“Just about to head out.” I grin, as I open the door to my suite, and step out into the hallway. Neil’s eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets when he lays eyes on me.
“You can’t see your father dressed like that.” he exclaims, and I hold up a hand to silence him.
“Rav, Patron on ice when I get there. Neil is up my ass this morning, and not in a good way.” I speak into the phone, then cut the call and turn to Neil. “Look, Neil, you’re a good guy, and I don’t want to have to gut you. So, you can tell my father I’m not spending my birthday in his office discussing things I already know. I will see him on my terms, on my time.”
“What do you mean? Sai, you can’t just stand him up, he’s your father for God’s sake.” As if I need the reminder. “You have a duty.”
This is what’s been drilled in my head since I was a child. Being a Shah, a descendant of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in this country, basically means I don’t have a say in my future. It has all been mapped out for me since the day I was conceived.
“Then you talk to him. I have plans.” I stalk down the hall, wink at the giggling maids, and walk out of the mansion. I press the fob to my gold Lamborghini and climb into it. I want nothing more than to leave the house that has held me captive for twenty-one years, but deep down, I know that duty is something I cannot run away from forever. That doesn’t mean I can’t avoid it temporarily, though. I catch a glimpse of Neil in my rear-view mirror and wave to him. I know I’m being an asshole, and I’ll probably regret it later, but for now, my yacht and all the sexy women on it are the only things on my mind.
* * *
I’m momentarily distractedby the sun reflecting off the crystalline turquoise water as I enter the marina. There is something utterly breathtaking about this entire island, Salina, named after my mother, is owned by my family. Wealth is something that is second nature to my family. My ancestors hail from Sultans’ or Ottomans, I shit you not. And that comes with certain perks I suppose, which is ideal for a man like me, a man without conscious, a man some may say, without a soul.
Ravi Veer walks out to greet me. We’ve been friends since we were kids. Since I kicked his ass, more aptly stated. His father is chief financial advisor to mine, and we met at my tenth birthday party. He got on my wrong side, I gave him a beatdown, yet he never shrank away like other boys in my circle used to. I offered him my hand, apologized for the black eye he sported thanks to my fists, and the rest is history, as they say. Ravi and I run the city of Bebek, which is our escape from island life, and there is nobody who hasn’t heard of us.
“Happy Birthday, fucker.” He mock bows, and I jab him in the side as he stands. “You ready to party?”
“Thanks, bro, and yeah, more than ready. Has that pussy, Neil called?” I frown as we walk down to the docks.
“A few seconds after you left the house, in fact. He demanded that I tell you to get your rebellious ass home. He sounded put out if you know what I mean. Guess he didn’t get to suck on your dick this morning.” I shake my head, chuckling. Trust Ravi to say shit like that. “Your father is going to flip, you do know that?”
“What’s new? The man hates my guts. This is just one more reason to fuck me over, disown me, and all the other bullshit he threatens.” I shrug. “I’m his only son, he’ll get over it. He has to.” Nothing I do pleases my father. He is so bitter toward me, I wonder why he doesn’t just cut ties with me and let me be on my way. For as long as I can remember, Avi Shah has despised me, pushed me off to nannies to raise me, and tutors to educate me. We speak only when he feels the need to reprimand me. And in recent years, even that has dwindled down. Knowing my father doesn’t care should affect me, but it doesn’t. It just makes me want to do everything I can to get back at him. “Enough with this shit. Let’s get this party started.” Thinking about my father is a buzzkill.
“As you wish, your highness. Let’s make headlines.” He slaps me on the back as we make our way to the one and only love of my life.
Girls in skimpy, matching gold bikinis greet us with champagne as we step onto the luxury yacht.Sirenwas an eighteenth birthday gift from my father. He never saw me that day, never even called.
Siren’sa luxurious one-hundred-meter beauty, with ten cabins, a party lounge, and a bar. The women smile shyly at us, and Ravi smacks one of them on the ass. She giggles sweetly, her olive skin glistening, as her hazel-brown doe eyes land on me.
“Happy Birthday, Sir.” She bites her bottom lip, and I wonder if she will be my entertainment for the night. Rav flirts with her friend then leads me onto the deck where some of our friends are gathered in and around the jacuzzi, which takes center stage. Music is blaring, and I spot a DJ in the corner. He lifts his hand in greeting, and I recognize him as one of the hottest new DJ’s in the city, Lennox. The upper deck bar is crowded. Drinks are flowing, and everyone is in high spirits, shouting birthday greetings when I step onboard. The yacht takes up to forty guests, including crew members, so only the closest of our friends, their guests and entertainment are here. Our circle is small and tight, impenetrable, some may say. We don’t trust many people.
All attention is on me as we make our way around, greeting people. Ravi and I head down to the dimly lit lower deck. A sexy little minx grinds topless on a pole in a skimpy, silver panty, her body moving in sync to the music. She’s entranced by the music. Neon lights give the area the feel of a classy gentleman’s club. Music down here doesn’t blare, it flows, and most eyes are fixed on the woman dancing.
Ravi and I stroll over to the frosted glass-top bar and take a seat on the red leather stools that line it. Rows of exclusive alcohol are lined behind the barman, who slides us shots of tequila once we’re seated. Read leather couches line the entire area. I can’t recall the number of parties we’ve thrown on this vessel, but they’ve all been ones for the books.
“Cheers, to finally turning twenty-one.” Ravi and I toast then throw back our shots. I enjoy the harsh burn of the tequila as it coats my stomach. The barman places two more shots in front of us, with two beers. My gaze roams around the small room until my eyes land on the twins. Now those two can be good fun. They certainly were last night, but they’re also a nuisance.
“What the fuck are they doing here?”
“I needed extra entertainment,” Ravi smirks. “They’re your biggest fans, dude. Plus, their father is friends with ours.”
They wave and make their way over to where we’re sitting.
“Here’s the birthday boy.” Melina purrs as she leans toward me, her full breasts barely covered by the small gold bra she wears. Long chestnut hair hangs loosely down her back. Her sister drapes herself on Ravi, who grabs her ass, kissing her full on the mouth. “You ready for a replay of last night?” Melina asks me.
The last thing I want is a replay. A replay will give the bitch ideas. The wrong kind of ideas. Plus, I have rules, and one of them is that I never ever fuck any woman in our circle. Toy with them. Have them suck me off on occasions, but no repeat performance. Fucking gives them ideas, makes them clingy. That and the fact that their fathers will have me by the balls. “I’d rather no,” I tell her.
She looks stung but recovers quickly, still grinding against me. “You sure I can’t persuade you?” she bats her lashes, her nails grazing my chest.
“Not this time, Melina.” She narrows her eyes and backs off when I remove her hand. She knows better than to push me. She turns on her heel, sashaying back across the room, her sister following suit, while giving both Ravi and I the death glare. They’ll find another two guys to entertain them this evening, just not these two. The shots are warming me up from the inside, and I’m starting to feel the knots in my shoulders loosen.
“Damn, man, those two are predators.” Ravi chuckles, taking a swig of his beer before setting it on the bar top.
“Anchors Away.” I turn to Ravi, feeling the slight movement of the yacht as it glides across the water. “Let’s take this outside and watch us leave the harbor.” I hand him his beer, and after we take our shots, we go up deck and to the front of the yacht. We watch in silence as we sail out across the crystal blue water. I’ve had some of the best times on this yacht, out at sea, where no-one and nothing can get in the way of me having a good time.
Sirenhas given me the best of memories, and on a day like today, I need to be reminded of those, not the darkness. Anything but that.
