I opened the closet door and pulled out my black Armani suit and white shirt. I looked it over and decided this would be perfect to wear to the club. I fixed my sandy blonde hair, put on my suit, and headed to the kitchen where Denny and Claire were talking.

“Denny, I’ll need you to drop me off at Club S tonight and then you’re free to go home.”

“You won’t need a ride home, Connor?” he asked.

“No, I’m meeting Ashlyn there, and she can give me a ride home. You go and spend time with your family.”

Denny smiled and nodded his head.

“Connor, can I get you something to eat before you go?” Claire asked.

“No, Claire, I’m good.”

I looked at my watch, and it was 6:30 pm. I wanted to get to the club before Ashlyn did in case there was someone there that I needed to speak with. Plus, I needed a few drinks before she showed up.

I arrived at the club around 7:00 pm and was surprised at how crowded it was at such an early hour in the evening. I walked to the back by the bar and sat down at my usual table. Rebecca, my favorite waitress, walked over with a smile on her face.

“Good evening, Mr. Black. What can I get you?”

I looked at her and ran my tongue across my lips. She was a twenty-something sex on legs.

“Give me a scotch, and make it a double. In fact, bring two.” I said.

She smiled at me with her eyes and turned away. She returned in a short amount of time and set my drinks on the table.

“Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Black,” she winked.

I smiled and tilted my head. “I know something you can do for me.”

I got up from my seat and escorted her down the hallway and into a small room that is used for storage. We walked inside as I shut and locked the door. She unbuckled my belt, unbuttoned my pants, and took them down seductively. She didn’t need to stroke me; I was already hard and waiting for her lips to wrap themselves around me. Her mouth was amazing as her tongue made circles around my cock. I let out a low moan as I thrust my h*ps back and forth while keeping my hands placed on her head. Relax; this isn’t the first time I’ve been with her. She provides me a service occasionally when I come to the club because she’s the best at it, and she knows it. In return, I provide a large tip to thank her for her services.

I left the small room first and walked back to my table with sex on legs following behind. I looked at my watch, and it was 8:00 pm. I had just enough time to down my scotch before Ashlyn showed up.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I looked up and saw her sitting at the table.

“Ashlyn, you weren’t supposed to be here until 8:30 pm.”

“Nice to see you too, Connor,” she said as she kissed me on the cheek. She cocked her head and glared at me.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.

“Were you just with that waitress that was following behind you?”

I picked up my glass and took a drink. I turned so I was facing her and cupped her chin in my hand.

“That is none of your business, Ashlyn. We’ve been over this a thousand times. What I do and with whom I do it with is none of your concern.”

She looked down and then back up at me. “Connor, there’s something that I need to talk to you about, but first I want to dance. I’ll be back and then we’re going to talk.”

I sighed as she got up and made her way to the dance floor. I called over Rebecca and ordered a few more drinks. I sat there watching beautiful women stare and smile at me as they walked by. A couple of them grabbed my attention, but it was quickly diverted when Ashlyn came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Are you ready for that talk now?” she asked.

I took her arms and quickly removed them from me. I was feeling the effects of the alcohol, and I was in no mood for whatever it was she wanted to talk about. I raised my hand, and once again, I caught Rebecca’s attention to bring over a few more drinks.

“Connor, we need to talk,” Ashlyn said.

I looked over at her and sighed. “Ashlyn, what is it that you want to talk about?”

She started running her finger up and down my arm. “We’ve been seeing each other casually for about a year now, and I think maybe it’s time to take it to the next level.”

I took another drink and looked directly into her eyes. “What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean by ‘the next level’? There is no next level Ashlyn; how many times do I need to tell you that?”

I saw the anger growing in her eyes with each word I spoke. She clenched her jaw and pointed her finger at me, shaking it while starting to yell.

“We’ve been together for a year, but you still see other women! This has to stop, Connor! I know you have some feelings for me in that dead head of yours. I can feel it!”

I took the last sip of my drink and slammed the glass down on the table. I took my finger and pointed it at her; it was my turn now. My voice was angered as I found myself yelling over the loud music that was playing throughout the club.

“I have no feelings for you, Ashlyn! I never have, and I never will! You need to stop this right now or that’s it; I’m done with you for good. You’re nothing but sex to me, and that’s all you’ll ever be!”

Anger overtook her face as she raised her hand and slapped me. The sting of her hand felt permanently etched into the side of my face.

“That’s for disrespecting me, you bastard!” She yelled before turning on her heels and storming off.

I sat there and stared straight ahead. I didn’t care that she left or that I hurt her feelings. She entered into this arrangement fully aware of where she stood with me, and for her to think otherwise is stupid on her part.

I finished off the last of my scotch. I was feeling good as I noticed some girl staring at me from across the bar. Her beauty was breathtaking. I was about to get up and go talk to her until she stood up suddenly and went to the dance floor. I shrugged my shoulders and stumbled to the bar for another drink.

Chapter 3

The next morning, I was awoken by the sound of someone making a lot of noise in the kitchen.

Everything was blurry, and my head felt like it had been beaten with a hammer. I looked around the room, trying to remember how the hell I got home last night. The last thing I remember was Ashlyn slapping me across the face. I glanced over to the other side of the bed and noticed the comforter was messed up. Clearly, I was with someone last night. I got out of bed and walked over to the dresser.

After finding a pair of black pajama bottoms, I pulled them on before heading downstairs to see who the f**k was making all that noise so early in the morning.

I reached the entrance to the kitchen and stood there with my arms crossed as I watched this girl making something in my kitchen. I stood there for a moment, staring at her from behind. Her blonde hair was long and wavy. I couldn’t believe she had the nerve to stay the night. She broke my number one rule. No one has ever broken that rule, or any rule to be exact. I cleared my throat to let her know I was there and watching. I didn’t want to completely scare the hell out of her.

She slowly turned around and looked at me. I gulped as my heart started to beat a little faster. It was her eyes. She had the prettiest ice blue eyes that I’ve ever seen. They had a clarity to them that reminded me of a beautiful aquamarine gemstone. They sparkled amongst the light that filtered through the kitchen windows. As much as they sparkled, they were also filled with fear as she looked straight at me.

“Did I not go over the rules with you last night?” I said as I cocked my head to the side.

“Huh?” she frowned.

“I don’t do sleepovers. You were supposed to leave after I f**ked you, so would you mind telling me why you’re still here, in my kitchen, making yourself comfortable?”

My tone was harsh, but who does this girl think she is? She put a glass on the counter and slid it over to me. I reached for it before it slid off the counter and broke all over my floor. She stood there, looking at me without answering my question.

“I asked you a question, and I expect an answer.”

Her beautiful ice blue eyes suddenly darkened as she raised her voice to me.

“Listen, buddy, I don’t know what you think happened here last night but you didn’t f**k me!”

I looked at her intently as she continued on with her rant.

“You drank yourself into oblivion at the club last night, and they kicked you out. I was walking outside when it happened, and being the good person I am, I called a cab to make sure you got home safely. You then proceeded to vomit all over yourself, so I had to get you to the bathroom and out of your clothes, because frankly, you smelled. I was on my way out the door when I decided to check on you one more time. I went back to your room, and you were lying on your back, so I rolled you on your side again in case you vomited; I wouldn’t have wanted you to choke to death. I fell asleep from exhaustion after dealing with you, and when I woke up, I decided to make you a pot of coffee and a hangover cocktail. I was leaving in a few minutes, and I didn’t expect you to be up for at least a few more hours.”

I shifted my weight, folded my arms, and took a few steps closer to her. “So, you’re telling me that nothing happened between us?” I asked.

“No, nothing happened. I just wanted to make sure you were going to be ok. You were obnoxiously drunk,” she said as she looked down at the floor.

Her voice had become soft and pained. Who is this girl, and why the hell would she help me like that? I was intrigued by her; not only by her beauty, but by her kindness. I could tell she had a gentleness to her; an innocence I’ve never seen in a woman before.

I picked up the glass and looked at it. “What is this?” I asked.

“Just drink it, and you should start to feel better in about 15 minutes,” she said with a smile.

It was only a small smile, but it caught my attention in more places than one. She said she was going to pour me some coffee before she left. It’s beyond me why this girl would even bother after the way I just spoke to her. She reached into the cupboard to grab the cup as it fell out of her hands and onto the floor. She cursed as she bent down to pick it up. I walked over to her because I didn’t want her cutting herself.

“You’re going to cut yourself,” I said.

She didn’t listen, and she wouldn’t stop picking up the broken pieces.

“Stop,” I commanded in a harsh voice.

She still didn’t listen, so I had no choice but to grab her wrists and force her to stop. I turned over her hands to take the broken pieces from them. I took in a sharp breath when I saw the scars along her wrists. Our eyes met, and she quickly pulled away. She stood up, and I continued picking up the pieces as she grabbed her purse.

“I’m sorry for the mug; I’ll replace it for you, and I hope you feel better,” she said as she headed for the door.

I threw the broken pieces in the garbage and followed after her. I couldn’t let her leave. I didn’t want her to leave. I still had more questions.

“Wait,” I said. “At least let me pay you for your trouble last night.”