Like he said he would, Croix gave me my doctor's office fantasy room back. Whether he consulted Raj about it first, I don't know. Thankfully, Raj didn't pop back up at the office for the rest of the week. Maybe Croix told him to stay away. Maybe not. Whatever the case, I'm glad that things returned to normal.
It's my day off, and since Cindy decided to go visit family, I have the house all to myself for at least the next several hours. It's a rarity, one that I bask in. While I don't walk on eggshells around Cindy when she's at home, I typically stick to my room most of the time. She's never given me the impression that she prefers me out of sight, but invading the small public space that we share just doesn't seem right to me, especially with as little as I pay her for rent.
Now, I'm the queen of the castle, sprawled across her loveseat with a bowl of cereal in my hand and the news on the television. She'd be furious if she knew I wasn't eating at the dining room table. She has a pretty strict no eating meals in the living room policy. I'm not sure why. She doesn't seem to mind if we eat popcorn while we're watching a movie. Whatever the case, her house, her rules.
When a segment about The Billionaires Club comes on, I feel my entire body tense. Not because it's about the place where I work, but because it's the clip of me speaking to the reporter. As I rush inside, barely turning to give my comment, the cameras stay right on top of me. Not only did I feel like a criminal at the time, but they definitely made me look like one on television too. The way I'm cowering away from them makes it seem like I have something to hide.
Once they finish showing the clip with my statement, they cut to the protesters who were more than willing to give their seething opinions about The Billionaires Club. Just listening to them makes my stomach turn. I can practically feel their loathing through the television screen.
Thankfully, the segment doesn't last long. The news station follows it with a story about panhandlers who are actually wealthy people in disguise. There must be no real news today if this is all they have to cover. Perhaps that's a good thing. There's too much bad in the world as it is. If this is all we have to worry about, then I think the city is doing okay.
My phone buzzes next to me. I pick it up, curious to see who is calling me on a Saturday, especially since I don't really have any friends. The number is local, so I decide to answer it despite the fact that it's more than likely a telemarketer.
“Hey there,” Raj says.
“Hey you.” I pull my phone away from my ear, looking at the screen again. I could have sworn I had his number saved, but I guess not.
“What are you doing today?”
I glance down at my pinstripe pajamas. “Relaxing, what about you?”
“Relaxing? It's almost noon,” he teases me.
“It's my day off. People tend to sleep in on their days off,” I remind him.
“Ah, yes.” He pauses for a moment. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out for drinks later?”
I quirk an eyebrow. “By drinks, do you mean getting white trash wasted at a club and dancing the night away?”
He laughs. “No. I figured we could just hit up a bar or something. Keep it casual.”
“Sure, then.” The idea of spending my Sunday nursing a hangover isn't exactly appealing. If we're not on a pulsing dance floor, maybe I'll be less inclined to drink my weight in booze.
“How about we meet up around 3 PM then. I'll text you the address of the place I want to go to.”
“Sounds good. I'll see you then.”
***
“I hear you weren't a fan of my dumpster idea.”
Dear God, please don't tell me he brought me here to discuss this. Had I known, I wouldn't have agreed to come.
“I didn't think it would much appeal to the female clientele. Besides, it wasn't a practical idea.” I stiffen in my chair, putting on my business face.
“To be honest, I didn't think Croix would go for it. I wasn't mad when he told me he had changed his mind,” Raj chuckles before taking a sip of his beer.
Stress leaves me from the sound of his easy laughter. It's obvious that he's not upset in the least. I'm glad.
“So, you and the boss man?” He waggles his finger at me, the corners of his lips rising into a wicked smirk.
My cheeks grow warm from the implication, and I swallow hard. “What are you talking about?”
“I know what's going on there.”
“What do you think is going on there?” I give him my best poker face.
He rolls his eyes. “I know everything, Raven. Croix told me that you guys have been hooking up.”
My mouth falls agape, and I'm not sure how to recover. I'm a mix of shocked and angry. The fact that Raj used the term hooking up makes me think that I'm nothing but a booty call to Croix. I don't want to end up in the same boat that I did with Derrick, fucking him for several months thinking that there's something more between us when there's not.
Raj reaches across the table and rests his hand on my forearm. “Don't worry. I won't tell anyone.”
“Who is there to tell?” I ask bitterly before tipping my beer back and taking a long swallow. The mix of salt and lime and Mexican beer is oddly refreshing, something different from the usual fruity cocktails that I sip when I go out.
“No one yet. I imagine it will get out when The Billionaires Club opens up, though.” He cocks his head to the side, his expression serious.
What does it really matter? Everyone at The Billionaires Club knew I was fucking Derrick too. I didn't work there, though.
“If it gets out, it gets out.” I wave the possibility away absentmindedly.
He hesitates before speaking again. “I don't know how to put this. I mean, I like Croix a lot. He's a good friend. But I don't really think the two of you should be...”
You and everyone else, I want to say. I don't, though. Instead, I ask the obvious question. “Why not?”
“Croix works at The Billionaires Club. He volunteered in the California location. I imagine he'll eventually want to volunteer here too. He's a playboy, Raven. Is that really what you want?”
“And you? Are you a playboy?” I shoot the image he's projecting of Croix right back on him, trying to hide the frustration from my voice.
Raj sinks back in his chair, staring out the green tinted windows of the bar we landed at. “I''m worried about you, is all. You're a great girl, and I don't want to see you get hurt.”
His words mirror those of Cindy. Everyone seems to be worried about me but me. Maybe things will fizzle out between Croix and me, but it's too late to backtrack now. Pushing him away would make working together awkward, and I honestly don't want to push him away.
I offer Raj a soft smile, my words genuine. “I appreciate your concern. I'll keep everything you said in mind.”
It sounds like a canned response, but I mean it. Even though we've only known each other for a short while, Raj is quickly starting to feel like a real friend. And I need as many of those as I can get right now.
***
“Tada!” Croix pulls his hands away from my eyes. “What do you think?”
“Wow.” I'm honestly stunned. Now that I'm standing in the fantasy room that he and Raj designed together, I can see the appeal. There's a large four poster bed as the centerpiece with a long red and gold canopy. The whole room is done up in the same color scheme. While all of the walls in the room are white, there are colored light bulbs strategically placed so that the lighting shining down on the walls gives them a different hue.
Croix walks over to one of the paintings, pointing to it. “These are glass picture frames. On the other side is African art. We have two more sets featuring art from the other regions. All we have to do is change the bed canopy, the comforter, linens and pillows, the lighting, and the wall art, and it becomes a completely different room.”
My gaze shifts around to the lack of other furniture. It was smart to choose one of the smaller rooms to implement this idea. Otherwise, it wouldn't have worked.
“Will you be changing the lampshades too.” I run my hand across one of the brightly patterned lampshades.
“Yes. We have several different sets of those too.”
I nod in approval. It's not the most luxurious fantasy room at The Billionaires Club, but I can see how the versatility of the design can make it look like we have a lot more to offer.
“It's nice. I can see Raj fucking in here,” I tease.
“Does that mean you've pictured him fucking before?” Croix steps up behind me, slipping his arms around my waist to draw me against him.
I have. Many times. But I dare not tell Croix that.
“Does that make you jealous?” I smirk back at him, a lilt of amusement in my tone.
“Maybe it does.” He drags his lips down the base of my neck, and I crane my head instinctively. “The only person I want you thinking about fucking is me.”
“A lot of people will fuck in here.”
“But none of them will do it like we do.” He turns me around before backing me up towards the bed.