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CHAPTER 1
Cameron Giampietro
“You’re serious? A place like this, and you can’t have women staying over?” I asked my older brother Chris. He just stood there with his arms crossed, glaring at me as I plopped onto the black leather couch. I didn’t care if he didn’t like what I said. Someone had to speak the truth. And luckily, he had me who had no problem ever saying everything that was on my mind. “The hell with this place. I don’t care about the networking opportunities or how long the wait list is to get an apartment here. They can have it. You need to move the hell out.”You need to get laid.Chris had been so uptight lately, that all I needed to do was listen to his voice, and I knew he was stressed. He might be only five years older than me, but he was aging fast, and if he wasn’t careful, he was going to put himself in an early grave.
This wasn’t the first time I was trying to talk him into moving, and I knew what I was saying wasn’t going to change his mind either. He said he liked it here. Not only did you need to know someone to be invited to lease a house here, but this placealso only catered to the rich. I wasn’t sure, but Chris alluded to the fact that each resident there was either a millionaire, billionaire, trillionaire, or something like that. Hell, there was even a Prince living here. Not impressed. It was just a title that was handed down, not earned.
I do very well for myself, I just don’t flaunt it. And the people I hung out with, trained with, weren’t just doing it for money. There was pride. We fought to be the best. And when we won or lost, all eyes were on us. We couldn’t hide behind closed doors and blame anyone else, another department, or the economy. All we could blame was ourselves for not working hard enough.
“Cameron, I never said Ican’thave women here.”
“Sounded like it,” I stated.
“You are wrong. I saidyoucan’t have any women here. I’ve seen the type of women you...date,” he said.
“At least I date,” I snapped back.
He cocked a brow and said, “Is that what you call it? Dating? Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with the same woman twice.”
Couldn’t deny that. I’ve had a lot of so-called ‘dates’, but I had had two serious relationships. Even those weren’t women that I brought home to meet my parents. Not sure why. Never thought about it before. Maybe it’s because I never saw myself settling down, living in a house with a white picket fence with a bunch of kids running around. That’s more Chris’s style.
“We’re not talking about me,” I reminded him. “And if you’re worried about what I will do here, I can stay somewhere else.” I didn’t need his place. He was the one who offered it to me.
“I am going to be traveling for the next few weeks. And when I am here, it’s only to sleep because lately, I’ve been working at the office until late. That leaves little time for me to enjoy all the amenities this place has to offer. And there are plenty. Hence why you should use my place while you train for your upcomingfight,” he stated. “All I ask is that you abide by the rules. I don’t want to come back and find that you’ve broken the lease with your...”
“Don’t say it. I’m not here for women. I’m in training. Sex is the last thing on my mind,” I said, honestly.
This was a title match. It’s not like I haven’t fought them before. Hell, I hold the title belt for middleweight in the World Boxing Association. This match was different. I was older and had gone up in weight class to super middleweight. That meant I must weigh between 161 and 168 pounds. I needed to focus on my calorie intake while keeping in shape with training. If I fell below the minimum, I wouldn’t be allowed to fight. My weight this morning was 164, down a pound from two days ago. I couldn’t afford anything or anyone distracting me, right now.
I guess I’m like my brother in one way, I don’t settle. I wanted more. That’s why a year ago, I decided to move up a weight category. I was constantly challenging myself. The guy I was going to box against had held the belt for the past three years. Several people had told me that I must be out of my mind to think I could win. But I never let anyone else's opinion dictate what I did. Not even Chris’s, who had no problem telling me he was going to bet on me, but I knew that it was only because he felt obligated to do so. The odds were not in my favor.
I had one more week to see if all my hard work had paid off and prove, not to them, but to myself, that I had made the right decision.
“Sorry, Davin. Sometimes I forget there is something you’re passionate about other than women,” he said, jokingly.
I should’ve let it roll off my shoulders, but it pissed me off. Chris believed his job was more important than mine. He might be the CEO of a Fortune 500 business, but he had people who did the work for him. When I was in the ring, it was all on me.
“Anytime you want to switch jobs for a day, I’m game,” I grinned, knowing that there was no way he would set foot in a ring. He never even played sports growing up. He was in good shape no doubt. But his competitive spirit was restricted to boardrooms. He wouldn’t even arm wrestle me as a kid.
“You might be able to last rounds in the ring, but you won’t last an hour sitting behind a desk staring at a computer reading reports, and reviewing charts,” he retorted.
“Ya. I’d rather take a hit below the belt, than do that,” I stated. I was a go, go, go, type. Hated going to the movies because sitting still that long bothered me.
“So, are you staying or going? Because my jet leaves in an hour and I’ve got to head to the airport,” Chris said.
“I’m staying. Do you need a ride?”
He shook his head. “The limo will be here shortly. Just remember what I said.”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do,” I laughed.
He rolled his eyes. “Why do I have a feeling I’m going to regret leaving you here alone?”
“I’m going to be alone because you said, those are the rules,” I reminded him.
“That goes for after the match too. No party,” he warned.
I laughed. “I don’t think you realize what my body feels like after a boxing match. Party? Nah! Maybe a long soak in a jacuzzi.”
