C.E.O x C.E.O

Ch. 8 - Of Course There's Only One Bed

The car ride isn't as excruciating as James initially thought it'd be. Perhaps it's the luxury a sports car tends to provide. Maybe it's the sultry music from the stereo filling their silence. Maybe it's the stars in the sky.

Or maybe it's Dmitri, who's in the driver's seat, eyes on the road, humming to the songs playing. It's clear to James that he doesn't even know the lyrics nor the music, but hums anyhow for the hell of it.

James sighs, eyeing the man. Despite the way he feels for this man, the unadulterated loathing, the amount of times he's gotten on his nerves, the unfunny jokes and jeers he constantly makes, James doesn't hate him in this moment.

Well, he does. He still can't stand the guy. He still wants to punch him in the face after each dumb insult he throws at him, bite him like a dog whenever he barks at him. Only in this moment, at this time, just the two of them in a car, listening to love songs together... It's a change of pace. A nice one.

At this point, he's just waiting for Dmitri to crack a joke. James is going to throw himself out of the car if that happens.

"Hey," Dmitri finally starts, breaking the silence. "You asleep?"

James lifts his head from where he rested it against the window. "As you can see, I'm wide awake."

"And as ya can see, my eyes are on the road," He chuckles.

James rolls his eyes. "I wouldn't dream of sleeping next to you."

"Why not?" He jeers. "I make great company."

"I'm sure you are," James says sarcastically. "Now what do you want?"

"I've got a question," Dmitri says.

"I owe you nothing, so why should I answer it?"

"Um, yes you do! I saved ya life, remember?"

He's right, so James sighs. "Fine, sorry. Ask me anything and I'll answer it, as long as it's an understandable question."

There's half a minute of silence, half a minute of hesitance, before Dmitri then asks, "Why exactly did you and Selene break up?"

James glances at him sideways. "Of all the questions you can ask, you choose to ask the one that makes you look like a teenager the most? We're full-grown adults with our own companies, Reen."

"So bein' an adult means ya can't have fun?"

"Asking me about my ex isn't fun."

"Okay, okay! Ya don't gotta answer it if you don't wanna."

The music is put between them then. Katherine isn't here to do that. Yes, he's noticed that she tries her best to prevent them from throwing hands again. But in this situation, James knows better than to start a fight in a moving car.

Plus, his heart is uneasy from the encounter earlier. It's why he wanted to leave in the first place. He figures taking the opportunity to let it out could benefit him, albeit to his rival. He wouldn't want to attend the meeting tomorrow with his mind on something else.

"She found out..." He starts, and sees from the corner of his eye, Dmitri straightening himself.

"Found out what?"

"That I'm not into women."

"O-oh!" He momentarily tears his eyes away from the road. "You like men?"

"Why are you that surprised?" James gets defensive, and crosses his arms. "You see, this is why I'm so riddled by it." The height of the moment eventually dies down. "When you're at the top of your game, a C.E.O with a million-dollar company and a pretty secretary no less, people have the expectation that you can have sex with every woman you meet, and that you're ruthless at your job and that you spend your money with the intention of flaunting it, so..." His eyes lower. "Were people to find out that I'm... not who they make me out to me, then, well, surely my stocks will fall too. And my rep. And the such..."