I Have to Have Her

Of course, there were killer heels. What would Rhianna be without the heels? She slipped them on but they were comfortable.

She sat on the edge of her bed, trying to come up with a million different excuses.

Rhianna came out wearing a beautiful red dress that enhanced her figure. She really knew how to dress women.

“Promise me we’re not going to one of your brother’s nightclubs.”

“I can’t do that. One, we get free drinks and two, his clubs are the best. He may not be at any of them. I’ve rarely seen him these past couple of weeks. He’s been busy with work and stuff. You shouldn’t worry.”

She nodded. “Okay then.”

Rhianna took her hand. “I want you to have a good time tonight. If men want to dance with you, dance with them. Don’t overthink everything.”

“You’re not trying to matchmake, are you?”

“No. This is only about fun. I promise.” Her friend kissed her cheek. “Come on, the night’s not waiting for us.”

There was a car waiting for them downstairs. She sat beside her friend as she told the driver where to go.

“Have you, er, missed him?” Rhianna asked.

She rolled her head across the seat to look at her friend. “You really want to talk about this now?”

“If you don’t have feelings for him, it wouldn’t matter, would it? There would be no pain.”

“Rhianna, you know me, okay? Let’s not go there.”

“You do have feelings for him?”

She closed her eyes and nodded her head.

Rhianna took her hand. “He’s an asshole.”

“I know. I know.” She squeezed her friend’s hand and opened her eyes to stare out the window. She took several deep breaths, watching the world go by. The sun was already set but shops were still open. People were still leaving work. Life kept on moving forward no matter what.

Even work had lost its edge for her. No one complained but she just felt a disconnect from all of it.

The line to the nightclub was long but as Rhianna climbed out and Claire followed her, they didn’t have to worry as they were let right in. She smiled at the guard at the door before being enveloped in noise. The lights were turned down low, the music too loud to even hear.

Rhianna didn’t bother with words and took her hand, running with her to the dancefloor. At first, she wasn’t feeling it. The hum and beat of the music didn’t consume her. She felt disconnected, alone. This wasn’t how she wanted it to be.

People were dancing. Moving together as one. Her mind kept going back to Gabriel, and she didn’t want to be thinking about him. Not now, not ever.

Rhianna smiled at her, clearly cheering, and Claire followed. She danced along with her friend. The minutes passed and not long into the fourth or fifth song, she stopped thinking about him. Rather than dwell on what happened, she allowed herself to be taken over. The beat of the music. Closing her eyes, she gave herself over to the freedom of being alone, of not having anyone with her, of finally just being her.

This was what she wanted, but she missed Gabriel. His sexy face as he took control. The cheekiness as he said something that pissed her off. The way he knew he could have whatever he wanted.

Someone banded a hand around her waist and she knew without even opening her eyes it wasn’t Gabriel. He was gone.

This was her time. She couldn’t allow herself to be hung up on a man who didn’t want her. Yes, she loved him and she hated herself for even caring, but he wasn’t worth her time or her energy.

She would move on, even though the very idea alone filled her with pain. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She wasn’t meant to fall in love with him. She only hoped this feeling with him was fleeting.Chapter ElevenGabriel stared at her from his office. He had one-way glass and could see the dance floor, but they couldn’t see up. Rhianna rarely visited this establishment because of the parties that usually occurred above. Men and women could make their way up to more private quarters.

Claire looked stunning. His sister had dressed her, he had no doubt. When it came to his sister, she was a minx who enjoyed meddling.

The man behind her was getting a little too personal.

His woman. Claire belonged to him.

He clenched his hands into fists and just then, he spotted Rhianna. She knew all of his businesses and what he did for a living. She’d been in this office a few times to rant at him over something he’d done or not done.

She raised a brow, telling him in no uncertain terms that he’d lost her.

Another man came in at the front and he watched Claire. The sway of her hips, the frown on her face. The way her body moved. She wasn’t letting go. The men were a pain and if she could, she’d swat them away.