3. THE MISTAKE FROM LAST NIGHT

"You turned me into a liar," Rose grumbled, tossing a stack of folders onto her desk.

Rose had been Samantha's best friend since their freshman year of college. Through graduation, career shifts, and even Rose’s sudden move to Japan after a messy annulment, they had remained completely inseparable. Rose was the sister Samantha never had. She was the one person in the world Samantha could confess anything to, including the devastating mistake from the night before.

Rose knew everything. She knew how easily Samantha could succumb to a dark temptation, and she certainly didn't hold back her judgment.

"Honestly, I want to slap you right across the face. What you did is so messed up, Sam. You have a committed boyfriend, yet you throw yourself into bed with a guy you barely even know? A guy you only know by his first name? Seriously, on a scale of one to ten, how stupid and reckless are you?"

Samantha crossed her arms tightly over her chest, letting out a heavy sigh. "I was drunk, Rose."

Rose rolled her eyes hard. "Don't give me that pathetic excuse." Samantha pouted, but Rose pointed a stern finger at her. "And don't look at me with those puppy-dog eyes. It won't work this time. I'm your best friend, which means I'm going to give it to you straight. I won't enable this behavior. You messed up big time."

"I know I did! And I regret it completely," Samantha insisted, her voice dropping to an intense whisper. "It was the first and last time, Rose. I swear. Besides, the odds of me ever running into that guy again are zero."

She had purposely kept Damon’s name out of the confession. She knew Rose’s personality perfectly; if Rose discovered the mystery man’s identity, she would immediately hunt him down just to see what kind of guy could derail Samantha's sanity so easily.

"I seriously hope you never see him again," Rose warned, leaning back against her desk. "Because even though I love you to death, I will personally slap you if you do this again. I've been cheated on, Samantha. I know exactly how soul-crushing that pain is—"

"Whoa, stop! I am not a cheater!" Samantha cut her off instantly, her defensive walls slamming up.

Rose gave her a dry, unforgiving look. "Sleeping with another man while you have a boyfriend is the exact definition of cheating, Sam."

Samantha exhaled sharply, desperate to change the subject. "Look, I need to get out there and start my shift. And really... thank you for giving me this job."

Rose had opened this upscale bar using the capital she built up during her three years in Japan.

"Don't worry about it," Rose’s expression softened into a warm smile. "It's the least I can do to keep you on the right track."

Samantha grinned back, the tension breaking. "Aww. Look at my boss being all sweet."

Rose pointed toward the door, laughing. "All right, cut the crap and get out there. Go to work!"

Still smiling, Samantha stepped out of the executive office. She smoothed down her tailored uniform, and walked confidently toward the main bar area. Since it was a Monday evening, the crowd was relatively light and quiet.

Taking a deep, grounding breath, she resolved to keep her head down, work hard, and prove her loyalty to Rose. No drama, no distractions.

Samantha scanned the dimly lit lounge, a polite customer-service smile plastered on her lips. But the smile froze when she felt a heavy, suffocatingly intense gaze tracking her every movement.

Her pulse suddenly spiked. She traced the heat back to a dark corner booth, and her eyes stretched wide in sheer, unadulterated panic.

She would recognize that silhouette anywhere.

He sat there like a king occupying a throne, casually swirling a dark vintage in a crystal wine glass.

Samantha’s heart hammered violently against her ribs as their eyes locked across the crowded room. Damon arched a single eyebrow, flashing her the exact same wicked, predatory grin he had worn right before he ruined her.

It was him. Damon was here.