C2 The bet!

On entering his uncle's room he saw him lying on the bed, looking all frail and pitiful. He walked up to his bed and stood beside him. He had no vivid memories of uncle Benjamin. He'd only seen him once or twice when he came to visit and also during his parents burial.

"Dario" his uncle breathed out weakly

"Uncle Benjamin" he called as he pulled a seat and sat beside his uncle.

"You've always maintained your carefree lifestyle" his uncle mused. "Never knew the baby I once carried in my arms will grow to be this good-looking"

Dario managed a small smile as his reply.

"But then again, the Gonzalez are never short of handsome men" he joked and attempted a laugh which just came out as a breathless cackle.

Then his expression suddenly turned solemn. "I know your birth was during the time your family was going through turbulence and you bore the brunt of it by not knowing your true family" he said

"I have also known of how you've lived your life. Right now I want to implore you Dario, get serious with your life. Take charge and bring your brothers together"

Dario simply nodded as he was preoccupied with his thoughts. This again? So this was the reason his uncle called him? For goodness sake he was the last child and he didn't deserve to take responsibility like this! There was Tomas and Juan and Francis.... Why him? His brothers even cared less about him or their faulty relationship so why should he be the one to reach out instead of them?

Well, he couldn't tell his uncle all these things because for crying out loud the man was on his death bead and he didn't want to disappoint him or break his heart by going against his wishes so he just nodded in affirmation. "Yes, I'll try my best till the end, uncle Benjamin" he assured, feeling guilty for feeding his uncle with lies.

"I'm counting on you" his uncle finally said before Dario left.

*****************

Days after his uncle's burial, Dario sat at a club with his friends. He thought about what his uncle's last wish to him and he felt somewhat guilty that he wasn't doing anything about what his uncle told him but he brushed off the guilt immediately.

He didn't like responsibility, he always shielded himself from it. He lived a carefree life which consisted of no worries and he liked it that way. So he'd have to prepare himself very well if he wanted to reconcile his brothers.

His brothers barely had time for eachother and it'll take a lot of strength, will and time to change them.

He wanted to postpone his own role in their reconciliation for now. Lay back, work on his company, enjoy life and observe how things would turn out.

"Hey Gonzalez!" His friend Tiger nudged his arm. "You've been spaced out for some time now. What's on your mind bro?"

"He's thinking about how to attract those investors to his company" his other friend Mario chipped in

"Do you ever think about anything asides work?" Asked Mario again

Dario rolled his eyes as he was fed up with their silly assumptions. He could agree that work took a lot of his time and occupied a lot of space on his mind but he wasn't thinking about work right now.

"Yes I think about a lot of other things asides work" replied Dario

"Other things like what?" Asked Tiger.

Dario ignored the question and took a gulp from his wine glass.

"When last did you get laid?" Mario chuckled

Dario scoffed. Were his friends underestimating his indulgence in women? They were wrong to do so because he liked women. Liked them alot. But in this case, his friends were somehow right. He couldn't remember the last time he got laid because he'd been so swamped with work as of recent and then he had to hold off his schedule because of he had to visit his uncle Benjamin at his death bed.

Tiger gasped in mockery as he pointed a finger at him. "Why is it taking you so long to reply, little Gonzalez? You haven't gotten laid in a while have you?"

Dario wiped his face in frustration. "Fine. Fine. I haven't and so what?"

"You're such a workaholic!" Mario accused

"I'm not!" He refuted

Mario and Tiger exchanged dubious looks, knowing what they wanted to say next.

"Prove it." Mario teased

Dario raised a confused eyebrow. "prove that I'm not a workaholic? How am I going to do that?"

Mario and Tiger looked towards the stage. On the stage, there were a lot of women who danced to entertain men. Some danced on poles while some danced close to men to entertain them. They were mostly strippers and pole dancers who made a living by entertaining rich men.

He glanced at his friends in confusion. Why were they nodding towards the women?

"I see them" Dario replied gruffly. "What's up?"

"Get laid with one of those women" Tiger snickered in challenge

Dario forced an uneasy smile. "you're kidding right?"

"No we aren't!" Replied Mario. "Prove that you're not a workaholic!"

"Guys!" Dario protested. "that's too extreme"

"No it's not" said Tiger as he placed an his hand on Dario's shoulder. "I thought you were the big and bold Gonzalez. You liked women alot and you got laid frequently" Tiger shook his head in mock sadness. "well I can't say the same right now because you're not the little Gonzalez I once knew"

"That's a lie! I haven't changed, I just made a few adjustments-" Dario began to protest but was interrupted by his friend Mario

"He's right bro. You're becoming too uptight and that's just too boring. You've changed."

If there was anything Dario hated then it was the situation where he had to prove himself to people. The situation he presently found himself in. His friends were the only ones in the world who knew him very well and if they said he'd begun to change into another person, then they were probably right and that was what Dario feared like a plague.

He didn't want to think about life too much, his charm was a carefree, playful personality and he didn't want to start changing into someone else.

His friends also doubted the fact that he loved women. He loved the surplus abundance of them. If he hadn't gotten laid in a while then it wasn't because he didn't like women. He had to prove them wrong.

"You guys are wrong about me. I'll get laid tonight" he smirked as his gaze strayed to the women dancing on the stage. "I'll probably use one tonight and come back tomorrow for another!" He said with an air of indifference.

His friends were silent for a while as they exchanged dubious looks for the second time.

Dario turned to them. "what is it again? Are you mad because I'm about to prove you wrong?" He asked as he regarded them suspiciously.

"Let's make it more interesting. Pick a mistress from one of those women" said Mario

Tiger's eyes lit up instantly. "A woman who'll satisfy you for two months!" Said Tiger as he snickered. "That's new for you. You certainly won't pull this off because of the way you rapidly change women"

Dario's challenging eyes met Tiger's. "Is that a bet?"

"It sure is!" Replied Tiger

"Quarter of the shares in both of your companies..." He pointed to his friends "...are mine if I win. Are you okay with that?"

"That's if you win" Mario laid emphasis on 'if' as he smirked.

"Watch me win!" Dario whispered daringly as he rose up from where he sat and made his way to where the women danced

He took his time scrutinizing them because the woman he picked would have to live with him for two whole months and he couldn't pick just anyone. He watched the women dance on the stage and the ones who danced around men and also, there were women who served men drinks wearing lingeries.

His unsatisfied gaze roamed around, searching for a woman that appealed to him until it finally rested on one particular lady.

She wore a bright red corset lingerie as she carried a tray and made her way towards a man. The man in question had his eyes glued to her as she took slow provocative steps towards him.

But that wasn't what drew him to the woman like a magnet. She had a beautiful figure as her curves were in the right places. She held a tray containing drinks as she gracefully sashayed towards the man with lithe strides. Something about her just drew him in and he decided that she was the one he wanted.

Deciding not to let her reach her destination, he quickly strode to her and stood in her front, blocking her from the man's vision.

Up close, she looked ravishing. Her red curls framed her heart shaped face and her eyes were narrow and black in colour. They were beautiful. She was beautiful.

Stretching forth his hand, he said in the most charming way he could muster. "Allow me to take you home tonight"

The lady regarded him for a moment with curious eyes and each second that passed increased his fear of her, rejecting him.

"The honour is mine" she finally said as she dropped the tray on a table nearby and placed her small hand in his.

Dario ignored the grunts and complaints from the man who he'd snatched her from as he led her out of the club.