- Destiny -

I paced around the lush gardens outside my studio, trying to get a particular someone out of my mind.

It wasn't working.

He sat through your class and listened to you for hours, how sweet is that?

I smiled, unbelievably sweet.

He doesn't love you Destiny, he loves Psyche.

My brows creased, he did love her.

“DESTINY PAIGE!” Elaine screeched at the top of her lungs.

I spun around to see her storming up to me and she growled, "I was looking for you everywhere! Why are you practising your lines out here?"

“I was-” I looked around me, trying to find an excuse.

“Was what? You look like I've caught you doing something you shouldn't be doing. What, are you? Smoking weed?"

An unexpected bubble of laughter burst out of me, "No of course not, I'm just-" 

"Destiny, are you okay?” Elaine got worried now and she shook me slightly.

I blinked for a moment to regain my senses and I breathed deeply, “I’m fine, what is it?”

“You don’t look good girl but I just received a call from the bank, said you’ve exceeded your spending on one of your credit cards.”

“Wait what? I never exceed my spending on anything, how is that possible?”

“I know right? You have so much money it just never seems to end but apparently, someone managed to burst your spending limit.”

“Someone? What do you mean?”

“Check your wallets babe, someone stole your card,” Elaine stated and we went back to my office.

I rummaged through my handbag and grabbed my wallet, checking my cards. She was right, I was missing one.

Who would-

My phone beeped, it was a message from Jordan.

-Hey babe, didn’t get to see you yesterday for dinner. Want to head out tonight?-

Elaine snatched my phone, “Go talk to him Destiny, you can’t keep running from him. You didn't even meet him for dinner yesterday after your lesson.”

My heart clenched uncomfortably at the thought of meeting Jordan. But for Eros, I have to do it.

“What are you doing here?” I’d asked.

“What I have to do.” He'd answered.

A sour feeling spread through me and I closed my eyes, “Elaine can you come with me please? I hate to have to see him, I have a horrible feeling about it.”

She pursed her lips but nodded, “Of course, how about we go to the club tonight? We can have a drink too if things with him don’t work out you know.”

In a world such as mine, finding friends or even managers that cared more about your wellbeing than all the money and fame was such a gem. Elaine was my precious stone and helped me through the toughest of times. She had her own life to handle too, which wasn’t much considering how much time she invested in me.

Still, when she told me about her engagement with her boyfriend of three years, Lance, it made me unbelievably happy.

Though it made me wonder, did Eros pair her with her partner too?

“Thank you, we can celebrate your engagement with Lance too. I haven’t got the chance to congratulate you properly,” I mumbled, feeling better that I wouldn’t have to face the music alone. Elaine had my back.

She laughed but a sadness flitted across her eyes. It was so brief but I swear I saw it, “Sure, I’ll get Lance to come along and be our man slave.”

I smiled and shook my head, oh well then.

***

I stepped out of my Aston Martin, holding onto my clutch, the wind brushing past me. I held my pink ruffled dress down. It was already short enough with it ending a few inches above my knees, I hoped the wind would cooperate with me just until I entered the club.

Elaine burst out from behind me and hugged me tight, her little black dress accentuating her beautiful slim figure.

Her boyfriend, I mean fiancé, was holding onto her. As if knowing that she will cause havoc the moment he let her arm go.

“Let’s go!” She chirped happily and dragged both of us in.

My heart pounded loudly, my eyes scanning the club quickly. Of course, Elaine would choose the biggest and most electrifying club to go to. Club Hero.

Elaine and Lance got lost in the crowd almost immediately. I roamed around, hoping to find the face of the man my heart yearned for.

Then I felt someone catch my wrist and I spun around eagerly, my eyes meeting Jordan’s.

The happiness within me seemed to fizzle out into nothing as I looked at him, “Hey.”

His eyes were a little dazed and the scent of alcohol came off him, “Babe, finally! I’ve missed you.”

His arms wound tightly around me as he buried his head in my neck and started kissing the sensitive flesh there.

I tried relaxing into him, but my body seemed to repel him like the plague.

I closed my eyes and let Jordan hold me tight against him, my heart beating loudly in my ears.

He’s my partner, Jordan is my other half, learn to love him.

I took a deep breath and pulled away to meet his lustful gaze, “I’m sorry I’ve been busy, I didn’t even get to spend much time with you.”

“It’s alright babe, we’ll have more than enough time for that tonight,” he whispered into my ear and I shivered at that. Fear coursed through me but I steadied myself, I needed to talk to him.

“About that, Jordan, we have to talk.”

He rested his forehead against mine, his alcoholic breath whooshing at my face and I had to refocus, “What about baby?”

I could feel the hairs on my body stand, why was everything that he did so unappealing to me?

“About us Jordan. I can’t do this if I don’t get this off my chest,” I pushed him off me slightly and his eyes became confused.

“What do you mean?” He wondered.

“I mean, can we take things slow? I don’t think I’m ready to give myself to you just yet.”

“Do you not like me?” He asked, suddenly totally self-conscious.

Did I like him? No, not really. Not at all, could I tell him that? I don’t know.

“Well, I don’t particularly like you per se, it’s the honest truth. But-”

“Is it because I took your card and spent your money?”

“I- What?”

“I had debts to pay off! I had to buy things for those bitches I was training-”

“You bought what for who?! You had debts?!”

“Those girls! They were all over me babe, they said they would leave me alone if I bought some stuff for them but they kept wanting more! Fucking them made them even clingier-” He wobbled and shook his head trying to regain his balance.

I clenched my fists and breathed deeply, he was spilling everything in his drunken stupor. The anger boiled within me, I held it in. He cheated on me and stole from me. He did those things when he was sober and that wasn’t damn fucking right.

“Is there someone else?!” He interrupted my train of thought and questioned me.

Oh God.

“Jordan that’s not the point! You stole my card and cheated on me don’t make it my fault!”

“SO THERE IS SOMEONE ELSE!” He pointed a finger at me accusingly.

I took his hand, “Jordan wait, listen please, I don’t like you but I want things between us to work out, I’m being serious.”

His forehead creased with even more confusion and I wanted to throw up right there, “You what? Why would you want to be with me when you obviously have feelings for someone else? Why would you want a fuck boy like me?”

“Because it doesn’t matter if we have feelings for one another or not, we are a pair. We can develop mutual feelings for one another, we can work it out!”

He gave me a look, as if I was mental, “Are you hearing yourself Destiny? What makes you think I want to be with you now that I know you don’t even like me?”

The air in me rushed out in one huge swoop, oh no, I screwed things up. I can’t do this again.

I can’t do this to Eros again.

I shook my head and hooked my arms around Jordan’s neck, “Because I know you want me Jordan.”

I tiptoed even in my heels and kissed him.

Tears sprung in my eyes the moment my lips made contact with his. It hurt so much.

My heart pounded hard, sadness filling every inch of my being.

Jordan’s body relaxed against mine as he returned my kiss, his lips moving against mine firmly with feral need.

I felt tears escape and run down my cheeks, I can’t believe I was doing this. I felt no love, no connection, no passion, nothing. I felt nothing from him. But I felt it all with a simple peck from Eros.

My heart broke, I could barely steady my breathing. I would never feel anything close to that again.

I would be with Jordan through and through. He was my partner and that was that, I don’t want to bring Eros any more pain than I already have. I didn’t want to remind him of his previous lover, I didn’t want to be his lookalike lover.

Jordan’s hands slipped down and cupped my butt in his hands, pulling me close to his lower half. I could feel the hardness of him through his pants and I whimpered. The bitter sour feeling was seeping its way through my veins and burning in my heart.

I looked up to the VIP area upstairs, finally spotting Eros. He stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes staring dead into mine. Anger flashed in his irises, I could almost see steam rising from his ears. After a few more seconds of glaring, he turned and strode away.

A new wave of tears took over. I was glad that the music and lights were blasting and flashing angrily, it took away some of my pain and blurred the sensation of Jordan’s lips on mine. The moment our lips parted, his head dipped down and he started nibbling and kissing my neck. I snapped my eyes shut, willing myself to stay still and not shift away from him.

His hand snaked under my short skirt and started feeling my flesh there. I shivered in utter disgust and my arms released themselves from the lock around his neck.

Jordan felt my uncertainty and he gripped my butt, shoving me back against him, his lips messily on mine again.

My tears flowed crazily as I looked around, trying unsuccessfully to find Elaine to get me out of this torture.

Then he pulled away and held me firm, “If you want this to work, for whatever reason, I am fine by it. But we do things my way.”

My heart immediately clenched, what is he going to do to me?

Images of Trevor flashed in my mind and I couldn’t control my spasmodic breathing.

Jordan grabbed my hand roughly and pulled me out of there. The sadness enveloping my heart was so painful it felt like I would suffocate.

We stalked out with him dragging me harshly in his seemingly drunk stupor. He wasn’t completely gone, but he wasn’t very sober either. He spotted my car and hauled me there, my arm straining from his movements.

“GET IN!” He yelled.

I jumped, startled but pulled the door open. I stepped in but before he could get in we heard a group of men come up to us.

“HEY JORDAN OUR BRO! What are you doing here?! Getting our money back I hope eh?!” The gang of guys went right up to Jordan and I stared at them.

“Eh-H-Hey guys! I was going to return you the money you know? I’m having some problems right now, that’s all,” Jordan glanced at each of them with fear in his eyes.

There were about seven of them and I stepped back out of the car, whispering, “What is this?”

Jordan immediately snapped his head in my direction and pointed at me, “It’s her! SHE CAN PAY YOU BACK! You know her right?! She is Destiny! She has money to return to you! I told you right?! She is my girlfriend! She can pay for me!”

I watched wide-eyed, what the fuck?!

The seven men laughed at his statement and mocked him, “YOU ARE MAKING A GIRL PAY FOR YOU?! IS THAT WHY YOU’VE BEEN MISSING FROM YOUR OLD APARTMENT?! BECAUSE YOU’RE HIDING IN YOUR GIRL’S HOME?!”

They laughed literally out loud and my mouth fell open, these grungy-looking guys had the audacity to look down on women?! On me?! First Jordan put me down and now them?!

I slammed my door shut and stalked up to them, my tear-streaked face making me look like a crazy bitch but maybe I was. I didn’t care. I only saw red. Enough was enough.

I went up to the idiot that verbally degraded me and slapped him across the face so fast and hard they didn’t have the time to stop me.

Then everything seemed to move in slow motion, the man turning to glare at me, the rest of the men ready to charge at me, Jordan running away during my distraction and a huge wall of a body sliding in front of me to defend me against my attackers

My heart rate spiked, his masculine scent oozing out of him like a fucking drug. I breathed out, relief taking over, “Eros.”