Chapter 1

Clara

My eyes blinked twice, unable to understand what was on my screen.

I could swear it was a wrong number but on my screen was my lover’s name— Aiden.

The text held little or no remorse that when I looked up to look at my reflection in the dressing mirror, I was met with a nudge in my mascara.

I’m teary.

“Damn it!”

Aiden is calling off our engagement dinner. Not just that, he’s breaking up with me.

After making me fly all the way to Houston?

The knock on my hotel door stirred me from my thoughts. I was half dressed; my hair still had the purple rollers and my makeup brush was just in my other hand.

“Okay, take a deep breath,” I mumbled to myself. “You have this under control.”

Truthfully, I didn’t.

I opened the door and the beaming smiles of my best friend, Gina, made my stomach twist.

“Look at how beautiful this gown is!!!” She yelled and shoved it at me.

I swallowed hard, still trying to wrap my head around all of it.

“What’s wrong?” She asked. “You’re ruining your makeup.”

Even though I could tell her everything, I needed a moment to digest it.

“I’m just emotional, that's all. I’m a fiancée,” I reminded her, waving my finger that had the ring from yesterday.

Aiden proposed to me yesterday, only to call it off today.

“Okay, get dressed and I’ll call Aiden to ask him—“

“No,” I said sharply. “Don’t. Don’t call him… I already spoke to him and I know where to meet him.”

“He’s not going to pick you up?” She asked. Aiden has portrayed himself as that gentleman to all my friends whom no one believes he could even hurt a fly.

“He’ll send a driver,” I lied, with a smile on my face.

Even though she wasn’t convinced by my responses, she nodded and left.

Now, what the hell am I supposed to do with all these emotions welling in me?

The loud music blaring from the inside should have driven me back; but no. I remained in the backseat of the car and just gathered everything in me.

“You sure this is it?” The driver asked and I nodded.

“I can’t be too sure, but I guess I can make do with this.”

I had wanted him to take me to a well-known bar but this— from my last search, is a sex club and probably what I need.

My heels touched the floor first and I came down gently, slamming the door behind me.

I don’t care what anyone says, not even my brothers who have tried to warn me to stay away from him.

I’m not here to blame myself but to drink myself to a stupor and probably watch what they’ve got.

“Hi, beautiful!!!!” A voice hollered. Damn. I’d have thought she knew me from somewhere with the way she waved at me.

“MF, FMM, MFF… which?”

“Excuse me, what?”

“Girl, make a pick before everyone gets occupied.”

When she saw I was being slow, she rolled her eyes and walked away, whispering some words I could barely make out.

“Drinks?”

“Yeah… yeah,” I answered and took the seat in front of me. “Excuse me,” I called to the barman shyly. “Do you have any idea what she meant?”

“Yes.”

The response didn’t come from the bartender but from behind me. I turned in a reflex action and met with a dark 6 ft man. His broad shoulders gave away what he does for fun—workouts and well, the charming grin he had on his face was enough to get your thighs itchy.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember talking to you.”

“Such a naive young lady,” he said with a small smile and then took the glass from the bartender. “Whiskey. Neat.”

I frowned before taking my glass from him. I should have been drunk before all of these.

“How old are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“From the moment you stepped in here, you’ve been excused. Now, get rid of the damn excuses and answer my question.”

Woah.

“You don’t talk to a woman like that, Mister.”

“I don't talk, I ask.”

This arrogant bastard must be feeling like a damn god right now. I turned away, hoping to catch a glance of another aspect of the club but he turned the seat back until I was facing him.

“You don’t look away when I’m talking.”

“And you don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” I countered. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“I suggest you bring your voice low, people around here can get off from hearing you.”

I swallowed hard.

I understand I walked into a sex club but what the hell is with their vocabulary?

“MF is male and female. MFF, one male, two females, and FMM is one female, two males.”

“Oh.”

“Now, the question is which are you a fan of because left to me, I’ll recommend one male and one female and I’ll recommend myself.”

“What??!” I laughed. “I’m just here to watch. I’m really not interested in any of these.”

“You don’t get it,” he said and leaned closer. “The moment you stepped in here, you ripped yourself of the chance to say no. You’re going with someone and you either pick now, or they pick you.”

The moment he said the words, my heart skipped. I really shouldn’t have come here.

I reached for my bag to grab my phone but he held my hand. “Phones are not allowed. They got disconnected when you came in.”

“What the fuck?” I asked. “How do I get out of here?”

“With me.”

“With you???” I mumbled.

“Look, I have no idea why you came here in the first place but I have an offer.”

“What’s the offer?” I found myself asking. Everything here seems crazy but intriguing. Each second that passes makes me want to know more.

“I want to fuck you, stranger and I want to do it right now.”