The Billionaire's Obsession

The club was crowded today, the people on the dance floor were really enthusiastic, the energy around the club was amazing. Nights like these were the nights I didn't quite mind working at the club. It wasn't that I did not enjoy my job but if I could pass on working nightshifts on school nights I would. Glancing at the busty blonde in front of me I noticed she only had eyes for the amazing Brandon, my co-worker. She was swooning over him, not even hiding the fact that she was undressing him with her eyes.

Biting back a chuckle I handed the blonde her drink and raised an eyebrow at her when she beckoned me over. Not wanting to be rude to her I leaned over so I could actually hear her over the loud music blasting through the room.

"He is hot." She practically screamed in my ear, "Could you do me a favor and get me his number?"

It was hard for me not to burst into laughter right then and there. Glancing over my shoulder I observed the amazing Brandon, wanting to see what many women before me saw in him. Brandon was tall, had a nice athletic built and a smile which Prince Charming would be jealous of. But that was just the exterior, what I saw wasn't a drop dead gorgeous man who could make women's panties drop just by smiling at them. I saw a man who knew he was drop dead gorgeous and used it to his advantage. He never apologized for his behavior, he lived his life to the fullest. Not getting too attached to anyone because life was too short to waste it on a monogamous lifestyle. Knowing all that I could never see what other women saw in him. He was an amazing friend but a horrible lover. Relationships were not something he did, at this time I doubted he even knew how to maintain one.

Turning back to the blonde I shook my head at her, "Sorry, I'm not allowed to do that. Work policy, but you know, you can ask him for his number after his shift is over."

She reached for her drink and smirked, "I'll do that." The flirtatious look she threw Brandon didn't leave anything to my imagination. If they did meet up after his shift there was no doubt about what they would be doing tonight.

I raised an eyebrow at Brandon when I recognized the look in his eyes. Those two were definitely meeting after his shift. Knowing and actually witnessing your best friend being a playboy was something else. Trying to brush it off I focused back on the customers, trying not to mess up their orders. Brandon who walked past me gave my arm a light squeeze. He froze beside me, his eyes scanning the crowd which worried me.

"What's wrong?"

He narrowed his eyes at something, following his gaze I noticed Victor, our club manager, heading toward us. His look even more alarming than Brandon's. Something was definitely up. Victor walked around the bar and stood behind us, his eyes doing a quick scan from head to toe.

"Victor?" Brandon turned around to face the worried looking club manager.

"He is coming over tonight."

Now Victor was simply scaring me. When in horror movies one of the characters whispered that it was always bad news. It meant someone was going to die tonight. I was pretty sure no one was going to get brutally murdered tonight but something bad WAS going to happen tonight.

"Who?" Brandon asked confused, ignoring all the people who were surrounding the bar waiting for their drink to be served.

"The owner."

Those two words made actual shivers run down my spine. Glancing aside I noticed Brandon was not doing any better but unlike me, he handled the situation better. He composed himself and quickly straightened his uniform, running his hand through his hair to fix that as much as possible as well. When he was satisfied with his appearance he turned to look at me.

"We both look good." He mumbled and turned around to go back to his task, "At least he can't complain about our attire. We're dressed properly."

"That aside you two also need to be on your best behavior." I noticed how Victor focused on me when he said that, ignoring Brandon completely, "I'm serious about that, you two, last time that man visited the club he fired one of the employees because he opened his mouth at the wrong time."

I snorted, "That's a lie."

"Well, that and the fact that the guy drenched his date in red wine."

Rolling my eyes I turned back around as well and helped Brandon with his orders, "That sounds more reasonable than someone talking freely, this is a free country and all."

I felt Victor's eyes piercing my back, "That attitude is what's going to get you into trouble, Em. Keep it in check, at least until the owner leaves the club. He'll be here in five."

"We'll be fine, Victor." I didn't mean to sound so harsh but the words slipped out of my mouth before I even realized what effect it would have on him.

"I'm just worried about you, Em." His tone softened.

Flashing him a smile over my shoulder I tried to reassure him as much as I could, "Thanks, I'll try and keep my mouth shut if I'm near that man."

I guess my words pleased him because he left the scene as quickly as he arrived. Brandon beside me burst out in laughter, making a few ladies at the counter swoon. I had to admit the sound of his laughter was better than the crappy music which was blasting through the speakers.

"He so wants to bang you."

Hearing those crude words spill from his mouth I turned toward Brandon and covered his mouth with my hand, "Should I remind you where we are at the moment? You better take back your inappropriate words, Bran."

My eyes widened when I felt something wet against my hand, making me squeal and jump back. My reaction only humored Brandon more. Ignoring the smug look the blonde had on his face I rubbed my hand against my black skirt.

"The fuck, Bran, you licked me."

He smirked, "You taste good, babe." He told me which made me realize how inappropriate our conversation must sound to others and they did notice because the women who were swooning over him a minute ago giggled at the sight of us, "Don't deny it, even you must have realized what his intentions are."

I realized from the very beginning that Victor treated me differently from the other employees. He was nicer to me, talked to me more and yes, the way he looked at me told me he often undressed me with his eyes as well. That didn't mean I had to acknowledge his feelings toward me. It was best to ignore them to avoid embarrassing situations. At least until I finished college and could quit this demanding job.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, " I told Brandon, pushing him aside so I could wash the glasses.

Brandon thankfully didn't continue that conversation and changed the subject instead, "Why do you think the owner is visiting the club? He has people paying the club a visit for business things, right?"

"Don't know, I've never met him. I'm sure that it's not business though, it's after midnight."

"I haven't met him either but I Googled him, you didn't?"

"Didn't feel the need to Google him, I figured we would never run into a guy like him." I glanced at Brandon who seemed awfully into this subject, "Guess I should have Googled him."

"He is young and according to the stuff, I read online a 'sex on legs' kind of man. Whatever that means."

I couldn't help but to smirk, "Is someone jealous?"

"I'm not." Brandon sounded calm and collected but I could hear the slight change in his tone, "I'm not! Don't look at me like that." He pushed my head down so I could focus on the glasses I was washing instead.

"So how young is he exactly?"

"I read that he is twenty-eight or so. I'm not sure if that is his exact age but I could tell from the pictures that he is long from retiring."

"Older men could totally be sex gods too."

"That's the attitude which Victor told you to reel in, Em, " Brandon warned me.

"Oh, someone is jealous again." Drying my hands I placed the towel on the counter again, "But looks aren't everything. Firing someone because the waiter spilled drinks, I mean, isn't that a bit too much. Shouldn't he at least have given the guy a warning?"

Brandon shrugged, "Em, he owns the club. If he wants to fire someone because his date's dress got ruined he has the right to do that. Just make sure if you do have to serve him drinks, don't spill the drinks over his guests."

With that the whole atmosphere in the club changed, I noticed how people were gathering together and figured that the owner must have arrived. I couldn't see anything from where I was standing and decided to focus on my job instead. The odds of us meeting was low anyway so I couldn't be bothered with a guy like that.

"Guess Mr. Woods has arrived."

When the ruckus died down I glared at the stairs which led to the VIP section where Mr. Woods was entertaining his guests.

"You know that he can't see you, right?"

I averted my gaze, "I'm aware of that, I'm cursing him though. Hoping he spills his drink over his date so he knows that sometimes accidents happen. There is no reason to make such a big deal over it."

We went back to work when another wave of customers arrived to order their drinks. I smiled at the guy whose order I was going to take, "Can I help you?"

The way his eyes wandered over my body didn't sit well with me, it was unnerving really. Brandon was never bothered with the looks he received and though it actually didn't bother me when Victor looked at me like that when this guy in front of me looked at me like he was undressing me it made me feel sick. Trying to shake the feeling off I reached for my shirt and buttoned it up till my neck, hoping that little action would make the guy back off. Meeting my gaze he ordered his drink and purposely brushed his fingers over mine when I handed him his drink. Guess some people really couldn't take a hint.

"What time does your shift end, sweetheart?" He asked me as he leaned over the bar to get closer to me.

I refrained from rolling my eyes, "That's none of your business, sir." I told him firmly, "And for the record, I don't date customers."

My words only widened his smirk which confused me. He left me a large tip and joined his group of friends near the back. I didn't want to take the tip, not from a guy like that and thankfully Brandon understood because he took it off the counter and placed it in the jar next to the sink instead. Brandon grabbed gently onto my arm and pulled me closer to him, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"When your shift is over you need to head home straight away." He whispered to me, "I don't trust that guy."

I agreed, "I will. I still have an hour to go though."

Fifteen minutes before my shift was over Victor headed to the bar again, an awfully big grin spread across his face, making him look years younger. That look could only mean that the night went well. The owner must have enjoyed his stay here and we didn't mess things up. Victor walked around the bar again, probably to inform us about what happened in the VIP section.

"Mr. Woods was very pleased with the service tonight. That's a good sign."

Brandon nodded, "Which means no one gets fired tonight."

"That's right, " Victor responded brightly.

Victor took his phone out of his pocket and focused on his screen instead, "Em, you can head home early. There isn't much left to do anyway. Mr. Woods left a large tip for the employees, I'll transfer it to your account later."

Victor left the bar area and headed to his office. Taking my apron off I was about to head to the employees' room to grab my stuff when Brandon grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

"Drive safe, I'll call you later to check in on you."

Brandon always checked in on me to make sure I arrived home safely. Whenever I had a nightshift I always texted Brandon when I drove home after my shift. It would ease his mind and it made me feel safe knowing Brandon was always aware of my whereabouts.

"Talk to you in the morning." I left his sight and went to the employees' room to grab my stuff. After I shrugged into my jacket and placed the strap of my bag over my shoulder I left the club through the back entrance.

I felt like being watched as I opened the door and quickly looked over my shoulder. There was nothing there though. As a girl who watched too many horror movies, I recognized this situation. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath hoping nothing would stand in front of me as I opened my eyes again. I slowly opened my eyes and snorted. I was definitely tired and in serious need of some sleep. I stepped out and hastily made my way to the parking lot, heading straight for my car. A shaky breath left my lips when I heard loud voices coming from the dark narrow hallway. I quickly searched my bag and found my keys, my frantic movements made the keys slip through my fingers. I cursed and bend over to grab them. My eyes widened when I felt someone's presence behind me and glanced up to see a shadow hovering over me. This was definitely not a good sign. Gulping I carefully reached for my keys and slowly picked it up, glancing at the window of my car to see the reflection of whoever was standing behind me.

"Turn around sweetheart." That was a familiar voice.

Quickly turning around I met the gaze of the creepy customer I served earlier. His eyes were heavy and his smile sloppy. He was drunk and not alone. The two guys standing behind him only made the situation worse. I considered running back to the back entrance of the club but I doubted I could make it without these guys cornering me.

"I told you that I don't date customers." I titled my head, trying to look as confident as possible, "Now if you excuse me-"

I gasped when he suddenly grabbed my elbow and pulled me to him. I tried pushing him away but he wrapped his hand tightly around my arm, probably bruising it.

"Your shift is over, no more excuses, Emily."

For a second I wondered how the guy knew my name but then I realized the employees all had a nametag so he had seen my name on my tag earlier. With everything I had, I pushed against his chest, trying to make him back off while I stepped back to have some distance between us.

"Let go of me!"

"Stop pretending you don't want this sweetheart." He chuckled, his friends stepping closer as well, "You've been showing off that hot body of yours all night!"

I tightened my grip on my car keys and smacked him across the face with it. He cursed and stumbled back, clutching his right cheek with his hands. I'm sure that hurt his face pretty bad but this wasn't the time to be concerned about a jerk who attacked a girl in the parking lot. I took the opportunity to get into my car and locked the doors quickly. His friends started slamming their hands against my windows, trying to scare me and I hated to admit it but their tactic worked. I was scared out of my mind. I've never been more terrified in my life before.

Quickly starting the car I took deep breaths trying to calm myself down as I watched the guys jump in front of my car while calling me names. The guy who I hit with my keys was bleeding, and he didn't look pleased with all. The murderous look in his eyes had me freaking out, but I refused to break down right in front of him. Putting my car in reverse I backed away from the guys. The exit was right behind them. They were daring me to drive toward them and at that moment I didn't give a fuck about their safety. All I could think about was getting home without these jerks getting their way with me. I stepped on the gas and drove straight toward them, smiling when they jumped aside so they didn't get run over. I managed to reach the exit safely and raced home, exceeding the speed limit.

When I reached my apartment building I parked my car safely in the regular spot and almost dashed inside the building, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I just wanted my bed and lay down safely under the covers. Reaching my apartment I fumbled with the lock, partly because my hands were shaking and partly because of the adrenaline rushing through my body. I managed to open the door after a full minute and quickly closed it behind me, locking it firmly. I leaned against the door for a minute to catch my breath and slid down, wiping the tears away. My phone vibrated in my bag, making me forget the awful situation for a second.

Did you arrive home safely?

- Brandon

That was the moment I completely lost it and burst into tears. I wanted to call him and tell him what happened, but I'd ruin his shift and I knew he had a woman waiting for him. I couldn't impose so I texted him back, telling him I was okay and arrived home safely.

I took another minute to calm myself down and got to my feet. My first class would start at 8 AM so I needed to head to bed. I threw my bag across the room, and headed down the hallway, going straight to my bedroom. Kicking my shoes off I shrugged out of my shirt and struggled to get out of my tights. When I was only in my tank top and skirt I got under the covers and pulled them up till my neck, finally letting the tears spill again. Everyone always assumed that I was so strong, that nothing could ever hurt me or scare me. This event though made me feel like a little girl again and all I wanted was for my brother to be here and hold me. If I did tell him what happened he would order me to stay with him and I didn't feel like living with my brother and his girlfriend. I just had to suck it up and forget that it ever happened.

-Next Morning-

Glancing at my watch I nearly choked in my coffee, realizing I was running late for my first class. Deciding to start moving instead of freaking out I stopped when I heard the doorbell ring. On top of my early morning freak-out, someone also decided to pay me a visit. Cursing loudly as I walked down the hallway and opened the door, stepping back when I was greeted by a tall, dark-haired male who looked amazing in his black suit. I frowned when I saw him press his lips to a tight line. He didn't seem too pleased with me if anything he looked furious. I didn't understand his attitude though because I had never met his guy before, what did he have to be angry about? He must have noticed how confused I was because he averted his gaze while he pointed at my chest.

"Your neon pink bra is showing."

Glancing down I felt like dying of embarrassment noticing my top was pushed down, revealing my push-up bra. Clearing my throat I quickly pulled my top back up, trying to cover up though the guy had pretty much seen it all now. At least he saved me from embarrassing myself in public because without him I probably would have left the apartment like that flashing everyone.

"I was in a rush this morning." I stood firmly in my flats and titled my head, "Thanks for letting me know. Can I help you? I actually have somewhere to go-"

"You're not making your first class." He folded his arms across his chest, "We need to discuss what happened last night during your shift."

There was no doubt about it, this guy knew what happened in the parking lot last night. His impassive face gave nothing away but I was smart enough to put one and one together. He didn't look like the pathetic guys from last night, so it made me wonder what his ties were to the club. As I let my eyes wander from head to toe I felt more and more nervous. This guy's probably cost a fortune, his shoes looked like they were brand new and the watch on his wrist, I hoped no one ever told me the price of that piece of accessory. Meeting his gaze again I couldn't help but to sucked into the bright pools of blue. His eyes, they were the most gorgeous blue eyes I had ever seen.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked after realizing I had been ogling this guy shamelessly.

"As the guy who owns the club, you're working on I think the two of us have lots to discuss, Emily."

I almost tripped over my own feet, but he quickly grabbed my arm to steady me. He closed the door behind him and finally released my arm. At that moment I realized that I was holding my breath. I exhaled and felt all the tension leave my body. He pretended not to notice and walked past me, entering the living room as if he owned the place. Turning on his heels he threw me an expectant look. I stepped closer to him, folding my arms across my chest.

"If you're getting sued because of me you're probably the owner."

I walked around him and tried to look him in the eyes but failed because I just flashed my bra to my boss's boss. That was the most amazing first meeting, ever. This guy looked like he stepped right out of a magazine and here I was standing before him in my skinny jeans and tank top. Not to mention he knew what was underneath it. I couldn't keep staring at him, it would make him think I was a fool.

"You're that guy."

"Yes, I'm that guy." He sounded bemused.

I sat down on the couch, afraid I might trip over my own feet again because of the shock that the owner was standing in my living room. Brandon was right about him though, the look he gave me was like he was looking down on me. Everything about him screamed arrogance to me.

"I did what I had to do to survive, Mr. Woods. They cornered me in the parking lot and weren't backing off even though I asked. There is no way they can make a case out of this. No way a judge in his right mind would-"

He held up his hand, stopping my babbling, "I know, I've seen the tapes. It doesn't matter if they can or cannot make a case. If the press finds out it will become a problem for me."

"So what do you suggest we do, Mr. Woods?"

"My lawyer handled it. We're settling to make sure this stays away from the press."

"You're settling?!" I stood up, stepping closer to him, "They were harassing me! They shouldn't get away with this!"

Mr. Woods lifted an eyebrow at me, "So you do admit that they were wrong and should pay for what they have done?" He dropped his hands to his side, "With you keeping quiet about what happened last night I assumed you were going to let them get away with it."

I was letting them get away with it because I had never been so scared in my life before. At that moment I was just lucky for the guys to be so drunk. If they had been sober I wouldn't have escaped without a scratch I was sure of that.

"I was in shock." I stepped back, feeling intimidated by him hovering over me with that mocking look in his eyes, "I just wanted to go home and forget that it ever happened."

He stared at me, a full minute we were both quiet and just observed each other. My eyes wandered over his body and I actually started to wonder what he looked like under his expensive looking suit. The tightness around his shoulders indicated that he did have a good body. I met his eyes and blushed, the knowing look in his eyes told me that he caught me ogling him.

"We have proof of them attacking you in the parking lot. That was enough for them to keep quiet while they agreed they should compensate you."

"They're compensating me for their behavior? I'm not in trouble, am I? I mean I didn't mean for that to happen. I knew it was going to be a problem yet I kept quiet, not wanting anyone to find out because I was scared and embarrassed and-"

He turned around, his look of disapproval shutting me up, "Do you always jump to conclusions, talk really loud and fast without taking a breath once?"

"Only when I'm stressed."

An actual smirk spread across his face. I titled my head and observed his face, he looked even more handsome than before. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to look past his looks. He still didn't tell me why the hell he showed up at my apartment if he wasn't going to get sued because of me or fire me. He was the reason why I missed my first class and he didn't seem to care either. This man was not the type of man I should be attracted to. It would never end well.

"You should stop doing that, it's getting on my nerves." He grabbed his phone and focused on his display instead, "I need you to sign some documents at the office. Since you're already late I assume it's not a problem if we leave now?"

"Wait...What?"

"My driver is waiting outside for us, he'll take us to my office."

My phone started vibrating in my bag, I remembered that Brandon told me he'd call me in the morning. I probably missed a lot of phone calls already. He must be worried sick. I held up my finger when Mr. Woods wanted to say something and quickly walked to the couch, grabbing my phone out of my bag and answering it.

"Hey, Brandon. Sorry, I answered so late. I know you must be worried, but I'm okay. I have to go, I can't talk to you right now, I have an important meeting. I'll call you back later, I promise. Bye."

I ended the call and blinked when I saw the impatient look on Mr. Woods's face. I started to think that he just couldn't have any other emotion than anger. He was so good at expressing his anger too.

"If you're quite finished we have an important meeting in fifteen minutes."

He was mocking me again, and that smirk once again made its appearance. I grabbed my jacket, shrugged it on and reached for my bag. I followed Mr. Woods down the hallway and out of the house. I made sure to lock the door and turned on my heels only to have my breath taken away by the sleek black car awaiting us. Mr. Woods held the door open and gestured for me to get in. I didn't want to make him wait any longer and quickly climbed in. He got in after me. The minute he got comfortable in his seat his phone started ringing and he started having long conversations with several people about his business. From that moment I realized that Mr. Woods was actually the owner of multiple nightclubs across town.

I started picking at the hem of my top and shot a glance at Mr. Woods, a blush spreading across my face when he met my gaze. He was looking right at me with that same look he had in the living room. I could be wrong but somehow I felt like Mr. Woods was checking me out, the same way I checked him out before. What was even stranger was the look of appreciation that flashed through his piercing blue eyes. Did he like what he saw? I averted my gaze, telling myself that I was imagining things right now. There was no way in hell a guy like Mr. Woods was attracted to a loud-mouthed college girl who worked at one of his nightclubs.

The ride toward Mr. Woods office was highly uncomfortable, I didn't know what to do or to say. So I opted for staring out the window, pretending to be deep in thoughts. But the only thing on my mind right now was Mr. Woods which only fueled my nerves. As we arrived at the office, the driver got out of his seat and opened the door at my side of the car. It was odd having someone be so polite, but I didn't question it. It was his job and it would only make things awkward for him if I commented on it.

Stepping out of the car I thanked him instead and stared at the intimidating tall building which was the place where Mr. Woods worked. If I had to describe the building in one word I'd say 'amazing'. As I glanced at Mr. Woods I couldn't help but think that this building matched him well. He was supposed to work in a building like this. He didn't give me time to admire it more though. He walked straight to the building, not faltering in his stride once. I couldn't do anything else but to follow after him. Entering the building I nearly ran smack into Mr. Woods when he stopped in his tracks. I barely grazed his back and quickly jumped back, hearing high heels clicking toward us. Stepping beside him I spotted a woman in high heels running toward us, well, more like speed walking toward us on her heels. When I narrowed my eyes on her face I noticed how anxious she looked. She didn't seem to notice me, she focused entirely on Mr. Woods.

"Nick, Evan just announced that he is coming half an hour early." She told him in her breathy voice, "He didn't give much information about his unexpected change of plans, but I already prepared the meeting room. I also left a copy of his proposal on your desk-"

"Thanks, Giselle, I'll handle it from here."

He interrupted her rambling, when I observed his face for a long minute I noticed that he didn't look pleased with all. If anything he looked quite annoyed with her. I didn't understand why obviously she was his personal assistant. Her being so friendly to him and calling him Nick instead of Mr. Woods got on my nerves though. I couldn't explain why it just did. So I decided to ignore her, even avoiding making eye contact hoping she'd just disappear into thin air.

"If you excuse me I have a personal matter to attend to right now." He told Giselle and walked past her.

She didn't let him get far though, she spun quickly on her heels and walked beside him. Probably confused about her not knowing about his personal matters.

"What matters? You told me that this matter with Evan has our priority." She sounded bratty and when she flicked her blonde hair back I couldn't help but feel like Mr. Woods was dealing with a teenager who wasn't used to not getting her way.

"There is no need for you to be concerned about this, instead I'd like you to go back to the office and answer my calls."

Mr. Woods was definitely not influenced by Giselle's overly kind attitude. I followed behind them, not wanting them to shift their attention to me instead. It couldn't only cause trouble since it looked like Giselle had claimed her boss. The way she walked beside him, not wanting to leave any space between them at all. It was amazing that she hadn't noticed how annoyed he looked at her mere presence. I guess ignorance was bliss.

Mr. Woods glanced over his shoulder, meeting my gaze, "Are you coming, Emily? If we finish this quickly you'll be able to attend the rest of your classes today."

I thought keeping quiet and keeping my distance would make me invisible somehow, but that was obviously not the case here. I did appreciate the fact that he kept in mind that I wanted to attend my classes. What I didn't like was the glare I received when Giselle finally noticed me. The look I knew so well, I had seen women throw me those looks in the club whenever I was joking around with Brandon. Pure jealousy, that was what I was seeing. She was wishing I'd just die right then and there. The last thing I wanted to deal with right now was a jealous woman who thought she had the right to claim a living human being. There were no words for how wrong that was. So I figured to ignore her, pretending I didn't see her death glare.

"It would be appreciated if we could rush things so I can make my classes."

Mr. Woods slowed his pace so he was walking beside me which would probably anger Giselle even more, "I'll make sure you'll make it." He promised me.

Reaching the elevator bank Mr. Woods pushed the button, still standing beside me as he kept his gaze ahead. Completely ignoring Giselle. She wasn't having any of it though.

"You have a meeting, Nick?" She asked, I could feel her eyes on me but I still refused to look at her.

Nick waited a second before he answered her, I think he timed his answer because when he finally decided to talk the elevator arrived and we could step in. He blocked her way as he pressed the button to keep the door open while he gave her orders.

"I do have a meeting to attend to. I need you to go to the front desk and inform them about Evan's arrival. Also, inform Miles that he needs to wait for a while, I want him to give Miss Pierce a ride back to school later. I see you in the office later." With that he let the door close, effectively keeping Giselle away from us.

"She won't like that." I sang softly, my eyes widening when I heard his chuckle.

"People who act childishly don't need to act so surprised when they get treated like a child."

I kept my gaze ahead because I didn't want Mr. Woods to read my expression as I made a more personal comment, "The tension between you was palpable. You two must have a colorful past."

Another chuckle left his lips, "If you're asking if anything happened between us, I'm sorry to disappoint you but there isn't a juicy story to tell."

The door opened and I was about to step forward but felt Mr. Woods hand on my back as he slightly pushed me forward. I completely shut down by the sudden warmth I felt when he touched me, but I had no time to think about that because he kept pushing me forward to steer me in the right direction and unconsciously I just let him steer me wherever he wanted. We stopped in front of a glass room, I observed the man sitting in the room. He didn't seem to notice us as he went through the papers in front of him. Mr. Woods hand left my back so he could open the door. He held it open for me and gestured for me to step inside first. Walking past him I took a seat across the man who looked up from his papers and flashed me a charming smile. His look was a lot warmer and welcoming than Mr. Woods'.

Mr. Charming held his hand out to me, "Nice to meet you, Miss Pierce."

"Nice to meet you-"

"Mike." Mr. Woods interrupted me while he took a seat beside me, "We need to make this quick because I have a meeting right after this and Emily here needs to go back to school."

Mike, the charming attorney didn't seem to mind Mr. Woods direct approach and just went with the flow instead, "Alright." He pushed a paper toward me and handed me a pen, "This form states that the guy who assaulted you will pay you fifty thousand. In exchange, you'll not go to court."

The pen fell out of my hand, "Fifty thousand?" I asked confused.

Fifty thousand was a ton of money for me, I suppose to the guy who dared to attack me was loaded. I didn't understand why a guy like that felt the need to harass women. I'm sure that if he just flashed his credit card around some women would feel the need to flock around him. It was sad to admit, but I had seen that kind of behavior numerous times at the club. That was just how it worked.

"He'll actually back off if I sign this?"

"He knows it's not beneficial for me if we go to court because even though we'll win the case it will still mean bad press. He is obviously also sensitive to bad press so this works for both parties." Mr. Woods explained, "Trust me, this is the best deal you'll get."

I played around with the pen, "So this is all about keeping your image intact?" I asked, glancing aside at me to meet Mr. Woods' gaze, "I suppose I should settle for fifty thousand then. At least I'll be able to pay some of my student loans off."

"It's good to stay positive." Mike took the papers from me when I signed my name on the line, "I'm glad you decided not to make a big deal about this. We all have more important matters to attend to, it would be a waste of time arguing about scandals and money."

"It just amazes me that a guy who is loaded needed to resort to harassing women." I glanced at Mr. Woods, "I thought guys you like only need to flash your credit card around."

Mike burst out in laughter while Mr. Woods just looked offended by my comment, "Don't put me in the same category as that guy."

Mike collected his papers and got to his feet, glancing down at me with an amused look sparkling in his brown eyes, "I can assure you that Nicolas doesn't need to do much to get women's attention."

Without having control over my own words I made the whole situation more awkward, "I can see why."

The room fell silent and I was sure that if I looked up I'd see both guys staring at me with shocked looks on their faces because I said something so embarrassing. I had to try really hard to keep a straight face when Mike laughed once again. Beside me, Mr. Woods didn't seem that amused with me though.

"You just say what comes to mind, don't you Miss Pierce." He muttered.

"Not all the time. I mean sometimes I do but those words just slipped out without me even realizing it. I guess you can say I do say what comes to mind." I was rambling on and on which only made the situation worse, "You're right." I whispered, admitting defeat because I knew there was no way talking myself out of this mess.

"And there was the babbling." Mr. Woods sighed, "You know Miss Pierce, you have this cute charm, but then you open your mouth and that charm evaporates into thin air."

I knew it was stupid to focus on that word alone because I'm sure he just insulted me, but the word cute echoed through my mind. Mr. Woods called me cute while I openly admitted to him a moment ago that I knew why women were attracted to him. A man who took that compliment without blinking once and then managing to insult me by wrapping his insult up in nice words was a man who was way too complicated for me. Instead, I focused on the lawyer who was about to disappear from sight.

"Are we done here, Mike?" I asked, trying to change the subject not so subtly, hoping the lawyer would save me from the awkwardness.

"Yes, Miss Pierce, we're done here." Thankfully he did save me, "I'll take care of the paperwork, you can expect the money on your account in two weeks."

Pushing the strap of my bag back on my shoulder I rose to my feet and lifted an eyebrow at Mr. Woods who also got to his feet and headed to the door before me to hold it open for me once again. Underneath the cold exterior might be a nice guy hidden. Very, very, very deep. The look of impatience right now was just a bit too much. I didn't want to resort to behaving like a child though, I knew how Mr. Woods dealt with that kind of behavior, witnessing it firsthand.

"I'm coming." I mumbled, turning to Mike who just seemed very amused by the situation, "Bye, Mike It was nice meeting you."

I frowned when Mr. Woods placed his hand against my back and slightly shoved me out of the conference room. I scowled at him but he didn't give me a look worthy, he just grabbed his cell phone again and started typing.

"My driver will take you back, have a nice day, Emily."

I stepped closer to him, knowing that he probably didn't notice since his cell phone had his full attention. When he did look up he seemed amused to see me standing so close to him, invading his personal space without giving a shit.

"Have a nice day, Mr. Woods." I said overly sweet and grinned at him, "It was very nice of you to handle this personally. I'm sure your overly curious assistant would have loved to help me instead."

And just like that Giselle made her appearance again as if she had a sixth sense and knew when to pop up. I smirked as she just proved my point to Mr. Woods. I thought he'd make a sharp comment back, but his lips just curled up into a smirk.

"Can I help you, Giselle?" He asked in the same impatient tone he used on me before, "I thought I made myself clear that I'll handle the situation after I'm finished."

"I just got off the phone with Evan and he'll be here in ten minutes."

I stepped aside when I saw the dark shift in Mr. Woods's eyes. The murderous intent in his eyes scared the hell out of me and I actually wanted to walk away, but he stopped me by grabbing onto my arm.

"I'll see you tonight, Emily."

I almost tripped over my own feet as I tried to pull away from him, "You-" He dared me to finish that question, "I'll see you tonight." I eventually whispered back, flashing Giselle a small smile.

Mr. Woods finally released me, I guess I responded the correct way. I quickly walked past Giselle and rolled my eyes when she bumped her shoulder against mine. Okay, I definitely needed to stay away from the assistant. On my way to the car, I froze when I heard Giselle calling my name. Here I thought I never had to see her again. I forced a smile upon my face, ignoring the amused look of Mr. Woods's driver and turned to look at Giselle instead.

"Nick asked me to hand you this." She didn't seem happy about it, but handed me Mr. Woods's business card anyway, "You're meeting him again tonight?"

She knew I was, Mr. Woods clearly announced it a few seconds ago very loudly, yet she asked me the unnecessary question anyways. Probably hoping she heard it wrong, too bad I was not in the mood to play nice. I could tell her the truth and tell her that I didn't have a clue what Mr. Woods was trying to pull, but I didn't like this woman in particular and thought it would be hilarious to see her walking away upset, cursing me while she tried not to trip. Her heels were really not safe for the marble floors in the building, but that didn't seem to stop her from wearing them.

"Yes, we still have a few things to discuss." I played with my hair, "Now if you excuse me, I have a class I need to attend."

She snorted, "Still going to college?" She shook her head and straightened her back, apparently whatever I told her gave her back her confidence, "Then it only can be business, you're just too..." She eyed me up and down and smirked, "Plain." She added and turned on her heels and clicked away again.

I wanted to feel offended by her comment, but I had seen the way she annoyed Mr. Woods. I might not be his type, but she wasn't his type either. So I was kind of okay with it. I shrugged and turned to the driver again.

"Hope you enjoyed the show."

He held the door open for me and helped me inside, "It was quite amusing indeed." He admitted, "Just between the two of us...There is nothing plain about you."

It was nice of him to say that. I didn't need the boost though, I was confident enough not to be bothered by whatever overly obsessed Giselle had said. I leaned back against the seat and took it all in. This was going to be the last time I'd be getting a ride from a driver in such a luxurious car. I never wanted to forget about it.

"Thanks for the compliment."

We talked about the weather and some other minor things, Miles, Mr. Woods driver, did try to make me feel comfortable and I appreciated it. Miles and Mike both seemed to like Mr. Woods and really seemed to know him. I wondered if the three of them were friends, somehow I couldn't imagine them having a drink at the club.

After classes, I called Brandon to ask him if he could pick me up from school. He picked me up in a record of time and preached at me in the car. I was glad though that I had someone close to me who actually cared about my wellbeing. Who cared enough to preach to me like a parent would.

"I got attacked last night-"

He stepped on the brakes causing me to fall forward, "What the hell?" He asked, slowly moving into traffic again, "Are you okay?"

I knew I shouldn't make a snarky comment, but my brain to mouth filter never worked, "That's a stupid question, of course, I'm okay." I gulped when Brandon threw me a dirty look, "Mr. Woods showed up at my apartment. He found out about it because the guys threatened to sue him. He handled it though!"

Brandon clenched his jaw, "What do you mean he handled it?" His voice sounding tight, I was pretty sure Brandon was on the verge of losing his patience.

"He watched the tapes, saw that I was innocent and made sure they wouldn't bother me again."

"Mr. Woods handled it?" Brandon sounded unsure, "And how did he handle it, Em?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, "I don't know the details, all I know is that the guy is paying me fifty thousand to make sure I won't sue him. Something about avoiding bad press on both sides and all."

Brandon banged the steering wheel, "Damn those fucking rich assholes." He mumbled, "Think they can get away with anything!"

I couldn't contain myself, I burst out in laughter causing Brandon to glare at me once more. He couldn't keep the glaring up either because he joined me, laughing loudly as well.

"Stop making me laugh." He muttered, "I'm furious right now."

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Thanks for caring, Brandon." I whispered, sitting back in my chair, "It means a lot to me."

His gaze softened, "Em, I'm always here for you." He whispered, "You know that right?"

I did know that. Again I was reminded of how good we could be together, if only Brandon wasn't a womanizer and I was actually attracted to him, sexually. He just didn't give me the feeling that ice queen Mr. Woods did give me. I wanted to scream but forced myself not to, remembering Brandon was right there.

I got out of the car once Brandon had parked it safely. He was at my side in an instant and placed his hand on my back, guiding me through the back entrance of the club. He was being overprotective, but I didn't protest. He needed to be close to me to ease his mind and it actually did feel a lot safer to have him beside me after the rich bastard attacked me. It was a good way to get back my confidence.

"I'll meet you at the bar, okay? I'm going to have a talk with Victor." Brandon told me, leaving my side to talk to the club manager.

I went to the employees' room and grabbed my uniform from my locker. I had a few more minutes before my shift started so I took the time to get dressed. I wondered if Mr. Woods would actually show up. I'm sure he only said it to get rid of Giselle's attention, but I still hoped he would show up.

I clenched my fist when Mr. Woods eventually did show up, but not alone. He had a pretty woman on his arm while he was talking to Victor. The woman was probably another model seeing how gorgeous she looked. I hated myself for looking forward to seeing him. Giselle had been right, what would a guy like him see in me? I shook my head, trying to get rid of all the ridiculous thoughts I had about ice queen Mr. Woods. A plain woman like me shouldn't have high expectations, it would only get me crushed in the end. So I focused on sorting the washed glasses instead, making sure to keep myself occupied so I would eventually forget about his presence.

"So he graced us with his presence a second time this week." Brandon whispered to me, "That's new."

I snorted, "Probably checking up on us. He doesn't want a scandal tied to his name after all."

Brandon had the same dark look in his eyes at me, something told me he had his own reasons for hating Mr. Woods though. I didn't dare to enter that territory so I kept quiet instead.

"Bastard, " Brandon mumbled, before getting back to work.

I agreed. After my shift I headed to the employees' room, rushing to get home. Brandon said he'd stay over because he was worried. I didn't ask him not to. I started to unbutton my shirt when the door suddenly slammed open and shut. I turned around, covering my bra with my shirt while I glared at the man who entered so rudely and not apologizing for intruding either.

"What the hell Nick?!"

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Nick?"

I pressed my lips together, fearing he would scold me for using his first name. For a minute I had forgotten he was the freaking owner.

"Yes, Nick." I tried to keep the act up of being confident because I didn't want him to have the pleasure to see me cower back, "You could have been a little more subtle with the door."

My eyes widened when he stepped forward. By instinct, I stepped back only to hit the lockers behind me. I pressed up against it, trying to create a little more distance between Nick and me. He slammed his hands against the lockers right next to my shoulders, capturing me between him and the lockers.

"You dating that tool?"

I frowned, "You mean Brandon?" I tried hard not to laugh because I could understand why people would think of Brandon that way, "That is none of your business, Nick." I tried to keep my voice steady.

He leaned even closer, I could almost taste him and it was frustrating. My breathing picked up and I almost dropped my shirt but remembered that if I did I would flash the owner of the nightclub so I tightened my grip on my shirt. I've already let him seen too much that morning.

"It is my business." He announced without blinking an eye.

I leaned my head against the locker, "I can't date the customers, there is no rule against dating my coworkers."

He clenched his jaw tightly, "You can't date him." My heartbeat picked up when he lowered his gaze to my lips. He was behaving the same way Giselle had that morning and I remembered clearly what he told me. Who behaved childishly shouldn't be surprised when they got treated like a child either. It was the perfect opportunity to get back at him for being so rude and arrogant right now.

I licked my lips, smirking when I saw his anger turn into something else in a split second, "Fine, I can't date him." I repeated quietly, I grabbed onto his chin and made him look me in the eyes again, "But then you can't date her. If you dare to put your claim on me than don't act so surprised when I do the same to you."

He lifted his eyebrow at me. I knew I could have even more fun with him and lowered my shirt a little. He took the bait and lowered his gaze to my chest. This time I couldn't hide my smirk.

"Please leave so I can change."

He pulled away, finally giving me some space to breathe. I watched him straighten his clothes, he was trying to calm himself down. He changed from completely turned on to his usual calculating cool self, ice queen Mr. Woods was back. He didn't say anything when he turned on his heels and left. When the door closed behind him I let out a shaky breath and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down. I don't know what the hell just happened between Nick and me, but I did know to stay out of his way, the last thing I wanted was to upset my boss's boss.

The following week I only focused on school and work and I had no more encounters with Mr. Woods or Nick as I called him now. It was supposed to be a blessing, but being honest with myself I had to admit that I kind of missed him. His cool gaze which could freeze people and that arrogant smirk which told the world he knew he was good to look at. Just remembering that smirk made me roll my eyes, but at the same time smile as I pictured his face. I'm sure that if I flipped open a magazine or went on Social Media I'd find pictures if, he'd grace me with his cool gaze and arrogant smirk.

But that was also the reason why I tried really hard to avoid those things.

Brandon who was being overprotective of me wasn't a pleasant presence to have in my life right now. And adding Nick's rash behavior from the other night to the mix just made him invade my space and stick to me like glue. At first, I didn't mind it that much, but seeing his behavior wasn't changing anytime soon made me anxious and long for some privacy. I also didn't quite understand his dislike toward Nick, he never met the guy in person, but apparently, Nick was his least favorite person on the planet. I didn't question him about it because it would probably only add fuel to the burning hatred he had for the guy.

"Please stop glaring at a photo of him." I mumbled, pushing the magazine down Brandon was supposed to be reading, "I've told you a hundred times already, nothing happened!"

He slammed the magazine down but still looked pissed, "You're lying. I've seen that look in women's eyes before. You want him."

I tried hard not to react to that, "You're delusional." I mumbled, grabbing the magazine he was reading.

Scanning through the pages I nearly choked on my coffee when I spotted a photo of him together with the superhot model from the night before. Just looking at her hurt my eyes, she was shining brighter than a diamond, only making me feel worse. The words Giselle threw in my face kept echoing through my mind. At first I was able to brush it off, but lately, it nagged on me. Making me doubt myself a lot more. I'm guessing that was why Giselle said those words to me in the first place. Observing the photo I checked the date and felt another wave of anger wash over me as I realized that it was a recent photo of the couple. Nick was definitely messing with me. He wasn't keeping his words so I wouldn't keep mine either.

I pushed the magazine toward Brandon and pointed at the picture, "You see, he is together with that woman. There is nothing going on between us." I was only upsetting myself more by saying those words, but I needed to convince both Brandon and myself that I meant nothing to Nick.

"I told you, rich guys think they can get away with anything." Brandon spat, slamming the magazine shut, "He doesn't care if he has a girlfriend, he has a thing for you and he'd do anything to have you."

I clutched my coffee cup tightly, "Well he can't have me." I said firmly, "So let's stop assuming I'm Nick's new plaything, alright? I have more self-respect than that."

My words seemed to have the effect on Brandon I had wanted to have minutes ago. Finally, he let go of his ridiculous fantasies about me and Nick.

"That's right, my girl doesn't let assholes like that get to her."

I couldn't help but laugh. His attitude completely changed, this is why I loved Brandon. When he was in a good mood it radiated off him, affecting the people around him with his charming smile and sparkling eyes. Grabbing the magazine I threw it at his head, he ducked just before it landed on his head, but still glared at me anyway.

I pretended nothing had happened at all and sipped from my coffee, "You shouldn't have doubted me in the first place!" I mumbled, "I admit that I know why women like him, he is an attractive guy." I held up my finger when Brandon wanted to say something again, "But his attitude is crappy and I don't like men who order me around but don't keep their word in the process."

"He ordered you around and gave you his word?" He asked, his good mood faltering right before me, "His word about what? What did you two discuss in the employees' room?" He looked ready to pick a fight with someone and I felt the need to softly rub his arm to calm him down, just like you'd do with a pet.

"You're getting the wrong idea again." I sighed, "Nothing sexual..." I knew it wasn't a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either, "He just reminded me of the no dating policy but he was confused. He thought we were dating and he told me not to do it."

Brandon narrowed his eyes at me, for a minute I feared that he saw through my half lie. I did tell Brandon the truth, but I left out the fact that we both turned each other on in the employees' room. I had played around with Nick and he liked it.

"Like I would ever date a brat like you." Brandon mumbled, a smirk spreading across his face, "You're trouble."

I glanced at the book in front of Brandon and rolled my eyes, "You are supposed to be helping me study, yet here you are insulting me and not focusing on the subject whatsoever. Great help you are."

"I have to entertain myself, okay!" Brandon chuckled and grabbed the book in front of him, "Okay, let's go back to this."

After thirty minutes of actually studying for my exams, Brandon left for the bathroom. I grabbed my phone to check my mail and texts. I was really into keeping up with my social life that I got annoyed when a shadow suddenly hovered over me. Glancing up from my phone I smiled when I met Mike's gaze.

"It's Mike the lawyer." I said with a small laugh, "Didn't think I'd see you again."

He held up his cup of coffee, "I needed a pick me up before going back to these files." I glanced at the huge pile of papers he was holding in his other hand.

"Nick should hire more lawyers."

Mike narrowed his eyes at me, "It's Nick now?" He asked curiously, "Because last time we met you kept calling him Mr. woods which was endearing."

I blushed, realizing how this might look to him, "No! Last time we met was that night at the club. He was there with his model girlfriend and we talked. I haven't seen him since! We're not on a friendly basis or anything, but keeping up with the politeness is tiring when you met each other a few times already, you know."

Mike threw his head back and laughed, "I forgot, you forget about your brain to mouth filter when you're nervous." He quieted down, shaking his head, "His model girlfriend, you mean Estelle?" He rolled his eyes as he mentioned this woman, "Trust me, Nick is not serious about women like that. They more or less use each other to get more publicity, that's how those things work."

It made me hate myself all the more when I realized how this piece of information lightened my mood. I tried to play it cool, because I didn't want Mike the lawyer to catch onto my on and off again feelings for Nick. I first had to understand my own feelings before I'd share them with others. Right now we were in a gray area, it was safe but could sway either way. For now, it was best to brush him off like he meant nothing to me whatsoever.

"I don't care about the women in Nick's life." I shrugged, flipping through my flashcards, "I think that with you closing this case Nick and I have no reason to be meeting up again."

The look on Mike's face told me he wasn't convinced at all, I could actually see the calculating look in his eyes when I shifted nervously in my seat. If he didn't break the awkward silence soon, I would and I'd be embarrassing the two of us with my usual awkward rambling.

"I think that Nick quite enjoyed your company that day, even if you two met up briefly."

I bit my lip trying to make sure I wouldn't say anything which Mike could use against me. His smirk told me that he knew exactly what I was doing. Thankfully he was a nice enough guy not to mention it out loud.

He held his paper cup up again and glanced at the door, "It was really nice to see you again, Miss Pierce, good luck with the studying."

I watched Mike leave, waving him off and sighed in relief once he was out of sight. Brandon lifted an eyebrow at me when he noticed the look on my face. I knew it must look weird for him to see me like this after his bathroom visit.

"What's with that look on your face?" He asked as he took a seat in his chair again.

I waved my flashcards at him, "Nothing. I just met Nick's lawyer."

He sipped his water, "So again, what's with that look? You don't like the guy?"

I frowned, "No, I like him a lot, he is a very nice guy." I mumbled, "He just reminded me of that night you know, " I knew that was a lie but I didn't want to talk about Nick with Brandon, I knew Brandon did not like Nick and the feeling was mutual.

Brandon placed his hand on my arm, his eyes full of concern, "I'm here for you, Em. You don't have to go through this alone. If you want I can stay with you till you get over it-"

I shook my head, "No, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

He snorted as he leaned back in his chair again, "I'll always worry about you. You're like a sister to me. "

I was glad Brandon felt the same way about me as I felt about him. He was quite attractive and he could be so charming around women, but thankfully I was not attracted to him. I needed someone in my life who would look out for me, and Brandon was the perfect big brother. Unfortunately, I was not honest with him and it left a path open for Nicolas Woods. Damn, arrogant womanizer.

After studying Brandon and I went to the club to start our shift. I bumped into my locker when Victor suddenly burst through the door of the employees' room and stalked toward me with a determined look in his eyes. I was worried I had insulted someone without knowing and he was here to preach to me, or at least call me out on it and tell me to never do it again. Either way, I was mentally preparing myself for it.

"What did I do?" I mumbled, pushing myself away from my locker.

He didn't seem sure as he titled his head to the side and observed me for a minute, "Mr. Woods and his business associate are here with a few friends. He wants you up in the VIP room, as a guest."

I had been mentally preparing myself for an hour-long preach, this was something else though and I had no idea how to respond to Victor. I stared at him for a minute, trying to process what he just told me. I turned to my locker, opened it and grabbed my water bottle out of my bag, quickly gulping it down. My nervous behavior didn't worry Victor at all, it seemed like he could use a drink as well, only something stronger than water. Once my bottle was half empty I closed it and turned to Victor again.

"A guest? What does that mean?" I asked quietly, somehow this has made me lose my voice which did not happen often. I was the talkative type whenever I was nervous after all.

Victor made gestures with his hands, but nothing made sense. I only could conclude that he had no idea as well.

"You have no choice though, he more or less ordered me to send you upstairs."

Of course, the arrogant billionaire was giving orders left and right, ordering me around once again, because he thought he could get away with it. The guy knew very well how I felt about that. Nick was testing my patience here, but what I wanted to know was what his end goal was. What was he trying to achieve by pissing me off? Tightening my hand around my water bottle I flashed Victor a small smile. Instead of feeling at ease around me, I could tell the guy was ready to dash out of the room. I guess I didn't hide the murderous intent well behind my smile.

"Watch yourself, Em, remember that he owns this place. And a lot more businesses. He can make sure you'll be miserable for the rest of your life. Don't make him your enemy."

"No need to remind me, Victor, I know how powerful this guy is. I'll be a good girl and keep my mouth shut while I entertain him and his friends."

Victor wanted to say more but I had no interest in listening to his preaching. I placed the water bottle on the table next to the door before I left. I headed straight for the stairs which led to the VIP room and smiled when the security guard pulled the rope away to let me up.

"Good luck, Em." He whispered to me.

I winked at him, "Thanks, Alex."

I saw the worried look in his eyes but chose to ignore it. I walked past him and headed upstairs, smiling when I met Nick's dark gaze. The guy next to him whispered something to him which caused Nick to laugh and shake his head. He beckoned me over with his hand. I wanted to grab a drink and throw it in his arrogant face but used all my willpower to stay calm and head over to him, just like he asked of me.

"Emily."

I greeted him in the same arrogant way, "Nicolas."

I noticed immediately how his eyes darkened as I called him by his full name. He was surprisingly amused by my reaction to his taunting. His behavior confused me, but I refused to show any sign of weakness in front of this irritating man. For a minute everyone around us disappeared and I totally forgot about the guy who sat next to him. The guy, however, didn't let himself be put in the background.

"Nice to meet you, Emily." He stood up and held his hand out to me.

I finally looked away from Nick and grabbed the guy's hand to shake it. He had other plans though, he pulled me forward and kissed my cheek.

"Stop flirting, Evan." Nick sounded impatient, "Leave the poor girl alone so she can get a drink."

I blinked when Evan suddenly pulled away with a chuckle, "My, my someone sounds angry, " He smirked. "I'll stay away from your girl. What do you want to drink, Emily?"

I turned to Nick, "You asked me up here to have a drink?" I pointed to my name tag, "I'm working, Nick, I can't drink. It's your policy, remember, Nick?"

"I asked you up here as my guest, remember, Emily?" He used my own words against me once again, this man was so freaking frustrating, "Don't worry this won't affect your paycheck. Take off the name tag and have a seat, enjoy a drink and just relax."

I wanted to yell at him but I knew he was just trying to get that reaction from me. I had no idea why Nick made it his mission to annoy me, but he would not win this game he was playing. I took off the name tag, even though I hated it and placed it on the table in front of me. I smiled as I took a seat across him and let my hair down, trying to look as comfortable as possible. I was far from comfortable right now, and the amused looks both Nick and Evan were giving me were not helping at all.

"So now that you've let your hair down it's time for you drink. What's your poison?" Evan asked again, his smirk almost matching Nick's.

I glanced at the glasses in front of them. Nick was having a whiskey and Evan was actually drinking red wine. I nodded at Evan's glass, feeling the need to sip the rich flavored drink while I tried to keep my face straight and pretended I was way more comfortable than I was actually feeling.

"I'd like a red wine as well."

Evan nodded, "Good choice, I'll get you a glass." He got up, wrapping his arm around the waitress who just passed us by and started flirting with her.

"Evan is always like that, with everyone." Nick mumbled, "You'll get used to it."

"With everyone?" I asked curiously, "That includes you?"

Nick's eyes glimmered amusingly, "I don't think we know each other well enough to share that kind of information."

I leaned forward and smirked when he did the same. I could almost taste his lips and forced myself not to look down and actually stare his full kissable lips.

"You've seen my breasts two times already now, but we still are not comfortable enough to share personal information?"

"They're nice breasts." Nick whispered, making me snort, "But you'll be surprised how many women flash me on our first meeting. I'd like to get to know a woman before I share any kind of information with her."

I actually didn't doubt him. I was convinced that there were a lot of women out there who'd strip for this sexy, irritating man. I glanced down at his lips and cursed myself when his lips curled up into a smirk. I quickly leaned back in my chair and glared at him.

"Where is your date?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Nick reached for his glass and slowly raised it to his lips, "I thought I wasn't allowed to date her. "

"You were dating her, so what's stopping you now?"

He lifted his eyebrow at me, "I was dating her?" He asked confused, "Oh, I'm assuming you're talking about the pictures of us?"

My heart froze when he mentioned the pictures. Now he thought I was stalking him with keeping track of his life. I wanted to protest but he didn't give me time.

"I thought we had a deal, " He continued, "I wouldn't date the model and you wouldn't date the tool."

"Brandon has more character than your model!" I snapped at him.

Evan placed a glass of red wine in front of me, "Emily is right. I don't know this Brandon guy, but I bet he has more character than Estelle. Anyone else has more character than Estelle." He sat back down in his seat and raised his glass at me, "To the lovely Emily, who'll make my night."

Nick's friends were all dressed the same way he was, all in fancy expansive looking clothes. It made me feel like an outsider, but I tried to ignore that feeling. I noticed that our friend Giselle was one of Nick's guests. Nick followed my gaze toward his assistant, and turned his look to me, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

I sipped my wine, almost choking on my first sip when I felt Nick's leg brush against mine. By the intense look, he gave me I knew he did it on purpose. He was once again playing around with me and once again I was quite affected by it. This man made me feel things I didn't want to feel and made me react a way I didn't want to react. I'm sure I left the gray area a long time ago but didn't want to admit it.

"So I assume you met this beautiful girl here?" Evan asked, breaking my staring contest with Nick.

Nick pulled his leg away from mine and turned to Evan, "I met Emily at her apartment for the first time." He answered in a way which made it sound like we met for another reason than just the lawsuit.

"Nick almost got sued because of me, so that's why we met up." I quickly added, making sure Evan didn't get the wrong idea about us.

Nick emptied his glass in one gulp and placed it on the table. Evan glanced from Nick to me when realization flashed through his eyes.

"Oh, so she was the important meeting you had." He nodded as he thought about whatever he was talking about, "You made me wait because you were meeting Emily that day."

"For business, as Emily just told you." Nick sounded calm, but his cool gaze told me that he was anything but calm right now, "No need to get all worked up, Evan."

"I'm not." Evan reassured him, "I would totally blow you off if I had a meeting with a beautiful girl like Emily."

Nick chuckled, holding up his glass to the waitress who had asked them if they needed anything else, "Stop calling her beautiful, we shouldn't encourage her to get cocky on us."

I had a feeling that even though Nick and Evan were friends they were also quite competitive. I noticed the looks they gave each other. It was quite interesting to observe them, but I couldn't focus, not when I felt a pair of eyes on me. Piercing right through me, and I knew exactly who was glaring at me right now. Our lovely Giselle whose heels were clicking toward us.

"Nick, Miss Swan would like to speak to you for a minute. It's about the casino."

I didn't turn to look at her, but I could feel her eyes on me though. I held tightly to my glass and sipped quietly from my drink, needing the liquid courage right now.

"Thanks, Giselle." Nick got to his feet and held his hand out to me, "Emily and I will greet Marissa and tell her to make an appointment since I don't discuss business on my night out."

I could tell by the icy glance Giselle received that Nick was not happy with her. His tone also told me that Nick didn't think Giselle had done her job. I was actually starting to like how my night was going. If Giselle was unhappy, I was happy, and I knew that made me kind of a bitch.

I took Nick's hand and let him help me up. He placed his hand on my lower back and guided me to the woman who he referred to as Marissa Swan. I noticed immediately that this woman would not like me. She was probably a friend of Giselle's and also looked at Nick like she was ready to pounce him, like all the women in his life. It was entertaining, but at the same time also very terrifying.

"Marissa." Nick greeted coldly.

What surprised me was the fact that Marissa Swan didn't even hide it when she let her eye shamelessly wander over Nick's body. I had no idea how she could be friends with Giselle when she was openly checking Nick out and figured she could get away with it. Didn't Giselle arrogantly put a claim on Nick and tried to keep other women out of his life? Or was it just me who she didn't want in his life? Shifting my gaze to nick I noticed that I was the one who held his attention.

"Nick, I see you're quite distracted by your employee. What did the young lady do?"

The woman was trying to make me feel bad about myself, but seeing I had Nick's attention she couldn't drag me down. I think she was close to stomping her feet down like a child. This night was even more fun than watching a comedy.

"The young lady is my date for tonight." Nick said firmly as he finally glanced at Marissa, "So please mind your manners, Marissa. Also, you know very well how I feel about doing business if you have more questions about the casino make an appointment with Giselle and she'll schedule a time for us to meet." Nick pulled me closer to him and flashed Marissa the same cold look as he did to Giselle, "Have a nice evening, Marissa."

I leaned toward Nick when we were out of hearing distance from Marissa, "She looked at you like she wanted to undress you right there." I whispered to him.

Nick's hand traveled lower, resting just above my butt, "Too bad for Marissa I already have a date who is far more capable of undressing me."

I wanted to say that I felt offended by his remark, but I didn't. I bit my lip with a smile when I felt his hand now resting on my butt. I figured that Nick was just paying me back for the show I gave him last time, in the employees' room. If he thought this would upset me he was so wrong, he had quite the opposite effect on me.

"Too bad for Marissa your date isn't into sharing so she'll only undress you behind closed doors."

Nick's lips brushed against my ear, "Now I'm tempted to take you to the employees' room." His husky tone only heated my body up more.

We took a seat at the table where Evan was still at, but this time I sat down next to Nick. I had his attention the entire night and actually did have a good time. At the end of the night, Nick offered me a ride home, but I refused. My explanation cooled his good mood down in a split second.

"Thought you would stay away from Brandon." He mumbled as he guided me to the employees' room.

I turned to him, pressing my back against the door and smiled, "No I promised I wouldn't date him if you wouldn't date the model. I didn't promise I wouldn't stay friends with him. Brandon is my friend and my friend is giving me a ride home."

Nick didn't seem pleased with me right now, but he couldn't order me around which annoyed him to no end. We had a fun night together, but he was not my boyfriend and even if he was, I would still refuse to follow orders like a pet.

"Fine, your friend is taking you home." He sounded gruff and annoyed again, "She wasn't my date though." He mumbled, probably referring to the pictures I mentioned before, "She suddenly showed up and the press loves taking pictures of us together. I'm not into her like that."

Him thinking he owed me an explanation of his behavior made me smile, it also eased my mind knowing nothing happened between him and the superhot model. I'd never admitted it to him, but I was glad he did take the time the explain himself.

"Trust me, Nick, I'm not interested in Brandon that way, " I told him casually.

And like that Nick's cool gaze heated up again. He grabbed a white piece of paper out of the inner pocket of his jacket and handed it to me. I smiled seeing Nick's name in elegant letters written on the business card. I flipped it around and saw his personal number written down on it.

"I think that we're on personal phone number basis since you did flash me two times already."

I smirked and leaned my head against the door, "I've shown you mine now it's time you showed me yours."

The dark look that flashed through his eyes made my core tighten. So much promise just passed through his eyes, that it had me shivering. Damn Nicolas Woods.

He brushed my hair out of my eyes, his fingers lingering on my neck, "I'll keep that in mind when we meet again. Good night, Emily."

"Good night, Nick."

I quickly changed into my clothes again and met Brandon in front of his car. He drove me home safely, but I could tell that he was not happy the entire ride home. He was upset and I knew Nick was the one who upset him.

After a long, while he asked the question which probably had been nagging at him the entire night, "So, are you two seeing each other now?"

I shrugged my shoulder, "Nick and I have an understanding. We're not sleeping together, Brandon. I guess we both like to play whatever game we're playing right now. That's all."

"You're playing a game which will get you hurt in the end, Em." Brandon warned me, "I know he is like prince charming in a sports car, but don't let the charming smile fool you, Em. He is the big bad wolf who wants to eat you alive."

I couldn't help but burst out in laughter, "If he is the wolf I'm red riding hood?" I asked confused, "Trust me, Brandon, I'm not the innocent girl you portrayed me to be."

He groaned, "No, I know! I've seen you in action, you're actually playing the seductress."

"I'm not getting hurt, Brandon!" I sighed, not wanting to hear his preaching anymore, "I know what I'm doing."

He looked at me, a sad smile spreading across his face, "For your sake, I hope you're right."

I knew I needed to be careful around Nicolas, but I couldn't control my emotions when I was close to him. My body just had a mind of its own. Hopefully, I could back up my own big words and make sure Nicolas Woods would not hurt me.