“You could do that for me?” he asked, his dull brown eyes sparking with the first glimmer of excitement since I’d met him.
Idiot. What did he mean could I do it? Of course, I could. I owned the fucking team. And it was a pity that donations were what it took to bring him alive when he had a badass like Xiomara on his arm.
Nodding again, I said, “Yes. I’ll call Z...Xiomara and let her know the time and place, and she can relay that to you.”
Blinking rapidly, a series of emotions crossed her face at once, not the least of which was frustration and anger.
Smiling at her, I winked and turned and walked away.
I could easily get him that meeting he wanted and the donations he sought if that’s what I wanted.
But what I wanted more than anything was the woman. The fact that I was about to take his woman almost made me feel a spark of pity for Russell.
Almost.
CHAPTER 5 – LAKE
“LOOK WHO THE HELL THE storm blew in!” I announced, laughing when my sister Harlow breezed outside to the pool where we were lying out in the sun.
It was a rare hot day in October, and I took advantage of the sun with my best friend, Will, and our good friend, Izzy.
“Harlow!” Izzy declared, jumping up and tugging her bikini bottom out of her ass as she ran to my sister and threw her arms around her.
Squealing, Harlow squeezed Izzy back, and the two jumped up and down.
“Okay, okay, enough of all that screaming,” Will declared with one arm drunkenly tossed over his forehead, pushing his glasses askew.
When the two ladies calmed down, Izzy flopped back down on her towel and swung her feet back into the water.
“Figured I’d find you guys out here on a day like today. Once a beach bum, always a beach bum,” Harlow said, bending over to hug and kiss me on the cheek.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ve earned this life. Will, quit looking at my sister’s ass before I kick yours, dude!” I called out.
Laughing, Harlow plopped down on the chaise lounge beside mine. “Will’s always looking at my ass, has been since I was sixteen, and you guys were just getting ready to head off to college.”
“Sick bastard,” I muttered.
“It’s a nice ass,” Will called out from behind his dark glasses, flipping over onto his stomach on the chaise lounge two seats over from mine.
“Hey, watch that! You see enough ass at that club of yours,” I said, referencing Prestige, of which he was a co-owner. He inherited his ownership from his father, who passed two years earlier. Will had been being groomed to take over since he graduated from college.
“You’re not missing out on any ass either if what I’ve been hearing is true. All year, you’ve been interested in dark meat, Lake. What gives?” he asked, chuckling and tilting his sunglasses down a bit to peer at me.
My jaw clenched at his words. That was the downfall of my best friend being part owner of a club that was like an addiction. He had access to everything, including the records of who was linking up with who. Not that he would ever use that information for immoral purposes, but still, I didn’t like it. Especially when he called me out in front of my sister and friend.
“It’s got shit to do with you, Crerie,” I said.
He always knew I was pissed when I resorted to calling him by his last name.
“Hey, don’t be mad at me. It’s just a joke. I’ve always appreciated women of every persuasion, from here to China and in the Amazon jungles. There’s no discrimination here,” Will said, sitting up and turning on his side to look at me.
“What I do at that club is none of your business,” I growled.
Patting my hand, Harlow laughed and said, “Calm down, brother dear. You have an addiction to Prestige, and the world knows it. When you finally find the right woman to settle down with, she’s going to have to be one amazing woman to get you to quit chasing free ass at the club.”
“Trust me, lil sis. That ass is hardly free. It costs me twenty grand annually. That’s some expensive ass.”
“Careful, you two, if you don’t watch it, you’re going to make it sound as if I’m running a prostitution ring, and the last thing I need is the big boys on my ass,” Will said.
“Settling down is highly overrated, Lake,” Izzy said.
Scoffing, I said, “Says she who couldn’t wait to get married and as soon as she did, she was cheating within the first year of marriage.”
Shrugging, she said, “As I stated, settling down is highly overrated.”
“Maybe you haven’t found the right person, yet,” Harlow suggested, peering at her old friend.
“Damn, she should have figured that out before saying ‘I do,’” Will snickered.
“I could say the same thing about you,” Izzy lazily tossed back.
“The difference between Lily and me, and you and John, is that Lily knows what I do. She’s a part of it all. I don’t cheat on my wife; my wife and I have a swinger’s lifestyle, and we don’t have a problem with that.”
“Will, if that’s the case, I don’t get why you married Lily. I mean, if you wanted other women, why didn’t you remain single and just take advantage of being part owner of one of the greatest billionaire clubs in the country?” Harlow asked.
“I have the best of both worlds. I’ve got a wonderful woman who loves me, and access to more ass than just hers, and a woman who loves to indulge me and to indulge,” Will said, smirking.
“I just don’t get it. You still shouldn’t have settled down,” Harlow pointed out.
“Yes, I should’ve. She’s got my back no matter what. I’ve got someone I can share everything with, I’m not lonely, and when I go through difficulties, she’s right by my side.
