“Oh, Zane.” Gina screamed and came running back into the room. “Such a naughty boy.” She exclaimed to everyone in the room. I saw a few of the girls rolling their eyes, and I smiled to myself. It seemed as if Gina was getting on everyone’s nerves.

“So you’re Lucia?” Gina walked up to me and looked me up and down. Her green eyes looked at me with disdain as they surveyed my khaki skirt and black top. I suppose she realized that my whole outfit cost less than her manicure.

“Lucky.” I smiled.

“Lucia Lucky?” She sneered. “That’s an odd name.”

“No, my name’s lucky.” I kept the smile plastered on my face.

“Oh, is it Irish?”

“Is what Irish?” I asked confused.

“Your name? I thought Lucia was Italian, but if you say it’s Irish, I suppose I’ll have to believe you.”

“My name is Lucky, not Lucia.” I sighed and tried not to roll my eyes.

“You are an annoying girl, aren’t you Lucia?” Gina took a swig of champagne and sneered at me. “Though I suppose you have a good enough body, under your ugly clothes.”

“Excuse me?” I leaned forward, not sure I had heard her correctly.

“There you are, Lucky.” Zane walked up to me and handed me a drink. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“I was just getting to know your friend, Zane, she’s so quaint.” Gina grinned at him and linked his arm.

“Lucky is working on the documentary with me.” He smiled at me warmly, and I felt a warm tingling in my belly as he stared at me. He was wearing a crisp blue and white shirt with a pair of black jeans and all I could think about while staring at him was being able to rip his clothes off.

“Oh, are you a secretary?” Gina smiled at me, and I wanted to slap her.

“I’m actually a history major.”

“Oh, you’re still in school?” She laughed. “How cute, dear Zane, you went and got yourself an intern.”

“Be nice, Gina.” Zane shook his head and laughed, and I felt angry with him for not putting her in her place.

“Oh, Zane. I’m always nice.” She pulled him towards her again and kissed him on the lips. “You remember, don’t you?”

I stared at them aghast, and Zane looked at me and rolled his eyes. He detangled himself from her, and whispered in my ear, “Are you having fun?”

“I will be later,” I whispered back at him and winked.

He grinned and I felt his hand on my ass again. “Don’t make me promises you can’t keep, Ms. Morgan.”

“Oh I’ll be keeping them.” I grinned back at him, suddenly happy again. I was about to tell him exactly what I was going to do to him, but the doorbell rang.

“Oh that must be Angelique and Braydon,” Gina cried out excitedly. “I hope you don’t mind, but I knew you wouldn’t. They just got into town today.” She giggled and Zane frowned.

“Why would you invite Braydon and Angelique, Gina?”

“I know, I know.” She rolled her eyes. “But you have to get over it some time, Zane. Angelique was in love. She wasn’t in love. It’s a woman’s prerogative. You can’t hold it against her forever.”

“You know I’m talking about Braydon.”

“Oh, Zane. Get over it.” She sighed. “Braydon is one of us.”

“No, no he’s not.” Zane walked to the front door, and I followed him with my heart in my mouth.

“Zane, darling.” Angelique sailed through the door, and gave him a hug. “It looks as good as I remember it.” She smiled, as she looked around the house.

“Thanks.” Zane smiled and rubbed his head. “It’s good to see you.”

“And me I hope?” Braydon stumbled through the door, slightly drunk and looked around the room. “Lucky, there you are.” He beamed as he saw me. “Lucky, I’ve been calling you.”

“Hi Braydon.” I smiled at him weakly, aware that Zane was staring at me.

“Did you get my text?” He hugged me tightly. “I’ve been missing you.”

“I got it.” I nodded. “Sorry, I was busy.”

“Well, I hope Hollywood hasn’t been tempting you too much.” He kissed my cheek, and I saw Zane coming towards us out of the corner of my eye.

“How dare you show up here, Braydon?” Zane’s voice was angry.

“Gina told Angelique and me that it would be fine.” Braydon smiled, and stood next to me. “Plus, I wanted to see Lucky. I promised her a date when I got into town.”

“That’s Lucky’s business, and you can figure out a time for a date outside of my house.” Zane avoided eye contact with me and turned back around. “Would you like a drink, Angelique?”

“Actually, do you mind if I go upstairs and lie down,” She purred prettily. “My head is killing me.”

“Sure.” Zane looked concerned. “Do you need anything?”

“No love.” She smiled at him and rubbed his arm. “I know the way. I’ll just head upstairs. Come find me in an hour if I’m not downstairs.”

“Okay, take care.” I watched Zane give her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, and a knife twisted in my heart. The look that Zane was giving her was as close to love as I had seen on his face.

“Thanks, my love.” Angelique smiled and walked up the stairs. It was obvious to me that she had been here before. I felt disappointment flood in me. I wasn’t the first girl that had been here. I wasn’t his first guest.

“So Lucky, what are you doing tomorrow?” Braydon whispered in my ear, and I giggled slightly as his breath tickled me.

“Lucky, do you think you can come and help me in the kitchen, please?” Zane grabbed my arm and pulled me with him. “If you want to date Braydon, I can’t stop you, but don’t do it in front of my face.” He hissed.

“What are you talking about?” I frowned, and yanked my arm away from him.

“I know you lied about Leeza texting you earlier.” He pushed me against the counter in the kitchen. “If you are interested in Braydon, there is no need to lie.”

“I never—”

“We’re not exclusive. You can do what you need to do.” He brought his face up against mine. “If you want to date a guy who brought another girl to a party.”

“I—”

“He doesn’t deserve Angelique.” He laughed bitterly. “She is way too beautiful for him.”

“Well, maybe.”

“I don’t know how she can date him.” He shook his head. “I swear you women are really dumb sometimes.”

“Why don’t you go and talk to Angelique if it is bothering you so much.”

“I’m not going to go and bother Angelique.” He shook his head, and his voice softened. “She’s not feeling well.”

“Well, if she’s not feeling well.” What about how I’m feeling right now? What about caring about me? I wanted to shout at Zane. I wanted him to care about me as much as I did about him. I wanted our relationship to be about more than sex. I bit my lip as I felt his hands on me again.

“I want to pull your skirt up and f**k you right here.” Zane growled in my ear and pulled me close to him. “You’re so hot.” He slid his hands up my legs and pulled my skirt up.

“Zane, no.” I pulled away from him slightly. “There are people right around the corner.”

“They wouldn’t be scandalized if they heard you screaming out my name.” His fingers slid inside my legs and up my inner thigh. “In fact, why don’t we see?”

“Zane.” I hissed as his fingers found my sweet spot.

“Are you wearing a thong for me Lucky?” He grinned.

“No.” I shook my head, blushing.

“Feel me.” He brought my hand against him, and pressed my palm into him hard. “We could be done in minutes.”

“That’s not a good thing.” I laughed and he pushed me back against the counter.

“What’s not?” He leaned down to kiss me, and I felt his hand creep up under my shirt and caress my breast.

“Zane.” I put my arms around him and closed my eyes. Why couldn’t we always have moments like this? Why did real life always have to get in the way and make things complicated?

“Lucky, are you in here?” I pushed Zane away from me as Braydon walked into the kitchen. My face was flushed, and I looked at him guiltily. I really needed to have an honest conversation with Braydon.

“Hey.” I smiled at him, and grabbed a glass. “I was just getting a drink.”

“Oh, I thought Zane was warning you away from me.” Braydon laughed, and Zane glowered. “Cos I’m a big bad wolf and all.”

“Braydon, I’ll meet you in the garden in a minute, okay?” I pushed him towards the French doors. “Go back to the back yard. I’ll be out in a moment.”

“I’ll be waiting, sugar lips.” Braydon laughed and walked out.

“Hey,” I turned around, and faced Zane. “I can’t wait for tonight.” I sidled up next to him and he pushed me away.

“I don’t want you talking to Braydon any more, Lucky.” He frowned, his eyes looking distant.

“You can’t just ban me.”

“Do not go outside and talk to him.” His face looked stern. “I’m not going to tell you again.”

“Why not?”

“He’s bad news.”

“Why is he bad news?” I shook my head, befuddled.

“Just listen to me.” His voice was sharp. “I don’t have to explain myself.”

“Because it is always on your terms right?” My voice caught. “I can’t keep playing this game, Zane. You can’t choose to tell me only what you want. It’s not fair.”

“I told you about my brother today, Lucky.” His voice was pained. “That was a big move for me.”

“And I’m glad you told me, but it didn’t have to be a secret, Zane. I told you about my parents. You knew I would understand. I know how badly it hurts.” My breath caught.

“You do not understand.” He looked at me angrily. “We are not the same, Lucky.”

“I’m not saying we are the same. I’m just saying I know what it feels like to lose someone you love.”

“I don’t know what you want from me, Lucky.” Zane’s eyes were bleak. “I don’t know you well enough to share my deepest darkest secrets with you. I’m sorry. That’s not who I am.”

“I didn’t say I expected that.” I bit my lip and sighed. “Look, you have guests out there, we don’t have to talk about this now.”

“Lucky, I’m waiting.” Braydon called out to me from the doors and I walked out to him, averting my gaze from Zane as I left.

“I hope I didn’t get you in trouble.” Braydon frowned as I joined him. “Zane hates me.”

“Why did you come if you knew he didn’t like you?”

“I wanted to see you.” He smiled impishly. “I missed you and I was worried about you.”

“Why were you worried?”

“Zane’s a little crazy.” He shook his head. “I would feel horribly if something happened to you.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me.” I sighed. All of a sudden I was dreadfully tired. It had been another really long day and I was emotionally exhausted.

“Zane has anger issues.” Braydon looked at me seriously. “Look, maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but Zane has it out for me.”

“What?”

“I know, it sounds crazy, but he is really crazy. You know he dates every girl I’m interested in.”

“Huh?”

“Zane has taken out all of my exes.” He pulled out his phone. “That’s one of the reasons I have been trying to contact you. I care about you. I don’t want him using you.”

“What are you talking about, Braydon?”

“Look.” He opened up the photo gallery on his phone and started showing me photos. “You see all these girls? These are all girls I’ve dated at one time.”

“And?” I was so annoyed that I didn’t even look at the photos.

“Just take a look.” He pushed the phone in my face and I looked down.

“Okay and?” I was about to tell him to leave when I saw the next photo on the screen. “Wait, let me see that.” I frowned and grabbed his phone. I scrolled through all the photos quickly, and I felt my heart freeze. I recognized at least 10 of the women on the camera as Friday night dates of Zane’s. “How do you know these girls?”

“They are all girls I dated.” Braydon leaned towards me. “I don’t want to make you jealous, Lucky. I’m not interested in them now. They were all good-time girls, I want a real commitment now, with someone like you.”

“You dated all these girls?”

“Well, you know.” He grinned. “Slept with, spent a few weeks with, that sort of thing.” And then he frowned. “But then Zane always took them away from me.”

“He stole your girlfriends?” I frowned. “Why would he do that?”

“He’s crazy man.” He shook his head. “And now he’s after you. But you’re special to me, Lucky. I can’t let him get you as well.”