Alexia’s POV -

Elijah Martin was the man Alexia knew very well. As her childhood friend and classmate, they did everything together. They used to be inseparable, and because of that, everyone thought they were in a relationship.

They did eventually become girlfriend and boyfriend, but that happened in college. Elijah was Alexia’s first love. He showed her the joys of love and pain of heartbreak. Their romance ended when she caught him –a few weeks before their graduation- in his dorm room in bed with her then best friend, Chelsea.

Alexia had known no pain greater than walking in on her boyfriend, who she thought would never break her trust, with her best friend who she thought, would not steal her man. That memory had taunted her for almost four years and when she thought she was finally moving on, he showed up in a restaurant.

“Who is that man?”

“My ex-boyfriend.”

Alexia still regretted the moment she blurted it out to Colin. However, what could she have done then? He had caged her in a corner and tortured her with his beautiful blue eyes. She had seen the look of pity in his eyes after she told him. Perhaps could it have been because he noticed how she was trembling inside because she saw her ex-boyfriend?

Maybe yes. Then that explains why he took her, out of there without wasting another second.

After he dropped her off at the company and took her card, Alexia had gotten in her Mercedes Benz and driven home. She called her secretary every hour to check on how things were going at the DALIA headquarters until night fell.

Now Alexia was sitting in her living room, with her eyes on the television screen but not actually watching it. Her mind was elsewhere, asking why fate had to bring Elijah back into her life after she spent years trying to forget him. Why had fate brought him back in her life when she had finally found inner peace and happiness without him? Was this some kind of test, to see if indeed, she was over him, or just fooling herself all this while?

The doorbell suddenly resonated through the house and her gaze averted to the wall clock. It was ten minutes passed 1 am. As Alexia rose from the black leather sofa and crossed the spacious well-organised living room decorated in shiny black leather, she wondered who it was at this time of the night. A chill run down her spine when she opened the door and came face to face with him.

“Elijah,” Alexia gasped. She would never forget those golden brown eyes, because they used to look at her with so much love in them. Neither would she forget that pointed nose, which always brushed hers whenever they kissed, and his pink full lips, which showed her how to kiss and kiss good. Elijah looked different from the last time she saw him. He had grown taller and developed into a fine man.

“Alexia,” he said and took a step towards her.

Alexia’s palms started to sweat, however she did not let go of the doorknob. It was the only thing preventing her from falling to the ground right now. Elijah raised a hand to touch her face and she stepped back. “How did you find me?” Her voice was firm and she was glad for it.

Elijah stuffed his hand into his pockets and replied. “I have been looking for you for a while. Then I saw an article about you in a magazine, which told me you were in Tamale, so I came here. I arrived this afternoon and went to have lunch. That was when, I saw you leaving. I called you, but I guess you did not hear me. I followed you to DALIA and then here.” He spoke and then took another step towards her. “Alexia,” he called desperately and tried to touch her again.

“Go away Elijah.” She said and tried to close the door, but he stopped it with his palm.

“I came to apologise.” He said.

“I don’t want to hear it.” Alexia snapped. She did not want to hear anything from him, because she did not think it was necessary. If she had not listened to him four years ago, what made him think she would now?

“Please Love, hear me out.” Alexia could not believe he called her that.

“I am not your love!” She snapped, tears filling her eyes.

“Alexia,”

“Elijah, leave immediately and never return. Go back to where you came from. I never want to see you again.” With that, she banged the door in his face and locked it.

“Alexia, please open up. I want to talk to you, please. I am sorry, please forgive me.”

Alexia buried her face into trembling palms and collapsed on the floor, crying. She could not explain why her tears came rushing out, but there was one thing she knew for sure.

She was not over him.

Colin’s POV -

Even after six shots of tequila and two bottles of beer, Colin could not forget the look he saw in her eyes. Those emerald green eyes, which held mystery the first time he saw them had finally revealed their secrets to him at the restaurant.

Alexia Brooke was heartbroken. She was hurt. A man had shattered her heart. Now his curiosity was satisfied. He knew why such a beautiful woman was single. It was because she was afraid of getting into a relationship and getting hurt again.

“Pour me another shot, Shannon.” Colin told the waitress.

“Colin what happened to you?” Shannon asked while pouring his drink. She was not quite interested in knowing why he was drinking so much tonight. Her only motive for asking was that if he talked of it, he would continue to drink to the point of being wasted, and then she would be able to have her way with him.

“What happened to me?” He asked and stared at her with red eyes. The alcohol in his system was high, but he did not care. He would continue to drink until he forgot the hurt he saw in her eyes. He would continue to drink until he stopped feeling guilty about what he had set out to do. He planned to get stinking drunk, in hopes that if he woke up the next morning, he would forget everything that happened today.

Shannon poured him another shot and he gladly gulped it down. “Tell me.” She urged and before he could answer, the door burst open.

“Colin,” the boys called in unison and made their way towards the counter.

“Colin what are you doing here?” Bernard asked first.

“Aren’t you supposed to be banging her right now?” Nathaniel added.

“Have you won the price, already?” Mark concluded the questioning and they all waited for his reply.

“Shan hit us up with the regular.” Bernard ordered as they sat on stools and placed their arms on the counter.

“Colin, say something would you?” Nathaniel glanced at him and then Bernard nodded. “Shan, come give the man a massage.” He said.

“No, Shannon.” Colin stopped her. “You want to know why I am like this.”

“That’s what we’ve been asking since we entered here.” Mark stated.

“Well Alexia Brooke is…”

“… Is a lesbian?”

“… Is a dude?”

“… Is a virgin?” The boys said at the same time while Shannon served them their drinks.

“No you idiots.” Colin chuckled and then shook his head. “She’s special.”

The boys exchanged confused glances. “Special? What do you mean by that?” Mark asked.

“She isn’t any special. Colin just did not have the balls to sleep with her.” A blow landed on Nathaniel’s face immediately after he said those words. He fell out of his chair and hit the floor.

“You are sure a jackass, Nathan. You never think with your brain. Do you think sex is the only thing in this world?” Colin yelled and lurched towards him, but the other boys held him back.

“Colin calm down.” Shannon said. It was a relief that there was no one else in the bar. “Manager doesn’t want any fights in the bar or you will be banned from coming here.” She hoped not.

Nathaniel was groaning on the floor while clutching his nose, which was bleeding. “Damn you Colin.” He grunted and continued to groan.

“Let me go.” Colin pushed Mark and Bernard and they did. He went back to his stool and sat down. “Alexia is special, do you hear that? However, when I say she is special does not mean I am backing out on our little bet. I am still going to pursue her and have her in my bed before the end of one month.”

“Alright Colin, now calm down.” Mark told him.

“I am calm.” He said and glanced at him. Mark saw the determined look in his eyes. It had been a while since Colin looked that serious, because he only wore that look whenever he was out to get a woman. This was no longer the changed Colin Knight of the past three years. It was now Colin Knight, the playboy. Colin Knight, the skirt chaser.

Colin Knight, the master of seduction and charm.