In the Billionaires Club (17 page)

“Just happy.” Rob took a step and kissed Gin on the lips. It was short and soft, and it made Gin’s heart leap. It was a kiss of affection, even love, not a kiss of pure passion. She always welcomed the latter, but the former meant more at this moment.

“So when do I get to see you again,” Rob asked.

A sudden inspiration hit Gin. “Could you give me a card to the Billionaires Club? I used my last one, and I think it would be great for us to meet there some time. Imagine just running into each other. It would be so much fun.” Rob seemed unconvinced and didn’t reply. “Of course, we could just arrange to meet there,” Gin quickly added.

“I was thinking more of getting together at one of my places.”

“That works, too. But let’s meet at the Club, too. I love that place. It’s so intimate and relaxing.”

Rob shook his head. “Too full of self-important jerks. Plus, it’s a meat market. I’d rather we meet someplace nicer and less… desperate.”

Gin stared at Rob. Was he actually worried that she’d get hit on from someone else there? She found the idea of Rob being jealous nice, but she still didn’t agree with his attitude toward the Club. “Well, maybe just let me have a card so I can relax there by myself some time.”

“You don’t need to go there any more.” Gin looked Rob over. His eyes were intense. “I’m not going to give you a card to get into that club. “

He called it “that club.” Did he know something that she didn’t?
 
Why was he so concerned about the club? It was ultimately a small thing, so Gin dropped the subject.

The yacht pulled into the marina, and the two of them shared a passionate kiss goodbye. As the driver walked her back to the limousine, Gin took a deep breath. The night could not have gone better. She had shared a special night without sex with a man known for only wanting sex from his women. Not only that, Rob appeared to even be jealous of guys hitting on her at the Club.

Gin wondered if Rob would even bother going out with another woman again.
 

chapter twenty-one

“Screw that,” Lisa replied when Gin told her that Rob didn’t want her to go to the Club. “I’ll have Bill leave you a card with the bouncer.”
 

“The bouncer? Do you mean Dave?”
 

“I don’t know his name. The big hulking dude at the door. I’ll leave a card with him.”

“Geez, Lisa. His name is Dave. Don’t be turning into a trust fund bitch who doesn’t know the help’s name.”

“Well excuse me, Ms. Judgmental. How about this: I will introduce myself to
Dave
and give
Dave
a card so
Dave
can let you into the Club.”

“Thank you. So things are good with Bill?”

“Oh my gosh, they could not be better. We’re talking about moving in together.”
 

“Shut up! After a week? That’s crazy! You guys will be married by Fall at this rate.”

“Shhh. Don’t jinx this.”

“So you moving to the Valley? Where does he live?”

There was a pause, and the Lisa said, “Actually, we’re talking about him moving in with me.”

“In
Oakland?
He’s rich, Lisa. At the least he should put you up in some swanky apartment in San Francisco. Or have you guys taken some kind of vow of poverty or something?”

“He’s not rich for a couple months, so he can’t exactly afford to burn money. Plus he spends more time in his San Francisco office than the Silicon Valley one, so it makes sense for him to move in with me. His place is like two hours from here.”

“Wow, you guys are really planning your life out together. That’s great.” Gin could not have been happier for Lisa. Lisa was the type that would go on one date with a nice guy and then drop him for some asshole with a motorcycle.
I guess being rich trumps being dangerous.
 

“Hey, we’re still kind of fumbling through where we stand and basic stuff. I mean we argue over the stupidest things. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great, and—” Lisa paused. “—I really love him.”

“Lisa, I think the last time you used the L word it was after some guy gave you like five orgasms one night.”

Lisa snorted. “Well, the definition has changed for me.”

“Wow. You actually sound like an adult.”

“That makes one of us.”

Gin had to smile at that. “Anyway, you two are really making it work.”

“Well, we’re not nearly as stable as you and Rob. I mean, you guys seem to be totally on the same page on everything. I wish it was as easy for me as it is for you.”

Gin was going to argue but realized she couldn’t. “Yeah, It’s pretty great.”

“Other than the Billionaires Club thing, that is. Anyway, he’s not the boss of you, so let’s meet at the Club tomorrow. I’ll bring Bill, and we can hang out. Say six o’clock?”

“That sounds great!”

“And I’ll leave the card for you with
Dave
at the door because
Dave
is the doorman. You know,
Dave
.”

Laughing, Gin replied. “Much better.”

The next night, the first thing Gin was run over to say hello to Vin who was parked in his normal seat at the end of the bar. His face lit up. “Hey! How’d your date with Rob go?”

“I’ll tell you later. Bill and Lisa are waiting on me. I just wanted to say, ‘hi.’” Vin nodded and turned back to his drink as Gin met up with her friend.

Bill was a completely different person. He was gregarious and told funny stories, and Gin loved how he would stare at Lisa lovingly as she would talk. Lisa would do the same thing with Bill.

“Gin, tell Bill about how Rob’s given up other women for you!”

“Geez, Lisa. I didn’t say that.”

“Well, you sure made it sound like the two of you had a special connection.”

As Lisa spoke, Gin realized that she had outlined to her friend an idealized view of her relationship with Rob. “We do have a special connection, but it’s not like we’ve committed to each other or are engaged. It’s just too soon, you know? I think we’re not far from that, though.”

“Well, that sounds great, Gin,” Bill said. “Rob has a really wild reputation. If you could tame him that would be a real accomplishment.”
 

“I’m not taming him. He’s not an animal, Bill!” Gin had to smile. The truth was that she liked the idea of her being the one who tamed the wild playboy Rob Greene. Gin glanced at Lisa, who was staring off into the distance. Waving her hand in front of Lisa’s face, Gin asked, “Hey. What do you think? Is Rob an animal?” Gin loved setting Lisa up with comments that were an opening for Lisa to drop some sexual joke or comment. They did it all the time.
 

However, Lisa ignored the comment and leaned forward. Almost in a whisper, she asked, “So you wouldn’t mind if Rob went out with another woman?”

Gin didn’t hesitate. “Not really. I expect it, actually.”

Lisa let out a long breath. “Oh, thank God. Because he just walked in with another woman.”

“What?” Both Gin and Bill looked toward the door. Rob was there, holding hands with a stunning redhead in a very short and tight miniskirt, fuck me stilettos, and a top that looked painted on. Gin couldn’t help but stare. The girl looked like she was about Gin’s age—a few years out of college or maybe a bit younger.

“Are you going to say ‘Hi?’” Lisa asked. Gin was too stunned by Rob being there with another woman to answer the question. “Might score you some points walking over and letting him know you’re not jealous.”

“I’m not going to—” Gin stopped. She felt numb all over, but Lisa’s idea actually made sense. She looked at Bill and Lisa. “What do you think he’ll do if I walk over?”

“I don’t know, Gin. You made it sound like you two had this great connection, like you knew where each other stood. Wouldn’t he be happy to see you?”
 

Gin glanced over. Rob and the girl were sitting at one of the raised bar tables. They were sitting very close and smiling and laughing while talking. “I’m going to say ‘hi,” Gin said firmly.

“Good plan,” Bill said. “Let him know you have no problem with an open relationship.” Gin ignored Bill’s comment and slid out of the booth.

The table was only about twenty feet away, but by the time she had taken two steps the girl had already started running her hand up between Rob’s legs. He continued to talk like nothing had changed. Gin took a deep breath.
Be strong. Rob’s still not ready, but he will be.

“Hi Rob!” Gin walked up and stood across from Rob and his girlfriend. The look on his face was a combination of shock and terror.

“Gin—“ Rob looked around. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here with my friend Lisa.” Gin motioned over her shoulder with her head.
 

“Oh. That’s nice.” Rob was flustered, and that gave Gin more strength.
I can handle this
, she thought.

“Who’s your girlfriend?” Gin turned away from Rob and faced the redhead, holding out her hand. “Gin Langdon.”

The girl hesitantly took Gin’s hand. “Molly O’Connor.”
 

“Molly, I have to tell you, Rob is really great company. You are going to have a great time together.” Molly looked unsure of what to say. “Wait, I don’t want to make assumptions. Do you know each other already?”

“First date,” Rob said. He had recovered his composure but seemed uncertain how to proceed.

“Oh my. Girlfriend just let me tell you—” Gin leaned close to Molly and whispered, “The rumors are true. You are going to be mighty sore tomorrow morning, but it will be totally worth it.” Molly looked shocked, but when Gin glanced at Rob, he was smiling.

Before anyone could say anything else, Rob started to get out of his seat. “Nice to see you, Gin, but I think Molly and I should head off to our dinner.” Rob stood up, took Molly’s hand, and helped her do the same.

“Have fun,” Gin replied, waving as the two retreated.

She heard Molly mutter, “Who the fuck was that?” before they were out of earshot. Gin walked over and slid back into the booth.
 

“Wow, you chased him off.” Lisa said, looking off toward the front door.

“I wasn’t trying to,” Gin replied. She reached for her drink, but could barely hold it. Her hands were badly shaking.

“Are you okay?”
 

Gin took a long drink of her rum and Coke. She took a few deep breaths and placed her hands on the tabletop. “I think I need to be alone.” She was proud of how she handled herself in front of Rob, but the moment he walked out the front door and she was alone, it felt like she had been mercilessly beaten.
 

“Oh honey, don’t mind that asshole,” Lisa said, reaching over and placing her hand on Gin’s arm.
 

“No. He’s not an asshole. He is who he is. I just didn’t think this would be quite so hard.” And suddenly Gin felt like she wanted to cry. Not because she was weak, but because she wanted things with Rob to be easier, and they wouldn’t be easier. Why couldn’t he be like Bill—someone where the rough patches were due to stupid misunderstandings, not a redhead who you just knew was going to go down on him. Was Rob even someone she could call a boyfriend?

“Come on, Lisa. Let’s give Gin some space.” Bill took Lisa’s hand.

“Yes. Thank you, Bill. I think I just need to think this over some more.”

The two of them slid out of the booth. “I’m as close as your phone, honey. Just call me whenever you need anything. I don’t care what time it is. Just call.”

“Thank you,” Gin replied. She didn’t even watch them leave. Finally alone, Gin couldn’t stop a few tears from falling. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she tried to make sense of something she thought she was prepared for.
Gin Langdon, what the fuck did you get yourself into? You are stronger than this. He’s going to fuck that girl and then come back to you. He’ll fuck another girl and then come back to you. Then, someday, it will just be you.

But the truth was that it hurt. It hurt that he was enjoying the girl feeling him up. It hurt that she looked like a model. It hurt that she was tall and elegant even in slutty clothes, and it hurt that Rob seemed to be having as much fun with her as he had with Gin.

“Sorry it took so long. Rich took like forever making your drink.” Gin looked up to see Vin placing a rum and Coke in front of her. She looked away and quickly wiped her eyes. “I didn’t think you’d want to be alone.”

Gin smiled. “I didn’t think you were physically capable of sitting in a different spot in the bar.”

“Yeah, well, if Mohammed will not go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed.” Vin slid into the seat across from her.
 

“Are you calling me Mohammed?”

“Not only that, I’m calling myself a mountain, so maybe I need to choose better metaphors.”

Gin smiled. “Vin. I feel better already. Thank you.”

“Rob let you down?”

“You can say that,” Gin replied. “But I was foolish to expect him not to let me down.” She took a long drink, while Vin just listened. “I even told myself that I could handle him being with other women.”
 

“Well, you shouldn’t have to handle those kinds of situations,” Vin replied before taking a sip of his own drink.

“I don’t know, Vin. Rob is damaged. He lost his child, and then his wife divorced him, and he’s just looking for someone to love. He’s wonderful in so many ways. Over dinner we talked about his charitable foundation, and we share so much in common. I mean, we
connected
. I just know that when he’s healed he’ll be a wonderful husband.”

Vin nodded his head. “And you think you can be the one to heal him?”

“I thought so, but now I’m not sure.” Gin looked up at Vin. “I played it so cool on the outside, but as I saw the girl Molly feeling him up under the tabletop, I was numb.”
 

“I don’t blame you, Gin. It’s a rough thing watching someone you deeply care for giving all their attention to someone else.”

“Exactly. I was talking to them feeling all numb, but when they left I wasn’t numb. I was full of rage and hurt and embarrassment and confusion.” Gin held up her hands. “Jesus, I’m still shaking.”

Vin reached over and took Gin’s hands in his, holding them as he lowered them to the table. “So what’s next?”