Confusing feelings

Niccolo’s POV

“Good morning, sir,” Zach greeted as he walked into my office.

“Good morning, Zach,” I replied, hanging my coat on the rack before getting settled in my seat. “So what is my schedule for today?”

“You have a meeting with Yoda contractors regarding the new warehouse that's being built in Texas,” He said, swiping across the iPad in his hand. “Russo and brothers have begged for the postponement of the meeting, sir. What should I tell their representative?”

“Cancel the whole thing, they are not serious at all,” I said. “This is their third time canceling, isn't it? And they want me to invest in such a confused company. I don't want to have anything to do with them anymore.”

I had given the company a long period of grace, which was extremely rare for me because the owner happened to be a friend of Javier.

However, with how unready they had proven for the past five months, it was better to move on to a better and more industrious start-up company.

“Alright then,” He replied. “I also want to remind you that the annual Balkan charity dinner is happening tomorrow, sir.”

“Really? I thought it was in a month,” I frowned, switching on my phone to see if I had marked it in my calendar.

And I really had, it was happening tomorrow like Zach said.

Fuck, how could I have forgotten about that?

“No, sir. It's also mandatory to go with a plus one,” Zach said, and I nodded, utterly award of the unbreakable rule.

Various thoughts assailed my mind, with the most dominant one being the thought of opting out of the whole thing and asking Zach to go in my place and probably make a huge donation.

However, I had missed the dinner for five years in a row now, partially because I was too busy expanding my several businesses and mainly because I didn't have a plus one, and it was always compulsory to have one.

Now that I thought of it, a plus one wasn't my problem anymore.

I had Talia now, and even though we were only in a sexual relationship, I could ask her to be my date.

Yes, that was the perfect plan.

“Very well then. You may leave.” I said, to which Zach nodded before exiting my office.

+

“Estella hasn't replied to my messages in a week, Niccolo,” Damon groaned, as I downed a whiskey shot.

We were currently sitting on the second floor of his nightclub which was reserved for VVips, overlooking the clubbers as they partied.

“Is that so?” I asked, trying my best to sound interested because the only person on my mind at that moment was Talia.

After the thought of asking her to be my date wafted into my mind, I found myself thinking about the nature of our relationship.

Surely, I was extremely attracted to her and vice versa but that was all for me.

I really wasn't interested in making our relationship completely romantic or anything like that.

It wasn't as if Talia wasn't pretty, she was, extremely so at that, with a small face and soft, supple, satin skin. Her plump, rosy lips and button nose perfectly complimented her gorgeous face and made her look like a goddess.

However, I just didn't want something serious with her or with anyone.

Relationships were unfortunate and always ended badly.

It was either you got cheated on or had irreconcilable differences that would eventually lead to a break up and cause you to lose your mind for years.

And I couldn't have that again.

The whole thing that happened with Ivy had made me vow to never date anyone ever again.

“Yes,” He replied, hie expression morose as he looked at his phone. “She left me on read after I told her my age.”

“Perhaps she's older?” I suggested, and Javier gasped.

“Fuck, why didn't I think about that in the first place?” He asked rhetorically. “But that shouldn't matter, I'm an adult. I'm thirty-one for fucks sake. Hell, I even own three nightclubs and am looking into building my hotel in a year, so I'm definitely not immature.”

“Maybe she doesn't date younger men?” I said, to which my brother sighed heavily, placing down his phone.

“There's nothing wrong with age differences,” Damon said. “I mean, we are not living in medieval times anymore.”

Slapping his back to comfort him, I said. “Maybe you'll just have to get over her.”

“Thanks for the wonderful advice, man,” Damon scoffed. “But seriously, tell me what to do. You are the more logical one between us.”

“Glad you're finally admitting that,” I said. “Honestly, I feel you should give her more time, let's say a week. And if she doesn't respond, bare your heart to her in a message and send it to her. Her response to it will determine your next line of action.”

“How do I bare my mind to her?” Damon asked, and I huffed. “I don't want to end up saying something stupid that would push her further away.”

“Tell her age is just a number and that she should be assured of your feelings toward her regardless of it,” I said. “Just be raw with your feelings and your mind will lead you.”

“Okay, I'll do just that,” He said. “I really doubt I'd be able to find someone who understands me like her. She's one in a million. Our interests align perfectly which automatically makes her the woman of my dreams.”

“I hope you can get her,” I said.

“Me too,” He replied before gulping a shot of whiskey. “By the way, how's your own relationship going?”

“We are just fucking and not dating, Damon,” I huffed. “It's going well.”

“Woah, you brutal cassanova,” My brother gasped. “With the way you spoke about her, I would have thought you were interested in dating her. I hope she knows you're only in it for sex.”

“Probably, I mean it's a temporary arrangement, and everything will be over soon,” I said then pushed my shot glass toward him. “Pour me one.”

I had still not told Damon that Talia lived with me, and honestly, I had no idea why.

“Yes, sir.” He replied, before pouring whiskey into the shot glass.

Drinking it in one gulp, I exhaled heavily before grabbing my phone and car keys, and standing up.

“I need to be on my way now,” I said, glancing down at my wristwatch, which showed me that it was fifteen minutes to nine in the evening.

“Let me see you off,” He said, getting out of his chair.

Moments later as I drove home, what Damon said about whether Talia knew that I was only in it for sex, tugged at my mind, causing a weird feeling to hug my chest.

She had to know of course.

Three days ago, she had even told me that their dorm would be done in five months, meaning she knew our arrangement was temporary and would be over as soon as she left.

Or even earlier than that if she wanted.

However, the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if I was really telling myself the truth about the whole thing.

Did I really want Talia for sex only?

Pushing the thoughts away before it could lead into something absurd, I steered my car into the garage and hopped out of it.

“Welcome, sir.” Isaac greeted, as I entered the house.

“Thank you,” I said. “Tell Mary that I'm not eating tonight.”

With that, I headed upstairs, straight to Talia's room, and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Her soft voice came from within.

My heart panged with warm fondness, which I attributed to the sexual attachment, as I saw her sitting on the bed, her MacBook opened beside her.

On seeing me, a smile plastered her lips as she got up and hugged me.

“I missed you,” She said, which made me smile before kissing her full on the lips.

“Same here,” I replied, caressing the slope of her ass. “I'm attending a dinner tomorrow. Will you like to be my date there?”

Her smile widened, revealing her pearly teeth. “Yes of course.”

“Perfect,” I replied, squeezing her ass before letting go. “Goodnight, Talia.”

“Goodnight, Niccolo.”

Thereafter, I left her bedroom, ignoring the weird scudding of my heart.