His Ruthless Obsession

A Friend's Reckless Love

Maya’s laughing so hard she nearly spills her martini down the front of her red silk dress, and she’s trying to dab at the rim of the glass with a napkin but it’s useless. We’re tucked into our usual corner booth at Velvet, same spot as always, but tonight feels… different. Like there’s a spark in the air that could set the whole place on fire if we breathe too hard.

Maybe it’s because Rosa finally signed her divorce papers this morning and has been acting like she just got out of prison, throwing shots back like a newly freed inmate. Maybe it’s because Selene’s husband paraded wife number three home last week and she’s drowning her heartbreak in vodka so expensive the glass alone probably costs more than my rent.

Or maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s because I can’t stop replaying this afternoon with Damian, every single second of it burned into me, even though Adrian spent all through dinner watching me like I was some crime scene he was trying to piece together.

“So then he says, ‘Ma’am, you can’t take photos in the lingerie section,’” Rosa’s saying between cackles, “and I go, ‘Relax, sweetheart, it’s not for i********:, it’s evidence for my divorce lawyer.’ You should’ve seen the poor guy’s face.”

Selene groans. “Please tell me you didn’t actually,”

“Oh, I did.” Rosa knocks back another tequila like it’s nothing. “Documented every single piece of slutty lingerie that bastard bought for his mistress. Size six, when I’m a size ten. You tell me who he was buying that for. Sure as hell wasn’t me.”

Maya wipes at her eyes, her mascara smudging just enough to give her raccoon eyes, but she doesn’t even care. “God, Rosa, I love that you’re finally free again. Like really free.”

“Damn right,” Rosa says, tossing her hair like she’s on stage. “Twenty-eight and I’ve wasted enough time. No more catering to ungrateful men. From here on, it’s fun only. No more relationship drama. I’m done.”

“Speaking of fun…” Maya’s grin sharpens like a cat who’s just spotted her prey. Her gaze flicks over my shoulder. “Don’t look now, but someone’s staring.”

I don’t need to look. I know exactly who she means. Marcus. Damian’s wall of muscle. He’s parked at the bar in a black suit that fits him a little too well for a man who’s supposed to be invisible. He’s not drinking, not even pretending to. Just scanning the room with those sharp dark eyes like he’s calculating every possible threat.

“He’s not here for me tonight,” I say, deadpan. “He’s here for you.”

Maya’s head snaps back to me. “Wait, what?”

“I saw the way he looked at you last week,” I say. “And don’t act innocent. You’ve been drooling over him for months.”

“I have not,”

“Bullshit,” Rosa cuts her off, pointing her martini glass at her. “You’ve been eye-f*****g that man since the day you met him.”

Maya flushes, caught, but she still tries to play it cool. “He’s just… serious. Professional. I like the challenge.”

Selene leans forward, blonde hair slipping over her shoulder, catching the neon lights. “What kind of challenge?”

“The kind where I make Mr. Stone-Face actually crack a smile. Maybe more than a smile.”

I roll my eyes so hard it almost hurts. “Maya Chen, do not tell me you’re about to try seducing Damian Blackwood’s bodyguard.”

She smirks like she’s already decided. “Why not? Life’s short. And that man is built like he was carved out of temptation itself.”

“Maya,”

But before I can even finish, she’s sliding out of the booth, tugging her dress down just enough to make her cleavage impossible to miss, and strutting toward the bar like she owns it.

Rosa laughs and waves a hand. “Twenty bucks says he shuts her down in under five minutes.”

“You’re on,” Selene says without hesitation.

So we watch. We all watch. It’s impossible not to. Maya leans against the bar, casual like she’s not plotting an entire seduction. She orders a drink. Says something. He raises an eyebrow, just barely, but enough. She laughs. And then, damn it, he says something back, because his mouth twitches at the corner like he’s fighting a smile.

“s**t, she’s good,” Selene mutters. “Look how she’s tilting her head. Making him think he’s in control while she’s the one steering.”

I sigh. “She’s been perfecting that move since college. Trust me. If Maya wants you, she’ll get you. She could probably seduce a priest if she tried.”

Rosa suddenly turns, eyes narrowing on me. “Could she seduce Adrian?”

That hits like a slap. “Excuse me?”

“Adrian,” she repeats, too casual. “Could Maya seduce him?”

“Why would you even,”

“Because you’ve been weird all night. Fidgety. Checking your phone every five minutes. You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“The look women get when they’re scared their husbands are onto them.”

I open my mouth to deny it, but my throat closes. Rosa’s always been too damn sharp.

“I think…” I swallow. “I think he might know.”

Selene’s voice softens. “How close?”

So I tell them, about Adrian’s phone call, the way he watched me during dinner like he was recording evidence in his head.

“Classic controlling husband move,” Selene mutters. She stirs her martini with her finger, her nails gleaming under the light. “My ex did the same thing when he thought I was sneaking around.”

“You had affairs?” Rosa asks, eyebrows up.

Selene shrugs like it’s not scandalous. “Three. Before I finally left him.”

“Three?” Rosa almost chokes.

Selene gives her a look. “The trick is not to change anything in your routine. You stay predictable. Normal. That way he doesn’t have proof.”

“That’s easier said than done,” I mutter.

She smirks. “If I managed three boyfriends under a man who tracked my every step, you can handle one very sexy billionaire.”

We clink glasses to that just as Maya comes back, looking smug as hell.

“Well?” Rosa demands.

Maya drops into the booth, glowing. “Better than a smile. I got his number.”

“No way,” I breathe.

“Way.” She smirks. “Turns out Mr. Stone-Face has a sense of humor. He called me… wait for it… ‘recklessly intriguing.’ Which, honestly, I’m taking as my new i********: bio.”

“Maya, this is a terrible idea,” I warn, but she’s already too far gone.

“He’s taking me to dinner tomorrow. Somewhere private. We’ll ‘get to know each other better.’” She does little air quotes, smirking. “And by that, I mean less clothes, more fun.”

“God, you move fast,” Rosa says, cackling.

“Life’s too short for slow seductions. Besides, have you seen the way he fills out that suit? I need to see what’s under it.”

“What if Damian finds out?” I ask.

She shrugs. “Then he finds out. Who cares? Marcus and I aren’t getting married. It’s just sex.”

Famous last words, I think, but I keep my mouth shut. Maya’s grown. She’ll make her own mistakes.

And then Rosa’s eyes land on me again. “Speaking of s*x… Elena, spill. Don’t you dare pull the ‘lady doesn’t kiss and tell’ crap. After years of bad married s*x, I need to live through you.”

“Rosa!”

“What? It’s been three weeks since my last orgasm that wasn’t battery-powered. Help a girl out.”

Despite myself, I laugh. This is why I love them. I tell them, well, not everything, but enough. About the hotel room. His hands. His mouth. The way Damian makes me feel like the only woman alive.

Maya fans herself dramatically. “Holy s**t. No wonder you’re willing to risk it all.”

“I’m not risking everything,”

“Elena,” she interrupts, leaning in, “you’re screwing your husband’s rival. That’s literally risking everything.”

She’s not wrong.

My phone buzzes. Damian: Missing you already. Can’t stop thinking about this afternoon.

My cheeks heat instantly.

“That him?” Maya asks.

“Maybe,” I mutter.

“Definitely him,” she grins. “That’s your good-d**k smile right there.”

“Shut up,” I laugh.

But I can’t stop smiling.

We drink more. We laugh. For a few hours, I’m not Adrian’s polished wife, the perfect trophy. I’m just Elena. Messy. Flawed. Alive.

Then my phone buzzes again. Adrian this time: Don’t wait up. Working late.

“Working late.” Sure. Probably with Sophia, the blonde “investor’s daughter” who’s been hanging around more and more.

And weirdly, instead of feeling crushed, I feel… free.

If he’s got his distractions, then I can have mine.

Elena: Missing you too. When can I see you again?

Damian: Tomorrow. I’ll send Marcus to pick you up.

Elena: Marcus might be busy. Maya got his number.

Damian: s**t. Really?

Elena: Really. She’s about to thoroughly corrupt him.

Damian: Should I be worried?

Elena: Probably. Maya doesn’t play around.

Damian: As long as it doesn’t interfere with us.

Elena: Nothing interferes with us.

His reply comes quick: Good. Because I’m already planning everything I want to do to you tomorrow.

Heat rushes through me. The man could make me blush with a single sentence.

“Sexting at the table is rude,” Maya says, smirking.

“Sorry. I’ll put it away.”

“Don’t you dare,” Rosa says, leaning in. “This is the best entertainment we’ve had in months.”

I laugh, but I slip my phone back anyway. Because for once, this is enough. My friends, my secrets, my laughter.

Tomorrow I’ll go back to the perfect-wife act, all charity luncheons and fake smiles.

But tonight? Tonight I’m Elena. Just Elena.

And Elena is finally happy.

Even if it costs me everything.

Especially if it does.