Song for the chapter: Can I Be Him ~ James Arthur

⧫WILLIAM⧫

There's a saying that bad things always come in threes.

And right now, I'm staring down the second bad thing to happen in the last month. But I don't have time to dwell on what could come next.

"Ex-fiance." I correct the she-devil who's still holding Katerina hostage.

Fabiana laughs, winking at the shell-shocked intern she's caught in her web. "Oops, that's what I meant."

Katerina's soft voice filters through the red haze with my temper edging to the point of no return. "It's nice to meet you." She pulls against my ex's firm grip. My blood boils as I begin walking toward them, but she manages to get out of Fabiana's grasp and backs out of my office.

Her eyes flicker in my general direction, but she avoids looking at me directly. "Goodnight, sir." She turns quickly, without waiting for me to respond, and practically runs away.

"Qué preciosa." Fabiana taunts with a dismissive laugh before she clicks her tongue. "Too young and too...what's the word...mousy for you, William. But maybe you like her submissiveness, sir?"

"You know I hate repeating myself. What the hell are you doing here?"

"And yet, you just did. That's something you used to love about me, getting you to do things you never liked doing." Her smile widens as she saunters toward me and tries to kiss my face in greeting, but I move away.

Walking around my desk, I begin shutting things down. My plans to work late are pointless. "I have somewhere to be."

She sets her large purse down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "I wanted to see you."

"You could have done an online search to see me. But now you saw me, so get the hell out."

Undeterred, she rests her hands on my desk and leans forward. "With the anniversary coming, I wanted to come and support you. Let's go for a drink and catch up."

"You fucked my best friend in our home, you moved in with him. I'm all caught up. I don't need to know or care to fucking know anything else, Fabiana." She runs a hand through her long hair, a nervous tell she always did, but the blaring rock on her finger slaps me back to the present; they're engaged, maybe even married.

"Please, Will. I just want to talk, that's all." Her voice is soft, sounding sincere. But I've been fooled too many times. My body stills, feeling her hand cup my face. I try to move, but she holds on to me more firmly. "Por favor. Perdóname. Being here with you...I miss you. Don't you miss me?"

Taking her hands off of me, I move her back. "You have some fucking nerve showing up here—asking for forgiveness—wearing his ring. But I shouldn't be surprised, considering you were wearing the ring I gave you when I walked in on you two in our bed. Final chance, walk out of here on your own or I call security."

"Will–"

"Get out!"

She backs away, grabbing her purse and hurries out of my office, crying. But tears are just another weapon for her. Frustration and anger reaching its peak, I pick up a paperweight on my desk and throw it across the room with a loud groan.

A few minutes of collecting myself go by, but I'm still angry for letting her see me lose control. Grabbing my keys, I lock up and take the elevator down to the garage. Joe climbs out of the car to open the door for me and keeps his usual greeting to himself.

Unable to stop memories from flooding in, I stare out the window as we pull out of the garage to begin the drive home. Feelings of humiliation, embarrassment for being made a fool swallow me up, but there's no longer sadness or longing for what we had. The nostalgia of what our friendship once was is tainted by the knowledge they went behind my back for months.

Friends since childhood, we were inseparable through the highs and lows of teenage life, family issues, first loves and heartbreak. After graduation we made plans to travel the world, but always having our career goals in mind.

As we grew older Fabiana developed into a beautiful blonde bombshell most see her as today, but I was already a goner—I was just too scared to ruin our friendship. Things changed between her and I during our last year in college when I kissed her one night at a party after too much tequila. Aside from Cruz, she was my biggest supporter and encouraged me to break away from my family's legacy and start my own with the agency here in Vegas. Our relationship was far from perfect, but she was smart, cultured and came from a good family. I thought she was the one.

I dodged a fucking bullet.

The car slows, coming to a stop at a red light. My attention is caught witnessing a simple act of kindness. The simple gesture takes my mind away from the bitter feelings and resentment that were consuming me moments ago. I shouldn't be surprised watching Katerina help an elderly woman cross the street, but I feel it's her compassion that makes her vulnerable to be taken advantage of or worse.

"Joe, pull the car to the side, please."

"Right away, sir."

Katerina guides the woman to the bus stop bench and they sit down talking and laughing. I roll down the window. "Ms. Ramos."

She lifts her head, looking around. I step out of the car and she finally sees me and stands. "Mr. Cardona, is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. May I give you a ride home?"

"Oh, I wasn't heading home. I'm meeting Junior at the Velveteen Curtain on Main. We're celebrating our promotions. He insists on buying because—" She stops, shaking her head. "Anyway, I appreciate your offer though."

"I could use a drink. Do you mind if I join you two?"

She blinks at me and her mouth parts then closes. "I...is that allowed?"

Exhaling, I don't want to take my frustration out on her naiveness or her sense of doing things by the book. "We're all adults, Ms. Ramos."

"Right." She nods. "You're right."

"So...can I give you a lift there?"

"Okay, sure." She turns back to the elderly woman. "It was nice to meet you, Mary. Take care." The woman gives her a near toothless smile and waves, wishing her a goodnight.

The ride to the bar is quiet and I'm beginning to second guess my self imposed invitation to their get together, but then Katerina clears her throat. Sensing her glance my way, I face her. "I'm sorry about your unexpected visitor today, sir."

"You don't need to apologize. Especially for things that are out of your control." She nods, turning her face toward the window. My eyes close in frustration and I take a deep breath, shifting in my seat I angle my body in her direction. "I've asked you this before, but do you think that tonight you can just call me Will?"

She glances down at her hands, trying to hide a smile behind the curtain of hair that falls over the side of her face. She lifts a hand to adjust her glasses. "Only if you call me Katerina or Katy is fine too."

"Deal."

"Deal." She holds her hand out to me and I wrap my fingers around it. My breath quickens and my pulse picks up at the contact. Until recently, the only other person that happened with was Pollyanna. My eyes lift to her face and her gaze slowly rises to meet mine. For a moment, time seems to still as we look at each other.

Joe clears his throat up front. "We're here, sir."

"There's Junior." Katerina announces and glances back at me. "Listo?" Still holding my hand, the teasing smile on her face does little to slow my racing heart.

"I'm ready if you are."

Her grin widens. "Let's go, Will."

After the initial shock wore off for Junior to see me with Katerina, he and another friend, Mercedes, welcomed me into their group. Several drinks later, everyone was enjoying the music and carefree atmosphere. I've learned that the girls' friendship started at the age of ten—over the love of chocolate—a chocolate donut to be exact. The dessert was shared over lunch in the fourth grade and the rest is history.

"Come on, let's dance!"

I'm pulled out of the booth, clumsily following behind Katerina to the dance floor. She weaves through the crowd and begins dancing to the music. Her hands sway up above her head as she swivels her hips to the tempo of the song.

She and Junior shimmy towards each other and then everyone shouts 'Fireball!' with the song, but at one point the music pauses, and I'm the only one yelling out in the large venue. The others burst out into laughter, but I'm too buzzed to give a damn and laugh along with them. I can't remember the last time I let loose like this and dance along with her, enjoying seeing how relaxed she is right now.

She spins into me with a laugh.

"Careful. Are you okay?" I hold on to her to keep her from stumbling. Her heavy lidded eyes gaze up at me with a drunken smile on her lips. The next song that begins playing is slow and she burrows herself into my chest with a soft sigh and rests her head against me.

"I've dreamed about this, you know." Her words are beginning to slur with all the endless shots we've had tonight.

Shifting my hold, I glance down. Her eyes are closed and she's smiling. "This isn't a dream, princessa."

"Mmm." She mumbles as we continue gently swaying to the music. "You always smell so good." She turns her face and takes a deep breath, making me chuckle. 

Thoughts I shouldn't be having start to form in my head and I clear my throat. "Where's Malcolm?"

Katerina groans. "I wish I could talk to you..."

"What do you mean?" My hands slowly caress her back, but she doesn't respond. "Katerina?" I repeat her name again and this time she leans back but starts falling back. My arms shoot out to catch her from falling, lifting her into my arms.

"I think I should take her home," I say to Junior who nods then tips his head toward Mercedes, hanging on him with her arm around his shoulders. 

" I gotta take this one home, too. But I can probably manage both, I don't want you going out of your way."

"It's no problem." I assure him. Carrying her back to the table, I reach for her bag and my suit jacket.

Joe rushes to open the door after he jumps out of the car spotting us. "Is she alright, sir?" Katerina groans.

"She's okay, just over did it a bit." I place her inside the car, and climb in myself.

"To her residence then?" he asks, settling into the driver seat and closes his door.

"With her current state, I don't think she should be alone."

"I agree."

Looking over her sleeping form, the feelings that I've been trying to ignore and rationalize can't be pushed aside. But the obvious obstacle of her boyfriend isn't something I can ignore either. Brushing aside some of her hair she leans into my fingers. I don't know how this is going to play out, but for now, I can offer her my friendship. With my mind made up, hoping it won't be a mistake, I lift my gaze to Joe. 

 "She'll stay with me tonight."