Page 26 of The Passion

“No work talk tonight, man. Come on, let’s go give Nic hell as we whoop the Aussie asses.” He pats me on the shoulder as hepasses me, and all I’m thinking is that it may feel like work talk to him, but it’s my life.

Not that I wanted it to, but my plan has worked with Felisha. The more I went out with other women, the more hate I got from her, until she just finally went silent.

It did rock me more than I was expecting, though, when I saw the photos that caught her leaving a luxury yacht in the early hours of the morning in St. Tropez. Shoes in hand and being kissed goodbye by a man who was just wearing a pair of black pants, bare feet, and no shirt. Not that I had any right to feel jealous, but I did.

I wasn’t the one who wanted not to see each other, she was, but it doesn’t mean I was happy about it.

I merely did as she asked and made her hate me.

It didn’t stop me from getting my guys to find out who the guy was that she was with. Some multi-billionaire property mogul who made his money in the nineties buying up real estate when everyone was hitting the recession and needing to offload their assets. He somehow was cashed up and reaped the benefit of others’ hard times. He is in his mid-fifties, and if you ask me, too old for Felisha, but hey, who am I to pass judgment. As she reminded me many times, she is a grown-ass woman who doesn’t need anyone to help her run her life.

Before I start to follow him, Elouise, Rem’s nanny and Tori’s best friend, comes bustling into the kitchen.

“Whoa, slow down. Where’s the fire, gorgeous?” Now, Felisha has me buzzing when I’m with her, but Elouise is a woman who I keep telling myself would be perfect for me. She is quiet, reserved, and beautiful in her own way. Young and still finding her place in life, but she also has strength and drive when she is pushed.

“Oh, Flynn, stop that.” She rolls her eyes at me and goes to the cupboard to grab a plastic plate that Rem forgot for his son.

“What, can’t a man express when he finds a woman attractive?” I stand in the doorway she needs to walk through.

“Of course, just not when it’s me. Read the room, Flynn, not interested.” She seems flustered, and I could take that two ways; one is frustration, and the other could be she might have a spark of interest.

“How many times have I told you Lou is off limits to you, buddy?” Nic says from behind me as Lou pushes past me to head into the living room, and I just start to laugh because it’s probably at least twenty times now.

I have thrown out my interest plenty of times, only to be shot down in flames by both Nic and Elouise. She’s not interested, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. I’m annoying like that.

But if I’m honest with myself, if I really thought she was the right woman for me to marry and settle down with, I would have pushed harder by now. It doesn’t stop me from trying to convince my brain that she is a good option for a happy life. You know, that kind of life my parents and society keep telling me I should have now that I’ve just turned forty. Marriage, kids, and a white picket fence.

The score in the game is two all, and it’s time for halftime treats.

“You better have picked up good desserts, Flynn.” Forrest is looking at me, and I can tell he’s trying to bait me because they are bought ones. Normally I would make something, but work has been so crazy since we decided to purchase a castle in Scotland to turn into a boutique hotel. And of course, Nic wants everything done ASAP because it’s for Tori. Apparently, that’s what you do for your fiancée when she mentions she likes castles; you buy her one.

Obviously, I’m not cut out for a relationship because that kind of crazy still makes me laugh, not that I would say that to him.

“They will be good but won’t be magnificent like the ones I make. You know that, so quit your bitchin’ and just be happy you got dessert.” I watch him taking forever to choose one off the tray that Elouise is holding for him to peruse the selection.

Tori is busy asking Elouise about a babysitter for the charity dinner we have on Friday and telling her that she has set her up with a blind date, then all of a sudden, there are desserts sliding everywhere, hitting the floor and Forrest’s lap. Elouise looks so flustered and embarrassed that I can’t help but feel for her.

Trying to divert the attention from the mess, I speak up. “I would’ve been her plus-one if she needs a date. I’d be the perfect gentleman.” And I would, but no one seems to be laughing at my comment. Rem looks like he is about to kill the next person who speaks, and Elouise is pink on the cheeks and has a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead.

But it doesn’t stop Tori who is still rambling and chastising me.

“Flynn, Elouise is not interested, when are you going to get the message?” Tori glares at me, saying her piece, but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up annoying her just yet. Tori may have Nic under her thumb, but she has nothing on me. And I can’t help but continue to bait her.

“How can she not be interested in this hotness? I mean, I’m a perfect catch.” I try to hold back my laughter at the reaction in the room, but Tori doesn’t take a breath and continues on about the doctor she is setting her up with, and I’m still torn in my head if I should be fighting harder for Elouise or the nagging feeling that won’t go away of a woman who has totally captured me but I know I can never have.

Rem’s phone ringing breaks the conversation instantly because we all know that ring tone. It’s the one he uses for the security team, and it’s a call that means there is trouble.

“Fuck!” That trouble is me.

The sex video is live for the whole world to see.

Someone will die for this. I don’t care if the blood is on my hands, but they will pay.

I hear words around me, but I can’t even process them.

Because all I can think of is that I need to get to my Felisha.

My feet are moving, along with the guys as we head into Rem’s office.

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