CHAPTER ONE

“You're about to turn 22, I say it's time for marriage. Don't you think?” My father led the light dinner conversation with. It was dinnertime, and as usual in Holts’ household, dinner was always tense and unbearable.

“I'm not marrying Mason, father.”

Mason was my ex and my first boyfriend. That was until he cheated on me with my closest friend from highschool. My father knows this, so I'm confused why the topic of marriage with him was still coming up. 

“I don't think this is for you to decide.” My father said.

“Mason cheated on me, father. What's there not to decide?!” I demanded.

“I agree Mason made a mistake, but it's not something you two cannot work out.” 

A mistake?! Mason literally slept with her two times! I can't believe my fucking ears.

“Well, I'm not willing to work things out with him. Plus, I don't even love him.” I said folding my arms across my chest.

“Your opinions don't matter Audrey, you must marry Mason.” 

“My opinion about how I live the rest of my life doesn't matter?! Mom can you hear this?”

“Do not drag your mother into this. By next year, you and Mason should be fully married. I'll make sure of that.” My father said with finality. 

Tears were welling in my eyes.

“Please, don't do this to me father, please I'm begging you.”

“I'm not going to engage in a back and forth with you Audrey.” He said as he picked up his fork and continues eating. 

I stared at him, willing him to look at me so I could be sure he wasn't just messing with me. But he didn't, he was avoiding my eyes. I looked at my mother and wished she would say anything or at least take my side for once. But she didn't. She was avoiding my eyes too. 

I stood up from the dinning table willing my tears to not fall. I can't let them see me cry. I can't let my father see that he had gotten the best of me again. It was usually like this in my family. 

My father treats my mom and I like puppets, and we never had the guts to defend ourselves, because he could morph into a monster behind closed doors. And I know that first hand. 

It was worse even with my mother. At least I started rebelling against him from when I was a teenager. But my mother didn't care. She tolerated everything my father did to her. She could even eat his shit if he asked her to. 

I got to my room, shut the door and finally let the tears fall. I cried until my I had no energy left in me and my head began to pound. And then I dozed off.

I woke up and I was feeling rebellious. I felt like doing something that I knew my father wouldn't approve of. I wanted to go out and have fun, and I wanted it to be somewhere with loud music and lots of alcohol. I texted my friends on the group chat.

Me:

Girls, we should go out tonight.

Liz:

Exactly! it's Friday night and we're too fucking young to not get lit.

Courtney:

Fuck yeah! Seduction?

Ellie:

Yassss. And Audrey, no fucking turtle necks today okay? You're not 80.

Me:

Shut the fuck up Ellie. We're meeting by 9 yeah?

Ellie:

Love you bitch.

Seduction was an elites only nightclub in the city. It's the place where the wealthy come to indulge, from drugs, to alcohol and even women, the place had it all. And because of that reason, entrance into the club wasn't for the non-elites. 

Being the daughters of some of the wealthiest men in the country, access to Seduction was not a problem. And that was why immediately we pulled up to the club, the bouncers at the door of the club immediately let us in.

We strutted into the nightclub in our mini dresses and designer shoes, and of course, turning heads as we did so. By the time we had taken about four shots, three men had offered to buy us drinks, but we shooed them away. There was something about tonight. The energy in the nightclub was electrifying, the music sent tingles through the air and I wanted to move my body to it. 

I downed my fifth shot and dragged my girls to the middle of the nightclub. Doing this, all attention was on us, and I loved it. I threw my hands in the air and began to dance. Ellie busted a move which made us throw our heads back in laughter. We were having so much fun.

The back of my neck tingled. Somebody was staring at me, hard. I turned back and saw the VIP section of the club, it was a little dark, so I couldn't make out the faces there. But I noticed something.

Green eyes.

They were the ones staring at me. The owner suddenly stepped into the light with his eyes fixated on me. He had a set jawline that showed he clenched his teeth often, perfect nose, and of course, green eyes. 

A set of green eyes that were used to getting their way. At this point, it felt like I was the prey, and they were the hunter. But instead of sending fear through me, it made my excitement peak. 

I turned around and began gyrating my hips, moving to the base blasting all around us. I made sure to put on a show. I subtly turned around and of course, a set of green eyes were still on me. I was loving this and enjoying the attention. 

A trendy pop song came on and the club erupted in chaos. My friends and I who already knew the lyrics to the song by heart, immediately began screaming them. I continued dancing, totally vibing to the trendy beat.

“Two truths and a lie,” was said into my ears from behind me. I had never heard a voice so masculine and entrancing in my life. I was immediately curious to know the bearer.

“One, I hate alcohol.” The voice said again, and until then, I never knew a voice was capable of capturing all of my attention the way this one did, sending prickles down my spine the way this one did.

“Two, I love loud places,” The voice continued.

“And three, I want to fuck you.” This time, it reverberated through my body from my head, stopping at my toes. And then trailing his lips down my neck, said, “And that wasn't the lie.” Quick and straight to the point, I like that. 

I turned around and was met with Green Eyes. I felt lightheaded. He was standing so close I could smell his breath. It smelt of a liquor, not too strong, just perfect. And I immediately wanted it to smell like me too. 

“Maybe, if you asked nicely, I would feel compelled to give in.” I looked straight into his eyes. They were hypnotizing me at this point, I couldn't look away. And damn, this man was even hotter up close.

“I know you're not the type of girl that plays into niceties.” He was so confident I loved and hated it at the same time. The man was so tall that I had to look up at him.

“You don't know me.” I scanned his face with low eyes. I wanted to reach up and meet his lips with mine while interlocking my fingers with his hair. There was something about him.

From his full beards to his toned biceps to his scent, everything screamed masculine. And to me that was sexy as fuck, I like my men manly. 

“Then, I want to get to know you. All of you.” He whispered the last bit in my ear with a smirk. He placed his palm on my power back and pulled me even closer, to the point we were pressed together, pelvis to pelvis. 

I brushed my now erect nipples against his chest. “Hotel Sundown?”

“Yes.” He breathed out and the sexual tension increased. 

I managed to say goodbye to my friends, assuring them that I was going to be okay, before he held onto my hands and guided me out of the club. Gentlemanly, I like that too.

We took a cab down to the hotel and booked a private suite. Before we walked into the front door, we were already tearing each other's clothes off in a steamy make-out session. 

From the couch to my bedroom, to the shower, we fucked everywhere. It was full of ungirded passion and our bodies moved in sync like we were meant for each other. It was exhilarating. 

We finally dozed off on the bed beside each other and I slept the deepest sleep I had in a long time. I woke up in the morning and he was still asleep. So I quickly threw on my clothes and carried my shoes.

I dropped a wad of cash on the bedside table, just for courtesy, and immediately left before he woke up. I didn't feel like dealing with the awkwardness that came with a one-night stand anyways.