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Ouch. The gaming community is small.
“He can try, but he doesn’t have the financial backing, and I can’t think of anyone who’d invest in him. That’s his only route.” Meaning, Trace doesn’t have the money the other guys had when they started out.
Matthias is a little under six feet, with deep black hair and dark rimmed glasses. He’s an adorable geek who, in a suit, attracts a gaggle of girlsandguys. Not because they know he’s Matthias Hennessy, but because he’s good looking.
He walks toward the door, stops, and turns around. “And I’ll make it my life’s mission in five years to do whatever is necessary to ensure he fails.” Matt’s a gentle soul and loves everyone, but when it comes to Trace, he has no forgiveness or generosity. And he never will.
He leaves before we can respond.
My attention averts to Edwin. “Were you wanting to buy it?”
“It’s really good. I showed it to Reggie, and he was impressed, and you know it takes a lot to impress that genius. But no, not really. All Trace would do is use any sales from it for his future, and he doesn’t deserve to succeed in this world. But I wanted everyone to have a chance to say no before I told Trace where he could shove it.”
Those are my boys. They may be overgrown kids at times, but at the end of the day, they make me proud.
In the ten minutes of excitement, I forgot about Dom and my text. I pick up the phone, and there’s nothing. No, I amend that. He’s read it and hasn’t responded.Motherfucker.
It’s been two weeks.My sister and family are gone, living it up in New York, and it’s just me and Otis. I’ve not heard from Dom.
My sister has been on my ass for the past two weeks about it. She went from hopeful to downright pissed on my behalf. She told me I needed to get back on the horse and take a ride. Her analogy wasn’t lost on me, and when an old friend of hers called me last night, I knew my sister was up to her matchmaking ways.
What did I have to lose? I know Curtis. He was a coworker of Cami and Dane’s from the law firm, and he’s shown interest in the past. Plus, he’s my age, not a younger guy who obviously doesn’t know what he wants.
It’s a shame Dom turned out to be a fucking tool.
I’m standing in front of a small dive bar Curtis claims is the perfect place to kickstart our date. I’m in a pair of skinny jeans and an emerald-green crop top. The good thing about being forty and never having kids is I can still dress like I’m in my twenties.
The bar has some Chicago charm, sitting on the corner of a busy street with a single door for all incoming and outgoing traffic. Curtis is a half a block away, and the way he swaggers down the street should be illegal. I can admit the man is hot. Plus, did I mention he’s my age and not ten years younger or immature?
He waves, and he must’ve just left the office because he’s in a suit clearly tailored for the man. I love every bit of it, and itscreams high-end. Everything about Curtis Shane is top notch, from his styled chestnut hair to his manicured nails. Yes, I’ve noticed him in the past.
I begin to walk toward him, and his eyes home in on my flat stomach, moving north toward my ample boobs, and a smile crawls over his face.
Something stops me, a strong hand to my arm, and I turn around with every intent to hit the person. No one touches me without permission.
My eyes instantly recognize the man, but I yank out of his grip anyway and step back.
“I’ve throat-punched men for less than that, jackass. Keep that in mind the next time you try to manhandle me.”
He touches the base of his neck. “Um,” he says a couple times, as if he’s the one taken aback by my reaction. “I didn’t mean to startle you, Rosso. I was just surprised to see you here and wanted to say hi.”
The gentleman who stands behind him wiggles his way around Dom’s large body, extending his hand to mine. “Hey there. I’m Bodhi Chambers, Dom’s friend and business partner. It’s nice to meet you. Please excuse the brute, because sometimes he’s just that—a brute.”
I extend my hand to his and look past his shoulder, where Dom has dropped his chin to his chest, his face red.
“Nice meeting you, Bodhi.” I turn back around, knowing Curtis had to have seen my reaction to Dom, and sure enough, he’s in my space in less than thirty seconds.
“Sandra, hey, you okay?” Curtis asks and places his hands on my shoulders.
I don’t miss the look of possessiveness in Dom’s eyes as they land on our connection. Dom takes a step forward, and Curtis’s hands move down my shoulders. To give Dom a dose of revenge, I back further into Curtis’s body.
“I’m fine. Thanks, Curtis. Anold friendcaught me off guard, that’s all.”
An audible growl leaves Dom’s mouth. On the inside, heat pulses through my body. Not because I’m turned on, or need Dom to ravage me. How dare he ghost me for two weeks then act like the wounded one!
I adopt a controlled tone as I twist around and take Curtis’s hand.
“It was good to see you, Dom. And, Bodhi, it was nice meeting you. Better run.”
