The Businessman's Girlfriend ✔️ (Wattpad version)

Dinner

Vincent

I dressed casually for dinner at Joe and Gretchen's, as did Lacey. My clothes were baggy from the weight I lost during the treatments, but Lacey assured me the weight would return. I had one more hurdle to overcome with the bone marrow transplant. They wanted to transplant enough to help rebuild the red blood cells after the chemotherapy destroyed that.

Sergio arrived to pick up Lacey and me, to take us to Joe's house since Cruz was bringing Emmy. He helped Lacey to get me into the vehicle. After I situated myself, Lacey got into the other side and noticed a woman sitting in the front seat.

"Who is this?" I asked, curious to know who was accompanying us this evening.

Sergio turned and looked at me. "This is my wife, Valeria. She will accompany us to dinner this evening," he answered as she turned and looked at us. I wasn't happy because I had an unknown person in the car with me without a background check.

"Excuse Vincent, he is on his monthly," Lacey commented as I gave her an irritated look as Valeria snickered.

She turned to Sergio. "You're right; I do like her."

"At least you do," he added as I sat there while Lacey shot him a glare. Sergio and Lacey still butted heads since I hired him.

"Can we have one evening with peace?" I asked, feeling annoyed.

"Yes," Lacey answered as she slid her hand into mine and gave me a reassuring squeeze. It was severe enough to be up moving around, let alone to deal with attitudes from others. My energy levels were still low, which made me tired and irritable. The doctor said it would take time.

Time was an interesting concept. Most people take it for granted, but when it limits you, and there's a chance, you have little time left; you cherish every moment you have. You learn the value of time and what is essential. I know I had with being sick.

Sergio drove us to Joe's home and pulled upfront. Once he parked the car, Cruz came out of the house to help me. I was getting my strength back, little by little, but I wasn't there yet. Lacey met me on the other side of the vehicle and helped me, taking my hand and offering support. The minute we entered the house, they showed me to a couch in the living room. I needed to sit down. Just the short walk tired me.

A few minutes later, Gretchen entered the room to greet us.

"Would anyone care for a beverage?" She asked.

"Can I have a bourbon?" I asked, knowing full well Lacey hated alcohol, but I haven't had a drink in months. I just wanted one. I turned to Lacey. "I know what you will say, so please refrain. I don't have the energy to argue."

"Vincent, it's fine," she replied as I looked at her. I knew her tone, but I just needed something to relax me and take the edge off. I don't drink often, but every so often I enjoyed a good bourbon. I felt her give my hand a gentle squeeze. I looked at her, expecting a glare, but received a reassuring smile. "It is okay," she assured me.

I gently squeezed her hand back as I returned the smile.

Gretchen left the room as Cruz, Emmy, Sergio, and Valeria sat down in the living room. Joe entered the room and joined us.

"How are you feeling, Vincent?" He asked me.

"Taking it day by day, but I would prefer to discuss other things than my health," I mentioned as he understood what I was saying.

"Any news regarding the current situation?" Cruz asked him.

"At the moment, no, but we are still searching. Carter and Rafe are lying low and flying under the radar. Wherever they are at the moment, it's only a matter of time before they showed their faces," he told us.

That didn't sit well with me.

Lacey

I felt Vincent tense and knew it had to do with the current topic of conversation. I didn't like the idea that Carter and Rafe were out there; free.

I helped Gretchen with the beverages. I walked into the kitchen as she was pouring drinks into glasses and walked over to help her.

"I see Vincent is doing better," she mentioned.

"Each day is becoming better with each day. Gretchen, can I ask you something?" I asked her.

"Sure," she said as I helped her.

"Does it bother you how Joe met me?" I asked, honestly. The fact I used to be an Escort bothered most people.

She stopped and gave me a reassuring smile. "Lacey, Joe has always had a soft spot for you. When the agency put him on this assignment and met you, he told me that he knew you shouldn't be in that business. They lured you into a situation with the worst intentions. Most women do not walk away with human trafficking," she explained.

I looked at her. When Rafe approached me, I never even imagined this was the whole point. I heard about human trafficking and women kidnapped by force. I never imagined that they would recruit me in a way that I went freely. That made them smart, but it also made them dangerous.

She looked at me as she placed a hand on top of mine. "Lacey, they played on your background. You never knew, and you didn't have a chance when they picked you. Don't blame yourself for falling for their lies," she said to me.

"That's the problem; I came from nothing. All I wanted was a home and to feel safe. Having money thrown at me like that was an incentive. The only thing is I planned on stashing enough to walk away and finding a little place I could finally call home. All I ever wanted was a home," I reasoned as I looked at her.

That's all I ever wanted. Money didn't matter to me. I wanted a place of my own, even if it was small.

"Then it's a good thing I had my assistant call you," I heard Vincent say as we turned and looked at him. He was standing in the doorway as I stood there. Gretchen picked up the tray and left us alone in the kitchen. He made his way towards me. He reached me and reached up, gently touching my cheek. "Lacey, when I met you, I had no intention of falling in love with you, but I did. I found you smart, funny, sweet, and beautiful. You showed me; there was more to life than money."

"You held my money hostage. I didn't have much choice," I reminded him as he chuckled.

"I did do that, didn't I?" He asked, feigning ignorance as I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him. "If I had to do it all over again, I would, so that you would stay forever."

"And I would have accepted if I had to decide again," I reasoned with a look and a mischievous smile.

He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine as I kissed him back. We got into the kiss as we heard someone clear their throat. We stopped to see Cruz standing there with Joe.

"Don't make me hose you two down. You're not at home," Cruz reminded us as Joe chuckled. He turned to Joe. "These two are worse than dogs in heat." Joe laughed even more as he walked past us and over to a tray, picking it up to take it into the living room.

We walked towards Cruz, and Vincent said, "Why must you always spoil my fun?"

"Dealing with your kinky fuckery is no fun for me," he told him with a look.

"Remind me why we're friends again?" Vincent asked him.

"Because I'm the only one who can deal with your bullshit and temper tantrums since Lacey refuses to do so." He looked at me. "Thanks for that."

"Any time," I reasoned as I walked away.

Vincent and Cruz followed me into the living room. We joined the others; then, after a while, we had dinner. It turned into an enjoyable evening. The men talked as we women talked amongst ourselves. I had to say the evening turned out more pleasant than I thought it would. Even Vincent had a good time, for once.

That was the first time I saw him in a relaxed atmosphere where it had nothing to do with business, and there was more than just the two of us. It was refreshing to see him possess some human ability to interact on a social level. Maybe there is hope for him yet.