"This way, Sir." The VIP usher leads me further into the nightclub.

The smell of alcohol strikes my nostrils while the sound of deep thumping music echoes in my ears. Girls are dancing wildly on the dance floor, and I can feel people's gaze on me while I'm making my way through the crowd.

It's not unusual that I meet a business partner at night in this kind of place, although I prefer to do it in the office. What can I say? Some important deals are more effectively closed outside the workplace.

I step into the VIP lounge and spot Alexander Barrack, my business acquaintance, sitting in the corner with his companions, two beautiful women clung at his sides. They wear dresses that can make any man in this room want to handcuff them on their bed. But this sight doesn't trigger anything in me, unfortunately.

Alex's eyes glint with excitement as soon as I arrive in front of his table.

"Good to see you again, Aiden," he greets as I sit down. "Been waiting for you forever."

"Something came up in the office," I say.

"Always so formal," he chirps, noticing how I'm still dressed in my office suit while he looks casually enough to make me think that he plans to spend time here until the sun rises again.

"I'm not planning to stay long," I state. I just want us to talk about business without beating around the bush and get this done in no time.

Alex laughs. "Come on. You've just arrived. Loosen up a little, won't you? We still have so many things to talk about."

I glance around, noticing that all the other tables in this VIP Longue are unoccupied.

"Don't worry," Alex says. "There's nobody else here."

I throw him a sharp look, gesturing toward his companions.

He lets out a chuckle. "Come on."

"We won't talk about business until it's just the two of us," I say firmly.

I don't fucking care whether they're just his girl toys or whatever they are to him. I'm talking about business confidentiality.

He shakes his head in disbelief. "Like father like son, always not fond of these pretty ladies. You two are missing out." He laughs.

I'm trying my best to keep a straight face, but I unknowingly ball my fist under the table. Whether this person realizes it or not, he just disrespected my mother.

Calm down. He won't look this happy anymore once he finds out that the shareholders have agreed to transfer most of his company's assets to mine.

"Fine." He sighs. "But I feel like you should loosen up. You look tired. Have a drink first."

"Just one beer," I say to the waiter standing by beside our table.

Alex clicks his fingers to call his assistant, and before I can object, he commands, "Bring the other two girls here."

I say nothing.

He gives me a meaningful look. A smirk creeps on his lips. "I told you. It's about time you have fun. I can assure you that they're as sweet as honey."

This is why I hate working with him. He thinks that I would let my guard down just because of this kind of bribe.

Little does he know that it would never work for me. And it's not only because I don't want it. It's because I can't.

I don't like Alex's approach, but I don't refuse his offer. I decide to play along. A part of me wants to prove to myself that I'm not that fucked up. A part of me wants to heal. I can't let those nightmares haunt me forever.

Just as I expected, two girls in sexy dresses lean next to me. The one at my left wears a dress with a slit so high that it exposes all the skin on her upper thighs when she crosses her legs, and she's doing it on purpose. The other one doesn't hesitate to touch my chest, and when I look at her, all I can see is the cleavage between her breasts.

"Our business talk can wait for a while," Alex says with amusement.

He takes my silence as a yes, not knowing about the nausea that begins to consume me. I feel sick, like the air is suddenly becoming too overwhelming.

"It's too hot for you to wear this suit here. Let me take it off," one of the girls whispers seductively in my ear, and I allow her to peel off my suit.

I try to breathe on her neck, expecting to feel something. Anything. That excitement. That pleasure.

But I feel nothing but this horrible nausea.

The sound of Olivia's moans echoes in my ears, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

Fuck. All I can see is her again. All I can feel is my nightmare again.

Everything else around me feels like shutting off. The sound of Alex laughing as his companions tease him feels so far away.

"Easy. Let me make you feel better." The girl next to me leans closer to me and guides my hand. The next thing I know is that I'm cupping her breast.

But the darkness consuming me becomes even worse, and the feeling of her soft skin feels like burning my own, as though I'm touching fire. It makes me not want to touch her again.

Fuck. This isn't working.

I know that I will have to make them leave.

Immediately.

Working nonstop seems like the most effective therapy for me, especially after what happened in the nightclub yesterday. I don't need to be constantly reminded of how fucked up I am.

Just like tonight, I've been too caught up with all the documents even though it's the weekend. A glance at the clock in my home office lets me know that it has passed dinner time, and that's when I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Nevaeh steps into the room, carrying a food tray.

"Um..." she falters, looking a bit uneasy. "I'm sorry if I disturb you. But since you didn't come out for dinner, I--" she pauses again. "I just want to bring something for you."

She's waiting, and that's when I realize that I haven't given her any answer for long seconds.

I nod, and she walks closer to my desk.

While she's approaching me, I can't help but stare at her dressed in a simple t-shirt and shorts.

It's strange, but I find that the sight is pleasing.

That thought catches me off guard.

Hold on. What am I thinking about?

I saw sexy women in elegant and revealing dresses yesterday, and I felt nothing. But right now, I see her in simple clothes and find that the sight is pleasing?

Before I can continue my absurd thoughts, Nevaeh speaks, "I've thought that you'd be hungry because you haven't had your dinner. I cooked something."

My gaze lands on the food tray she just placed on my desk. There sits a plate of chicken breast, served on a bed of buttery spinach, topped with a creamy sauce.

And I'm stunned.

Did she cook this for me?

"I was trying my Mom's new recipe," she adds, more like mumbling to herself in a low voice, as though she's embarrassed. "I don't know if it's good enough for you, but Ian said that it was okay. Ashton seemed to like it too."

My heart feels like sinking.

Oh.

So she cooked this for them too?

Of course. What the hell is wrong with my stupid brain?

"Are you..." Nevaeh falters again. "Hungry?"

Her question makes me stare dumbly at the food.

Am I hungry? Yes, I am. I'm pretty sure that my stomach growled before she knocked on the door.

But now, something seems more interesting than the food, and I don't know why.

"Yeah," is the only word I utter.

I take the fork and cut a small piece of the chicken breast. Nevaeh bends down, as though she's anticipating what I think about the food. It tastes delicious, but I can't help but get distracted by how low Nevaeh is bending down. She's unknowingly giving me a view of her cleavage that's supposed to be hidden under her loose t-shirt.

Fucking stop. Stop bending down, Nevaeh.

The muscle on my neck moves as I swallow the food.

Wait, don't stop. A little bit-- fuck.

My grip on the fork tightens, and I'm trying to keep it cool.

Goddammit. I'm fully aware that I like this compromising position a little bit too much.

When I finish munching the food, I look up, only to find Nevaeh staring down at me with a hopeful, slightly nervous look.

"How does it taste?" she asks innocently.

"Perfect," I say. "It's perfect."

A blush creeps on her cheeks before she gives me a cheerful smile. Damn. It heightens whatever is happening to my body right now.

"I'm so glad that you like it." She sighs in relief, straightening her back. "Well then, I hope you enjoy your dinner." With that said, she totters out of the room, leaving me even more dumbfounded.

I need a few seconds to adsorb what's happening before I shift my attention to what's down here between my thighs.

Fuck.

I'm having a boner.