Eros: The Obsession

Chapter Fourteen

The club Jun walks up to sits on a stretch of cement in the more elite part of the city, known for its various nightlife activities. The bass is so loud that it thumps within his chest, making his eardrums thrum in time with every beat drop. The bouncer takes one look at him – in his old black hoodie and ripped jeans – and immediately holds his palm out, asking for his ID.

"I'm a friend of Jasper's," he tells the man and at the name that Jun drops, the bouncer's eyes widen in surprise. He asks for Jun's name, and when he gives it, the man nods in understanding. He stops the couple who had been waiting an hour to enter, brushing his hand across the entrance as he steps back to let Jun pass through.

It sends a thrill of superiority up Jun's spine and he smirks gleefully as he steps inside. The inside of the club is hazy, filled with a sweet smelling red smoke that permeates the air as bodies writhe against each other on the dance floor in the center of the area.

Before he gets down to business, he makes his way over to the sleek bar top counter, taking a seat on one of the empty stools. The bartender takes his drink order – a whiskey on the rocks – before attending to someone else. Jun waits for all of fifteen minutes before his patience starts to wear itself thin. He knows that he's not being served because of how he looks, poor and unworthy of business, unlike the other customers who all drape themselves in expensive suits and dresses.

He decides to give it one more minute before he leaves, but before he can stand, a large hand wraps around his shoulder, the familiar scent of Cognac wafting up his nose as a man with long, brown hair leans over him.

"Hi, man," Jasper Montesi greets him with a warm smile. "Long time no see."

Jun watches as the bartender spots the man next to him, and immediately rushes over with a panicked expression. "Mr. Montesi," he gasps, "What can I get you?"

"I'm good for now, Vince," Jasper waves him off. "But I see that my friend here still doesn't have a drink."

"I'll rectify that right away," Vince replies with wide, frightened eyes. Jun watches him scurry about the bar top in a rush to serve him his drink. A sick, satisfied smile curls its way across his face.

"Dad told me you might stop by," Jasper tells Jun.

Jun hums noncommittally, shoving a hand into his pocket before he pulls out a small, clear bag with white powder inside. "I also brought you a gift."

Jasper grins, large and salacious as he takes it with a wink. "Much appreciated."

He notifies the bartender to send Jun's drink up to one of the private rooms, along with a slew of other drinks that he lists off. Then, he slings one arm around Jun's shoulder and steers him towards the back of the club, where a set of elevators lie behind a cordoned off area titled VIP. They step into the elevators alone despite a group of people waiting outside and Jun assumes that it can only be due to the presence of the Montesi heir.

"So, how've you been?" Jasper asks once they're alone.

"Okay," Jun shrugs. "Haven't done anything too special since I left Bolton."

"Dad tells me you're working in media now," the other man snickers, "For a news publication. How did that happen?" The tone of his voice is teasing, familiar, like they're long-time friends.

"Pretty girl works in the reporting division," Jun scoffs with a grin.

Jasper laughs, his entire face lighting up at the information. "You always were a sucker for the pretty ones," he lets a beat of silence pass between them before he asks, "How pretty are we talking here?"

Jun's smile tightens, his eyes narrowing just slightly as he replies, "I don't think she's your type."

The other man holds up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Easy, man. I didn't mean anything by that. I was just curious."

Jun doesn't reply but he knows that there is some truth to Montesi's words. Still, he can't help the rush of possessiveness that makes him wanting to keep Tara hidden away, especially from someone like Jasper Montesi.

"I guess she must be a looker," Jasper snickers, "To have you betraying my dad like that."

"It's not like Vrede was an especially important part of the syndicate," Jun scoffs with a roll of his eyes . "If anything, I did your old man a favor by getting rid of a loose end."

"You also cost him three million in stock," he replies with a raised brow.

"I make him triple that in a month," Jun counters.

"That why he asked you to come back?"

Jun shrugs, "Maybe. I don't know and I don't particularly care either way."

The elevator doors slide open then and Jasper leads him out into an area that looks like a waiting lounge. It's surrounded by an array of deep brown doors, the entire room padded so that no sound escapes.

"Anna's busy with a client," Jasper tells him with a careful look over his shoulder. "But she'll join us a bit later."

"Oh, really?" Jun drawls in a dry tone. "How convenient."

"Don't be like that," the other man snickers. "You can't blame her for wanting me instead." He says it with a crass tilt of his lips, blasé and casual like his words don't make Jun want to rip his tongue out.

Jun hums distractedly, keeping his reactions in check because he knows the Montesi heir is just trying to get a rise out of him. It would have worked maybe before he'd met Tara, but now all he feels is slight irritation at not getting his way. Jun supposes it must be character growth, when a few months prior the comment would have made him lash out at Jasper in bitter envy.

Jasper leads him to one of the doors, taking him into a quiet room lined with couches and a small coffee table. A pole runs from the ceiling to the floor, situated in the middle of the room. The Montesi heir takes a seat, spreading his legs out as he beckons Jun over.

They sit and drink for a while before getting down to business. Jun gives Jasper the name of his clients, their orders and their trade-off days. Jasper thanks him by spreading the powder onto a clear glass tray, lining it up and letting Jun take the first hit.

The drug rushes up his system, burning his nose and making his head spin. His mind goes hazy for a moment, dizziness taking over before it dissipates and suddenly it' like he can see everything and nothing at the same time. His veins thrum and Jun can almost feel the blood pump through his body. The rush is so familiar but so exhilarating at the same time that Jun loses himself to the feeling. He's so preoccupied with his own experience that he doesn't realize when the door to their room opens.

He doesn't notice when a pair of long arms wrap around his waist but he does notice when a slim set of legs slides over his lap, caging him into the couch. His eyes drag up the shimmering one-piece lingerie set, studded with diamonds and glinting in the low light of the room. He takes in a slender waist, pale skin and an almost perfectly round chest. When his eyes finally settle on bright blue, the woman gazes back with a small grin.

"Hello, Jun," Anna Waters greets him in a sultry voice as the drugs finally settle into his system.

"Anna," he greets, leaning his head back against the couch.

Her eyes drag along the exposed column of his throat before they meet his expression again. "I missed you."

"Did you, now?" Jun asks in a condescending tone.

She pouts, running inquisitive fingers along his chest. "Of course. No one ever sends me any gifts anymore."

It's a playful jab and if Jun didn't have the drugs to ease his mind, he might have blushed with shame at the mention of his past activities. As it stands, all he feels is a subdued arousal. He hums noncommittally, surging up to press his lips over hers. "Stop talking."

Anna giggles but acquiesces as she slides her hands around his neck. She grins into his mouth, returning the kiss with a heated passion she hadn't graced him with before. His palms slide up around her waist, fingers pressing into her skin as he begins to grind up into the heat of her body. She lets out a subdued moan but doesn't move to stop him, groaning when he releases her mouth to trail bruising kisses up the column of her neck.

Jasper is still there – Jun feels the weight of his intent gaze – but he doesn't comment on their display, and when Jun glances at him, he sees the Montesi heir nursing a glass of whiskey as he watches them.

"Enjoying the show?" he quips in a raspy drawl as Anna wrenches his shirt open so that she can begin mouthing at his collarbones.

"I would think you would be enjoying it more," Jasper grins, nodding his head in Anna's direction. "Weren't you in love with her for like three years?"

Jun scoffs with a roll of his eyes. He doesn't deem the comment worthy of a reply. They both know that Jun's infatuation with Anna – while obsessive and borderline dangerous – was never love.

She whines, drawing his attention back to her as she mutters, "Are you gonna f**k me or not?"

Jun does. Right there on the couch, in front of Jasper who watches them all the while.

And then he does it again, this time inviting her to his apartment one cold Winter's night. They both do lines of cocaine that night, the drug making Anna needier, more adventurous. She moans unabashedly and a part of Jun hopes that Tara will hear it.

It becomes something of a routine over the next few weeks. Jun visits clients, makes deals because he's good at manipulating them into doing things his way, and then he goes to the club and gets high while he waits for Anna to finish her shift. When she does, they f**k. It doesn't matter where or how or who's around.

Jun from the past would probably handle things with Anna a lot better, would probably try to woo her and follow after her like the lost puppy that he'd when he used to deal for Montesi. He still remembers the longing he had felt the first time he'd seen her dance; still remembers the warm feeling that had bloomed in his chest when she had offered to talk to him all those years ago even though all he'd had to his name were an old pair of sneakers and a dirty high school hoodie. He remembers everything in stark clarity – even the night he'd found her bouncing atop Jasper Montesi's d**k like a b***h in heat.

He remembers the anger, the bitter envy because of course she would go after Montesi. It didn't matter that Jun had been the one secretly sending her gifts, the one making sure that clients kept their grubby paws off of her.

Anger is easier to give into than regret, which is why Jun thinks he says yes to sleeping with her so many times. Nothing about their trysts are nostalgic. In fact, their time together is always tinted with the remnants of anger, of betrayal and entitlement.

Which only makes it worse when the haze of arousal finally dissipates. Every time Anna leaves, Jun presses his ear to the wall he shares with Tara, listening attentively to the tell-tale sounds of her crying. And she does cry. Every night, without fail.

He doesn't understand why it affects her so much but her reactions only further prove that she does care, to some degree. So Jun keeps bringing Anna around even though he can barely stand the sight of her on most days.

He doesn't think Tara will ever speak to him again, which makes that night all the more surprising.

A loud banging on his door disrupts the rhythm of Anna's hips. Jun slides her off of him and pads over to the entrance, his brows pursed in frustration. When he pulls it open, his mouth falls open in shock as he stares at an enraged Tara.