44. Santiago
SANTIAGO
I didn’t know what to expect, but this… this was just a party.
The hotel did look slightly different, with more decorations, neon lights, and a DJ booth by the pool.
But there were no fire dancers, flying monkeys, or whatever shit I imagined would be here.
Mostly, there was booze—lots of it—and hot chicks, walking between rich-looking men like any other Miami nightclub would have.
Fine, so it was fancier than the other parties I’d been to, but the only real difference was the money that was clearly spent here.
And since nothing else caught my eye, I wondered what the big fuss was all about.
A waitress passed by me, carrying a tray full of cocktails.
One glance told me Imani could have made drinks just as good, if not better, and the food didn’t look any tastier than what our restaurant cooked.
And if that was the case, why bother hiring new people?
“What would you two like to drink?” Dion asked.
For a second, I nearly forgot he was here.
“Something expensive,” my brother said, causing Dion to laugh.
“Have you always been this greedy?”
Nacio’s face scrunched up. “You buyin’ us drinks or what?”
“Actually, I need to find someone first,” I said before Dion moved to stand between Nacio and me. He then wrapped his arms over our shoulders, forcing us to walk with him.
“Nah-ah. First, I buy my new friends a drink.”
Friends? Telling myself it was better to go with it than fight, I clenched my jaw and allowed him to walk us to the bar, where he finally dropped his hands from around us.
“What do we think about scotch?”
Scratching his jaw, Nacio walked closer to him. “I prefer vodka Red Bull.”
Dion’s brows rose before he snorted a laugh.
“I thought we said expensive.” He placed his hand on Nacio’s shoulder. “How about you order something outrageously lavish now?”
“What’s lavish?” Nacio frowned, causing Dion to laugh—again.
“Aren’t you precious?”
“The fuck’re you callin’ precious?” Nacio hissed.
And as they continued bickering between themselves, I glanced around the pool, searching for Ariyan in the crowd. The place was packed, but a busy room never stopped me from tracking him before. And yet, I couldn’t spot him—
“Santi, check this out,” Nacio called just as the bartender placed a bottle of scotch before us. “This dude says it costs two fucking grand.”
Once again, Dion seized the opportunity to get closer to my brother by bumping their shoulders together as he poured him a glass.
It was rare that I met someone as tall as me, but this French bastard seemed to be my height.
And honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was one of the fighters, given his thick build.
“Come on, let’s drink,” he said, offering me a glass.
All done with my parole, not that it meant shit by now with the number of laws I was breaking, I took the glass from him and brought it to my lips.
“Santé,” Dion said, to which I hummed in reply, then downed the drink.
It went smoothly down my throat, warming my body in seconds and making me want more.
Guess my brother felt the same because he wasted no time before allowing Dion to pour him another glass.
I should definitely stay here and keep an eye on them, but the need to find Ariyan ticked inside me like a damn time bomb.
Earlier, he didn’t only hurt my pride but also… my feelings?
Grossed out by the thought, I reached for the bottle and filled my glass to the brim, not waiting for them before emptying it.
“I see now why you got that title,” Dion said as I wiped my lips.
“What title?” Nacio cluelessly asked, glancing between us.
“I have no clue,” I hissed, eyes locked with Dion’s. “Nacio, didn’t you need to find Tess?”
“You’re right,” he said back to me in Spanish, then got up from the barstool he sat on. “I’m off.”
With Dion’s blue eyes still locked on me, my brother left, leaving us alone.
“What’s your game? Why are you here?”
A lopsided grin took over his lips as he pulled a silver case from his suit jacket.
“I could ask you the same thing.” He took one cigarette out of the case, tucking it between his full lips. “I didn’t know your relationship with our feisty hotelier extended beyond working hours.”
I watched the cigarette flare as he inhaled.
“My relationship with him is none of your business,” I spat, jaw clenched.
“True… but I enjoy sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.
” He took in a slow draw. “Makes life so much more interesting. For example, I’m dying to know how he tamed such a loyal dog.
” He reached out his hand to touch me, but I pushed it away.
Only the second I even grazed his skin, his guards, who were invisible so far, surrounded me.
Seemingly unfazed and still smoking his cig, Dion held his hand up, and they backed off.
“It’s Santiago, isn’t it?”
Glancing to my sides to check no one would suddenly jump me, I carefully nodded.
“Well, Santiago, let me reassure you on one thing.” Turning around, he grabbed two new glasses and held them in one hand while filling them up.
“In fact, I believe my manager already told you the same thing before, but it seems as if the message was lost.” He turned back to face me, offering me one of the glasses.
“Fight for me, and I’ll make you so rich you’ll be able to flush scotch like this down the toilet. ”
My eyes dipped from him to the golden liquor and up while he held the glass before him. Biting my lip, I finally reached over and grabbed it, only to slam it down on the bar.
“You can flush your offer down the toilet,” I hissed, then turned around and walked away from this bastard. Fuckers like him pissed me the fuck off, thinking they could buy anything and anyone with their dirty money.
I wasn’t for sale.
Not now, not ever.
I didn’t fight for the money, but because I’d promised to help Ari. The son of a bitch sure as fuck didn’t deserve my help, and still, there I was, searching for him like his ever-loyal pup. Did it hurt my pride? Yes. But when it came to him, nothing seemed to matter.
Pride, morals, my goddamn sanity, they were all out the window the second he was involved.
Including now, as I walked around the party looking for him.
So far, I hadn’t had much luck. It didn’t seem like he was at the pool area, so deciding to search elsewhere, I pushed a glass door and strode into a more private section of the hotel.
The door hadn’t even closed behind me before somebody grabbed my arm and jerked me aside.
“What do you think you’re doing here?” Ariyan snarled, eyes furious as his fingers dug into my biceps.
“So you do know who I am after all,” I hissed in return.
Clenching his jaw, he crowded me against the wall. “Whatever you’re playing at ends now. So go pick up your brother, and get the hell out of here.”
Caged between him and the wall, I tilted my head, holding his stare. “Really? You’re not even going to offer me a drink?”
“Just do as I say.”
He was about to walk away, but having none of it, I grabbed his arm and kept him put.
“Mr. Rivas—”
“Why did you tell that bouncer you don’t know me?”
“It’s irrelevant.”
“But it’s not.” I pulled him closer so our faces were a breath away. “To me, it’s not. So answer my fucking question.”
Pressing his lips together, he held his chin up, cold eyes looking down on me. “Don’t forget your place.”
A wave of rage crashed through me, and I grabbed both his arms.
“The fuck is my place, then, huh? Or do I only have one when I fight for you?”
Ariyan looked aside before returning his eyes to me. “Will you keep your voice down?”
“Fuck.” I let him go and tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like the air failed to reach my lungs. “You really don’t give a shit, do you? You hurt my fucking feelings tonight, and all you care about is me keeping my fucking voice down?”
He sighed. “I hate it when you swear.”
I gaped at him. “Are you fucking shitting me? I just said you’ve hurt me, and that’s all you have to say in return?”
I kept on looking at him, waiting for him to say something, anything, when he clicked his tongue.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m in the midst of work.” He smoothed a hand over his suit. “And you, you’re interrupting it. So, as I said before, find your brother and leave while I’m still asking nicely.”
My throat tightened, and I sealed my lips shut, trying to swallow down whatever was about to come up. And while I stood there, feeling like shit, he remained unfazed. Erase that. Dressed in his fancy suit and with his white hair all smoothed back, he looked perfect, and it pissed me the fuck off.
“Do I mean anything to you?” I looked at him, hoping to catch something in his eyes that would give me hope to hold on to.
“This isn’t the time nor the place for such conversation.”
The room felt like it was running out of air.
“But if you must know, then no.”
No.
My stomach clenched into a knot at that one simple word. It wasn’t that I didn’t know it already, but a part of me hoped that maybe he’d lie and make it easier to swallow.
“All that binds us is work, nothing more,” he went on, voice cold as ice as he stomped all over my fucking emotions.
“If us sleeping together blurred that line, then let me be clear: we’re not boyfriends, nor are we lovers.
I’m your boss, and you’re my employee. That’s where the nature of our relationship starts and ends. ”
Silence followed his speech, and unable to look up, I continued to stare at the floor until he cleared his throat.
“Now that we’ve clarified ourselves, if you could please find your brother and leave, I’d appreciate it.”
I huffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “So if I fuck someone else, you wouldn’t care?”
He sighed, rolling his eyes. “And here I thought I made myself clear—”
“Just answer me.”
He pursed his lips, cold eyes locking with mine. “No. I wouldn’t.”
I bowed my head down with a snort. “You’re so full of shit.”
“What did you say?”
I looked up, jaw set tight. “Fuck you, Ari.”