Page 30 of Ruthless Rival

Once I sat down at my desk, I checked the time again, seeing that it was only a few minutes later. I couldn’t sit here and keep staring at my watch. What would I do when seven o’clock struck, and I knew what they were about to do? I needed to distract myself throughout the entire night so I wouldn’t think about Gabriela and the governor ruining a hotel room together.

I grabbed my phone and called Bri, leaning back in my seat, peering up at the ceiling. Shadows danced along the white paint as dying sunlight streamed into my office. Nighttime would be here before I knew it.

“Hello, Mr. Mancini,” Bri answered in her usual sultry voice. She recognized my number at this point.

“Hello, Bri,” I replied. “I need to book a visit for tonight. For a while.”

“Of course, sir. When will you be arriving?” she asked.

I thought for a moment. I needed to be in the throes of passion when seven o’clock hit. Gabriela wouldn’t even be a speck in my mind when I had some other beautiful woman or a few of them in bed with me. “Around 6:30. Please be ready for me,” I said, knowing I had to pick out a girl and go through all of the preliminary processes before anything actually happened.

“I’ll have girls waiting for you to pick from,” Bri promised me. “We’ll see you soon, Mr. Mancini. Thank you for your continued business.”

I grunted out a goodbye and hung up. My business alone could probably keep Bri afloat. It would be nice to not have to run over to Delta every time I felt worked up, but it was the best release I could get for now. Whenever I got done over there, my head was always clearer and that was the point of my frequent visits.

Ever since I met Gabriela, my desire doubled, clouding my mind with need. It was so damn hard to focus on business when I wondered what was on her mind or what she was doing. I wondered if I would ever be able to shake this terrible curse.

I took up the last hour of my time to get ready. I took a shower, lathering shampoo into my short hair and letting its foam glide down my broad chest and shoulders. Taking a cold shower certainly helped restrain myself temporarily. I hadn’t taken a warm shower in forever.

For tonight, I added a little more flair than usual. After putting on a dark blue suit jacket over a light grey dress shirt, I tucked a gold pocket square into my jacket pocket. I adjusted my sleeves then my collar, making sure everything was tucked and folded just right.

I wasn’t fooling myself. I knew I was only being so particular because I was trying to keep my mind off things I didn’t want to think about. Throwing on a suit was as normal as breathing to me. It never became this time-consuming.

I brushed my fingers through my hair, smoothing the slightly damp strands down. It would dry during the car ride. “Iso, we’re heading out,” I said as I opened the door to my bedroom and walked out.

Iso lingered out in the hallway, nodding to me. “Where should I tell the driver we’re going, sir?” he asked.

“To Bri’s,” I replied as we headed down the staircase. I had been driven there enough for the driver to have the route memorized by heart.

Iso nodded and pulled the front door open for me.

I stepped out into the nighttime, hearing the light roar of crickets and frogs as they sang. I didn’t even bother to check the time. I just got in the SUV and focused on adjusting the lapels of my suit jacket, acting like they could’ve been folded at least a little bit better.

The trip to Delta was silent. My knee bounced as I peered out of the window, watching familiar buildings appear, as we got closer to my destination. I could’ve ventured through these streets with a blindfold on and found Delta. It was impossible to miss the low, sultry music drifting from inside, along with the smell of perfume that seemed to stick to every single surface.

“We’re here, sir,” Iso told me once the car stopped outside of the building.

I opened the door and headed in, hearing Iso stop inside of the doorway to keep guard. It was best for him to be close but not too close. Besides, I wasn’t worried about the escorts doing anything to harm me. They knew where their biggest tips came from.

“Mr. Mancini! So nice seeing you again,” Bri called out to me as she approached me. She wore a two-piece outfit tonight. Her tube top and mini skirt were made of silver sequins, making her look like a sexy disco ball. She did like being at the center of everything.

“You can always count on me coming back,” I said with a small smile as I nodded politely to her.

“You’re certainly our favorite customer,” Bri assured me with a flirty smile.

“Our?”

Bri gestured to the small group of girls who filed into the room, standing before me with sensual expressions and tight-fitting clothes. Delta was paradise for many men, but it had become a place of necessity and relief for me. The release I got here was as much mental as it was physical.

“Have your pick. They’re some of my best,” she told me.

She always said that about all of her girls, but she did have an impressive roster. All of the girls were gorgeous and sexy in their own ways, whether it was their pouty lips, prominent curves, alluring bodies, or just the promiscuous vibe they gave off that attracted men like bees to honey.

“Hmm, hard to choose,” I murmured beneath my breath as my eyes swept over the women in front of me. I couldn’t have anyone with dark hair tonight, though. Whoever I was with couldn’t look like Gabriela in the slightest, or my entire plan would fail.

“Have multiple,” Bri offered.

I chuckled and cocked my head out of interest. “I think two will satisfy my needs for tonight,” I told her before studying the girls again. I looked over at a blonde with a slim figure and long legs. She wore a strappy pink dress that stopped a few inches above her knee. “What’s your name?”

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