Chapter 4 Xavier
I can’t believe I’m up here. It’s a little surreal that I am in the VIP section of Perfection, having a conversation with a man so unfairly attractive it almost feels like cheating.
I remember looking up and thinking it was a place I would never be and that I didn’t belong here.
I glance at Jess, who seems to be having the time of her life surrounded by three equally good-looking guys.
Well, they’re not equal because something about Declan sets him far above the others.
Every time I steal glances at him, I feel the heat pool in my belly.
“Are you from Philly?” he asks.
“Yeah, born and raised. I grew up in the Chester area.” It’s not the best side of town, but not the worst either. “How about you?”
“Family?” he asks.
“Umm. Just my mother.” I don’t want to get into the tragedy of my family life, so I leave it at that. There is no way that I am going to tell this gorgeous stranger that my mom blames me for killing her husband and daughter.
“I have my dad here, and well,” he says, motioning to the three on the couch. “Four cousins and my aunt and uncle. We are a small bunch, but close. I’m an only child, but these fuckers make up for it.”
He acts as if he is put out by them, but I can tell they actually mean a lot to him. Well, at least I think; he is hard to read. It’s like he is wearing a persona that doesn’t quite fit. He continues the questions.
“Boyfriend?” I shake my head. It doesn’t surprise me that he says boyfriend.
I’m pretty sure that if you looked up twink, my picture would be there as an example.
Mal and I broke up two months ago after I found out that he had cheated on me with multiple people, both men and women.
I trusted him, and I won’t do so easily again.
“You?” I’m enjoying myself and relaxing into the question game.
I’m an open book most days. I see no reason to hide who I am.
I’m honest and loyal to those who deserve it.
It’s not that I go around spewing my personal business to everyone I meet, but I’ll never outright lie when asked a question.
Omission, like about my family, is one thing, but never an outright lie.
“Very single. Where do you work?” He winks at me when he says the word single. Not going to lie, that gesture makes my dick jump. It’s been half hard since he sat down with me on the sofa.
“Until today, I worked for Albright Construction as a project manager. Well, I was supposed to be a project manager.”
“What do you mean, until today, and supposed to be?” He asks for clarification.
His demeanor changes slightly, but I catch it.
I explain what happened and how my now ex-boss is an asshole to me.
My first few months were the highlight of my time there.
My review was above expectation, and I received several accolades for my work.
I notice his hand curl into a fist on his thigh, and the grip on his glass tightens.
He seems upset by my story. Maybe he really is a crusader for justice.
“I heard the other guy, Conor, I think, say that you’re a part-owner of this club. Is that what you do for a living?”
“I work for my father in the family business.”
“Oh, what’s the name of the company? Would I have heard of it?”
“Murphy Enterprises,” he says it so casually.
Like it’s no big deal that he just dropped the name of not only the largest corporation on the eastern seaboard, but also one of the largest in the world.
What the fuck? I am sitting on a sofa in the VIP section, talking to the heir to billions. Suddenly, it’s hard for me to breathe.
“Are you alright? Is this some delayed shock reaction?” he leans toward me to look me straight in the face. I can’t meet his eyes. I need to go. I don’t belong here. I gulp down the rest of my drink and stand. Jess is laughing at something one of the trio is saying.
“Thank you for the assist and everything.” I hold up my empty glass before setting it back down on the table. “But we need to get going. Jesse!” I say loud enough to get her attention. As soon as she looks at me, I motion to her that we need to leave.
“Where are you running off to, Xavier?” Declan stands and blocks my view of Jess.
I still don’t want to look directly at him.
He and his family are the most powerful people in Philly.
Their power has far-reaching effects beyond this city.
Declan seems really nice and has been nothing but attentive, but if I cross him, even by accident, my life as I know it will be over.
It’s already a shit show, so I don’t need this right now.
There are always rumors that follow about how ruthless they are, not only as business moguls but also personally. They are the 1% of the 1% of society.
I smile, but I know that it looks forced. “Not running anywhere. I’m tired from all the excitement, and I think it’s best that I go home and get some rest. Again, thanks for everything.” I motion again for Jess to get a move on. She glares at me, but gets up and comes over to me.
“I’ll be seeing you,” Declan says as I grab hold of Jess and all but push her down the stairs and toward the door. His response to my leaving is a threat to my ears. The heat that I had been feeling before turns to ice in my gut. What does he mean by that?
Jesse pulls me to a stop in front of the bouncer she knows and thanks him for getting us in tonight.
She gives him a one-armed hug because I am still holding her other arm.
I keep my eyes on the exit. Looking back over my shoulder to see if Declan is watching me isn’t necessary.
I don’t have to look; I can feel his gaze on me.
Once we are outside the club, I finally breathe again and take a deep breath.
It feels like the first real breath since finding out who he is.
While it’s warm outside, it’s still much cooler than the inside of the club.
The temperature change causes goosebumps to rise on my skin.
Jess yanks her arm free and rounds on me.
“What the fuck, what was that, Xav? Why are we leaving like the place is on fire?” She crosses her arms and glares at me.
Usually, I find that move cute because, really, she is five foot nothing, and I doubt she weighs a hundred pounds.
It’s like watching one of those little toy dogs growl like it’s a hundred-and-fifty-pound pit bull.
“Do you have any idea who those guys were?” I ask. I cross my own arms over my chest and glare right back at her.
“No, they told me they were the owners of the club. What did you find out? Are they Mafia or something?” Her eyes go wide.
“No worse. Their last name is Murphy—as in the Murphys, who basically own this town.”
“What? Murphy Enterprises?”
“Yes!” I whisper-yell at her. “Now, can you move your ass so we can go home?” I pull out my phone to order a ride-share. Not that I can afford it right this minute, but she paid for the ride here.
“I still don’t understand why you are acting like this because of who they are.”
“Look, my life is for shit right now, and I don’t need another outside force to fuck it up even more.
Especially someone as powerful as that guy is.
It’s going to be hard enough for me to find a job now.
What do you think my chances are going to be if I accidentally piss one of those guys off?
” I check the tag on the car that pulls up to the curb to verify it’s our ride-share, then open the back door for her.
She gets into the car, but you can tell she’s still unhappy about it.
“That guy you were talking with seemed very into you. I think you are pulling the typical Xavier and overthinking this. Besides, they were all fine as fuck. It seemed like the perfect setup to get laid. Lord knows you need it.”
“Yes, but that is also part of the problem.” She’s motioning with her hand for me to expound on my statement. I sigh. “I was extremely attracted to Declan. You keep up with city gossip more than I do, so have you ever heard of any Murphy who is gay?” She thinks about my question for a minute.
“No. But the heirs are not usually in the headlines unless it’s something big or new.”
“Exactly, now picture the reaction to me popping a boner or saying something that would make him uncomfortable.”
“But he seemed into you.” I make a face at her as if she were as crazy as the statement she just made.
“Really, Jess, you think someone like that would be into an unemployed nobody like me. He saw a potential problem in his club and fixed it. That’s all.
I would have left myself open to a world of problems if we had stayed.
” I’ve already lost so much, and this situation has red flags flying at full mast.
It’s only about a ten-minute ride to her place.
For the rest of the ride, we sit in silence.
Before she gets out of the car, she makes me promise that we will meet up at the café tomorrow for lunch.
It’s another six blocks to my place. I thank the driver and hurry up the three flights of stairs to my studio apartment.
It’s small, but I keep it neat and clean.
It’s not the worst place I’ve ever lived, but it won’t be winning any Better Homes and Gardens awards either.
I’m desperate for a shower to wash away this day, this week, hell, this year.
If only it were that simple for all of my problems to go away.
I head straight to the bathroom. I shower and try to clear my mind of it all.
But my mind keeps going back to those green eyes and how his touch feels.
If he were anyone else, I’d probably still be on that little couch with him…
. or somewhere else. His place, maybe? But he was who he was, and I am who I am; the two do not match.
That fact seems not to matter to my libido, though.
My dick is hard, but I refuse to do anything about it.
I can’t let myself go there. I quickly finish my shower.
I dry off and put on my sleep pants and oversized shirt.
As I pull my thin covers to my chin, I glance at the clock on my small microwave.
It’s almost midnight. Another day will start in just a few minutes.
Maybe after some sleep, the new day will bring me better luck. I can always hope.