1- LOUIS

PRESENT

One of the first memories I had of me was from when I was seven.

I remember walking into Dad's office without knocking and seeing him between the woman’s legs who was on his desk. They didn't even realize they had a witness, so just as I entered, I left.

Distressed, I looked for my mother in the garden to tell her what I had seen and to my surprise, she simply laughed and continued tending her roses as if nothing had happened; years later I would understand the nature of that marriage and my own perception of life would change with it.

Women and men were just that: women and men.

The idea of ​​a relationship for me was to be with the same woman a few times without making any commitment, making my intentions clear to her since the beginning, and once I got bored of her, I let her go until another caught my attention.

Simple and effective.

If I was honest, no one was hurt, neither of the parties involved emotions or attachments.

So, when what I was experiencing at this moment happened, I got completely exasperated.

I stared blankly at the woman before me, raising the glass of vodka to my mouth before interrupting her tirade.

“Marlene,” I cut her off leaving the glass on the bar, “I told you, precious. We made it clear from the beginning what this thing was based on.”

"But Louis,” she started to say, her lower lip trembling pathetically. “I thought our relationship was strong, that―”

“Our relationship?" I interrupted again with a laugh, “Beautiful, I've known you for two weeks. We had sex, we came, we had sex again and we came again.”  I shrugged at her incredulous look. “It was easy, it was simple, I don't know why you complicated everything.”

"I thought it was special."

I had to lean forward to catch what she was saying as her voice was barely audible above the music from the bar.

"It was special,” I nodded drinking again. “Until then it stopped being so.”

"You're a son of a bitch.” Her words came out choppy.

"But a very sincere one,” I replied with a wink before getting up. “Have another drink, beautiful; it’s on me.”

I signaled to the bartender before putting a twenty bill on the bar and turned to leave, completely ignoring the woman's annoying tears and sobs, and focused on my new victim.

I had seen her a few minutes ago as soon as Marlene arrived, and I started to check that graceful body from top to bottom.

Long and tanned legs, pronounced hips hidden in a leather skirt, a good size breasts could be appreciated under the white shirt she was wearing and that face... every time she smiled, I imagined perverse things.

I walked determined towards the woman who was surrounded by her friends at the end of the bar and I got ready to act.

"Hello, beautiful,” I said as I leaned against her ear; In those killer heels she wore, we were on the same level. “How about I buy you a drink and we dance for a while?”

I liked that she turned to me with surprise and amusement.

I smiled back at her when one of her hands rested on my chest and she laughed before shoving me away.

"You're handsome,” she began to say pointing to her right. “But you see that great mass of man who is about to come here? He's my man, so go away quickly if you don't want to even lose that beautiful accent.”

I was surprised not to see who her partner was, who really looked like a fucking mountain of muscles, but to one of the men who accompanied him, Alex Hardy's French friend, a son of a bitch who knocked me out with a punch for kissing his woman.

So, noticing the danger greeting me from that direction, I shrugged towards the woman and walked quickly away from where I came.

The woman was explosive, but she wasn’t worth losing a part of my body for her; none was worth it.

The bad part in this? My old fuck was still in the same place where I had left her.

“You change your opinion?” Marlene hiccupped when she saw me, making me extremely uncomfortable with the smeared mascara under her eyes.

"No,” I answered dryly. “But I think you should go, Marlene.”

"But I don't want to lose you,” she insisted leaning toward me. “Do you remember what I let you do to me two nights ago? What if we repeat it?”

“How about I pay you a taxi to your house?” I said instead exasperated.

"But would you come with me?"

"For God's sake, woman, have a little self-respect.” A woman exclaimed from the other side of the bar, making us both turn towards her.

And woao! that monument was worth seeing.

"Stay out of it,” Marlene hissed next to me. “Mind your own business if you don't want to lose your job.”

“Shall I call the manager?” The woman mocked with her pierced eyebrow arched, "The supervisor? How about the owner of the place?”

“If you keep sticking your muzzle in this matter, it will be.”

To my surprise, the bartender opened her mouth and gave a laugh that sent tingles all over my spine.

"I'd rather you call me a bitch up front,” she replied placing a bottle of vodka on the bar before winking in my direction.

One of her beautiful and bright blue eyes, which were made up of black, making them look electric blue.

"Well, that's it. I want the fucking manager right now,” the woman next to me demanded.

I chuckled when the bartender spread her arms out to her sides and looked defiantly at my partner.

"I'm the manager, the supervisor and the fucking owner of this place, darling,” the woman replied leaving Marlene stunned on her stool. “So, if you don't want to end up losing what remains of your dignity when I call security, get out of here on your own.”

My gaze went from one woman to the other. They continued to challenge each other in tense silence as I finished my drink.

Suddenly, when I decided to order another vodka, Marlene surprised me by getting up and leaving without looking once in my direction.

I gaped at the wonderful woman before me with a mixture of pride and desire.

"Well, is there any chance I can hire you as a bodyguard?” I asked leaning over the bar, all my attention on her, "Could you at least tell me your name to thank you?"

She raised her eyebrow before laughing again and leaning forward to refill my glass.

“You just say such nonsense and women fall into your arms?” She asked still leaning forward, barely a few inches separating us. "Though I didn't see that Helena believed your charms."

“Who?” I asked without interest, all my attention directed to her face, noticing every detail in her.

"The woman you approached a few minutes ago,” she replied smiling cheekily at me. “I think you ran a bit when you saw Chris approaching.”

"I just asked her if she wanted to dance.” I shrugged casually. “How many piercings do you have?”

“How about I show them to you and you list them yourself?” She answered making me gasp when she headed towards the exit of the bar counter.

"Beautiful, you read my mind.” I got up like a spring and followed her direction where at last I could have her completely for me.

And oh, yeah. I really liked what I saw. Though she was thinner for my taste and the black dress she wore revealed little chest, the woman's hips suggested she had a great arse.

Her appearance was a bit gothic with so much black around her, but her colorful personality was a stark contrast.

"I'm Eva,” she said against my ear as she leaned against my chest to keep from screaming, her breath tickling my skin.

"And I’m Louis,” I answered in the same way, passing my index finger from her bare shoulder to her wrist. “Is there a place where we can talk without the music making us scream?”

“Speak?”  She said cheeky, raising that pierced eyebrow again. "I thought you wanted me to show you my piercings."

Without giving me time to answer, she took me by the hand and led us towards the stairs at the end of the bar and just when I thought we would go up, she opened a hidden door at the beginning of the stairs and ushered us into an office, which I knew what was when she turned on the lights and I saw a large mahogany desk dominating the space. As soon as she closed the door, the music ceased to exist, leaving us isolated from what was happening outside.