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“Sure is, honey. You keep working, and I’ll clock in a little bit of extra stuff until you’re ready.” Kim smiles, and relief floods over me.
I can’t wait to just relax a bit tonight. It’s much needed and well-deserved.
Chapter Two
Lom
I’m just parking my silver Ferrari Roma when my phone dings in the cupholder. The screen in front of me notifies me it’s from my brother, Ruslan. I tap on the text message alert on the screen, and my Bluetooth reads it aloud. “Brother, things have settled in Atlanta. When can I expect you back in Grozny?” the computerized voice says.
My brother’s been pressuring me over the last couple of weeks that my time here in Atlanta’s coming to an end. However, I’m not ready to leave yet. Our business dealings with the Steele family are going as smoothly as ever, and we both said I didn’t need to stay in Atlanta for much longer.
I know my place is at my home in Grozny, but I don’t want to leave Atlanta just yet. As much as I’ve been lying to myself, I’m drawn to Emily, and Emily lives in Atlanta. She’s finished her master’s program here and has an internship at a real estate and design company. She even has an apartment here. All we do is fuck and spend time together, with no label on what we are… but I want her. I’ve been lying to myself all this time if I ever thought I wouldn’t grow attached to her. I figured she would be like the rest of the women I got involved with—hot but boring. Though, Emily is anything but boring.
She isn’t only beautiful with her dark chocolate, curly hair… but she’s meticulous, stubborn, strong-willed, and hysterical. Those are only a few of the things I’ve come to adore about her, but they are my favorite.
I know my brother can see when I’ve read his text messages, and I debate not answering him back at all, but I know better than to agitate him. So I pick up my phone and open the message.
To: Ruslan
We’ll have to discuss it later.
I keep my response vague, but I need to think about what I’m going to tell my brother. I can’t tell him I’m staying here for Emily. All he thinks I’m doing with her is keeping my dick wet. He has no idea I’m actually interested in the woman.
I slide my phone into the pocket of my gray trousers and exit my vehicle. I lock the car, as always, and walk toward the building. The bottom few floors are used for storefronts and hold a bar called Mason’s, while the upper levels are condominiums. The bar is also tied to the Steele family. Rumor has it the man who was like a father to Brooklyn Steele owned the place, and then one of the family members purchased it after he passed away. I believe Christian’s wife, Selena, owns the bar now. Regardless, I want some hearty food and a couple of drinks. I figured this would be the best place to get some of both.
I head for the elevator and press the button to indicate I need to go upstairs. After a few moments, the elevator doors open, and I walk inside. A couple pairs of heels clacking behind me instantly tell me I have people who want to get on as well, so I hold my hand in front of the door, so it doesn’t close. Sure enough, two women in very short dresses come in behind me.
“Thank you so much!” the red-headed one says with a lustrous smirk.
“Yes, you’re totally a lifesaver,” the brunette beside her comments, looking me up and down. It’s obvious to me what the two of them are looking for this evening, not that I blame them. In this day and age, it’s ridiculous for someone to ridicule you for wanting sex. We all need something to relieve stress, and sex is my way of doing it as well. Only, I’m not looking to dive deep into anyone besides Emily. The more I think about it, the more I realize I can’t stomach the idea of her being with someone else. I need to talk to her about this soon. If I don’t, she might get involved with some random man who doesn’t deserve her.
The restaurant was closed for about a month while they completed new updates to the joint, so I, for one, am excited to see what they changed. I click the first level since that’s where I’m going and then look at the two women. “What floor?”
“The same level as you,” the brunette answers.
“Imagine that,” the redhead adds, then looks to her friend. They both smile like they have something up their sleeve.
Suddenly, the elevator stops, and the doors open. The ladies wait for me to go, but I extend a hand. “After you.”
“Oh, and a gentleman, too,” the brunette comments.
“I hope he isn’t a gentleman in the bedroom,” the redhead comments.
“Ladies, I understand you’re speaking in jest, but I’ll make things very clear right now. Neither of you is going home with me tonight,” I state very clearly to the two women and walk past them, heading straight for the front doors of Mason’s.
As I pull the door open, I’m surprised to see they’ve aged up the place quite a bit. They’ve changed out the older wooden floors with old hardwood. It looks like the slabs are made from hundred-year-old oak trees. The wood runs throughout the space, and the same wood that lines the bar is now on the back of the booths. The bar now extends another thirty feet at least, allowing more room for patrons and giving the bartenders a bigger space to work with.
I begin walking to the end of the bar when I hear a very familiar laugh. Turning my neck to the left, I spot Emily with some dude I don’t know. What the fuck? A growl forms in the center of my throat, and it’s taking every bit of strength inside me not to rush over there right now and demand answers. Then again, can I even demand any answers? It’s times like these I’m reminded we don’t have a label.
I continue to the bar and take a seat at the empty barstool around the corner, which gives me a great view of Emily and her friend.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asks as he comes over.
“A vodka on the rocks would be fine, thanks.”
“Sure. You want me to open a tab?”
I nod and hand the man my card, and he takes it over and lays it on the back of the bar. I end up not even ordering any food because I’m so pissed right now. The bartender brings me my drink, and I finish it after a few minutes, then order a second one. I’m halfway through my second drink when I get a good idea. I’ve been watching Emily laugh and have a good time with her friend since I’ve been here, and to say my patience is wearing thin would be an understatement.
