Out of the Storm - COMPLETE

Chapter 2

Theo

FUCK.

Charlie and Tattoo Guy laugh about something, and it kills me that I have no clue what they just said because I can't hear them over the sound of the treadmill. Immediately, I regret my error in judgment to disregard the rest of their conversation. My strategy to get close to his fiancée is flawed at best.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I squeeze my eyes closed as sweat starts to drip down my face unlike the fuckers next to me who are barely even moving on their machines. Just how do I think I'm going to manage to get close to her when I don't even know a thing about her? I don't even know her last name. What she does, where she works, what she looks like. But yet I'm supposed to miraculously cozy up to her and find out the shit Marco's gotten himself tied up in with Charlie that she's about to unknowingly take the fall for? I mean, I'm good, but I'm not that damn good.

My head starts to pound to the rhythm of my feet hitting the belt beneath them. As much as I hate to do this, there's only one way to make this work. Lowering the speed, I do a quick cool down. They don't bother because they never even got warmed up. They're not here to work out. This is a cover for something else—for either finding women or conducting whatever shady shit they're doing—and I'm going to figure it out.

Swiping my face with my shirt, it's hard to ignore the searing gazes of the girls in the gym that roam to the exposed skin of my ripped abs. A small sideways smirk quirks at the corners of my lips as I duck my head down, heat rushing to my cheeks. I work damn hard for this body, and I love when someone appreciates it. I nod at Rockin' Red, who's licking her pouty lips like I'm a fine piece of meat she's hoping to slowly devour. She probably has a better chance with Charlie, unfortunately for her. Of course, there's a lot more of him to consume. The thought causes me to chortle.

Making my way to the locker room, I swing the door open. "I'm meeting Jules tomorrow night. You can have your guy do it—" They glance in the mirror at me.

I nod. "'Sup?"

"What's happenin'?" Their jaws tick. It may have been posed as a question, but it was definitely a statement.

"I heard you overtalkin' out there. You know I was engaged once. Never again. I say, get as much ass as you can while you can, man."

Charlie's eyes narrow at me as he sizes me up, but he's more than six inches shorter than me. "It's not nice to eavesdrop."

"Didn't mean to. Normally, I have my iPod with me, but I forgot it. And, if it was a secret, maybe you shouldn't be talking so loudly I could hear you two machines over. But anyway, I'm not here to socialize." I glance down at my pecs and abs as I pull my shirt over my head. "In case you can't tell."

"Right." He laughs. "And as for my fiancée. If you saw her, you'd understand why I wanted the best of both fucking worlds, man. Have a nice night." Charlie pats Tattoo Guy on the back. "Let's get outta here, Angelo." Ah. Charlie looks back over his shoulder. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name. I'm Charlie Hawke."

I didn't miss that he didn't extend his hand to me, so I push mine out toward him. "Theo. Theo Kataigída."

"Greek, huh?"

I nod, smiling. "You got it."

He never takes my hand. They both just give me a look that screams 'go fuck yourself' before walking out. Yeah. The feeling is fucking mutual fuckers.

***

THAT DIDN'T EXACTLY go quite as I had planned. I don't even bother taking a shower. There's no one to impress, I don't think I smell all that atrocious, and I just run a towel through my hair before pulling my shirt back on, grabbing my duffle, and heading back up to my fake office. I seriously can't wait the drive across town to look up Charlie Hawke. And after his comment about Jules, my curiosity is definitely piqued.

Pressing the button on the elevator, a realization dawns on me I hadn't really thought of since I'd been in the gym. Jules could very well be in this building right this minute. Any one of the girls in this building could be her. Then, my teeth start to grind thinking about Charlie Fucking Hawke and how brazen he is to flirt with women in that gym knowing she could walk right up and see him, that he could hurt her, and he doesn't even care.

I don't even know her, but I already know he doesn't deserve her.

Unless they're in some kind of twisted open relationship, but from the sounds of it, I don't think that's true. If that were the case, she wouldn't have wanted him to put a ring on it. She wouldn't have cared about the commitment so much.

The elevator doors finally open, and an attractive blond woman exits the elevator. She's wearing stilettos and a miniskirt. She looks like Charlie's type. Is that Jules? I nearly miss the elevator checking her out. She smiles at me a little too sweetly. "You goin' in?" she asks, holding the door.

"Um." I clear my throat. "Yeah, thanks," I say as I walk through the doors, my cock twitching, and I'm thankful for the baggy gym shorts. She's fucking sexy, and if that's Jules, I definitely could see why he'd double dip. But why would Jules be coming as he's leaving, Theo? Think with your head, dude. Think with your fucking head, not your dick. "I'm Theo. What's your name?" Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me? I want to bury myself in a damn hole somewhere and never leave.

She giggles. "That was awful. Don't ever do that again, Theo. I'm leaving."

Biting my lip, I hit the button for my floor and hang my head in shame as the doors close without knowing her name.