CHAPTER 6A

Xavier savored a generous sip of his drink, his eyes wandering like curious explorers through the vibrant tapestry of the party.

"Anyone specific catching your eye?" Robbie inquired, his eyes tracing Xavier's line of sight as it roamed the room.

Xavier leaned back, a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"No one in particular. I prefer to keep my options open"

Robbie chuckled as he took a sip of his drink.

"What about Elizabeth?"

"She's just another name on the list." Xavier's expression remained aloof, and he took a moment to respond further, his voice tinged with a hint of weariness. "Labels like 'girlfriend' and 'commitment' have never been my thing. You know I prefer to keep things uncomplicated."

Robbie hummed thoughtfully as he followed a woman in a bikini, his drink in hand. "You might have a point there, Xavier. Commitment does seem overrated sometimes. I mean, who can comprehend why people get married and tie themselves down to just one person when there's a whole ocean of possibilities out there?" Robbie mused, entirely unaware of the tempest brewing within Xavier.

Xavier's face tightened briefly as thoughts of the impending marriage stirred turmoil within him. He shrugged off those unsettling feelings, aware that Alex was silently observing his inner struggle, torn between understanding and sympathy.

Robbie turned his gaze away from them to a girl as she got into the pool.

"Well, Elizabeth doesn't seem to get the message. Look at her; she can't stop looking at you. In her mind, she's your girlfriend," he chuckled.

Xavier sighed, his expression heavy with the weight of the night's events. "Let her think what she wants; she's entitled to her opinions. She's just someone I use, like she uses me. End of story."

Robbie, nodded in understanding. "I get it, man. Sometimes, it's just easier that way."

"Anyway," Robbie continued, "Considering all the women here, I'm sure you won't be lacking company tonight, Xavier. You never leave a party empty-handed," he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Xavier smirked, saying, "I can't help it if the girls love me. But it's strange, the next day when I tell them to get lost, they hate me," he laughed, with a playful wink.

"I know the feeling," Robbie said, his eyes returning to the woman in the pool.

Robbie finished his drink and placed the glass on the table with a sly grin. "Well, excuse me, gentlemen, but I think I've found my companion for the night. Don't miss me," he quipped, giving Xavier a playful nudge before making his way over to the girl he had been checking out.

"Have fun, man," Xavier replied, his voice tinged with a hint of detachment as he remained lost in his own world.

Xavier closed his eyes and shook his thoughts away. When he opened them, Alex was staring right back at him, an amused expression dancing on his face, as he surveyed his best friend.

"What!" Xavier could tell from his expression that he was about to say something to get under his skin. Alex was one of the few people on planet Earth that Xavier let give him a hard time, and he took full advantage of the privilege.

"The Xavier Knight I know would be busy with a girl in one of the bedrooms right now. It's been thirty minutes, and you're still nursing a beer. Unless there's something else on your mind, or perhaps someone else you're thinking about, like ..." Alex left his sentence unfinished. He was pushing Xavier's buttons, and it was getting on Xavier's last nerve.

Most people would've found themselves outside through the plate glass door, a series of punches preceding their eviction for making such comments. However, since Alex was his closest friend, so in a bid to silence him, Xavier resorted to alternative methods. He swiftly retrieved a lit cigarette from the ashtray on the table, moving with such speed that Alex had no opportunity to react. He pressed the glowing end of the cigarette against Alex's knee.

"Oops," Xavier nonchalantly remarked.

"Jesus Christ, buddy!" Alex recoiled in discomfort. "That hurts."

"Then watch your damn mouth," Xavier retorted firmly.

Undeterred, Alex settled back into his seat and smiled

"I'm gettin' married in the morning

Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime

Pull out the stopper, we'll have a whopper

But get me to the church on time" he sang quietly so only Xavier could hear

Earning a glare from Xavier

Time ticked by as Xavier continued to drink, his eyes scanning the room while his mind wandered. In the dimly lit ambiance of the club, Elizabeth's gaze remained fixed on him, a subtle smile dancing on her lips.

"Xavier" she purred, her voice a sultry melody that cut through the noisy atmosphere.

Xavier's attention snapped to her, his gaze locked on Elizabeth's enticing figure. He couldn't help but look, attempting to find something beyond the barely-there dress and the artfully disheveled hair. He searched for any clue that might be worth abandoning his seat and momentarily escaping the weight of the impending marriage.

Elizabeth was the kinds of girl he was accustomed to, the ones he adored – uncommitted, no-strings-attached. Maybe she could be the distraction he needed right now.

With determination etched in his every movement, he quickly drained the last of his drink and abruptly pushed back from his seat, rising like a lion poised to stalk its prey.

"See you later, Alex," Xavier mumbled.

Alex's eyes widened, and he attempted to inject some sense into his friend, but his words fell on deaf ears. Xavier approached Elizabeth, and as soon as she saw him coming, she latched onto him.

"I thought I sent you to get some beer. For that, you need a good spanking for not listening," he threatened casually, his eyes lingering over her figure.

"Oh yeah, I do need a spanking. I've been a very naughty girl," Elizabeth purred, her voice laced with seduction.

"Beer is unnecessary, my dear. I can satisfy your thirst in a much more intriguing way," she whispered seductively.

Elizabeth's fingers traced the well-defined contours of his pecs before gliding down the center of his chest, coming to rest on his taut abdomen.

"You feel so good," she whispered seductively.

Gradually, her fingers ventured lower, and she pressed her lips to his ear and gently bit his earlobe.

"Let's find a place where we can be alone."

Her breath was warm and sultry on his skin, and he resisted the urge to shove her away in disgust. Privacy was a rare commodity in the pool house – one large open space with a combined kitchen and living room and a small bedroom area in the back separated only by a thin wall, making it feel as if it didn't exist at all.

Fortunately, no one here cared much about privacy. Even if Xavier engaged in a passionate encounter with Elizabeth against a wall in the living room, nobody present would witness anything they hadn't seen their friends do a dozen times before.

But when her hand slid over the soft bulge in his jeans, Xavier realized he had had more than enough of this situation.

"Everybody, clear the fuck hell out!" Xavier's authoritative voice rang through the room. Suddenly, all activity came to a halt, and people quickly dispersed, vacating the pool house. It was a stark reminder that defying Xavier Knight was not a wise choice.

Elizabeth's smile broadened. "I adore it when you take the control, honey."

Xavier seized Elizabeth, and their lips met in a passionate kiss.

As the minutes passed, one thing naturally led to another, and Xavier allowed himself to get lost in the whirlwind of their fiery passion.