The Outcasts Book 5

HUGO

I fiddle with the expensive cufflinks that sit glinting against the crisp white Christian Dior shirt, doing my best to school my face into an expression of interest. I’m in a board meeting, and it’s as dull as ever. My life now consists of hour after hour of listening to rich old white guys trying to work out ways to get richer.

Despite years spent studying business at university and working since I was sixteen for my father and my uncle, I find the weight of an entire chain of hotels a little too much to bear. Especially with the recent death of my friend’s sister and trying to be around to support Harley through his grief. I’m not as good at it as Rebecca and Max are, but I hope Harley knows I care by the sizable amount I contributed to the funeral, and the hotel rooms I got for us all.

Recently, I managed to talk my cousin, Max, into taking over the running of the bars. Having that familiar support through some things is more reassuring than I’d expected. It should have been him in my position, sitting through mind-numbing meetings, but I had spent my entire life being groomed for this role.

My father had been doing so with the intention of taking the family legacy from his own brother and destroying it from within. I am lucky, really, that my uncle had a little more faith in me.

I clear my throat, garnering the attention of the room. “Gentlemen, I think I’ve heard enough for today.

I stand, and they mutter among themselves as they gather their laptops and paperwork from the long conference table. The door shuts softly behind the last of them, and I sigh, sinking back into my chair and loosening my tie.

I need a long session in a steam room after I smash someone in a game of squash. Get rid of some of this pent-up aggression.

Running a hand through my cropped hair, I look around to see if the Scotch has been refilled. It hasn’t. With a deep sigh of resignation, I push back out of my seat and set off in search of somewhere quiet to drink. I could use some silence after all that old man talk.

Loud music and excited screams from women come from the large exhibition hall. I pause, peering through the slightly open door like some kind of creepy peeper. Oh yeah. Tonight is another bachelorette party.

There are several tables containing dozens of scantily clad, heavily made-up women, all being entertained by a couple of nearly naked, gyrating men. The oil on their abs glints in the spotlight. I swallow dryly, my mouth suddenly parched at the sight of the strippers. Without thinking, I open the door wider and slip inside to watch the show.

“Here to pick up the horny chicks after the dancers get them all riled up?” I feel my face burn at being caught in here, turning to the guy who is now leaning against the wall next to me. Even in the dim light, I can see the brightness of his blue eyes, and the dip of a dimple in each of his cheeks.

“I’m not…that’s not…is that what you are doing?!” He chuckles, lifting up the expensive-looking camera I hadn’t noticed hanging around his neck.

“Nope…I’m working.” He pushes the snapback off his messy blond hair and runs his fingers through it before settling it back on his head backward. “So, if you’re not here for the chicks, maybe the guys are more your thing? I can introduce you after, if you want.”

My face burns even hotter at his words. I splutter out a few nonsensical noises and he chuckles again. Burning humiliation floods my veins, and I turn on the heel of my expensive shoes and stride back out to the corridor. I hear him curse behind me, and only get a few steps before I feel his hand on my arm.

“Dude, I’m sorry. I sometimes forget not everyone is as open as I am.” He shrugs, looking apologetic. Out here in proper light, he is even more handsome. His body is almost as sexy as the dancers on the stage in the room we’d just come from. Excitement rises from my toes, engulfing my whole body.

Without pausing to overthink things, I grab his hand and pull him into the conference room I’d just escaped from. I push him back up against the door roughly, knocking his cap off, and slam my lips against his.

He moans, immediately running his tongue along the seam of my lips. I open up and let him inside, where he battles for dominance against me. His fingers delve into my hair, while my fingers find the buckle of his belt.

“Dude, dude, dude, wait…” He pulls back from me, both of us panting heavily. He leans his forehead against mine, his gemstone-like eyes bouncing between mine. “I think we’re moving a bit fast.”

I push off him with a snarl, the sting of rejection from the first boy I ever got the courage to kiss is a foreign feeling on my skin. He stoops and retrieves his cap from the floor, playing with the peak as he takes a step toward me. “Don’t,” I command, holding a hand up to stop him from coming any closer. “This never happened, okay?”

His eyes darken, a scowl clouding his face. “Yeah. Fine.” The door slowly closes behind him, leaving me to stew in my regret and embarrassment.

***

I pull up to the country club, slamming on the brakes of my car when I find my usual parking spot is filled by a motorbike. The only space left is on the far side of the parking lot, so by the time I make it to the front entrance, I am simmering with barely controlled rage.

“Whoa, Elliot! Did your hostile takeover fall through or something?” Dean, one of the many trust fund guys who I am unfortunately friends with, ricochets off the door as I slam it open.

“Some fucker parked in my space,” I growl. A pretty blonde girl snickers as she walks past me, and I turn slowly toward her. I take in her cut-off jean shorts, showcasing smooth pale skin, and the tight red T-shirt clinging to her curves, and narrow my eyes. “What’s your name?” I bark.

She looks at me over her shoulder with a frown. “And why would I want to give you my name after you asked so politely for it?”

“So, when I report you to your manager for not being in proper uniform, I can ensure the right vapid blonde gets fired.” Dean laughs behind me, slapping my shoulder.

She gives me a dirty look. “Fuck. You.” The side of her lip curls up in a snarl. “You think just because you wear fancy suits and hang out in this elitist club that you are better than me? You don’t know any-fucking-thing about me.”

We make eye contact, my rage seemingly boiled away to lust. Her eyes are the palest blue I’ve ever seen, and even in a twisted scowl, her lips are full and enticing.

My first thought of her being pretty wasn’t enough. She’s beautiful. She blinks, breaking our stare off, the moment broken, and I can only watch as she walks away, the swing of her hips hypnotic.

I allow Dean to lead me toward the men’s room to change for our squash game. An hour later, I am mopping the sweat off my brow, feeling a little more relaxed as Dean and I walk out to grab a drink on the veranda before we go grab a shower.

He nudges me with his elbow as I order our drinks. “Hey, isn’t that the girl you threatened earlier? Looks like she can’t take a hint, huh?”

I look over and see the doll-like girl sitting with Billy Noble, a prominent local businessman, and his wife. The blonde girl looks somewhere between frustrated and bored, sipping on a mimosa.

So, she isn’t a server here, as I mistakenly thought her to be.

Still, she shouldn’t have been allowed in dressed as she was. There’s a strict dress code, which all guests should adhere to. I’ll be having words with the manager about Mr. Noble before I leave today.

She catches me staring and raises her drink in a toast to me with a smug smile playing on her lips.

I scowl back at her, knocking back the finger of Macallan Scotch whiskey, then scowl some more at being distracted enough not to savor the rich brown liquor as I should have done. What is it with gorgeous blondes coming into my life and disrupting it?!