The Duke's Surreptitious Ways (Rafael Benedict Valiente)

Chapter 6: Mysterious GP

I thought it was just my ego, but hearing GP's interest in her, it hit me right in my heart. I want her back, not because my parents told me so, or because I need her to clean my reputation. I want her back for myself. I want her back because she has my heart, and I would never be complete without her. And I only realized that when she's gone.

Dad and mom were right. I'm an asshole.

You sure do realize the importance of someone if they are gone.

"Chill, Valiente. Natalia is single and I am single," GP repeated between chuckles, to my chagrin, and if I thought he's going to stop pestering me, I was completely wrong. "The way you acted so possessive over her just only triggered my interest." The other line soon filled with his annoying laughter.

I clenched my jaws, my knuckles felt rooted as my hands clenched tightly around my phone. I pulled the phone away and hang up on him vehemently. I stood up and clenched my hands tightly. I felt like my nerve were going popped out as my muscles tensed up.

I threw the phone to the wall seething, and it smashed hard against the wall, uttering strings of profanities in anger, as I watched the small machine break into pieces. I stalked towards the boxing bag and started punching it, venting all out my pent up frustrations.

I felt the stinging sensation in my knuckles yet I ignored it, executing more blows, harder than the previous ones. The stinging realization stung more than the bruises in my knuckles.

I only stopped when I couldn't even raise my hands from exhaustion. My knuckles were bleeding incessantly, and I cringed as I look at it. I didn't put it back on the gloves out of frustrations, just kept on pounding that bag oblivious on everything.

I plopped down on the floor limply, still feeling empty, with one foot flat on the floor, the other on bend knee, elbow props on my bended knee, and other palm resting on the floor, with my head hung low. Beads of sweats trickled down my back and chest, and on my forehead, but I didn't bother wiping it off. The sleeveless white top is soaked with sweat, and it is sticking in my skin, but I care less.

I never felt so empty in my whole life. I thought I had everything. I thought I'm invincible.

I lay flat on the floor and stared at the tall ceiling of the gym. It's my dad's favorite room and now my favorite place to vent out my anger, my frustrations.

"What happened?" I quickly look up and saw my mom hovering over me. Her eyes trained on my knuckles, and I quickly pulled myself up and hides it behind me.

"It's just mild bruises mom," I coaxed as I smiled tightly.

Mom glared at me. "GP called. You can go to his party, and I trust you this time. I hope you will not make another mistake, Raffy." Mom widens her eyes at me with a warning, and I nodded my head though I wanted to say something instead, I kept it in my head. I felt burn out to argue with my mother. "Let's go cure those bruises before you can have a shower," mom's sweet voice is back, like the royal honey. She crinkled her nose and I let out a small smile.

"Why did you picked dad, mom?" I asked her as we both walk side by side along the hallway.

"I didn't pick him, honey. It's my heart that picks him." Mom flashed me a contented smile, and I nodded. I heard lots of unpleasant story about my father. He was known as a philanderer just as GP's father. He was very infamous not just for being a shrewd businessman, but also as a heart ripper during their time. Though he kept on telling me, he always reminded them before entering into a casual sex. They knew what they were in for, and he was always blunt about just into sex, and nothing more. He didn't promise them anything other than pleasure in the bed.