Chapter 1 Drowning in Whiskey sea

Isabella's POV

I'd been staring at the whiskey glass for three minutes.

Four ice cubes. Dad had always used four. Said three were for amateurs, five were trying too hard. Four was perfect.

Fuck.

I tossed it into my mouth before the memory could finish forming. The burn in my throat felt good. Real. Unlike the last two months since we buried him-those months had felt like I'd been living underwater, sound muffled, movements slow, nothing quite reaching me.

Until tonight. Tonight I needed to feel something that wasn't the gaping hole where my father used to be, in my heart.

"Oh, darling. I'm so sorry."

Some asshole bumped into me, pouring his drink all over my dress. His hands went straight for my thigh, playing concerned and nice while copping a feel.

I should've cared. One year ago, I would've broken his nose.

Tonight? I just let him.

What did it matter anymore?

Charlie, the manager, swooped in like always. "That's our exclusive customer Mister. If I think you're doing what it is you're doing, you're going straight to jail."

The creep forced a small chuckle and quickly walked away.

I forced a smile. "Thanks, Charlie."

"Anytime, Isa." He looked at me, his eyes full of pity. Everyone looked at me with pity now

"You good?"

No. Dad's gone. Mom's made an announcement that she's marrying someone new in a month or two, not like I cared even if it was in two days. He was a rich man from New York.

He was going to make our lives better.

I can't sleep without seeing his face in the hospital bed. I quit stripping because I kept breaking down mid-routine and here she was grinning from ear to ear, happy and overseeing preparations. Calling it the best day of her life.

It made me wonder if she ever loved my father.

"I'm great," I lied.

He patted my shoulder softly, "Cheer up mi cariño. You'll be fine".

I wasn't an exclusive customer, but a worker here. I had worked as a stripper in this club for a year, and only sent in my resignation letter two days ago. I couldn't continue. Charlie had just always been nice to me.

"I know you've resigned cariño, but I need a favour. One of our best customers is here today, and he requested your service. If it isn't too much for me to ask...".

I smiled and set my shot glass on the counter.

"Sure. What is it?"

He motioned at a table and handed me a tray.

I took it and I went to serve him-whoever it was.

I could feel the eyes of everyone in the VIP section as I walked towards the man, placing the drink on his table. The stranger's gaze burnt into my skin despite having several eyes on me.

"You're not naked today," he stated simply, licking his lips as his eyes scanned my body.

I set the tray gingerly on the table.

"Yes, I don't work as a stripper anymore." I replied avoiding looking into his eyes, my body was on fire just through his gaze alone and I knew I wouldn't be able to resist him if he should step out of line.

"You look better with clothes on. It gives my imagination enough room to think about how it'll feel to rip the clothes off your body. How it'll feel to see you bare and naked again, just for my eyes only."

He has always made bold advances at me, since I'd begun working here, not hiding the intention that he wanted me in his bed, whether I loved him or not. On a normal day, I would have ignored him, but today was different. Today, I needed something to take my pain away, and probably having sex with him would just be the perfect thing.

"Please pour my drink for me, would you?"

I leaned over and opened the bottle with a cockscrew and then filled a glass for him. As I leaned over, I could feel the heat emanating from him and his scent enveloped me.

He smelt of jasmine and sweet citrus. Which was new and refreshing.

I wanted him just as bad as he wanted me. I could feel it. Maybe I even needed him.

So, instead of walking away, I stared boldly into his eyes, and said, "Well, what are you waiting for? I've always wondered how pleasurable it'll be to feel you inside me, maybe today is the day it happens."

He took a sip from his drink, his eyes still holding mine. He dropped it back on the table.

" I see. She's a daredevil as well".

" You have to be better than the devil in my line of work. We walk amongst them"

He grinned and reached over, caressing my thighs, slow and steady movements. The mark of a man who knew the nuances of seduction and how to offer mind-blowing pleasure.

I stood there next to him while he ran his hands all over my backside.

"The others would be wondering what I offered you to be allowed such liberty".

I turned to face him and guided his hands subtly in between my thighs. He grinned.

" Is that how bad you want it?"

"You're the one who offered Mr. Now I am asking. Touch me"

He took another sip from his whiskey and cleared his throat. He looked at a table a few metres from us where a patron was fingering a fellow stripper.

Her moans echoed in the room.

"I don't want that. When I touch you, I want to hear you moan only for me".

His words were already doing things to my body and I wondered how good he'd be in bed. I could use this to get my mind off my problems for one night.

"Fine. Since you're not interested, I suppose I'll take my leave then".

I turned and walked away from him, deliberately shaking my buttocks knowing his eyes were on me.

I got to the counter, kissed Charlie on the cheeks wishing him goodnight and headed out the door

Just as I made to hail a cab that would take me to my miserable home thinking he'd decided not to fall for my bait this night, I felt rough arms pull me against a body.

I smiled as I felt his hot breath against my neck. He reached up and squeezed my nipple, I wasn't wearing a bra.

"You can run to the ends of the earth but I'll find you. You're mine now"