Chapter 4: Ethan's POV

I woke up to the soft glow of the sun coming in through the hotel curtains, I stretched lazily over the bed. Last night had been something else, the smell of sweat and sex still lingered in the room.

I reached for her but…. She wasn’t there.

The space next to me was cold and empty.

My eyes blinked open, I scanned the bed and the room, no clothes on the floor. No sound in the bathroom.

She was gone.

A sharp exhale escaped my lips as I sat up, I ran my hand through my sex scattered hair. I should have seen it coming, she had that air about her like she didn’t want to be held down, she just wanted to enjoy herself but she still got my attention.

It pissed me off that I hadn’t even gotten her name.

The only thing I had was the memory of last night imprinted in my head, her body beneath mine, the way she responded and how she’d taken everything I gave like she was starved, like she needed it just as badly as I did.

Shit!

I’m not the kind of guy who gets hung up on a one-night stand. I never had been. But damn, there was something different about this girl.

And now, she was gone.

That’s alright. It’s fine.

I just need to find her, at the very least put a name to the face that won't leave my head.

I got out of bed, showered, dressed and headed back to the club.

***

The club was a lot different in the daytime, it was almost unrecognizable from last night. A few people were cleaning up and preparing for the night’s repeat of recklessness.

My eyes scanned the room, the bartender from last night wasn’t behind the counter. Disappointment twisted in my stomach.

I leaned in and caught the attention of a woman polishing glasses.

“Hey, where’s the guy who was working last night?”

She sighed, looking more exhausted than interested. “He’s off shift.”

“Can I get his number?”

She scoffed. “We don’t give out employee info.”

I clenched my jaw, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a crisp hundred dollar bill and slid it across the bar. “Now can you give me his number?”

She hesitated for just a second, then took the money and stuffed it in her apron. “He didn’t do nothing right?”

I shook my head.

“Ask the boss.” She pointed towards an office.

A few minutes later, I had the number and it only cost me a couple more hundred dollar bills. I stepped outside and dialed the number.

The phone rang twice before a sleepy uninterested voice answered.

“Yeah?”

“Hello. I’m looking for a woman from last night. She wore a black dress and was drinking double vodka sodas and long islands. Remember?”

There was a pause.

“Yeah… yeah. She was there, but she drank and she left with this high-class guy.”

My fingers tightened around the phone. “I’m the high-class guy, do you know the lady? Or remember anything at all about her? Her name from the payment.”

“Nah. I’m sorry, dude.”

The call ended.

For the first time in a very long time. I felt like I’d lost something. I didn’t like the feeling.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket and walked away.

Back at the hotel, I poured myself a drink and sank into the couch.

I know I should let it go but my mind kept circling back to her.

The buzz on my phone brought me back to reality. I glanced at the caller ID, and the name spoilt my entire mood.

Samantha.

I sighed, and picked up the call. “What?”

“You don’t have to sound so grim.” She shot at me, her voice soft with a fake sweetness. “I was just calling to check in on you.”

“We’re not together anymore,” I reminded her. “You don’t need to check in.”

“Come on, Ethan, we were engaged…”

“Were. Past tense.” I replied in a sharp and final tone. “Whatever this is, just drop it.”

There was silence but I heard her sigh. “Fine but don’t act like I don’t matter to you.”

I ended the call.

She didn’t matter, not anymore.

But the girl from last night? She mattered more than she should.