Breathless: In Love With an Alpha Billionaire (Breathless 1)

"What is it?" I wondered what made her stop and stare at me.

"I hope you are keeping in mind that Jacob could be some privileged man that's only looking for a little exotic fling. Those types of men have a different girl every day of the week. They get their fantasies fulfilled by us, and then go and marry a white girl."

"I've thought about that. I don't think Jacob is like that."

"I'm just putting it out there for you to think about." She popped the lock to the car and got in.

I didn’t appreciate her insinuating I was some exotic fling for Jacob, but what if she was right? I flung the passenger door open and plopped down on the seat. I didn’t speak a word as we took the drive to Lapidus Lounge. I didn’t know if Tasha took the scenic route, so I could think, or so we could clear our minds and sober up, but it was definitely a long ride.

"We're here," Tasha said, as she pulled up to the lounge. She touched up her makeup in the mirror.

I took out my makeup bag and freshened up my face, as well. I was a little uncomfortable with the scenery once we walked in. The mixed crowd was thick and kind of bourgeois; a little different from the parties I was used to, where down to earth people greeted you with a smile.

Ritzy acting chicks looked me up and down, as if I didn’t belong in their atmosphere. Preoccupied men looked right through me as they laughed and talked amongst themselves. I’d just as soon be in my suite going over paperwork for my meeting the next day than standing around with this bunch of assholes.

Tasha, on the other hand, didn’t seem fazed by the reckless eyeballing by the women. The first tall, dark and handsome guy to come along and offer her a drink had swept her away. I watched as she did everything from the salsa to Mediterranean dances, for the next thirty minutes. I was just about to go get her to tell her I was ready to go, when I felt a familiar breeze blow right past me. I turned in the direction of the draft and sure enough found the source.

Jacob.

My mouth flew open with surprise.

I didn’t know whether to be excited or pissed the hell off that he was in the lounge, and not busy working on some highly important project.

Gravity pulled me toward him. Gliding in his direction, I paid close attention to the company he kept. I didn’t want to barge in on his group and have them think I was some mad, black woman, but who could work against gravity?

I definitely couldn’t.

I continued toward him with a feeling of mixed emotions. On one hand, I couldn’t wait to wrap my arms around him and kiss his greedy lips. On the other, I wanted to tell him a piece of my mind. How could he think hanging out at a club was better than hiding out in my hotel room for the weekend?

My eyes popped open when an impeccably gorgeous woman, with flowin

g blond hair, slid forward and sat on his lap. She didn’t just sit on his lap; she straddled him and draped her thin arms around his neck. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought the woman, who looked like she just stepped out a model catalog, owned him. He held the mini-skirt clad, long-legged beauty in a loving embrace, as she clung to him. Their admiration for each other equally matched. Her milky skin glistened under the dim chandelier hanging over their table. Her long hair flung to one side as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips.

He didn’t notice I was there, as the woman drank, uninhibited, from his lips. I stood in shock as the reason he wasn’t with me was blatantly obvious. I suddenly felt naked standing there in a plain black dress and heels with a natural coat of makeup.

Jacob and I became opposing magnets, as then I felt pushed in the opposite direction. I carefully shrank away, remaining unseen. I rushed to find Tasha. When I found her, I opened my mouth but sound failed me. Words failed me. I could not speak. I just held my mouth open gasping.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she asked, concern etched on her face. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

I struggled to breathe. I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door, her feet dragging behind her. When we reached outside, I coughed the crisp night's air into my lungs. She was right. I had indeed seen an evil ghost.

"Destiny, what’s going on?  You’re scaring the shit out of me," Tasha asked, placing her hand on my back. "Do I need to call an ambulance for you?"

"Ja…Jacob…I just need some air."

"Is he in there?” she asked, but I couldn’t reply. “Come on, Destiny. I’m going to take you back to your hotel." She directed me to her car, and we rode in silence.

I watched as the cars passed by, with no one in Miami caring that my love life was spiraling away. That woman clutched Jacob as if he was her next breath. And, I knew what was going on.

Tasha pulled into the parking lot, put the car in park, and rushed around to help me out of the car. I walked around in a daze. I truly felt lost. I casually directed her to my hotel room, barely acknowledging where we were going. She dug in my purse to remove the hotel key and let us in.

I sunk down in the chair the minute I touched the floor in my room. I could tell that she was scared to say a word.

"Destiny…" she began.

I eventually lifted my gaze to meet hers. “Yeah.”

"Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to go out, but what happened upset you?"