|TWO DAYS LATER|

BRIANNA

Two days had passed since our meeting with the investors, and after much deliberation, Mr. Gomez and his partner had finally agreed to invest in A.C. Robotics, one of the companies under Adrian’s name. To celebrate the win, Adrian and I were about to head out to mark the occasion in style.

“Adrian, where exactly are we going?” I asked, for what seemed like the hundredth time. Ever since we got into the car, he had been driving us to a mystery location, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of curiosity.

He sighed exasperatedly, glancing at me for a moment before returning his focus to the road.

“You’re not going to stop asking me until I tell you, right?” He grumbled.

“Nope!” I said, popping the ‘p’ for emphasis, determined to get an answer out of him.

“Fine,” he said with a resigned tone. “We’re going to a club to celebrate our win.”

“Wow, really?” I asked, my eyes lighting up at the prospect. “That sounds amazing.”

“Yeah, we’re going to drink and dance, but just so we’re clear—no one’s getting drunk. At least, not me, because I have to drive,” he said, his voice firm.

“That’s a cool idea,” I replied, clapping my hands together with excitement. A night out was just what we needed after all the business stress.

Minutes later, Adrian pulled up in front of a sleek building with “The Dinero Lounge” glowing in neon lights. The club’s exterior alone was enough to make my heart race with anticipation.

We got out of the car, and as we approached the entrance, a bouncer, standing tall and imposing, asked to see our IDs. After we showed them, he gave us a brief nod and waved us through.

As we stepped into the club, the energy hit me immediately. The place was packed, with people swaying to the music, laughing, and clinking glasses. I felt my heart beat faster at the sight. This was a whole different level of nightlife than I was used to. Though I worked at a club, nothing could compare to the size and sheer number of people here. The music was louder, the lights flashier, and the crowd—massive.

The flashing disco lights gave everything an almost surreal quality, and the booming bass made the floor beneath my feet vibrate. It was intoxicating, in more ways than one.

We made our way through the crowd, Adrian confidently leading the way as I followed closely behind, excited but slightly overwhelmed. We eventually reached the bar, where we sat on the stools beside each other. Adrian waved down the bartender, who came over quickly. The guy looked to be in his early twenties, with tattoos peeking out from under his t-shirt.

“What can I get for you two?” he asked, his voice a mix of energy and cool indifference.

“I dunno, what about you?” I asked Adrian, raising an eyebrow.

Adrian gave the bartender a casual smile. “We’ll have The Golden Grain 190, a whole bottle,” he said.

The bartender nodded, disappearing to fetch our drink. A few minutes later, he returned with the bottle and two shot glasses. He placed the glasses down in front of us and poured a small amount into each.

“Enjoy,” he said simply before walking off to attend to other customers.

I picked up my shot glass, swirling the liquid in the glass as I inspected its amber color. “Is this a very strong alcoholic drink?” I asked Adrian, eyeing the bottle warily.

“Yeah, it contains 95% alcohol. You probably shouldn’t drink too much,” he warned, looking at me with a mixture of concern and amusement.

“I’ll drink to my satisfaction. I’m a strong drinker,” I said, trying to sound confident. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating just a little, but Adrian didn’t need to know that.

“Oh really? You’re a strong drinker, huh?” Adrian teased, raising his eyebrows as he gave me a side-glance.

I shrugged, maintaining my composure. “Yes, I am a strong drinker,” I said, my voice firm with confidence.

Adrian smirked. “Then I challenge you to a drinking competition. First one to give up has to do whatever the other person wants,” he said, an intriguing glint in his eyes.

My initial reaction was a flash of hesitation, but then I thought about it. I had nothing to lose, and besides, it would be fun, right?

“I’m in,” I declared, my face serious as I locked eyes with him.

“Let’s go!” Adrian exclaimed with excitement, and without wasting any time, he downed his shot. I followed suit, the burning sensation of the alcohol searing down my throat. It was strong, but I wasn’t backing down.

Four shot glasses later, my vision was starting to blur, and my speech was becoming slurred. The alcohol was definitely getting to me. Adrian, on the other hand, didn’t seem affected at all. Either he was incredibly good at hiding it, or the alcohol had no effect on him.

“Give up now. You’re obviously drunk,” Adrian said, his voice laced with a smirk.

“Never! I… Won’t… Give… Up…” I managed to slur, but even I could hear how incoherent I sounded.

“You’re so stubborn. Just give up,” Adrian said, his tone almost affectionate despite the teasing. I shook my head vigorously, and the movement immediately made me dizzy.

“Okay, fine. There’s no more challenge. It’s over,” Adrian said, his voice softening as he reached over to gently hold my hand.

I blinked, my mind foggy. “Are you sure?” I asked, batting my lashes in what I hoped was a seductive manner, but I was probably failing miserably.

“Yes, let’s go back to the house now. You look like a mess,” Adrian said with a soft laugh at the end.

“Nooo, I still want to dance!” I squealed as I jumped to my feet. The moment I stood up, though, my legs wobbled, and the world around me started spinning.

“You’re going to fall flat on your face, Brianna!” Adrian called after me, but I didn’t listen. I was already heading toward the dance floor, determined to keep the party going.

By the time I reached the dance floor, I could barely stand, but I did my best to sway and move to the music, trying to maintain some semblance of rhythm. At one point, I bent down with my hands on my knees and started twerking to the beat, feeling the music in every fiber of my being.

But before I knew it, someone was behind me, grinding against my backside. I barely had time to process what was happening before I felt Adrian’s strong hands yank me away from the guy. I looked back to see that the man who had been grinding against me was now on the floor, and Adrian was standing over him, fists clenched.

Adrian’s eyes were wild with anger, and I could see he was about to punch the guy again. Despite my drunken state, I stumbled toward him, gripping his arm to stop him.

The scene was quickly drawing the attention of everyone on the dance floor.

“Adrian, don’t punch him anymore, let’s just go home,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite my panic. His fist remained clenched, though.

“Please…” I added, my voice softening as I looked up at him, and finally, after a tense moment, he relaxed his fist.

“We’re going now!” Adrian said sharply, grabbing my hand and guiding me toward the bar where he paid for our drinks before we left the club together.

Adrian helped me into the car and settled into the driver’s seat. The drive back was mostly quiet, with only the occasional sound of tires against pavement to break the silence. After a few minutes, I nervously fiddled with my fingers, feeling the weight of the situation.

“Are you mad at me?” I asked hesitantly, my voice small in the quiet car.

“No,” he replied, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

“I feel like you’re mad at me,” I pressed, trying to get some reaction.

“Fine! I’m mad at you!” he grumbled, clearly frustrated. “If you’d just listened to me and not gone to the dance floor, then that guy wouldn’t have grinded on you!”

His tone made me feel guilty, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but think he was overreacting.

“I’m sorry, but he didn’t grope me, though. He only grinded against me,” I said, trying to explain, but I could tell that wasn’t helping.

“What’s the difference?” Adrian shot back, his voice tense. “Remind me never to let you drink again.”

“Yes, boss,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. To my surprise, I saw the corners of Adrian’s mouth twitch into a small smile.

Soon, we arrived at the house, and Adrian helped me out of the car, supporting me as we walked inside. I was still feeling drunk and disoriented, barely able to keep my balance.

Once inside, Adrian guided me to my bedroom and gently sat me on the bed.

“You need help getting changed?” he asked, his voice soft as he knelt down beside me.

“I want to take off my clothes. I won’t be comfortable sleeping in them,” I answered slowly with a playful grin.

“You don’t mind me taking these off for you, do you?” he asked again, his voice low. I shook my head, too overwhelmed to speak.

He slowly removed my clothes, leaving me in my underwear. His eyes roamed over my body, a dark hunger flickering in them.

“Do you want me to take off your underwear too?” he whispered, his voice rough. I nodded, almost involuntarily.

He carefully removed my bra and panties, his gaze never leaving me. I could feel the heat of his stare, my body responding to his attention.

“God, you’re so beautiful,” he breathed, his words making my face flush.

I sat on the bed, unsure of what to do next, feeling exposed and yet wanting more.

Without warning, Adrian’s lips were on mine, and before I knew it, my back was pressed against the bed, his weight on top of me. I kissed him back with equal intensity, our mouths meeting in a battle of dominance, one which he clearly won. His hands roamed over my body, cupping my breasts and teasing my nipples.

My hands trembled as they found their way to his shirt, desperate to feel more of him. I fumbled with the buttons, each one coming undone more quickly than I expected. I finally pulled his shirt off, my hands trailing over his chest and back, pulling him closer.

He broke the kiss, his mouth moving down to my chest, his lips brushing over my breast. He took one nipple into his mouth, sucking gently, almost hungrily.

For what felt like minutes, he alternated between my breasts, his mouth hot and demanding. I was just about to unbuckle his belt when he suddenly flinched, pulling away from me as though I had burned him.

“Shit, I’m so sorry!” he said, his voice frantic. I watched him in confusion, unsure of what was happening.

“What are you sorry for?” I asked, my voice shaking.

He ran a hand through his hair, visibly rattled. “I can’t do this. You’re drunk. I don’t want to do anything you might regret.”

I was taken aback. “Adrian, you’re not doing anything wrong. I want this as much as you do.”

“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “If we’re going to have sex, I need you to be fully with me, to give me consent. Not like this, not when you’re drunk and won’t remember in the morning.”

I was frustrated now, my thoughts clouded by desire. “But you’ve got me all worked up! What am I supposed to do with that?”

I couldn’t believe I had just said that. The alcohol was making my words spill out before I could stop them.

Adrian exhaled, his expression softening. “Don’t worry about it. Just go to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

“This isn’t fair,” I pouted, the frustration building.

“Shh,” he whispered, covering me with the duvet. “Just go to sleep.”

As my eyes began to flutter closed, I mumbled, “You’ll pay for this.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “I regret it too.”

The last thing I remembered before I drifted into a dreamless sleep was Adrian’s soft kiss on my forehead and his quiet “good night” as he walked out of my room.