Taught A Lesson

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CHAPTER 20

If he could knock Davion's head there and there, Damien would have done so without holding back. 

What did he just hear him say?

"Skai," Davion repeated for a second time. This time around, Damien wasn't as shocked, rather his eyes squinted at his friend, his lips tugged downwards to show his displeasure. 

"If this is a joke, Davion it is not funny," he enunciated.

"Look around bro, no one's joking. This is important. We cannot afford to turn down this invitation."

"Then go," Damien cut in before Davion could add any more words. 

"I'd love to and even love to take Skai with me but I can't be at two places at the same time." His eyes glinted. 

Damien knew what he was portraying. This was one of their important business partners and if he could, he'd send just about anyone but he did not want to be disrespectful. 

Secondly, the last invitation he got from them, Damien Raphael failed to attend. After tending his apology, he promised to uphold the next one. 

"You remember, don't you?" Davion's voice broke him out of his train of thought. "Your promise to Mr. Storm."

"I remember but I…"

Ring! Ring!

Damien and Davion paused before the latter reached into his pocket and took out his phone. 

A quick glance at its screen, and the twinkle in his eyes died out instantly. 

"Los Angeles." Those were all he muttered before lifting the phone to his ear. "Excuse me," and connecting the call. "Hello?"

Damien watched his second in command tend to their business until the latter placed his hand on the phone's mouthpiece, glanced at Damien and mouthed tomorrow, then took his leave before the latter lowered his head back to work.

At this point, he was concerned about finishing his task before pondering the issue. 

A promise was a promise, but if he came up with something overly important, Damien knew he could win his way out of this.

The question now was, could he?

***********

Skai and Ethan arrived at the restaurant he picked and immediately got settled in.

A couple of minutes later, one of the waitresses approached them with a notepad and a pen in her hands.

"Good day. Welcome to Travis Spesh Delight. Can I take your order, please?"

Skai's brilliant smile radiated. She lifted her eyes to look at the waitress after getting a go-ahead signal from Ethan to place her order. 

"What do you have, please?"

Skai's smile seemed to have edged the waitress on as the latter immediately started listing their specials. 

They both made their choices, and the waitress left to prepare their order.

"I'm sorry for not being available on your birthday… I just had something I couldn't squeeze out from at work."

Skai gave a brief smile, "As I said, it's okay. I'll forgive you when I get my gift."

She winked at him before placing her phone on the table. "That aside, how was work today?"

"Well, the usual. It was cool. Nothing I couldn't handle." Her smile reached her eyes as she averted them quickly from him.

Ethan had always been a dear friend, one that she cherished. However, that didn't mean that at times she found him staring intently at her and it made her shy. 

"So…" Skai cleared her throat, hoping to hear the conversation somewhere else. "Umm…"

"Skai," Ethan began, "I didn't bring you here to talk about work. I want to catch up and make up for your birthday."

"Okay." Skai fumbled with her fingers. It was getting hard to focus when his gaze never left her face. "So if we aren't talking about work, then what should we speak about?"

Ding!

Just then, his phone screen lit up on the table, signalling a message in his inbox. 

Ethan lifted his finger quickly. "Excuse me, please."

Skai nodded. While he was busy tending to his text, she took her time enjoying the scenery. 

The designs in the restaurant were simple yet elegant, as every piece of furniture, artwork, and decoration spoke of it's lavish taste. 

"Ahem!" Her brows lifted. "Please, I need to use the restroom. I'll be back."

"Sure."

Watching him leave, Skai picked up her phone and checked her notifications for any messages.

"One new message from Kiera."

She rolled her eyes before clicking on it to check the content. 

Ever since her last meeting with Damien, Kiera had been more understanding than she thought her friend would be. 

Even if she loved to be wild and daring, when it came to respect, Skai knew Kiera would never joke about such a matter.

Surprisingly, Kiera was still bothered if she and Damien had spoken since that day.

"No, we haven't," Skai typed and hit the send button.

Kiera: Tsk. But what was seeing him in the company like? I bet he spoke to you, right? Did you two hit it off again like the last time?

Skai rolled her eyes. What did she think this was? A movie or something?

Skai: Do you think connections just spark anyhow, ignoring what has happened in the past?

Kiera: My thoughts exactly. Past. In the past, Skai. Forgive him.

Skai: And let him go.

Kiera: I know you. You like him."

"More like a dead feeling now," Skai muttered. She was about to retort a response to Kiera when she felt a presence over her.

"Skai?"

Her brows knitted. 

That voice. 

No matter how long it was or how little she heard it, she could always place its owner. 

'Craig.' Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing her mention his name, she voiced it inwardly and lifted her head.

Blue eyes met dark ones, and a gasp escaped his lips. 

"Oh my…" He eyed her, taking her appearance in before letting his gaze settle on her face. "What new guy are you chasing now, huh?"

"I thought after the last time, you'd have grown a few brain cells, but I see staying close to Zoe has rubbed you of that privilege."

"Skai Jayden," Craig snapped. Anger shot into his eyes. He could not bring himself to accept it. 

"Got a problem, or does trying to irk me get you turned on?" She scoffed, dropping her phone on the table. "Please be civil and excuse me."

"A chick cannot become a lion within the blink of an eye. Just because you have sugar daddies taking you out doesn't mean you can amount to anything, Skai. If you plead now and ask for my forgiveness, I may consider letting you go or…"

"Else what?" she finished for him.

A line formed on his forehead, his eyes glinting. She used to be intimidated before, but now.

"Else I'll have not just you but your family begging on their knees for me to spare you when I am done with you." 

All smiles drained from Skai's face. She already had enough problems to begin with but for Craig to think he could bring up her family as though he amounted to something important where they stood made her angry. 

The effrontery!

"Even then, even if you opened your whorish legs for me, begging me to take you and dump my load in your used pussy, I wouldn't. Not until you promise to be my mistress and do as I say, will I pity you and…"

"I never knew the city still allowed mad men roaming the streets until today," a deep voice cut in, stunning Craig, who was now leaning close to Skai. 

Craig turned around, slightly taken aback but as soon as he set his eyes on Ethan, a mischievous smirk crept on his face. "Ohh… a defender. Would you love me showing you how to score a goal in between her legs?"

As soon as the words escaped his lips, what followed sent a jolt of shock and pain from the point Ethan's fist connected with his jaw, the force sending his face turning towards the other direction.

Several gasps filled the air as the patrons surrounding them all turned their heads in their direction, shock filling their faces. 

"Say that one more time if you dare and I won't hesitate putting a hole between your teeth and rendering you impotent."

"What you…" Craig rushed forward, hoping to take Ethan by surprise as he threw a punch at his face.

Swiftly, Ethan stepped aside, dodging the punch. He caught Craig's arm, twisted it and sent his elbow straight for his nose.

"Argh."

"Cat got your tongue or do you still have more nonsense to spill?" Ethan asked, using the back of his hand to rub off the bead of sweat on his forehead.

Craig, not wanting to go without landing one on Ethan charged once again towards him. "You fool… You'll pay for…"

Thud!

Ethan landed another punch, on his left jaw this time, sending a tooth flying out of Craig's cracked lips.

Ethan was about to rush down on him, to teach him a lesson for badmouthing Skai but he felt the hands of waiters and security men holding him back. "Calm down, sir."