Page 19 of Alex (Men of Forbidden Temptation #4)

ALEX

Fuck my life.

I should have known that coming here tonight was a mistake. Just like I should have known that Bianca is still dating Adam.

He made one thing clear, though. He hasn’t moved on from that mistake filled night and he’s hellbent on fucking up this merger.

If anyone can hinder or stop the acquisition from happening, it’s Adam. After all, he’s dad’s business associate’s son.

Adam has never liked me. We were always in competition with one another. We both wanted to be top of our class, captain of the school’s hockey team, and the one to have the most girls on our arms.

At the end of the day, neither of us was top in our class. I made captain. And he had the most girls.

But none of that matters now .

He hated me from the beginning and probably will until the day he dies, especially after the night I met Bianca.

I push the emergency door open and pull Elise outside, letting the door slam behind us. The cool night air feels refreshing. It instantly cools some of the anger burning inside of me.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the tiny bag. Reaching inside, I pull out the pre-rolled joint and the lighter. Putting it between my lips, I light the end of it and take a long drag.

I inhale until my lungs are full, enjoying the familiar sensation.

Elise crosses her arms and frowns.

Blowing out the smoke, I say, “Don’t be a goody two shoes.”

I fill my lungs again, feeling my muscles beginning to relax. Holding onto the tip of the joint, I offer it to Elise.

She nervously glances around the empty parking lot before reaching out and accepting the joint.

I’m so shocked, I laugh. “I didn’t think you had it in you. I’m impressed.”

She rolls her eyes and brings her hand to her lips. I stare as her lips part and wrap around the joint. She takes an enormous hit and immediately starts coughing.

When she catches her breath, she hands it back. “I’ve never had someone say I impressed them by taking drugs. ”

I shrug. “There’s a first time for everything, right?”

My eyes close as I take another long drag. When I open my eyes, Elise is staring at me.

Confusion clouds her eyes. “Who was that guy? I mean, more than just his name, which I already know. What was with that threat? What’s going on? What happened in the past? I need to know, Alex.”

I offer her the joint back. She needs to relax a little more if we are going to have this conversation right now.

“This is going to be a long story, so you might want to get comfortable.”

Elise crosses her arm back across her chest and I have to look down at the ground so I don’t stare like some sex crazed lunatic.

When I look back up at her, she nods.

“Adam and I met while we were both teenagers. Our fathers went into business together, so they forced us to co-mingle at parties and business events. We never got along and never talked.”

I take another long drag of the joint and glance at Elise before continuing.

“When we were sixteen, his father enrolled him in my school. We were immediately in competition for the same things. He found out that I was on the hockey team, so he tried out. He did everything in his power to beat me at everything.”

I crack my knuckles and clear my throat.

“When I made captain of the hockey team, he quit and kept his distance from me. I thought the competition was over, but I was wrong. He invited me to an exclusive poker game that he was throwing as a way to bury the hatchet. I accepted the invite.”

Elise steps closer to me and takes the joint from me.

“What happened at the poker game?”

Her voice is so quiet I almost don’t hear it over the million memories playing out through my mind.

“The poker game was like any other poker game. We played, drank, and tossed insults across the table. I thought we were being friendly. That’s when I met Bianca. We flirted all night, but that was before I knew she was dating Adam.”

Elise gasps. “Is that why he was flirting with me? To get back at you for something that happened years ago?”

I take a few steps and close the gap between us. “Probably. He claims I stole Bianca from him, but in the beginning I didn’t know they were together. Plus, she went back to Adam as soon as I fell in love with her.”

Elise flinches at my confession and pulls away from me. “What else happened at the poker game? It seemed like there was more going on than just you getting with his girlfriend.”

“I brought a bag of cocaine because Adam was an addict, but he gave it to the bartender, who was eyeing it all night. Later that night, she ended up overdosing. ”

Elise covers her mouth as a strange noise comes out. It’s a mix of a gasp and a sob. She looks disgusted at my past actions, and I can’t blame her.

I did some horrible things back then. It feels like it was in another life and not just a few years ago.

I reach out to hold her hand, but she pulls away. “Elise, I know you think I’m a horrible person, but please don’t tell my dad about tonight. I’ll work everything out.”

To this day, I still don’t know how he got video footage of the game, but that footage needs to be deleted.

Elise scoffs. “Don’t tell your dad! Are you serious, Alex? Adam threatened to screw with your dad’s newest acquisition and then take over the company. This new company is going to take your dad’s business well past a billion dollars in annual revenue!”

She throws her hands up and turns away from me. “A single company is going to bring your dad more money than I’ll ever see in a lifetime. Hell, more than I’d see in a hundred lifetimes, and you want me to keep it a secret?”

She’s absolutely right. She needs this job and the money. I saw the past due bills on her counter when I brought her home to pack for this trip.

When she speaks, her voice is quiet, like there’s no fight left in her. “Please bring me back to the hotel.”

I nod my head even though she can’t see me. “Okay. ”

We walk in silence around the brick building to my car. We don’t speak for the entire trip back to the hotel.

I want to tell her how sorry I am for my past mistakes. And how sorry I am for ruining our night out.

“Shit.” I mumble to myself when I remember the other part of my surprise for Elise.

If everything went according to my plan, there will be a box of assorted chocolates on Elise’s bed and dissolvable rose petals in her jetted tub.

She doesn’t comment on my outburst or ask if I’m okay. I glance over at her, but her head is facing the window.

With the help of the city lights surrounding us, I can make out her reflection in the window. Her eyes are closed and she looks peaceful, but I know deep inside there’s a war going on.

She continues to ignore me and not speak, even after I park my car and lead her inside the lobby to the elevator.

It feels like my heart has been ripped out. I know I have to do something, but I’m at a loss. I’ve never felt like this before.

Sure, I thought I loved Bianca, but my feelings back then don’t compare to how I feel about Elise.

Before Elise can escape into her room, I grab her hand and pull her toward me.

“Elise, wait. Please, just talk to me. I don’t like this. I can’t stand the idea of you hating me and refusing to speak to me. ”

She shakes her head. “Alex, I can’t. I just need time to process everything that happened tonight. Please.”

I let go of her hand and watch as it falls to her side.

She pushes open her bedroom door and turns around to look at me. “I don’t hate you, Alex. I don’t think I could ever hate you. It just takes me time to think, assess, and process.”

The tiny spark of hope sparks back to life. “I understand. Goodnight, Elise.”

I don’t wait for her answer. Walking past her, I open my bedroom door and slink inside, heading straight for the shower.

Turning the water to max heat, I step under the scalding spray and scrub off the horrible events of tonight.

My thoughts turn to Elise. I wonder if she saw the chocolates and rose petals.

Will she think it’s cheesy or romantic?

I planned on spending the night making her feel treasured and pampered before worshiping her perfectly curvy body all night.

My plans for tonight didn’t include bumping into Bianca and Adam, or Elise finding out about the poker game.

The office was an unexpected event. One that I wasn’t expecting in the slightest, but one I would welcome anytime and anywhere.

I have to turn the water to cold for a few moments to cool my raging boner. The longer I think about Elise, the harder my dick gets. Before things can get out of hand, I get out of the shower and dry off.

Grabbing a pair of lounge shorts from my bag, I slip them on and head into the living room to pour myself a stiff drink. If I can’t be with Elise tonight, drinking is always an option.

I grab a glass from the cabinet, open the bottle of expensive whiskey Dad likes to keep here, and pour me a couple of shots.

Dad’s voice comes from down his hallway. “You’re back home already? Is everything okay with Elise?”

“Uh, yeah.” I down the drink before pouring another one. “Are you heading out?”

Dad is wearing his navy blue suit with his light blue shirt. His diamond cufflinks shine in the light. It’s way too dressy for him to just be heading downstairs to the restaurant or bar.

He showered and trimmed his beard. Sniffing the air, I smell his expensive, heady cologne. He’s definitely up to something.

“Yeah. I’m meeting a friend for drinks.”

“A friend?” I raise my eyebrow in a suggestive manner that causes Dad to chuckle.

“Yeah, a friend.”

I should tell him what happened tonight. I should confess to everything that’s happened since I met Adam, but the only words that come out of my mouth are, “Have fun.”

There’s no reason for him to worry when clearly he has a date tonight. He hasn’t dated anyone since Mom, so she must be pretty special.

“You, too.” He presses the call button for the elevator and gets in when the doors open.

As soon as I’m sure he’s gone and not coming back, I down my drink and pour yet another. The only person I want to hang out with tonight is Elise, and she’s ignoring me right now.

I carry my drink and the bottle with me down the hallway to my bedroom. It might not be the ending I was hoping for, but at least I’ll sleep all night thanks to the abundance of alcohol.

As I get closer to Elise’s room, I stop walking and listen for any noise coming from inside. It’s quiet. Almost too quiet.

I wonder if she already fell asleep or if she’s taking a bath as she goes over everything that has happened tonight.

I fight the urge to barge in, or at the minimum, knock on her door, and beg for her to talk to me.

Walking back to my room, I kick the door closed behind me and turn off the bedroom lights.

Using the lights from the city to guide my way over to my bed, I put the bottle of whiskey and my glass on the end table before climbing between the sheets.

I sip on my drink as I stare at the outside world.

So much has changed over the past several years. I’m not the same person as I was back then.

At the least, I deserve to beg for her forgiveness and for her to give me a chance to answer any questions she has.

I just hope Elise can see me for the man I am now and not the careless jokester I used to be. I’m more responsible and mature. Sure, I still have a way to go, but I’m getting there.

Hell, even since she started working for Dad, I’ve changed.

And if she doesn’t give me another second of her time, I’ll be more hurt now than I would have been back then.

Not hurt, devastated. I’ll be devastated if she walks away for good.