Page 24 of Painted Truths

Both wearing huge smiles and little else, her dimples popping for all to see, and their arms wrapped tightly around each other on some beach, the wind blowing the long curtain of her hair around them. There’s an intimacy between them that hit me right in the gut. Their love for one another is clear as day on their faces.

It made me feel sick. Physically fucking sick.

I’d scheduled my first appointment at Valentine’s, which is basically Tinder for rich wankers like me who want a no-strings-attached fuck and zero small talk, that same day in an attempt to fuck the image out of my head, not that it had worked.

And like a junkie, I can’t stay away. So I continue to find a reason to visit his office every couple of weeks. And all just so I can torture myself with that fucking photo where her gorgeous blue eyes look past the man I show the world and instead see me as the one I should have become if circumstances had been different.

So, I sit here in my stupidly expensive sports car, tormenting myself with the promise to not ruin Alex’s life any further than my absentee father did and instead continue to destroy my own.

I don’t even need to see that photo tonight to know a visit to Valentine’s is an absolute must. So, after parking in the underground car park at my building, I shoot off a quick text to Nate, even though I’d shot down his earlier invite when he’d asked at dinner while Mila was gone for a pee.

ME: What time will you be at Valentine’s?

NATE: Already there.

ME: Why am I not surprised!

NATE: You coming then or what?

NATE: Cade’s here.

ME: Well, I’ll have to now, won’t I? Can’t let you two wankers have all the fun.

Calling my driver, I let him know I’ll need him in the next fifteen minutes before I quickly rush to get showered and changed into fresh clothes.

The journey to the highly sought after, members-only sex club Valentine’s, takes another thirty minutes, being that it’s on the outskirts of the city, set on an old estate that gives everyone the privacy they crave for the debauchery engaged in while on property.

When my car pulls up, Cade is waiting out front, cigarette smoke swirling around his half-lit features. I exit the back seat as he reaches for me to pull me into one of his legendary bear hugs. Caden’s just a touchy-feely guy, always has been. He is most definitely a product of his picture-perfect upbringing.

“How the fuck are you, man? It’s been way too long!”

“You’re the one who’s too busy for us mere mortals.”

Handing me the spare black masquerade mask in his hand, I quickly slip it over my face. This is an extra layer of privacy for Valentine’s club members, and the mystery adds to the excitement for most.

Pulling back, one of his signature, huge ass smiles firmly in place; it’s good to see my friend looks happy. And I’m pretty confident he’s neither high nor drunk.

His girlfriend, Layla, is the one who has issues with using. It’s more than apparent, and she’s doing her damnedest to drag my best friend down with her. But, thankfully, he’s stronger than that.

Although he still refuses to see the bad in her. Like with everything, Caden always wants to see the best in others, even when they’ve repeatedly shown their worst.

“The other tosser is in here. Or, well, he was a few minutes ago unless he’s getting his cock sucked!”

Approaching Nate from behind, I whisper-shout, “Even so, a few minutes is plenty for him to have blown his wad at least half a dozen times.”

His scowl is at odds with the twitching lip he’s desperately trying to fight as he spins in his seat. “Better too fast than not being able to get it up, eh, DeMarco?”

“Tou-fucking-ché, brother.”

The room we are sitting in resembles a drawing-room like something from Downton Abbey but with darker red, black, and gold accents.

Our trio happily spends over an hour shooting the shit before Caden’s phone beeps.

“That’s Lay, guys. Her flight just got in. I’ll catch up with you in a couple of weeks when we’re back for the concert, yeah?”

Another round of hugs, and he’s out the door without so much as a backward glance.

“Strange seeing North so uninterested in the pussy here.” I can’t help uttering my musing aloud while Nate nods, not really paying attention as his eyes land on something, or someone, behind me, and his lips quirk in a questioning smile.