CHAPTER 2: And Chaos She Shall Get

Lance’s POV

I’m still trying my best to take in what just happened.

A crazy girl thinks I’m some Jonathan guy and wants me to wreck her wedding.

She pulls out her phone from her purse. Fourteen missed calls from her dad already. “Crazy dad.”

I can’t stop looking. The way her deep brown curls dance freely across her well-sculpted chest, all messy, wild, and beautiful.

Her heart-shaped lips, damn. They’re full and slightly parted like she wants to say something sweet.

Then her soulful brown eyes catch mine again.

“I need to go. Please, I’m counting on you to get this done.” Her voice comes out with the sweetest sound. It could melt a man’s heart like butter.

“I got you,” I say, wondering what the heck I’m getting myself into, for a lady I don’t even know.

I watch her walk out, her posture tight, like this place makes her skin crawl. Too innocent, too fragile.

I hope I don’t land myself in deep trouble. Whoever I’m going to ruin his wedding, he’s going to put up a heck of a fight for that lady.

But I already gave her my word and she's made payment.

Once she disappears through the club entrance, I look back and catch Max’s gaze glaring down on me like he’s seen a god.

“What is it?” I ask.

A smirk quickly spreads across his cheeks.

“Come on. She’s not the kind I roll with. You know that?” I try to distract him from the fact that he caught me staring for too long.

“I know!” he says. “That’s why I’m actually surprised. I haven’t seen you look at a woman that long. Usually, in your case, they do all the looking.”

“Come on, Max. I wasn’t looking that long.” I smile, trying to play it cool.

“You couldn’t fool me,” he says, wiping a whiskey glass and placing it on the glass shelf. “I thought maybe you were trying to memorize her face or something.”

“She doesn’t belong here, that’s all I know.” I push down the remaining fluid in my throat, emptying my glass.

“None of them do, Lance. But they come anyway.”

“Nah. She’s different. She was holding her breath, like she didn’t know whether to run or stay.”

Max bursts into a loud laugh.

“You’re enjoying this too much, man.” I raise my glass for more whiskey. “Keep it coming, please.”

“Oh, I am,” he says, holding up the golden bottle of the good stuff. My glass getting filled up.

“It’s high time someone knocked Lance Brown off his fucking balance,” he says, throwing some ice cubes into my glass.

“I don’t know.” I sip. “This one looks like she’ll break if I touch her.”

He bursts out laughing again. And I literally mean that.

I prefer women who understand the rules. Clean, beautiful, polished. No feelings attached, just pleasure, but be gone by next morning.

Emotional attachments with women have always been something that costs me.

That’s why my ex Jenny lasted. She knows how to stick to terms.

She was wild, insatiable. Gave as good as she got. And she knows how to keep distance afterward.

And I made her, picked her up from the damn street. Turned her into a queen. A millionaire. Gave her the money and the life she always dreamed of.

But suddenly, she wants a ring and a family. Then she runs to some guy who promises a wedding faster? 

“Funny,” I scoff hard.

A dude suddenly storms in through the entrance.

Huge muscles strain against a shirt that looks like it gave up trying to contain him.

He isn’t one of my club hires. I don’t remember hiring a fucking gorilla.

Max gives me a nudge with his fist. “You know him?”

I shake my head.

The guy glances around the room, like he’s searching for someone, then heads toward the club bar where we are.

His heavy boots stomp across the floor like he’s threatening everyone.

He leans in toward Max. “Yo, man. My phone’s dead. Can you plug it back there for me? Just for a bit?” His voice sounds grated, like he’s been on crack for too long.

Max gives him the sharp response. “Sure.” He takes the phone carefully and plugs it with his charger behind the bar.

The guy exhales hard. “Appreciate it.” His eyes glance around again, like he’s waiting for someone.

Then he leans in a little more. “Hey, uh… did any lady come looking for someone? Told her I’d be here waiting but I really got delayed by the rain.”

My instincts shoot up. Max turns to me sharply, but I don’t let him speak.

I turn, lean my elbows on the bar table, casual as hell. “You’re Jonathan?”

“Yeah. Who’s asking?” he glares at me.

“I’m a friend of Ramona’s.” The words taste strange, but I roll with it.

“She was here a few minutes ago. She tried calling, but your phone was dead. She wanted me to tell you… she’s pulling out.”

His brow furrows. “Pulling out?”

“Yeah. Cold feet, I guess. Her wedding’s still on. Said her fiancé’s breathing down her neck. Monitoring every move. She pleaded to never contact her again.”

I let him process it, his expression shifting from confusion to disappointment.

“Damn,” he grumbles, running his hands over his beard.

I reach into my pocket and peel off five grand.

“She said to give you this. For the inconvenience.” I push it toward him.

Jonathan hesitates. Then he grabs it, eyes wide. He shoves it deep in his pocket, glancing over his shoulder like someone’s watching him.

“Shit… yeah. Yeah, that works. Ain’t no beef.”

“Smart,” I say.

“Might as well have that beer though. Long night.” He beckons toward Max who’s stacking beers in a crate.

Max quickly slides him a bottle.

Then he storms off to a dark corner, flipping the bottle cap with his teeth.

I turn back to Max. His brows are raised so high they could’ve touched the ceiling.

“Damn!” he whispers. “That was the cleanest pile of lies I’ve ever heard. You didn’t even blink.”

I smirk, lifting my glass to my lips. “Had to think fast.”

“Fast?” Max snorts. “That was fucking epic!”

I shrug. “Whatever it takes, right?”

Max lets out a low whistle. “You’re insane, man. What now? Hope your actions don’t bite you in the ass?”

I toss back the last of my whiskey. The burn is exactly what I need.

“Nah,” I say, setting the glass down with a soft clink.

“I’ve got a wedding to crash in forty-eight hours.”

Max freezes, his eyes wide. “Yeees, that… What the hell are you planning?”

I just smile, grabbing my black leather jacket.

“Ramona said she wants chaos, right?... So chaos she shall get.”