Sinner Chapter 1 #3
A waitress stopping to offer me a bottle of water snagged my attention and brought me out of my head. I accepted it, and even though it was free, I gave her a tip, which she thanked me for before she moved on. Opening the bottle, I took a swallow before I got back to walking the floor.
Minutes later, I was standing, watching two women engage in wax play. They had quite a few people watching and commenting. I’d done it, and while mildly stimulating, it wasn’t something I had to have. If my partner got off on it, I had no problem doing it.
A slight jostle to my elbow made me turn my head. Standing there, grinning at me was Iker. Smiling back, I turned and held out my hand. We shook hands and did a backslap-hug combo.
“I wondered if I’d see you here. It’s been a while, man. Wanna sit and talk? Or are you about to get busy? If you are, do you mind if I watch?” Iker asked.
“I’m not sure what I’m gonna do, if anything. Sure, let’s find a spot.”
We wove our way through the pockets of people until we found an out-of-the-way corner that had a small bench, big enough for two.
It was as close to quiet and private as it got in here, unless you were in one of the themed rooms. Iker flagged down a passing waitress and asked for a ginger ale and a bottle of water.
I requested bottled lemonade. Mikhail didn’t lack beverage options, even the non-alcoholic kind.
“You and I haven’t seen each other since Mikhail and Tajah’s New Year’s Eve party,” I remarked.
“I wanted to be here, but I’ve had out-of-town business, and one thing or another has kept me away since then,” he explained.
“Well, you’re here now. And I get it. Work gets busy for all of us. I expect you heard that Reuben and Cristiana got engaged,” I said.
He chuckled. “I did, not that it was a surprise. I wish I could hate the bastard, but they’re perfect together.”
I laughed, then said, “I know what you mean. Every time I see him, he’s got a contented grin written all over his face. Makes a guy want to punch him.”
“Well, if you want to do it and let me watch, here’s your chance,” Iker told me, looking past me.
Turning my head, I saw a grinning Reuben coming toward us. Iker and I waited. Reuben came to a halt a couple of feet away.
“What’re you two doing hiding in a dark corner? Telling tall tales?”
“We were talking about you,” I stated.
“Oh, really, what about me? How handsome and devastatingly sexy I am. How you wish you were me?” Reuben joked.
“It sure isn’t how fucking modest you are. No, we were saying how we can’t believe you tricked poor Cristiana into agreeing to marry you,” Iker shot back.
“Come on, fellas, don’t be that way. Let’s go to my office. You can whine and cry in peace there. And I’ll tell you exactly how I won her heart, not tricked her,” Reuben said.
“We’re waiting on drinks—” I stopped speaking when our waitress came back with them.
After tipping and thanking her, we stood and followed Reuben to his office on this floor. The noises became a barely heard murmur after he closed the door. We took seats in the conversation section of his office. Reuben went to the fridge, withdrew a bottle of water, and then joined us.
“Alright, go ahead, tell me how sexy and handsome I am and how much you envy me,” Reuben prodded, smirking.
“Listen, you conceited bastard, you’re not that goddamn handsome or sexy. Hate to be the one to break it to you,” Iker told him.
I hopped in to add, “You just got lucky with bamboozling poor, sweet Ana. Please tell me she’s called off the wedding in three weeks. It’s not too late to save herself.”
“Bite your tongue before I do. Sorry to disappoint, but she’s as much in love with me as I am with her. The wedding is a go. Keep it up, and I’ll have to rescind your invitations,” he mockingly glared.
The three of us spent about thirty seconds glaring at each other in silence before we burst out laughing.
“Nah, I can’t hate you even if I want to. I’ll be there,” I said.
“I’m going to have the getaway car ready in case Ana wants to bolt at the last second,” Iker teased.
Reuben chuckled. “She won’t.”
“Damn it, you’re right, but a guy can hope. I gotta ask. How has it been with the families?” Iker asked.
Reuben’s expression tightened. “It’s still a work in progress. Her family is further along than mine. They still don’t like that we’re part of Lustz. Mine was uglier than hers, so it’ll take longer. Plus, I doubt it’ll ever be fully what it was before for either of them or us. We’ll see.”
“We’re sorry, Reub. It sucks that they reacted the way they did. But you know, you still have the rest of the gang and us,” I reminded him.
“I know, and we love you all for it. Our families will either learn to accept who we are or they won’t. We’re not letting them affect our happiness—enough talk about them. Tell me what you guys have been up to. Iker, you’ve been a ghost for three months,” Reuben said, changing the subject.
Taking the hint, we sat back to catch up on what had been happening in our lives. I felt myself absorb the fact that I might not have a woman of my own, as Reuben did, but I had a successful business and a great group of friends. I could live with those.