gianna is having her date?”

I feel cornered. “I dont know. I just blurted the question out without thinking.”

“Obviously.” He shakes his head. “You have been acting weird since you saw her again. We havent even talked about why you were looking for her at your house party. I thought we agreed that you would find someone else.”

“Is that why you brought Jessica to my party without asking me first?”

“I brought her, so you wont make the same mistake.” Luke levels a look at me.

“So, you brought my mistake as a reminder to prevent me from making another one? Make it make sense, Luke.” I dont know why Im losing my temper. I dont even understand what Im feeling.

“I was just helping you, but my help was discarded. I hope you know what you are doing Chris. Messing with a family friend has dire consequences. I shouldnt have to tell you this,” he finishes.

“I know,” I mutter under my breath. “Do you think I wanted this to happen?”

“I dont know, you tell me. All I wanted was for you to apologize to her, not make her your latest conquest!”

I furrow my eyebrows at his reaction. “Why are you getting mad at me?”

“Because that girl does not deserve this. She has gone through a lot already. Dont make it worse.”

“You seem to know a lot about her.” I spit bitterly.

“Well, I was her shoulder to cry on when you broke her heart the first time.” He dumps the bucket of chicken in the bin. “Dont do it again.”

He leaves me perplexed. I cant believe Luke thinks the worst of me. I lived a reckless life in the past, discarded girls like they meant nothing. But that was in the past. It has nothing to do with Gianna.

Yet I still remember that night so vividly.

* * *

I flip through her diary chuckling to myself.

“Give me back my diary,” Gianna pleads, trying to reach for it but I keep it up over my head. Shes way shorter than me, making it hard for her to reach it. “You shouldnt be reading someones diary.”

My girl for the night, Betty or Barley or whatever her name is, had handed me a diary she found lying down on the staircase recklessly.

Curiosity had taken over me, and I brushed through the pages thinking it was Nalas. Only for it to turn out to be for Gianna’s.

I read the contents of the last entry in the diary.

How can I tell him I love him? He barely looks my way, but in my dreams hes so friendly and protects me. If only my dreams can become a reality. Then Chris White wont just be my best friends brother—he’ll be mine.

I laugh wholeheartedly, finding the whole thing amusing. I never thought my little sister’s friend would be this delusional.

Shes quiet now. No longer trying to reach for her diary. Eyes on the floor.

“Im yours?” I spat, causing her to flinch. “I didnt know a poor little thing like you had feelings. It wasnt enough that you have Nala wrapped around your fingers, you want to add me too. Too bad Im not as trusting as Nala.”

I bend to her level and tilt her chin up to face me. “Look here little miss, you are not welcome here. You dont deserve to be in this house. You are just a doll my sister has to play with for the meantime before she discards you.”

Tears fall from her eyes down to her cheeks. My heart feels weirdly guilty seeing her cry, but Im too wasted to care.

“You are nothing. Not even an afterthought. Its better for you to know your place before you discover the type of monster I can be.”

I drop her diary on the floor, and she immediately bends to pick it up. She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Chris!” The stern voice of Luke rings out. He walks out of his hiding place at the corner of the doorway. As he comes closer, Gianna runs off.

“Chris, how could you?” I have never seen so much disappointment in his eyes. And it makes it worse that it is directed at me. For what reason, I dont know.

“How could I what?”

He shakes his head as if Im a lost cause.

“Shes just a child and you talked to her that way. You hurt the poor girls feelings.”

I shrug not in the least affected. “She hurt herself by acting like that. What does she know about feelings? Shes just a bad influence on Nala.”

“Sometimes I wonder how I became friends with you when you are so ruthless,” he throws out.

“Are you insulting me because of that girl?”

He brings his palm to his forehead and shakes his head before raising his chin so his eyes can meet mine, “If that feels like an insult to you, then I dont know what else to say.” He starts to leave.

Out of curiosity, I ask. “Where are you going?”

“To solve the mess, you created.”

* * *

I never saw her at my house again. Which is understandable given how I had treated her.

There are times I would come back from work and feel her presence everywhere. She successfully avoided me for eight years until now.

I fucked up real bad. Now I dont even know what she thinks of me.

“… Hopefully she will be busy with her date this week.”Nalas words resound in my ear like a broken record.

Gianna is on a date. Our night together meant nothing to her.

Was it supposed to mean something?Even I can’t answer that question.

I shouldnt be mad or bothered, but I am. I should be happy that it isnt a big deal to her but, for some reason unknown to me, Im not.

Im not even sure what pushed me to kiss her that night. I had gone up to the balcony to try to strike up some conversation and ease the tension between us. That was the point of the party Nala and I planned.

But what I do know is that night changed the dynamic of how I go about my flings.

I had kissed her, softly, deeply like one would a lover and the sex had been far too slow and intimate for a regular one-night stand, edging towards dangerous waters in more aspects than one and scaring me shitless.

It has been four days since that night and not a day has passed without me thinking of her. Her body, her touch and passionate moans plays on loop making it hard for me to focus on anything.

I had to distract myself by keeping busy. I put her at the back of my mind, only remembering her when Im not busy.

If shes on a date, it means that night meant nothing to her. Given the way she has been avoiding me, theres no other conclusion but that.

Gianna doesnt have any kind of feeling for me anymore and I dont know why it hurts.

I pick up my office landline and put a call through to Pratt.

“Yes, boss,” he answers.

“Get me an Ardbeg neat, triple. Thanks.”

Within a few minutes, Pratt serves my drink. I dismiss him and lean against the open door of my office which overlooks the club.

I light my cigarette and scan the small sea of people for anyone I can take home. A lady who just walked in catches my attention. She embodies my type: long brunette hair, red painted lips, and a body that invites sin. The complete opposite of Gianna.

The gorgeous porcelain doll-looking lady’s eyes meet mine and it clicks. She would be the perfect woman to get Gianna out of my mind.

Its easy getting her into my private room at the club. I sit on the sofa while the lady whose name I cant remember drops to her knees. She unzips my pants and pulls out my dick and slowly starts to blow me.

I puff out smoke in the air and stare up at the ceiling. A few minutes later, she pulls away and huffs in annoyance. She starts to jerk me off to no avail. My cock remains flaccid.

“Do you have a medical issue? Why arent you getting hard?” she complains while still stroking me.

“Just try again,” I absentmindedly say, pissed that she disturbed my peace. She takes my cock in her mouth again and I close my eyes to concentrate.

It fails. I sigh loudly in defeat. “You know what, just stop.” I pull her off me and she glares at me. “You can leave.

She gets up and fixes her crumpled dress. She grabs her purse from the bed and storms out.

I place my head on my hand and cuss. Fuck. Not only is Gianna messing with my head but also my ability to perform.

Maybe if I sleep with her one more time, I can get her out of my head, and everything would go back to normal. I would just have to wait for her to come back from her so-called date.

Or, an idea strikes me, if I have to ruin her date just to have her, then so be it.

I order some more drinks with a new plan in mind. One more time and Im done.