Just One Night With You (Book 3 in the Just Series)

Chapter 1

Present

Jason

"So, how 'bout it, man. You're the last golden boy standing, according to the latest gossip on those stupid magazines," Marco said as he wrapped his arms around his wife who just gave birth to their first child, a couple weeks ago. "They're saying you're next in line to lose the title."

I snorted. "Please. I like my life the way it is. Just because you and Massimo shed your title and reputation, doesn't mean I will! I'm happy to be known as the Golden One," I said with a smirk.

Our other best friend, Massimo - who also happens to be Marco's wife Ellie's older brother, is also happily married for a year now, and is a father to 4 year old Lia, and 3 month old twins, Damien and Isabella.

Massimo's story is a little more complicated than Marco's. Mass's
first wife - Lia's biological mom, died of childbirth. Massimo loved his wife, Cassie very much and when he lost her, he was never the same. His daughter Lia saved him from drowning in his pain and grief. We all thought that he was never going to be able to fully move on from what happened and find happiness again. But I guess, destiny has a different plan for him.

Massimo met and fell in love with Ara, when he hired her as a nanny for his daughter. It didn't come easy for the two of them. Mass had a lot of guilt and ghost from the past and he almost lost Ara because of that. But thankfully, they were able to deal with their problems and move on. Now over a year later, they are happily married.

She was his miracle. She brought him back to life and for that, I will always be grateful to her. Massimo is not just my best friend. He's like a brother to me. He deserved all the happiness in the world and I'm glad that he was able to find that again.

"Hey, trust me, there is nothing better than coming home to your wife and kid. I never thought how empty my life was before Ellie, and Alejandro," he said, breaking through my thoughts, while kissing Ellie on her temple.

Envy hit me, and I try to push it aside; but then Zarah's words replayed in my head.

"I feel sorry for you. You're right. You can have any girl you want, but at the end of the day your life is empty. You go home to an empty house and sleep on an empty bed," she said.

I can still see the pain in her eyes when she said those words to me... Who am I kidding? I remember everything about that night.

There is not a day that goes by that I didn't think about the night I broke Zarah's heart. My best friend's sister.

I can never get the look on her face out of my head, when I told her that she was just a way of scratching an itch and that she was just a warm body that was available.

I freaked out when she told me she was a virgin. I mean, I guess I should have known. She was so innocent and sweet. So kind and beautiful. I... I guess, I just wasn't thinking clearly.

She told me she loved me that night and there isn't a doubt in my mind that she meant it. She scared the hell out of me when she said those words and I reacted badly. I said some awful and cruel things to her that I didn't even mean. She made me feel things, I haven't felt before and I didn't like it. She made me feel too much. I wasn't ready to feel those things...

"Jason! Jason, man are you okay?" Marco asked breaking through my thoughts.

I shook my head mentally. "Huh? What?"

"Where did you go just then man?"

"Huh? Nothing... I was just thinking," I said.

"What about?" He asked.