ASK (18+)

MEET HIM

"This place is so fucking crowded!"

Pete was yelling just so that Gabrielle could hear him a few feet away. On the other hand, she was rampantly stomping through the cluster on the dancefloor to get to the bar. Where her current (soon to be former) boss sat, downing shots of vodka.

Gabrielle wasn't one to let her outfits impede her, and tonight, she was no different, wearing a tight, shiny black romper and studded stilettos. She wore no jewellery, unlike her usual self, but sported her brother's dog tag against her collar. Her long, dark brown hair was a tangled mess, due to her state of mind and her face was without any makeup – also unlike herself.

"Where the fuck is my money, Jed?" She roared as soon as she reached the man's stool.

Slowly, and with a little staggering the dirty blond man turned to face the girl. His blue eyes widened as soon as he took her in. "Elle, where the fuck have you been? In a gutter or somethin'?"

"Where have I been?" Her hoarse voice cracked on the sentence. "You're the one who told me to fucking lay low, and I'll get my cash. And that's what I've been doing: laying low. But the cash?" She gestured to the ceiling with a manic smile. "Still haven't seen it, Jed!"

"Well, sorry to hear." He downed another shot. "You look like shit," he looked over her shoulder at Pete. "Couldn't your friend here tell you that?"

Gabrielle faked a dry laugh. "No, actually, this 'friend' was the person who told me that you lost my pay cheque in a bet. A fucking bet, Jed!" She grabbed the collar of his shirt and jerked him with the last words.

"Alright, alright," Jed raised his hands in surrender. "Listen, I didn't think it was gonna go down like this. Honestly I- "

"You what?" Gabrielle grabbed a bottle and broke it before wheeling back on Jed, her gaze as threatening as the jagged glass in his face. "You thought you had it? You thought you were gonna win? Everybody knows that no one goes to Carlos Fuente's poker table and leaves with a dollar." She got dangerously close. "You should have known better to not even bring my cash with you, you son of a bitch!"

"Um, excuse me?"

Gabrielle turned without taking the broken bottle from Jed's face. Now, she saw a woman around her age – more than likely older. She was blonde and had an obnoxious fake smile. "Yes?" Gabrielle copied the smile. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Oh, I want you to..." she cocked her head to the side. "Tone it down a bit. Please?"

Gabrielle growled. "Tone your fucking attitude down first and we'll see."

"I'm sorry?"

Gabrielle wheeled around to point her bottle to the woman's face. "You heard me, cunt."

"Okay!" Pete pulled Gabrielle back. "Focus the anger on Jed, not innocents, babe."

Jed had the audacity to laugh but stopped when Gabrielle's glare silenced him.

"What's the joke, Jed?" She pointed her bottle once more while the little bitch of a woman started screaming about an armed woman at the bar.

Soon enough, Gabrielle was being held back by security as she growled at Jed.

A suited man came onto the scene, between Gabrielle and Jed, forcing her to look up the black, velvety material and into his face. Her scowl slowly disappeared as she took in his appearance.

Golden, tan skin and piercing golden eyes. His jawline was sharp, carved by a god, and detailed with a neatened stubble. He was tall. So fucking tall. And muscular, evidently, under the suit.

The suit. Its jacket was velvet black while the tie was golden, slim and sleek like his demeanour. As he approached her, the air about him spelt power. Sex. Money.

Money.

"Who the fuck are you?" she spat, despite herself.

Her words were almost as soft as a whisper but he heard and responded with a smirk against pink lips.

"I own this place, miss." His composure was cool. Unnervingly cool. "And I don't think you'd want to speak to me like that. Especially now."