My Friend's Dirty Uncle

Kimmy had obviously never believed me, but she’d accepted the excuse all the same. Although she was still subtly trying to get me together with Joshua, she wasn’t as aggressive as she had once been.

We were standing there for a few awkward seconds until Joshua leaned in. “Do you want to dance?”

Not really, but I nodded, taking the hand offered. I followed him onto the dance floor and closed my eyes, moving to the music. Josh’s body brushed against me lightly, his arms snaking around to my waist. The contact, although unfamiliar, was okay. It made me think I could forget the sadness. Maybe I could allow myself to forget, just for tonight.

As the music continued to play, I swayed my hips back and forth. As I reached up to touch Joshua’s cheek, my eyes opened but instead of looking at the boy, I gazed into the gaggle of the crowd, settling on pair of familiar icy blue eyes.

The air left my body and I felt a sharp punch to the gut as I recognized that penetrating stare.

They were the same eyes that haunted me in my sleep … and they belonged to none other than the man who had broken my heart.

Chapter Thirteen

Hunter

I knew it was Dani when as soon as she walked into the club. I had seen her before, walking in the street, a flash of those lovely curves, the bounce of those brown curls. And yet, I’d been so devastated since leaving the woman, that I chalked it all up to my imagination.

Because I saw Dani everywhere I went, and it was sheer torture. I knew it was punishment for how I had left her. Kristi had called me shortly after I left, berating me for not telling Dani about my immediate departure. She told me the whole pathetic story, down to the expression on Dani’s face when she realized what I had done. Her hurt made me feel like shit.

But I had to go. I knew the brunette wouldn’t understand. At that time, the job had been my life and Maddox Media was everything to me. It was my only reliable go-to. If I didn’t have the business, then what was I as a man?

Nothing. And I had worked too hard to let it all slip through my fingers, no matter how much I loved Dani. I had no choice. So I disconnected my phone, and deleted her emails from my account. I blocked her email address, just in case she tried to contact me. And I threw myself into work, focusing on nothing but the business for the next year.

And it seemed to work at first. After I recommitted myself to the job, my father left me alone. My mother kept trying to set me up with other women of course, but it was useless. I didn’t want anyone.

All I wanted was Dani.

At night, my dreams were haunted by the beautiful girl and when I woke up, my body ached for her warm wetness and creamy curves.

My heart ached, but I persevered. Until I couldn’t anymore. One night, I asked myself what was I doing this for? I wasn’t happy. I was killing myself over something that held no meaning for me, throwing away the one thing that had made me happy for the first time in my life.

So before I could lose my nerve, I resigned. Put in my papers and walked out that same day. I decided that I was going to leave the company and find penance in the one place it was possible to disappear. Kolkata. A city teeming with people with less-than-perfect bureaucracy which would make me impossible to find.

I’ve been here for a little over four months now. It’s been humbling to be sure because I was no longer a rich guy able to buy influence, power, and comfort. I was just another laborer, struggling to survive. But it worked. I started doing odd jobs here and there, and the work was strangely satisfying. But still, Dani was never far from my mind.

And on the one night when I decided to treat myself and hang out at a disco, she was here. When the female entered the club, at first I did a double take. I couldn’t believe it was really her – what was she doing here, of all places?

But it was Dani for sure, and not only that, but the girl was wearing that same bewitching black dress she’d worn the summer before. Looking at that curvy form, all of my feelings came rushing back with an intensity that frightened me. Clearly, nothing had changed – I wanted her as much as I always had.

But Dani had no idea. She was with a female friend, and they made their way to the back of the club, winding their way through the pulsating crowd.