Chapter 4 - Santiago

The familiar warmth of camaraderie enveloped me as I greeted him with a hearty, manly hug. It felt like a homecoming, a return to a place unburdened by obligations and disappointments.

“It’s good to see you.”, I said, smiling as I took my seat across from James.

James grinned, his eyes twinkling with genuine delight. “It’s good to have you back in town, Santi. Things have been pretty dull without you.”

Settling into the comfortable familiarity of our friendship, I picked up the menu, my fingers tracing the edges as I perused the options. “So, what did I miss?”, I asked, curious to catch up on the local happenings.

James grinned, taking a leisurely sip from his glass of bourbon. “Same old, just ten years older.”, he laughed, the sound resonating with a blend of nostalgia and humor.

Had it really been ten years since I left? The thought lingered for a moment before I shook it off, eager to catch up. “Catch me up workwise. Let’s start there.”, I prompted, leaning back in my chair.

“Well, most of it you already know. Work has been pretty stable and, honestly, a bit boring.”, James began, his tone nonchalant. “I’m still at the private equity firm. Made it to partner now. It cost me a shitload of money to buy in, but it was worth every penny. I make the seniors run for me now, and I take the credit and the money.”, he grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. It was classic James.

“Been buying some companies, selling some companies – you know the drill. Gets pretty boring after a while, but makes good money.”, he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, though the pride in his voice was unmistakable.

The waiter interrupted our conversation to take our order, but as soon as he left, we resumed right where we had left off. “And privately?”, I asked, my curiosity piqued. There hadn’t been much time to catch up in the past.

“Not much.”, James replied with a casual shrug. “Tried the monogamous thing for a while, but eventually came to the conclusion it wasn’t for me. She was bloody hot, sex on legs, a great fuck, and even had a good brain on her. But yeah, after a few years the sex got less and I lost interest.”, he said, his tone nonchalant, though the flicker in his eyes told a different story.

There was a depth of unspoken emotion there, a silent testament to a past that held more significance than his words conveyed. Sensing this, I decided not to press further. James had a way of revealing the real story in his own time, and I was sure I’d hear more about it eventually.

“Of course, we read all about your life in the tabloids.”, James taunted, his grin wide and teasing. I was used to it by now, but that didn’t mean I liked it.

“Yes.”, I sighed, the weariness evident in my voice. James’s grin only widened at my reaction.

“Did she really sleep with the pool boy?”, he asked, curiosity lighting up his eyes. I nodded, the memory still raw despite the time that had passed.

“Amongst others, yes.”, I replied, the bitterness creeping into my tone.

“Why? She had a comfortable life with you!”, James exclaimed, bewilderment coloring his voice.

“I don’t know, man. Why do people do what they do? No clue.”, I responded, my frustration bubbling to the surface. Olivia had never given me an explanation, leaving me to grapple with unanswered questions and shattered trust.

“You didn’t fuck her enough?”, James taunted, a mischievous glint in his eyes. I laughed, the sound hollow and mirthless.

“You couldn’t get it up anymore?”, he continued, relentless in his teasing.

I shook my head, his words a stark reminder of the complexities of my past relationship. “My libido didn’t change all those years.”, I said quietly. “Olivia never wanted to fuck. Well, now I know why.”, I added bitterly, the sting of betrayal still sharp.

James fell silent for a moment, his teasing demeanor giving way to a more somber reflection. “Sometimes, people just aren’t who we think they are.”, he said finally, his voice softening with empathy.

The empathy didn’t last too long. “You need to find a woman to fuck tonight.”, James concluded with a smirk. I didn’t know how to respond, so I simply took a sip from my glass, letting the bourbon burn its way down.

“Don’t worry, Levi will know where to find the hottest chicks. That should be easy. Women like wealthy men.”, James added, his tone laced with the confidence of experience. I knew he was right. Ever since my face had been plastered all over the tabloids, women flocked to me everywhere I went. I had always held them off for Olivia. And where had that holier-than-thou behavior gotten me? Nowhere good.

“Levi is still stuck in his partying lifestyle?”, I chuckled, remembering our mutual friend’s antics.

James grinned. “Yes, just more exclusive parties now, with more money and more influential people. Same wild parties, but on a whole different level.”

The thought of reuniting with Levi in his element brought a wry smile to my face. Despite the chaos of the last few years, the idea of diving back into that world held a certain appeal that I was entertaining.

“Well, hello, Mister Money Bags.”, Levi greeted me with a laugh, pulling me into a hearty hug.

“Same to you, so-manyth Duke of whichever town it was.”, I grinned back. Levi embodied the quintessential old-money charm. He had grown up in one of those sprawling manors you only see in movies, a relic from an era when his father and his father before him had been the previous Dukes.

Now, I as I stood here, I realized that with his father’s passing, Levi had become the actual Duke. It was no longer teasing, but a strange, almost surreal acknowledgement.

Levi had always been the instigator of our wildest adventures during our university days, the one who got us into trouble more times than I could count. Yet, he was also the friend who made those years unforgettable, filling them with laughter and a sense of reckless abandon that I looked back on with fondness.

Seeing him now, with that familiar mischievous sparkle in his eyes, I felt a rush of nostalgia. It was as if no time had passed at all.

“So, what’s new in the city?”, I asked, leaning back comfortably in the plush booth. The bar was a dark, intimate space, the kind that promised anonymity and whispered secrets. The booths were secluded, offering a refuge from prying eyes.

A few women had ventured close, their curiosity piqued by the potential allure of the men sitting here, but James and Levi had shown no interest, which was out of character for them. Normally, they would have relished the attention.

“Not too much, really.”, Levi said dismissively, waving his hand as if to brush away the subject. But their shared glance didn’t escape my notice. It was a look laden with unspoken words, a silent communication that spoke volumes.

I wasn’t buying it. “No, I don’t believe you. Out with it.”, I demanded, fixing them with a determined stare.

James sighed, leaning forward slightly. “Well, there is something.”, he began, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Things have been changing around here. New faces, new power dynamics. It’s not the same city you left.”

Levi nodded, his expression more serious now. “Yeah, there’s been a bit of a shift. New players in town, some old ones gone. It’s a different game now.””

“What do you mean by that?”, I asked, leaning forward, eager to understand better. James and Levi exchanged another knowing glance, the kind that suggested there was a lot more beneath the surface.

“Come on, it’s Santi. We can surely share with him?”, James pleaded with Levi, but he remained resolute.

“No, you know how it works. He must be invited on his own merits.”, he said, his voice firm and final. His words only deepened my curiosity, leaving me with even less of an idea what they were talking about.

“What the hell?”, I asked, frustration creeping into my voice. But they clammed up, refusing to elaborate further on the mysterious topic.

Levi quickly changed the subject, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “What will you be doing now that you’ve sold the company? Start another?”

I shook my head, laughing at the absurdity of the idea. “No, I’m going to take a page out of your book and enjoy life. Maybe take up a committee or two to give back to society and do absolutely nothing.

Levi burst out laughing. “Well, make sure to wear a condom when you ‘give back to society’!”, he said, his laughter echoing through the dimly lit booth.

I shook my head, chuckling despite myself. Levi was unbelievable, but he had a point. The freedom I now had was something to be savored, and if I was going to indulge in life’s pleasures, I needed to be smart about it.