Chapter 22
Alex
"Who's here?" I ask, turning back to Beth one more time, assuming we're now out of earshot.
"Jake... with Dilara."
"He's not even invited, damn it," I reply, glaring at Eric. This can't be good. Quite the opposite. If Jake is showing his face here with Dilara, it can only be to stir up trouble.
"Where is he?" I ask, feeling the anger rising in me.
"Over there," Eric says, pointing to the other end of the room. My gaze follows his finger, and there I see him. Without Dilara, however, which I'll admit is just fine with me. One person of that sort is more than enough.
"I'll handle this," I say to Eric, not taking my eyes off Jake. "Go to Beth and tell her I'll be right back. She should just wait for me, okay?"
"Alright, sir," I hear Eric say as I start toward Jake. I barely register anything else around me in the room. Neither my assistant shouting something after me, nor the other guests. I only see Jake, leaning casually against a table, a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"What do you want here, Jake? You're not invited," I ask him when we're standing face to face.
"Why so hostile, Alex? And why did you come without your date?" he asks, looking past me and waving in the direction where Beth must be standing.
"Cut the crap, Jake. Just stay out of it!" I snap, trying not to speak too loudly so the other guests don't overhear our conversation. I can feel the tension taking hold of my entire body.
"I'm not doing anything. Just saying hello to your date. The other gentlemen kissed her hand, from what I saw, so maybe I should..."
"What you should do is disappear. You and Dilara. You're not welcome here."
"Now, now, Alex," Jake says indifferently, ignoring my gesture toward the door. "You'll have plenty of time to fuck the little thing later. I bet she likes it from behind, just the way you like it, and I'm sure you can then..."
"One more word, Jake," I hiss, grabbing the wrist with which he's holding his whiskey glass so tightly that some of the liquid spills over his hand. "I swear, I'll lose it."
"What would your guests say to that?" he coos, then pauses. "Ah, now I get it. Why was I so stupid?" he says, tapping his forehead with his index finger. "You really like her. You've actually fallen for the little one, haven't you?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business," I reply curtly.
"You've already done it, huh? Fucked. Right?" Jake says with a broad grin on his face, and it's only with great effort that I resist the urge to punch him square in the nose.
"Hey, stay cool, Alex," Jake says, placing his whiskey-soaked hand on my clenched fist. "I'm happy for you.
Do whatever you want with her. Fuck her in the ass for all I care.
I don't give a damn. You can even get married tomorrow.
I just want you to know that..." he pauses and waves his hand dismissively.
"Oh, no. I'm sure she wants to tell you that herself. "
"What?" I hiss, boiling with rage inside. "What is she supposed to tell me herself?"
"It's fine. I shouldn't have said anything. My mistake," Jake says, raising his hands disarmingly.
"Jake, last warning. If you keep provoking me, I'll lose it," I say, grabbing him by the lapels and shoving him against the wall behind him. So forcefully that the back of his head slams against it.
"Alright. I'll tell you, okay? But only if you let me go," he replies, and I'm glad to see that his dirty grin has vanished from his face, at least for a moment.
"We have an agreement. Beth and I. She said yes. I can have the shop."
"That can't be," I say, feeling an icy chill run down my spine and the blood pounding in my ears. "You're lying."
I'm sure he's bluffing. That's classic Jake. But a few doubts remain that I can't quite push aside. Beth would have told me, right? On the other hand, she's been wanting to talk to me this whole time. Maybe about this?
"Well, while you were busy with dinners, flirting, and fucking, I chose the simpler route and just..."
"Out! Now!" I bark at him, realizing that this time I hadn't spoken in a hushed voice, because I see a few guests turn toward us in shock from the corner of my eye.
"But Alex, we can talk about this like adults," Jake says placatingly, giving the other guests an apologetic look as if this were all terribly embarrassing for him.
"Since when do you act like an adult, huh? You lie, you cheat, you steal, and you copy. That's how you built your business. Now get lost. Take Dilara with you, wherever she is, and don't show your faces here again."
"Eric," I call to my assistant over my shoulder.
"Yes, boss?" he asks.
"Jake and his date want to leave. Make sure they actually find their way out, and don't let them out of your sight," I explain to him, but I keep my gaze fixed on Jake, whose expression seems quite satisfied. He has apparently achieved what he wanted.
"I'll send you the new bank details," he says as Eric tries to lead him to the door by the arm, but he wrenches himself free from the grip.
"What? What for?" I ask. "Have you completely lost your mind?"
"For the million dollars, of course. Our bet, remember?"
"Just get the hell out of here," I say, feeling a pit in my stomach. He'll get his million; I stand by my word. But I'm not going to talk to him about it here and now.
Damn it, could it really be that I let Beth dazzle me and lost sight of what was important? How could something like this happen to me? Me! Business always comes first for me, but this time...
"Give Beth my best," says Jake, now letting Eric lead him somewhat reluctantly toward the door.
I turn around, hoping I won't have to see him again for a long time, and make my way to Beth, who is waiting for me at the bar in the other corner of the room with a glass of orange juice in front of her.
"Is everything okay?" she asks as I return to her. She reaches for my hand, but I instinctively step back a little. "Hey, what's wrong? You seem tense."
"Jake's just pushing my buttons. He wasn't supposed to be here.
Eric's showing him out," I say to Beth. Then a long silence falls between us as we look at each other.
But there's no tension or desire hanging in the air.
Instead, I'm waiting for Beth to confirm what Jake said. I want to hear it from her.
"Did he have bad news?" Beth asks, looking at me with concern.
"You could say that. Although with him, you never know if he's lying or not. Seems to be his M.O.," I reply. "You know how it is, right?"
"What do you mean by that?" Beth asks, tilting her head.
"Well, he's been to your shop before." I pause. "How many times, exactly?"
"I don't know. What difference does it make? And why are you looking at me like I've done something wrong?" Beth asks, looking hurt.
"We were supposed to talk. So let's talk. Did you happen to discuss anything with him that I should know about?" I ask, feeling my patience gradually wearing thin.
"If you must know, I sent him away," Beth says, sounding a little offended. "To be precise, it was right when you invited me over for movie night," she says, making air quotes with her fingers at the words "movie night."
"Okay, so you don't have a business agreement or anything like that?"
"With him?" Beth asks in a contemptuous tone, gesturing in the direction he disappeared. "No way. What do you take me for?"
"Sorry, I... Jake made a few insinuations, and I wanted to know if there was any truth to them," I explain, feeling incredibly stupid right now. Of course, it was just a bluff. And like an idiot, I fell for it and ruined everything with my harsh attitude.
"Really! I'm sorry. Do you want to talk now?" I ask, trying to sound gentle and gesturing toward the couch.
"I'm going to freshen up first. Give me a moment," Beth says, standing up, and it seems to me as if her eyes have a watery sheen. Did I hurt her that much? I just wanted to be sure.
"Of course. I'll be waiting for you," I say, watching her go and wondering if I've just ruined my chance to tell her about my plan for good.