5. ABSOLUTELY SCREWED

CHAPTER FIVE

ALESSANDRO’S POV

ABSOLUTELY SCREWED

I thought the worst thing that could possibly happen to me on this particular night was having to babysit my grown-up sister while she hosts a party on my yacht. Do I love my sister? Absolutely yes. But I certainly don’t find it fun to be stuck in a yacht, surrounded by people who are either trying to kiss my sister’s ass, or well, attempting to actually seduce me. Believe me, the number of corny lines and flirtatious gestures I have had to endure in the past two hours or so, had been more than any normal human being can stomach. But right now, the one thing that actually has me losing my shit, is the woman opposite me. Don’t get me wrong, Isabell Morone is one absolutely beautiful woman. That much is undeniable. I have noticed a couple of men giving me the stink eye and not bothering to hide it just because she was clearly into me. Not that I give a fuck anyway.

“Seriously, I don’t get it. It’s just one fucking date, Alessandro. Why are you acting like you are better than anyone?”

“Like I said, I’m not interested,” I deadpan, taking a sip from my champagne flute.

Where the fuck is Calvin? He promised he’d be here by six p.m. That was hours ago. I guess this is what I get for trusting my playboy best friend to be here on time and save me from this nightmare. He’s probably deep inside his latest conquest.  He couldn’t keep his dick to himself if he tried to. Most people wonder how we are even friends considering we are such polar opposites.

“Why? Is it because of that skank?” There is a bitter edge to Isabell’s voice that makes me raise an eyebrow.

I look at her confused, “Skank?”

“You thought you could be sneaky? There is a rumor going round you were with some bitch in your private bathroom. What could she possibly have given you that I can’t, huh? I doubt she is any prettier or from a more influential family than me,” fucking Mina. Did she think I was joking about sinking her parent’s company if she disobeyed my orders?

“I’m going to assume you are just drunk. But if I were you, I’d check the words coming out of my lips,” I turn to walk away but then she reached out on a whim, grabbing my arm.

In a reflex, I jumped back, feeling like air had been sucked out of my lungs. The crystal champagne flute goes flying out of hand, shattering into pieces while earning the attention of everyone around us. But I’m too frozen, chest thumping hard, to pay attention.

“Don’t you ever fucking touch me,” The words slip out of my lips, anger radiating from my voice so hard that she visibly flinches.

I turn and began heading to my cabin, barely aware that she had recovered from her shock and was now screaming about how she way better than some hoe I apparently fucked in the bathroom. The moment I’m inside the safety of my office, I reach for my tie, loosening it and for a moment it feels like I can breathe again. I squeeze my eyes shut, popping open the top three buttons of my shirt, the cool air of the AC flowing in.

I don’t date. I don’t fuck. And I certainly don’t let anyone touch me.

Not only was Isabelle refusing to take a hint that I don’t want her, or anyone for that matter, she fucking touched me. That is one thing I cannot forgive at all. I open my eyes, reaching for the whiskey bottle and pouring myself a thumb’s deep level, popping two ice cubes inside before settling on the couch. The whiskey does relax my nerves enough for me to focus on a football game. I’m mid-way half-paying attention to whatever is going on the screen when my phone rings and it’s Calvin. The moment I pick the call, I hear a flurry of activities in the background.

“You are at a fucking bar, aren’t you?” I state the obvious.

“Yeah and before you get mad, hear me out. So I arrived in town about three hours ago and my initial plan was to pregame before crashing your sister’s yacht party. I check into my hotel, take a good bath and head to a nearby liquor store. And guess what?”

“You ran into some pretty woman you couldn’t simply resist,”

“You know me. Anyway, come join us. It’s at this local club, total tourist trap but definitely worth it. Alessia is a grown woman and can take care of herself,”

“Remember last year when you talked me into trusting her at my beach house and I came back to a completely trashed house? I had to do repairs that were completely off my budget and you know how strict I’m about unplanned things. I’m not doing that again. Besides, I’m calling it a night already. Just have fun. I’ll swing by the hotel tomorrow,”

“You are such a bore, dude,” I can hear the amusement in his voice before adds, “I’ll catch tomorrow,”

He hangs up and once again, I’m left swimming in complete tranquility, thanks to the soundproof walls of my cabin. Leaning back on my couch, my eyes fall on the picture in my nightstand and something inside me constricts painfully. For second, my gaze is drawn to that green-eyed gaze, the muscles in my chest tightening and it takes every ounce of effort I got for me to get up, strip down to nothing and walk into my bathroom. A cold shower always helps me focus and tonight, I’m more than happy for that relief. Once I’m done, I slide under the covers and when I finally fall asleep, it’s the memories of her and I that haunt my mind. Always the same fucking nightmares.

I have no idea what time the party ends but when I wake up to sunlight streaming on my face, it’s about ten in the morning and there is a couple of missed calls from Calvin. Had I turned it to silent mode and didn’t remember?  No wonder I slept all night. I won’t be surprised if he found himself in some trouble. It won’t be the first time I have had to bail him out of jail. Sighing, I press dial and barely a ring later, his groggy voice fills my eardrums.

“Dude. It’s like so fucking early in the morning,” I hear a low, feminine moan of protest in the background and I can only fill in the blanks.

“It’s ten in the morning and you are the one who left a million missed calls on my phone,” I say, walking into the bathroom to brush my teeth and clean my face.

“I did- wait, I did. I remember now. So, is it really true?” he asks, his voice much clearer now.

I slap cold water on my face, glancing at my reflection on the mirror above the sink, “ Is what true?”

“That you actually fucked some local woman yesterday at the party,”

For a second, I’m convinced that perhaps I misheard. That or I’m still asleep and having some terrible nightmare.

“Don’t you think it’s a little too early for jokes like that?”

“Well, that’s not what every gossip website is saying as we speak,” There is a pause before resumes speaking, “ Isabell didn’t take kindly to you turning her down and in her drunken state, she went on a crazy rant, hoping live on her I* account, talking about how you pretend to be this nice guy while you were busy fucking some woman at your sister’s yacht party. Believe it or not, there is already a picture circulating of you and a woman dressed in nothing a coat. So is it true? Did you really sleep with this woman?”

Fucking Mina. I’m going to make sure she pays for this.

“I have to go,” I hung up the call.

This has got to be the worst day already and it’s only mid-morning. When I check my phone, sure enough, there are several good alerts and what do you know. The most trending article, published by Venus, the leading paper in town has the hallway picture pasted at the front page with the most diabolical title I have ever heard.

EXCLUSIVE: Tech Tycoon, Alessandro Romano Caught Sneaking Mystery Woman Out of VIP Bathroom Wearing Only His Suit Jacket.

This is going to be a problem.