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“Do you think it’s okay we go and see what’s happening in there?” Andrew asks, a bit hesitant.

“What do you think could possibly be happening?” I reply, raising an eyebrow. “Besides, we all know Jessica—she’s way more likely to be hanging out with rich men than anywhere else.”

Chuckling softly, he nods and motions for me to move forward. I step carefully over the confetti and broken glass—the remnants of the party that’s already taken place—and realize there’s no one else in this section. The guys probably reserved the VIP area just for themselves all night.

I reach the door and peek inside without opening it further, but all I see are shifting lights and shadows moving in a lascivious rhythm. The music is the kind you’d expect for pole dancing.

“Holy shit,” Andrew whispers. “I think it’s a private strip show or something.” He continues, “And considering I just saw the Hardys and the Thomases in here earlier, maybe we should leave.”

“What? No, why would we leave?” I ask, outraged. “We came to find Jessica, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” I try to keep my tone neutral, hoping it doesn’t give away the rush of emotions running through me.

Strip party? The last thing I need is to see something like that.

I step closer to the door and push it open just enough for a sliver of light to spill inside, giving me a better view of what’s happening.

The men are lounging on sofas and armchairs, while around them are probably twenty women dressed in tiny bras and thong panties with nothing but a triangle in the front. Of course, the men are the same ones I saw earlier in the open VIP area—the Hardys, the Thomases, and the others I don’t know. Nick and Sierra’s brothers are my friends—except Ethan, who used to make arrogant remarks and sarcastic jokes at me, but stopped over a year ago, and since then hasn’t paid me any attention.

The entire scene is enough to make me want to step back. Trying to close the door slowly, I trip over a bottle left on the floor. To keep from falling, I grab the door and open it completely in the process to steady myself. Luckily, the music inside is too loud for anyone to hear me, but with the door open like this, the view is even cleaner.

“Shit,” I hear Andrew say, making me jump—I’d forgotten he’s right behind me. “Isn’t that Jessica?” he whispers, pointing to where I should look.

I lift my gaze and see Jessica, hair tousled, skirt hitched almost to her waist, panties exposed, left only in her bra, as she dances more than sensually in a man’s lap. Not just any man… but Ethan’s.

One of his hands grips her ass, while the other is tangled in her hair, pulling gently and keeping her head angled back. Her hands press against his shoulders as she seamlessly grinds against his lap.

All the blood in my body turns cold. My breath seems to stop entirely. I want to say something, to do something, but I can’t. I don’t even know what I could do.

Jessica manages to slip free from Ethan’s hold on her hair and leans in, aiming her lips for his face. My hands clutch the door on both sides, as if it’s the only thing keeping me balanced, physically and emotionally.

A moment before her lips can touch his, Ethan turns his head, and instead her mouth lands on his cheek. But that doesn’t stop her. She keeps going, licking slowly along his jaw, down his neck, trailing back up toward his ear, all while rolling her hips against him in that same sensual way.

“I think it’s safe to say she’ll be fine for tonight,” Andrew whispers, his hand suddenly on my shoulder as he pulls me back. “Nothing bad is going to happen to her with Ethan Hardy around.” He pauses, smirking. “I mean, not the bad kind of bad.”

Still staring at the scene, my throat constricts and I swallow hard, unable to speak. I let Andrew drag me back, far enough that the open door no longer shows me anything. Then finally I turn to him and mutter, “I need to go home.”

As soon as I step out of the club, the chilly night air hits me like a slap to the face, harsh and biting. It steals my breath and makes my eyes water, but in the strangest way, it also wakes me up. The scent of the city, the distant hum of traffic, the chill brushing across my skin—it’s reality.

Brutal, clear, unavoidable.

The night no longer feels glamorous or exciting; it’s raw, and for the first time in hours, I feel fully present.

Present, but shaken.

TWO

Ethan

“Mr. Hardy, we need your approval to start the expansion procedures,” one of the demolition team engineers tells me. “Everything is ready, we can begin today if you sign the documents.”

At the same time, Irina places the papers in front of me.

She has been my assistant ever since my father stepped down from running the company and handed the CEO role to me. She was my first choice, and my instincts didn’t fail me. Not only is she extremely capable, but we complement each other perfectly. We function seamlessly.

“All right,” I say, signing. I had already checked the documents earlier, but they wouldn’t have reached me if there had been the tiniest mistake, Irina would have taken care of that.

“Thank you, sir. That’s everything,” the engineer says as he stands, followed by the three other team members.

Irina lingers behind them on the way to the door, but once they leave the meeting room, she turns her head over her shoulder and says, “I didn’t know you liked being licked or sucked when you fuck.”