"I think we both already know."
I watch as his face sets and his eyes fill with fire.
"Look, we both know how I feel about Alexa, or I wouldn't have done what I did last night. I have come too far and my interest in her isn't waning," James says.
"Also, both of our malls will have her jewelry company expansion, not just one," I say flatly, placing the tips of my fingers together.
"I’m also very much involved with Alexa. As such, I have no intentions on letting her go."
My chest is puffing up with male macho.
"Whew." James clapped, "That's fucking great."
"I'm not the one who took hold of her, forcing a kiss. That was your doing, you treated her like a piece property at that gallery." I slam those words into his smug face. "I haven't, nor do ever I intend to treat her as a piece of property. She deserves better."
I lower my eyes at him, pointing a finger at my chest.
"Iam better."
The heat rises up in James's face, because at least some part of what I said rang true. He shoves a fist in my direction.
"Mattheo, you had best back down, or this could get ugly again."
Correct as he is, my ego won't allow for him to continue with this discussion.
"James, we both need to calm down. I know emotions are running hot, and hormones even more so. But we didn’t get where we are by allowing emotions to rule our decisions."
I watch as he sits back in his seat, willing himself to settle down.
"That statement is correct. Emotions only get me into trouble."
After a period of silence, I finally break.
"Just so you’re aware, I have absolutely no intention of backing down where Alexa is concerned."
James looks at me for a long while. I can't tell if he thinks I’m joking or if he’s going to punch me and storm out.
When he speaks, it’s low and straight forward.
"I’m going to keep pursuing her as well, compadre," he smiles ruefully.
I completely understand his manly bravado as my ire is aroused as well. As I thought to myself last night, it always comes to this, a spat over a woman. Over some type of possession. Territory.
We’re both somewhat treating Alexa as a possession. We both desire her and want to be exclusively hers. But only one can win.
James lets a loud sigh escape his lips as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. His lip is oozing through the butterfly bandage. We both look like we’ve been mugged.
We have been… and captured by the essence of one woman… Alexa.
I sigh.
"Well, there's only one thing to say now that we have both secured business from her company."
I sit up for emphasis and hold my hand out to offer a handshake to James.
“May the best man win,” he says as if he read my mind.
I smile slyly as James takes my hand and shakes it firmly.
He walks out and I follow shortly after.
Thinking over the previous evening's extenuating circumstances, I dig my heels in and my ego grows proportionally. My breathing gets deeper, and I aim my sights directly at Alexa.
"There’s no way in heaven or hell that I will allow James to win her heart," I mutter to myself. "Over my dead body, will he get her."