Christmas with my Three Best Friends (Lucky Lady Reverse Harems)

Chapter 11

11

Shay

C oming back to Seattle after a week of mad lovemaking and utter debauchery in Chappaqua feels like coming out of the longest, sweetest dream only to get smacked in the face by the real world. Yet I’m upbeat and spry about it. I’ve got more energy and a permanent smile on my face. Despite the gloomy winter, despite the constant switch between snow and sleet and ice-cold rains, despite the puddles and the high humidity… I find comfort and warmth at West Key Gym.

This is my domain, and I am the queen here. I certainly don’t act like the frickin’ monarch, but I do enjoy the feeling, especially since Richard, Jax, and Marius keep looking for the smallest of opportunities to spend time with me. At least we have locks on our doors and no cameras in our offices—it makes our clandestine encounters safer. I never thought I’d get serviced on top of my own desk before, but it seems to be Richard’s favorite late-night activity. If there are still customers in the gym, even better. He enjoys the edge of it.

I enjoy it, too.

Life after the Hedonerie Spa feels different. Better. Brighter.

The whole issue of missing stock and low sales seems like the kind of task that can be accomplished if it’s broken down into manageable pieces, so the guys and I have agreed to share the load. I keep forging ahead with my nutrition programs and online coaching via social media—which is usually just a taste of what my full-time clients get. Jax keeps developing his martial arts classes to appeal to a wider range of customers. And Marius works with Lyle to implement their evening fitness packages with my personalized menus as an option. Plenty of folks want to begin their fitness journey but don’t know where to start.

It can be overwhelming, especially in the beginning.

I’m walking around the gym with a fluttering heart after having just finished my cardio session on the treadmill. Marius is busy with another client, but he never misses an opportunity to steal a glance at me as I pass him by on my way out. It’s not too busy at this hour, especially since it’s early January and people are still on their winter holidays, but I did notice a small uptick in gym passes this week. I dare not feel too hopeful in the absence of our agreed-upon programs, yet I do smile more.

Once I reach the reception desk, I decide it’s time for a second coffee. Alice is busy swiping through her phone, hip-hop music blaring through the overhead speakers. For a moment, I forget where I am while mentally traveling back to the spa resort. Gosh, it was so beautiful and erotic. We brought the magic back with us, though. We spend nights together aplenty, but we also spend plenty of time on one-on-one dates. Marius takes center stage there, always eager to take us to one cool place or another. Tonight, we’re going ice skating.

I’ve never skated in my entire life and am understandably shaky about it, but he promised he’d make sure I don’t make a fool of myself, which is such a sweet and naive thing to say, considering my propensity for falling on my ass whenever I lose my balance. My mind flies back and forth and all over the place as I watch my coffee pour into the cup, a smile blooming on my face.

“What are you so happy about?” Alice asks. I must’ve been grinning for a while for her to actually notice.

“Nothing. And everything. I had a great week away, to be honest.”

“How were the Christmas holidays?”

Hands down the best I’ve ever had. The spa organized an intimate Christmas party behind closed doors. The tree was lavishly decorated in red, green, and gold, and the baubles were actually jewelry boxes. I got a lovely set of emerald earrings, and Santa brought me more items from my naughty list. My sex toy drawer is literally stuffed. I may need a second one.

“Shay?” Alice says. I’ve yet to answer, I quickly realize.

“Oh, sorry, I’ve got stuff on my mind. The Christmas holidays were wonderful,” I tell her. “A nice resort up in Chappaqua, plenty of snow and mulled wine. You know, the classic winter tale.” And with a meaty feast to match.

“That’s nice.”

I’m about to ask what she did for Christmas when a man comes into the reception area. A man I never wanted to see again. My stomach drops, suddenly filled with dread and tons of lead as I recognize his fox-like smirk, his sharp hazel eyes, and his overall intrusive presence.

“Vincent,” I whisper.

“Hi,” he says, wearing a gentle smile that looks foreign on him.

All I can do is stare in disbelief as my brain shuts down. What can I even say to this bastard? Six months ago, he got me to fall in love with him, he even proposed to me before he vanished into thin air. He left me with my heart in shambles and my self-esteem crumbling. He broke me, and I have spent every waking hour since rebuilding myself, stronger and better, so no man can ever hurt me the way Vincent hurt me.

“Good morning,” Alice greets him with the politeness of a gym’s receptionist. “Gym pass?”

“Yeah, I’m new here,” Vincent says, giving me a sideways glance.

I almost forget I’ve got a coffee in my hand. I’m tempted to throw it in his face, scalding hot as it is. But I keep myself together. He doesn’t deserve my anger. He doesn’t deserve a single ounce of my energy or attention, for that matter.

“Oh, okay. Well, we have a number of different options for you to choose from,” Alice goes on, putting on her brightest smile. I can’t blame her. Vincent can be really charming to the untrained eye. “How often would you like to come to the gym?”

Vincent looks at me directly, and I feel like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming fourteen-wheeler. “Hey there, stranger.”

I can’t answer. Fury is boiling in my blood. All those nights and days spent crying my heart out. The misery. The heartache. The feeling of worthlessness and self-doubt that his disappearance left me with. It’s coming back with a vengeance. I’d thought my gym and therapy hours had fixed everything, but here I am, standing motionless by the reception desk, coffee in hand and completely triggered. Unable to breathe.

“Shay?” Alice gives me a curious look.

“It’s been a while,” Vincent says. “I owe you an apology.”

Again, I should say something, but nothing decent comes to mind. In the meantime, Alice’s gaze keeps bouncing between him and me as she tries to figure out what’s going on.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Vincent asks. He’s got his doe eyes on. Like that will work on me again. I can certainly see the appeal and how easy it was for me to fall for him the first time. But the rage inside me is too powerful to let me bite the bait twice.

“I have nothing to say to you,” I reply bluntly.

His eyebrows arch upward in surprise. “Shay, I know I’ve made a mess of things, but—”

“Are you here to buy a gym pass or to waste my time?”

“Shay,” Alice says, “maybe don’t push new customers away?”

“Maybe mind your business?” I shoot back with a stern glare.

Vincent clears his throat. “My apologies. I should’ve been more tactful about this,” he says, shifting his focus back on Alice. “So, yeah, I’d like to buy a gym pass. You do monthly subscriptions, right?”

“That’s right,” she perks up now that she has his attention again, the little fool.

I choose to drink my coffee quietly, watching Alice as she tells him about other gym pass options and available amenities throughout the gym. But then the universe decides to throw another wrench right in my teeth as Marius comes out of the hall, having just finished a training session with one of his clients. He sees Vincent, and his mood suddenly changes.

Alice may be unaware of my history with this man, but she is right about one thing, as much as I hate to admit it. We do need customers, and we can’t turn any of them away. So I instinctively take the lead, fully aware that Marius is ready to kick Vincent’s teeth in.

“Hey, Marius. This gentleman would like to sign up for the gym,” I say, trying to sound as professional as possible.

“And I was just telling him about our gym passes,” Alice chimes in. “Oh, we also have fitness trainers who can coach you,” she tells Vincent. “Marius is our best, mind you.”

“You’re here for the gym?” Marius replies bluntly, giving Vincent the death stare.

Vincent turns to face him and smiles politely. He hasn’t changed much since I last saw him. A handsome man, I’ll give him that. Dark hair, hazel green eyes, a debonair smile and an athletic frame. He likes his high-end fashion brands, logos visible everywhere—I’ve always found that to be somewhat tacky, but Vincent manages to wear them with just enough style for the logos to seem passable. He’s not a rich man, though.

“I’m here for the gym, yes,” Vincent tells Marius. “I’ve decided to make some positive changes in my life, and my old gym wasn’t cutting it anymore. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything on the fitness side of things, as you can see,” he laughs lightly, pointing two thumbs at himself.

“What made you decide to come here?” Marius asks calmly. Thankfully, he picked up on my tone and my unspoken desire to remain civil in this uncomfortable situation.

“I lost a good woman a while back,” Vincent says. “And if I’m to ever get her back, I need to start working on myself. I figured going to the gym and taking care of my body would be a good first step.”

Marius gives me a long look, and I know he’s waiting for my approval.

My stomach churns. Part of me wants to throw Vincent out the door and maybe torch his car, too. But the truth is… we need more customers. Even lying, narcissistic pieces of shit like Vincent.