"Risk means 'shit happens' or 'good luck" ― Toba Beta

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Nicolai Petropoulis' POV

        "Why Nicolai?" she repeated. Her intent gaze was piercing through my soul and I lost my voice. I fumble for words to describe why do I care. I look back to the road.

Will it help if I'll admit that I care for her more than like a sister?

I knew everything will be screwed once I admit it. I don't want to hurt neither one of them and Victoria but who am I kidding? Victoria doesn't care for me neither have feelings for me other than being a friend. 

I don't know what's her purpose of agreeing to this sham, but then again, who knows what's running to that wicked brat's mind. 

"Nicolai," she called, interrupting me out of my trance. 

"Sorry." I apologize as I glance at her confused face, then back to the road. "I don't know Elle. I can't understand myself either." I sighed. 

For the first in my life, I felt uncertain. 

She fell into silence for a moment as she trained her eyes out of the window. I hated it when she's too quiet and serious. 

"Drive me back home, Nicolai." Suddenly she said in a bored tone as she gave me a bored look. I saw sadness in her eyes and pain.

I heaved a heavy sigh. I involuntarily clench my jaw as I nodded.

"Okay."

We were both silent until I drop her off to their mansion. As soon as she's out of my car, I drove off heading nowhere.

I found myself in a bar.

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I was in my six shot of Jack Daniels. I care no less with the harsh burning sensation of the liquid slithering inside my throat. It actually feels good. I could feel the alcohol slowly kicking in. 

The bartender in front of me who was luckily was one of my closest friend, a batch mate and co-varsity way back high school, Celvino Bravacci, an Italian/Greek who owns chains of bars in Greece and Italy, "Magnifico Longue and Bars". 

He loves bartending and he's a Eonologist. 

"So why the infamous hotelier is here alone tonight?" Celvino leans forward facing me with amusement plastered in his face.

"Shut up, Vino!" I snap at him, calling him with his nick name. He only chuckles as he straightened himself, and then motioned one of his bartender to attend the new comer who just seated- a couple stool away from me.

I was sitting at the bar, with my elbows resting on the counter of the bar, while drinking Jack Daniels till I get drunk and forget all what's happening to me and erase this unexplainable emotions.

"Problems, Petropoulis?" Vino kept pressing me and I just shrug my shoulder ignoring his attempt. If I know, he's just grasping something to mock me after.

"I have this feeling that you have problems with your heart, sýntrofos (mate)" Vino look straight into my eyes and I just gave him a bored look, feigning nonchalance.

Vino cocked up his eyebrow, then snorted. "I'm not an amateur to this scene, sýntrofos. I have seen this imagery quite many times. A depressed man drinking himself to oblivion, oblivious to all these hot sexy ladies trying to get his attention." He smirked mockingly. "You are definitely heart broken man, unless PP Holdings is in bankruptcy?" His eyes suddenly widened in realizations and I grab one lime wedge from the small bowl and threw it to him.

"Since when did you became a guru?" I scoffed as I swigged another shot. I poured another on my shot glass and let my fingers rest on the body of the slim tiny glass with my eyes rested on Vino who was shaking  his head in disbelief.

"Damn man. You got it pretty hard!" He cluck his tongue to my vexation. 

Instead of retorting, I made another shot and then frustratedly slummed the small glass on the counter making a loud sound, but only drowned from the loud base of the music. 

We had to raise our normal voice so we could hear each other.

Again, this arranged marriage crosses my mind. This foreign and complicated feelings that Elle is stirring within me, and the consequences of this loveless arranged marriage, made me feel like I was carrying the world. 

"I'm getting married, Vino!" I spewed as I poured my shot glass some more and took it straight. 

"Are you kidding me?" I saw how Vino's eyes widened almost popping out of its socket. He was gaping at me for a moment, lost of words. 

I know he's shock. 

Why not?

"Now I understand why you are sulking here, ignoring all this chicka-babes flocking around you." He commented still sounding dumbfounded. 

I turned my head to see a group of women facing my direction. When they saw me looking at them, each one of them gave me their sexiest-flirtiest smile. I just raise my shot glass and I saw them all raising their glasses and I turned my head back to see Vino, still in his shock face.

I just shook my head.

I felt the girls behind me.

"Hi Nico." A husky voice beside me.

When I look at her, I force a smile not wanting to offend her. 

Indeed she looks hot and seems ready to get explored, with her fitted dress that reach mid-thigh, with plunging neck-line that shows almost half of her creamy breast. Her smile widened when she saw how my eyes exploring her luscious body. 

"I'm sorry, but I'm off limit tonight." I blurted out when I saw Elle's face out of nowhere. 

I shook the unwanted thoughts intruding my peaceful mind and stared at the shock lady. 

"Ladies," Vino called the attention of the three girls around me. "Nicolas is getting married." He simply said which made the three gasp and it sounded over dramatic.

People really thought of me as a playboy and not the marriage-type of guy. And I can't blame them. Since high school, I've been with a lot of women, but never on a steady. 

After I bed them once, I will hop to another and to another. 

At the beginning I already warn them about the arrangement. Even my mistresses, I deal with them like a business. 

No buts and if. Take it or leave it.

And it's like a contract. After one sex, done. 

Anyway both will benefit at the end, as long as no hearts involve. Purely sexual. 

She comes, I came. That's all it matters. She even gets more profits since she get a separate pay which I call it a "Part-Ways Gift". 

Again, my inside cries out for help. This is what I'm talking about when I got married. 

Imagine how many sexy women is going to cry when I got married?

Imagine how many hot and ready women I've miss? 

I haven't been married, but I already feel shackled and suffocated. I felt defeated and dead. My life is already dull. I could see myself caving. Work, home and kids, if ever Victoria lets me have sex with her. 

Shit!

I was battling with my thoughts that I didn't noticed, I'm three quarter emptied the bottle of the Jack Daniel and my head is starting to grow heavy. 

"I think, you had enough Nico." I heard Vino said and he grab the bottle from my grip. 

"Give that back to me, Vino. I paid that!" I could hear my slurred voice myself and when I tried to get it back, I felt like the place shook. Two arms suddenly catch me before I landed on the floor.

"I got him." I heard that familiar voice. Deep, rich and dark.

"Xandrous, bro." I slurred. He looks grave and he had a short stubbles around his chin and his upper lip. 

"I'll drive you home, Nico." Xandrous said calmly. He took my one arm and let it rested on his shoulder. 

Xandrous is as almost as tall as me or probably we are of the same height. He is as athletic as me. He used to be our Soccer Captain and I was the basketball captain way back high school and when we went to University.

And he his other arm held my waist and drag me out of the bar. 

"I thought you are busy, buddy?" I chuckled and felt so happy that I have a best friend and almost like a brother to me- in him. 

"I was. Vino called me." Xandrous responded lazily and then he helps me get into his car.

"Fuck bro. So you finally got this Koenigsegg CCXR. Damn hot stuff!" I whistled, but even my whistles came out slurred.

"I can't believe you Nico." He said ignoring my remarks. I look at him baffled as I leaned on the seat trying to get comfortable from my drunk state.

"What are you talking about Xandrous. You're acting weird man." I said and this time, I find my voice straight.

"Your fiancee is with someone, while you are dating her sister." Xandrous stated grimly and he looks away. I was still looking at him and he is indeed acting weird. 

I have felt this odd feelings this past few days the way he acts and openly stating his opinions blatantly. 

"Do you love Victoria? You seems too protective of her?" I asked out of curiosity. 

He suddenly looks guarded. His cold and emotionless, detach eyes stared at me and I couldn't read him. He has been my friend since diapers, and I thought I knew him well, but damn this past few days, he seems not the Xandrous I know.

"I don't." His detach eyes averted to the empty street. "I'm just telling you what's going on as a friend of you and Victoria. And it's not fair to her." He added on, and each words is thrown sharp and dark.

And I could feel, something is really going on and he's not telling me. 

"And who is she with?" I asked.

"I'll just drive you now, Nico. I apologize for meddling." He said and started the engine and smoothly pulled out of the parking lot and soon emerging with the smooth traffic. 

I clenched my jaw.

He surely is trying to get away.

"Is she the girl you secretly dating when we were in high school, Xandrous?" I asked. 

Out of nowhere, that thought flickered in my head.

I remember when he used to escape from our practice or when we have a party at either one of our friends and he always tries to escape to be somewhere else. He used to say he has another activities that he needs to attend, or he needs to go buy this and that, but I knew he was seeing someone secretly and our friends and I didn't bother to press the matter since he wasn't the type of kiss and tell guy. He has been the most discreet among our friends.

I know he dated that girl, Cassie Ann Alanis, the only daughter of the well-known Engineers Andreas and Cassandra Alanis, partners of the theios Zandros. 

And I heard that they sold their share to the Mailov after the two divorce when the wife caught her husband making out with the secretary.

Cassandra Alanis is still working until now with Xandrous after he took over their business when he graduated University. And I think Cassie Ann is also working now with him.

"You really is hard to read Xandrous. Your life is like a code to me. Hard to decipher!" I chuckled humorlessly as I look out the window.

His eyes is glued on the road while driving. 

"It doesn't matter anymore if I dated her or not, or I love her or not Nicolai. Those time is over." He suddenly blurted out after a long pause.

I quickly straightened myself and stared at him astounded, stunned and tongue-tied. He never gave me a glance. 

"You love her and you never told me?" I asked. Bitterness and hurt is vivid in every words.

He spare me a glance and then back to the road. Then, he pulled the car on the shoulder of the road. The road wasn't busy and I'm glad.

He pressed the hazard light and he leans on the seat after securely parking the car. He didn't even look at me. I leaned on my seat and realized that my dizzy state is gone, except that my head is still heavy.

"I'm sorry Nico. I had to keep it. First of all, you know theios Demetrio wouldn't allow any of his girls to go on a date. Secondly, I don't want to hurt Cassie." He started. "Cassie opened to me her feelings when we were in fourth year. And that's when she was very stress and hurt. Her parents just got divorce and she doesn't know who she will pick to live with." He elaborated further. 

I could feel the pain in his voice, completely torn with the circumstances he was in that time. And it's not different from what I am in right now.

"Did Vicky knows about it?" I asked.

I felt Xandrous' eyes on me, but I didn't bother to look at him. My eyes was trained through the windshield to the dark road that only lit with the street lights provided.

"No." I heard him said and he sigh hurtfully. "Do you think when she found out, she will just kept quiet? She's spoiled and she gets whatever she wants. And I can't blame her. I always said yes and always let her win during our relationship." I could feel that regret and pain in his voice as he kept talking about their past relationship.

I could really tell that he loves her and he is torn.

Now I understand why he always seems so protective of her.

"She's going to marry me in two days, Xandrous?" I reminded him and to know what he's going to do about it. 

After his revelations, I made up my mind. 

I will talk to my dad to cancel the wedding.

"We are not meant for each other, Nico. She's over me and so am I." Xandrous started the engine again and I knew he doesn't want to talk more about it. 

He seems decided and now my heart is torn between three. 

Elle, Xandrous and being the CEO of the PP holdings.

"You can lie to her, but not to me Xandrous." I grit out. 

Who is he kidding? 

"Elope with her before the wedding comes, Xandrous. I will help you." I suggest. The only acceptable reason I could think and possible thing that could solve this misery we are all in, created by our crazy family.

"It's not that easy, Nico. And Victoria is ready to marry you." He shook his head as he shot me a brief glance.

I could see now our gate from a distance.

"Either you elope with her Xandrous, or I will not show up on our wedding day." I warned him and he suddenly hit the break, just as we reach our gate.

He looks at me unbelievably. That signature grave face of the infamous cold-hearted Alexandrous Mailov, with his laser-like eyes now piercing into my soul.

"Don't you dare do such thing, Nico!" He clenched his jaw.

"You have to decide Xandrous. I know you still love her." I stated sternly ignoring his threat. "Either elope with her, or she will be stood up and left disgrace to the condescending society." I grit out and without a ceremony, I opened the door and walked away leaving him shock.

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A/N: Sorry guys. That's all I could afford to write. I need to go to sleep now since I have to go to work early tomorrow. And since it's winter, driving to work is a bit longer than it's usual because of the icy road. 

Anyway, I hope this chapter is not bad. 

We are getting closer to the conflicts of the story... 

And again, please bear with all the typographical error, grammatical errors, or any sorts of errors (little or big). Please just overlook it and I'll definitely find someone to edit it for me, one day.

Please do vote if you like this chapter and don't forget to leave your comments. I really like to read your thoughts. 

Thank you and have a great day!