Four days.

It's been four fucking days since I saw Sophia step out of that sports car.

She texted me a few times asking what had happened, why I was there at her apartment and I just ignored her direct question and said we will speak soon, making excuses that I was busy. I mean, not excuses because I have been busy holding bartender interviews with Jack all week.

The club is getting way too popular for our current staffing levels, so I need to hire at least 3 new bar staff.

Now here I am, Friday night at the club, sat in my office alone, scanning through my usual weekly paperwork. I can't stop replaying what happened Monday night, rage consuming my body. I throw my fingers through head roughly, mentally cursing myself for being so disappointed in something that I shouldnt be.

I text Sophia and mentally pray she doesn't find what I'm about to do, creepy in any way. I've had a busy day at the club, scheduling interviews all day with Jack, and I really want to see her face, maybe I could spend the night knowing she doesn't have work on Tuesdays and I only have to be at the club from 2pm, so hopefully we can spend the morning together.

Sophia says she will be home around 9pm, so I grab my keys and head straight over to her place. As I'm patiently waiting in my car for her to arrive, I think to myself maybe I should have asked before I just show up at her doorstep, but fuck, I'm here now, I'm not backing down.

That is until I see Sophia in a flashy, top of the range sports car stop infront me, with some other fucking guy. Dinner with a friend? That's where she said she'd been all night.

The guy hugs her and she hugs him back, a huge smile on both their faces. Fury takes over my senses at another guy fucking touching her. He drives off and Sophia comes over to me, I can't even remember the words we shared as I floored my pedal and sped off.

Was she lying to me this whole time? So much for not dating anyone else? I mean, I know we aren't together, but I directly asked her. She knows I like her, I would appreciate her to be fucking honest with me.

My phone constantly buzzes for the next hour, with texts flooding in from Sophia.

Sophia: Hey, did something happen? Why were you at my apartment?

Sophia: Hunter, what's going on? Why did you speed off like that?

Sophia: Have a good night. Hopefully speak soon

I got another one the next morning,

Sophia: Good morning, you feeling ok today?

I came to my senses and actually replied at that point, I can't be a dick even if she clearly doesn't think she has done anything wrong.

Me: All good, busy with work. Speak later

After that I never heard anything else from here, which I think infuriated me more, it's like she's given up on me. Probably off out with the other guy. Fuck, I need a drink. I'm at the club on a Tuesday night and Jack is suspicious of me.

I grab a beer bottle as he tries to talk to me.

"Okay, so I know we have talked a lot this week about work, but how's other things? Like Sophia?"

"I don't wanna fucking talk about it."

"Okay, but I'm here if you do man"

By Thursday night, I tell Jack everything. Once we had finished the interviews, I let everything out. He says he can see both sides, whatever the fuck that means. That we aren't officially together and that maybe this guy is actually a friend, which I just don't understand either.

He tells me to reach out to her one last time for an answer and if she is dating other people then I would have a decision to make, meaning maybe she isn't the girl for me. I don't like being lied to, and I really wanna hope for the best outcome here, but I really can't fucking see it.

I shake my head to rid my flashback as I stand heading to the bar for a beer, the same questions circulating in my head.

She told me she wasn't dating anyone else? Why would she lie? I thought when she told me she doesn't usually date, maybe I was someone who could change that.

Jack pulls my arm as soon as I enter the bar area.

"Your girl is here Hunter." He shouts closely in my ear so I can hear him over the music.

He points over to the dancefloor where I find Sophia dancing energetically, by the looks of things she's here with her best friends, Ivy and Cassie I think their names were, and a handful of fucking guys surrounding them.

To say I'm pissed off would be an understatement. I clench my fists shut at my sides, as Jack pats my chest.

"Maybe you should head back to your office, cool down a bit, we can manage out here."

I can tell he is trying to look out for me and knows I hate confrontation.

I nod and retreat back to my office, slamming the door shut.

〰️〰️〰️

It's been 2 hours since I've been sat in my office, Jack poked his head in an hour ago, dropped off another beer and said my gi- said Sophia is still here.

I take a sip out of my beer bottle, signing off some papers when there's a small knock on my door. I push a hand through my hair, I can't wait to go home tonight.

"Come in." I say without looking up.

"Uh-woah." I hear a familiar voice.

Sophia.

Her tiny frame stumbles forward, catching herself on the door frame.

She's fucking drunk.

On instinct I rush over to her, catching her body in my arms. She has a tiny white dress on with huge red heels, her hair half up and half down, her lips coated in a bright red gloss. Fuck, those lips.

"Hu-Hunter!" She yells her dialated pupils staring at me.

"Where have you been?" She drunkenly slurs, gripping hold of my shirt to help her.

"Hey, come on, let's sit you down." I guide her to the large leather, one seater sofa I have in the corner of my office.

I hold her waist to steady her, we both sit but Sophia doesn't let go of my shirt.

"What don't you want to dance with me?" She asks, circling her fingertips over my bicep.

"What? Dance with you?"

"Ye-yeah!"

"Let's find your friends maybe and get you home?" I speak slowly to her, trying to get her out of here, my crotch getting painfully tight in these trousers I'm wearing, I can't help it when my gi- when Sophia is wearing this little number. We need to talk about what happened the other night, but now is not the right time for the conversation we clearly need to have.

"No, no, no home yet." She shakes her head then places it on my chest. My arm automatically wraps around her, she needs to go home, like now.

Just as I'm about to lift Sophia off of my small sofa, another knock comes at the door.

"Hey boss, 2 girls are asking for you-" Jack appears in the doorway.

"Who?"

"They said they've lost their friend, but I think you found her." He says, finger pointed at Sophia. "Shall I let them back here?"

"Uh- no it's okay, I'll take Soph to them."

Jack nods and holds the door open while I hold up a very drunk Sophia, stumbling over her own two feet.

She starts to mumble some words which I only slightly hear, car, no text, pick me up. None of it makes any sense to me.

I ask Jack to grab a few bottles of water from the bar for Sophia and her friends.

"Guysss!" Sophia yells when she spots Cassie and Ivy propped up at the bar, how much did these guys drink tonight?!

"Okay, you guys should maybe head home now, I can call you an Uber?" I offer.

"My boyfriend is coming for me, but Cass and Soph need an Uber back to their apartment." Ivy states, she clearly isn't that intoxicated and can form some sort of sentence together.

"I'll just drop them off, I've only had 2 beers." I state. I don't feel comfortable leaving 2 drunk, vulnerable girls alone in an Uber, I frown at the thought of anything happening to them, anxiety washes over me.

"Let's all go outside, maybe some fresh air will help."

"We can wait until you get picked up before we leave you." I tell Ivy.

"Thanks."

We all make our way out front, and Ivy must spot her boyfriend's car immediately because before I've even managed to get Cassie and Soph outside, she's off running down the pavement. I hear a car door shut, assumimg Ivy made it to the car, my eyes never leaving Sophia's body. Adam is on the doors tonight so offers to help me get these two into my car.

We pull up outside the girls apartment block, Cassie sobering up slightly to at least know where she is and finding their door key in her small handbag, she jumps out of my car and heads into their apartment.

I look over to Sophia in my passenger seat, sleeping peacefully. I take in her beauty, she really is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

I successfully carry Soph into her bedroom and place her onto the bed, removing her shoes and pulling the covers over her. I tip toe around the apartment looking for some paracetamol and water to leave by her bed for the morning. She is definitely going to regret getting this drunk. It's Saturday tomorrow, well it's 3am now, so technically today, and she has work at the coffee shop at 9am. That will be a tough shift. I pull her phone out to make sure her alarm is set, I spot one for 7.30am and toggle it on. That should be the one she uses right?

I watch over Sophia just for a second, before I place a light kiss on her forehead and leave the apartment, locking the door behind me.

I shoot Jack a text telling him I dropped Soph and her friend off and that I was heading home now. I'll finish the paperwork I was in the middle of, tomorrow.

〰️〰️〰️

My alarm brings me awake at 7.30am. Yes I set my alarm for the same time as Sophia's so I would be up if she needs me.

I want her to need me. I shouldn't because I don't know if I can be alright with her dating other guys. If she gets into a relationship with sports car guy, fuck. I need to talk to her and get an understanding of what's going on.

I step out of my steamy shower and hear my phone vibrating on the table in my bedroom.

"Hey man, what's up?"

"Hey, you coming to the bar later?" Brent asks me, I normally would go into Lava Lounge a couple of nights a week, before heading to The Velvet Room. The bar doesn't need my time as much as much as the club, and I trust Brent with how he manages the place.

"Yeah I'll be there around 7pm." I reply.

"Cool. How's things going with hot brunette?"

"It's Sophia. And things are not going actually, I'll fill you in tonight." I shake my head at him not remembering her name again.

I end the call and start typing a text out to Sophia.

I reread the message, questioning myself on whether we are better just moving on our seperate ways, or if we should continue dating, I press send quickly and place my phone down.

It's been a few hours since I messaged Sophia and I'm thinking I might have blown my chances. I really hope we can talk and she can be honest with me. I really like her, and I want nothing more to feel her in my arms, kissing her pink lips, smelling her sweet perfume scent. But I'm giving up hope here, I should have confronted her that night instead of driving away like a dick, but I couldn't control myself, I felt the anger rising in me and I had to remove myself from the situation.

A vibrating suddenly has me running over to my phone and I stare at the screen in shock.

Fuck.

She sounds pissed at me.

Hang on, why is she being like that? I know I ignored for for days on end, but I did tell her I was busy with work. This isn't great. My anxiety is working overtime of how this is going to play out.

We just need to talk it out and everything will be fine. I stop pacing my apartment to go and get ready to drive to Sophia's. I don't know what she will say, but I need to be prepared if she's not into me, that's fine, I just really fucking hope this works in my favour.

◇◇◇