101 (Lucian’s POV) Old Friend
Lucian
I arrived at Bluesforty twenty-five minutes after calling Denis. He was already waiting at the bar, drink in hand. He hadn’t changed much-still calm, observant, a step ahead.
I didn’t want to linger where the crowd could stare. With Mara joining us later, I suggested we head to the VVIP section. The club staff jumped to oblige. Funny how quickly everything had flipped. Not long ago, I was treated like background noise in this place. Now they moved like I was royalty.
It felt good. But what felt better was that I’d be sharing it all with my wife.
Denis sank into the leather seat across from me, watching as the drinks arrived.
“This is out of the blue,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
I nodded, no excuses. “Tina’s out of the picture. And I realized… I want my friend back.”
He frowned, caught off guard. “Thought she was your mistress.”
I clenched my jaw. That lie again.
“That’s the word on the street, Lucian,” he said, shaking his head. “That you couldn’t leave your side piece for your-what did they call her-your purchased wife.”
The heat rose in my chest. Not at him. At the noise. The gossip. The way everyone got it so wrong.
“I don’t have a mistress. I’m in love with my wife. Tina and I were over before Mara and I even began.”
He blinked, like he wasn’t expecting that. Then looked down into his glass. “But she’s carrying your kid.”
I sighed, the weight of it pressing against my ribs.
“She tricked me. Said she was safe, then three months later called and told me she was pregnant.”
Denis whistled softly. “Damn. She’s still running plays like that?”
Then he looked at me, suddenly serious. “You know she tried to get me to f**k her once, right?”
I froze. “What?”
“Ray’s party. The same night she told you I hit on her.”
He sat back, watching my reaction.
“It was the other way around, Lucian. She came onto me. I backed off, and next thing I know, you’ve cut me off. No
conversation. No questions. Just done.”
Guilt hit me like a slap. That night played back in my head-me storming out, blocking his number, ghosting one of the
only real friends I had.
“I’m sorry about everything, Denis,” I said, the words sitting heavy in my chest.
He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed but eyes soft. “No problem, Lucian. We’re cool.”
Before I could say more, a stunning dark-skinned woman walked over, her fingers sliding through his afro like she owned the world-and him. I raised a brow, caught off guard.
“Lucian, meet Keisha. She’s my one,” Denis said, pride thick in his voice. “We’re getting married in two months. Hopefully, our Alpha and his Luna will show up?”
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* 101 (Lucian’s POV) Old Friend
- Powing 3
He grinned, and I smiled back, surprised by how good it felt to be included again. “We’ll be there.”
“She’s the one who dragged me out tonight,” he added, glancing at her. “Didn’t want you thinking I crashed your night.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Mara’s on her way.”
Denis nodded, but his tone shifted. “So… how’d your brother take it? You and Mara?”
I held his gaze. “They were best friends. Nothing more. Darian’s with Tiffany Northwood now.”
“Guess we should stop listening to gossip,” Keisha said, folding herself neatly beside him.
They kissed-long, soft-and I suddenly missed Mara like hell.
Then Denis looked back at me, serious. “Now that we’ve cleared the air, there’s something you should know. Tina’s seeing
Joey.”
I froze. “Joey?”
“Joey McBride. Joe’s Car Wash.”
“Fat Joey?” I said, startled.
Denis burst out laughing. “Not fat anymore. Guy got shredded. The business is booming. He’s got money now. And yeah
-they’ve been seeing each other.”
He leaned in. “You didn’t know?”
“No.”
“She was with him before you even got with Mara. While you were engaged-she was sneaking around. It was that ‘open relationship’ bullshit she fed you. I figured you knew. But… we weren’t talking then. You told me not to call again. I didn’t
want to risk your father burning my mark off, so I kept my mouth shut.”
He sighed.
“I ran into her a couple times. She didn’t change, man. Still manipulative. Still thinks the world revolves around her.”
I sat back, stunned.
All this time, I’d been carrying guilt. Thinking I broke something by marrying Mara. Feeling like I owed Tina some emotional penance. Meanwhile, she’d already replaced me-and probably hoped to keep the car wash king on standby
while living under my roof.
I shook my head, letting out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding.
“Good riddance,” I said finally.
Denis lifted his glass. “To starting over.”
I clinked his glass. “To being done with crazy.”
