Wild Nights With My Brother's Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

NICOLE

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Armand is in the car with Esmeralda when they pick me up. We exchange friendly greetings, but I can tell by the way she looks at me that she’s hurt.

Later, I’ll make sure that we talk about this.

“How’s it going, Nicole?” Armand asks me, flashing me all his pearly white veneers. “I hope you’re going to enjoy what we have planned for you today.”

“I’m sure I will,” I smile.

For some reason, the way he said that makes me wonder what on earth this whole thing is about. When she called me telling me that she wanted me to go out with her as a way of redeeming myself, I accepted the invitation and didn’t question it at all. I didn’t even ask her where she would be taking me.

Now, I’m starting to regret that decision. Just a little.

We’re heading to a place I’ve never been to before. The outside of the building is completely nondescript, so I know that it can’t be anything good. Armand finds one of his friends standing outside, waiting to enter, and I take Esmeralda’s arm in mine.

“What’s this place?”

“I guess you’ll find out,” she says coldly before whirling around to face me. “I’m still really mad at you, you know that? And I know we were alright when we spoke on the phone, but I’m still upset.”

“I’m sorry, Esmeralda. I honestly have no excuse.”

“What’s gotten into you?” she asks wildly. “You’ve been so strange for the past few days that I can barely recognize you! My friend would never have abandoned me on my birthday. You sent a text and vanished.”

“I can’t explain to you right now what’s going on, but I will as soon as I can. I just need you to know that I would never have done that intentionally.”

Her features soften with concern. “But what’s going on? You’re scaring me.”

“No, don’t be scared. Right now it feels like it’s a huge deal, but I’m sure that in time, it’ll pass.”

“Is it the charity?”

“No.”

Esmeralda closes the distance between us and puts her arm around me. “Oh, my sweetheart. I’m sorry. I think I’m being a little too harsh, aren’t I? Look, let’s just have fun tonight and forget all about this, okay?”

“You still didn’t tell me where we are.”

15:14 Wed, Oct 22

Chapter 14

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Esmeralda purses her lips in a way that lets me know I’m not going to like what she’s about to tell me. “It’s a strip club. A high-end, crazy exclusive strip club.”

My jaw practically hits the ground. “You know I’m not into this kind of stuff!”

“I’m not either!” she forces through gritted teeth. “But Armand really wanted to come and I didn’t know how to tell him no.”

“And you decided to drag me here so we could both have an awful time? You’re unbelievable, Esmeralda.”

“No, don’t leave. Stay here with me! That’s why I told you that this would be your way of redeeming yourself. I need your company, Nic.”

I know for a fact that I can’t leave regardless of what I think. Armand rejoins our side, asks us if everything’s okay, and without waiting for an answer, we head inside, passing right by the people who are queued up.

Inside, the place is insane. The ground is black, shiny marble and the walls are covered in this deep red velvety material. The chandeliers seem to be made of gold and diamonds-that’s how shiny they are-and then there are the stages with the dancing, naked women.

Esmeralda and I exchange a look before we find a seat that’s ridiculously close to the dancing women. I wouldn’t say I have something against being here, but this place definitely wouldn’t be my first choice.

I’d be offended if I were Esmeralda, but how could she be mad about him bringing her to a place like this when he’s literally married?

It’s complicated.

“A friend of mine will be joining us soon,” Armand mentions. When he speaks, I notice he’s talking directly to me. “I think it’ll be fun for you to make new friends, Nicole. Esmeralda tells me you have a charity.”

I shift uncomfortably. “Yes, I do.”

“Those things need donations, which means you need to have big connections,” he claims. “With the right friendships, you’d be able to get whatever you want. In the blink of an eye, you’d have it right in the palm of your hand.”

I can’t say I like where this conversation is going, but I’m here and I can’t just stand up and leave, not when Esmeralda asked me to stay with her.

“Oh, there he is. Garith, over here!”

A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair approaches us and shakes hands with Armand. He’s handsome—and for a moment, I’m taken aback by how good-looking he is. “Garith, my friend, it’s good to have you here. This is Esmeralda, whom you already met, and this is Nicole, her friend.”

We shake hands, and he sits down right next to me. My guess is that he’s around mid-fifties, and there’s something about his presence that’s so…intimidating.

Armand does most of the talking, mentioning the market and all sorts of random topics. I keep my lips sealed, wishing I were anywhere but here. Esmeralda keeps shooting apologetic glances at me. I wouldn’t say

15:14 Wed, Oct 22

Chapter 14

I’m particularly mad. This just isn’t my jam at all.

“Nicole here is also into charity work. She runs one.”

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“Interesting,” Garith nods, his eyes on me. However, there’s something about the way he’s looking that doesn’t sit right with me at all. This is when I begin to wonder what on earth this man is doing here and why the hell I was invited here in the first place.

Armand and Garith stand to greet a few friends-it seems they all know each other here-and I immediately turn to Esmeralda. Before I can get a word out, she says, “I’m sorry. Armand’s just really been in a matchmaking mood.”

Ah. So this is what this is about. “I told you, I’m not interested.”

“He’s a fairly handsome man. He’d probably give you anything you wanted.”

“I don’t want anything,” I sigh. “Much less from a man in a committed relationship.”

Just saying these words out loud reminds me of Roman. God, my life is a mess right now. A proper mess at

that.

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