LUCAS' POV.
I went out for an early morning jog to clear my head, which was filled with thoughts, and jogged all the way to Tray's house.
I stopped there, and began to take deep breaths.
"Lucas?" Tray called, and I turned to see him walking towards me.
"Where are you coming from?" I asked, breathlessly.
"I went to throw out the trash. You were jogging?" He asked, climbing up his front porch.
I followed him, still breathing heavily.
"Yeah, I can't seem to think properly." I replied, walking into his house, and closed the door behind me.
"Breakfast?" He asked, going to his kitchen.
"Don't think I have an appetite for that either." I said, laying down on his sofa.
" A snack?"
"Nope."
"Then what do you want?" He asked.
"Just take your seat." I replied, and he sat in front of me.
"Is this about the nasty thing you wanted to tell me yesterday?" He asked, and I stared straight up at the ceiling.
"Yeah." I replied, and gave a sigh.
"The night I flew into L. A, I could only find an inn, and that night…" I paused.
"That night?" He urged, when it seemed like I had forgotten to continue.
"That night, I slept with a woman."
"Whoa! Who?" He asked, with his eyes a doubled size.
"A stranger."
"What? You? Wait, wait. So, you're telling me you had a one-night stand? You? Whoa." He exclaimed, and began to laugh, and clap. "And who's the lucky woman?"
"John's fiancée." I replied, still staring at the ceiling, and he began to choke on his saliva.
"What did you say?" He asked, looking at me like he hadn't heard me.
"I slept with John's Fiancée."
"Whoa! Wait. Why are you telling me this? You and I know I'm the wrong person to seek advice from. I like all things dark and forbidden." He said, and I rolled my eyes.
"You're despicable. Actually, I didn't know she was his fiancée. It was last night I knew. I was so shocked, but the problem here is, I like her as a person. Not necessarily as a woman." I said, sitting up, but Tray kept on giving me a look that succeeded in irritating me.
"Really?" He asked, making his voice deeper.
"Let's not joke right now. Let's face this. Okay, I like her as a friend, but…"
He gave a fake cough. "Tray!" I called.
"What the!? I'm listening. You don't like her as a person, you like her as a woman. Go on."
"That's definitely not what I said. I said it the other way around."
"So what's the problem if you like her as a friend, and she's John's fiancee?"
"They fought."
"Okay, I still don't see the problem."
"She called off the engagement."
"Whoa, what happened?"
"John said she misunderstood his relationship with his secretary who she found in his house, and got mad."
"Have you double-checked that being the truth? Women don't necessarily go overboard, without concrete evidence. They don't just break engagements over hunches. There might be a fight, but not just a breakup. Except she's been meaning to do that all along." Tray said.
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah, but what's the problem? If they break up, the better for her to be your 'Friend'" He said, stressing the last word.
"It feels wrong."
"To be friends with the first woman you slept with in a while?"
"No, because she's John's… I mean because she used to be John's fiancée. Actually, she's very beautiful, and defies everything I thought about ladies. Apart from managing to get me easily, I find her beauty compelling. I can't stop staring at her, meanwhile other women try their best to make me give them so much as a glance. Also, John had told me she was the only woman, who didn't care for his money, but loved him. I didn't believe him, but now I do. She was willing to break up with him, despite all she'd stand to get as the Luna of the future heir." I explained, and Tray gave it a thought.
"That's true. I can't think of a woman who would think of leaving John. He's rich, he's good-looking, he's the Alpha, and the heir. Wow. Does she know there are queues of women waiting to have him?" He asked, and I sighed.
"Maybe she knows, but just doesn't care."
"I doubt John didn't do anything bad. You say John called her sweet all the time, then what would makes such a sweet woman blow up?" He asked.
"I don't know the full story, so I'm not too sure I can be friends with her, unless I do. Maybe she's the one in the wrong…"
"And if she's the one in the wrong? Does it mean you can't be friends with her? We all make mistakes, so…" He said, getting up from the sofa, and going towards the kitchen.
"She's been on my mind for a while." I replied, falling back on the sofa.
"I see a forbidden romance looming. Magical roses blooming." He said, softly, and poetically, and I laughed.
"Stop teasing me."
"How was sleeping with her?"
"Great." I said in a little voice.
"What did you say?"
"I said it was great." I replied.
"It was what?" He asked, turning around, and I laughed, throwing a cushion his way.
"You heard me. By the way, you seem too relaxed for a man going to work." I said, getting off the sofa to see what he was making.
"Oh, please, don't nag me. You know I'm very punctual. That reminds me. You have a lot to do at work. A whole lot."
"I know, I know. Don't nag me, too. How come you have nothing you eat in your kitchen? Do you feed on junk?"
"The life of a businessman, Alpha Lucas. He's got no time to cook and eat healthy food." Tray replied, and I scoffed, picking up a bag of Cheeros.
"A man eating this." I commented, opening it. Just then, my phone rang, and Tray seized the opportunity to snatch it from me.
I picked up my phone, and saw it was Mrs. Mayer.
"Mrs. Mayer's calling." I said, and picked the call. "Good morning, Mrs. Mayer."
"Good morning, Mr. Granger. How are things in L. A?"
"Things are fine."
"So, I got the feedback from my daughter, and decided to see you in person. Could you make a trip to New Zealand? I'm thinking of a partnership."
A partnership? Even after being rude to her granddaughter?
Things seemed suspicious, and my main suspect was Stephanie. She had clearly been dissatisfied with me the previous day.
Was she planning something?