Four

A heavy blast of techno music greeted them as they walked into the circa club.

The entire atmosphere was pervaded by noise and blasting music. People cheered loudly at a dancer couple that had taken over the floor to strut their stuff. Others sat in twos or threes at the bar or in lounges.

Ariana could still feel her mental and physical exhaustion, but she was determined to have fun no matter what. Beyond the pressures from work, she needed to at least stop thinking about the God-forsaken marriage she had unknowingly been pushed into with Ashton.

"Let's go get some drinks," She told Gene with urgency.

"But I want to see Trey Songz perform." Gene wailed. "And he is at the exclusive VIP lounge."

The last thing on Ariana's mind was to go screaming for a shirtless celebrity who obviously overpaid to perform for ten minutes.

"I'll be at the bar," Ariana said dismissively and sailed towards the bar loaded with drinks. She smiled at the blond waiter. "Two shots of tequila please,"

And that's how it began. Shot after shot after shot after shot. By the time Gene came over, chatting excitedly about taking a picture with Trey Songz she was going to upload on Instagram, Ariana could only make out a blurry hazy silhouette of her friend.

Gene held up a small glass as she stared at her friend in alarm. "How many of these have you had Ariana?"

"idon'tknow" the words tumbled out carelessly.

Gene set the glass down. "Um okay Ari, I think it's time to get you home," Gene said tentatively as she tried to lift her friend from the bar stool.

In a surprising show of strength, Ariana shoved her off roughly. "Geroff me! I'm ash sober ash I'm gonna get!" The words rushed out in a bunch of drunken indecipherable syllables. She took the glass back and downed the rest of the drink in defiance.

"What?" Gene asked uncomprehendingly. Ariana stood up and tried to stand but she was too drunk so her stance was unsteady and awkward. She accidentally kicked her silver louis vuitton heels in the direction of a tall handsome guy walking towards the bar. He picked it up and came over to give it to her.

"Uh…I think you dropped this," he said politely.

Ariana grinned sheepishly at him and threw herself against his body, interlocking her hands at the back of his neck. ''Hey there handsome, wanna pance?'' She asked in a drunken but slightly seductive slur.

"Uh….do you mean dance?" the guy asked her with amusing confusion.

Gene ran her hands nervously through her hair. She was annoyed at this point. Why did she think to bring Ariana here? Ariana was naturally lightheaded which was usually why she stayed away from alcohol. Until tonight.

When Gene looked up again, Ariana was in the arms of another stranger with big lustful eyes that looked like they wanted to devour her whole. Gene started towards them, unintentionally hearing snatches from conversations around her.

"Is that not Ariana Hudson? The CEO of Hudson Developments?" A female voice asked, perplexed.

'Yep, looks very much like her. I recognize her from the papers. The youngest CEO in New York."

"So shameless," the female clucked in disgust.

"I could swear that it is Ariana Hudson....!"

"I never knew she could be a drunken slut….." Another voice.

"Women like that act all high and mighty until they get the opportunity to show their true colors." Observed another.

Ariana's sexy blue eyes were taunting her latest target whose lust was growing every second. His voice grew husky and seductive.

"Let us get out of here baby," He said into her ear.

Ariana giggled giddily. "Where are you taking me, cowboy?" Her hands slid down his groin in a strongly suggestive manner and he growled slowly.

"Anywhere you like," he murmured, caressing her loose golden-wavy hair. She would definitely be one fantastic conquest, and in his mind, the stranger was already embellishing how he would tell the story of how the rich, famous, and insanely gorgeous Ariana Hudson had offered herself up like juicy meat for him to devour.

Ariana was about to respond when she felt a strong masculine hold on her arm and a fierce whisper in her ear.

"Stop making a bloody fool of yourself!"

Despite her deep-seated drunkenness, her alcohol-riddled brain dredged up the recognition of Ashton's baritone from the depths of her consciousness.

"Ashton…?"

The other guy clearly annoyed at the intrusion, clamped an iron fist hold on Ariana's wrist and snapped at Ashton. "Let her go!"

Ashton's eyes were cool and hard. "You let her go," he snapped back, shoving the stranger back. The other guy staggered and instinctively let go of Ariana's hand. Slightly disoriented, he bounced back shouting in Ashton's face.

Barely unable to contain his anger and disgust, Ashton punched him hard in the face. The guy swiftly responded with a blow to Ashton's stomach, the momentum sent Ariana flying and she crashed against one of the couches. By now the attention of the whole club was on them. People were even staring from upstairs, crowded against the balustrade.

Gene hurried to her side.

"Are you okay Ari?" Gene asked with concern.

Ariana smiled dreamily, still obviously drunk.

Ashton had gained his bearings and had landed two extra powerful punches on the guy's face, making sure to knock out a tooth or two. His adversary was unable to get back up, and Ashton directed his gaze to Ariana who was drunkenly splayed out on the couch asking for another drink.

"Damn you to hell and back Ariana, for this stupid embarrassment" Ashton swore. The club had become eerily and uncomfortably quiet. Even the music had stopped, so all the onlookers had watched with undivided attention as Ashton carried Ariana in his arms and walked towards the exit. Gene hurried after them with Ariana's shoes and purse. Outside, Ashton cursed again seeing more onlookers and their smartphones capturing the moment no doubt with pictures and videos.

Floating between consciousness and unconsciousness, Ariana heard snatches of a conversation between Gene and Ashton

"I'll call her driver…"

"Never mind, I will handle it…"

Ashton's driver zoomed off once Ashton had given him Ariana's Tribeca address.

Ariana's head was perched on Ashton's lap, so it was not difficult for him to stroke her hair, and while her eyes could only make out blurriness and haziness. She managed a smile.

'Wanna kiss me?" She teased

Ashton looked out the window. "You are drunk Ari,"

"But I bet you still wanna kiss me," she giggled. "Acting like you hate me all the time but you desire me so much."

Ashton pretended not to hear her, so she touched his chest feeling the strong fleshy muscles beneath his shirt fabric.

"Please kiss me," she begged.

It was all Ashton needed to lean down and press his lips firmly to hers.

In a few seconds, she blanked out.

***

Streaks of sunlight were splayed on Ariana's face as she blinked open her eyes the following morning. The first thing she deduced was a piercing pounding headache. Ariana sat up slowly holding her head. What made it hurt so bad?

She couldn't recall a single thing other than dressing up, heading out, and arriving at Circa Club. In fact, she was still in her sparkly red bodycon dress. Ariana rested her head back on her pillow. Thirst parched her throat. She turned to her alarm clock to take a look at the time and shock lanced through her.

It was ten in the morning

"Holy crap!" Ariana shouted. "Shit! Shit!"

She grabbed her smartphone and saw fifteen missed calls. Five from Mason, another five from Gene, and five more from Dora, her assistant. She dialed Dora's number immediately and her assistant picked on the first ring.

"Miss Hudson! I have been trying to get a hold of you!"

"Yeah I just saw your calls," Ariana said slowly feeling embarrassment crawl all over her from the soles of her feet.

"The investors from the Venture Capital firm were here this morning," Dora reported.

Ariana's eyes widened. "That was today?"

"Yes Miss Hudson, they were here at eight on the dot, and I called you incessantly..."

Ariana closed her eyes. If she lost out on this deal she would have a lot of explaining to do for her father when he returned, because it had been in the pipeline for months. How would she explain that she lost it because she had gone clubbing during the week and had been too drunk to make it to work on time?

"I'm coming," She said into the phone and promptly hung up.

She raced into the bathroom at breakneck speed and nearly screamed when the jet of cold water touched her banging head. Twenty minutes later, Jameson sent her a text that he had brought the car to the entrance of her apartment building, so she quickly rushed into the elevator.

Arriving at the ground floor, Ariana was shocked to see hundreds of reporters gathered outside the massive glass doors of the lobby. The concierge had obviously locked them out to prevent them from flooding the lobby but they were still banging the doors, thrusting out their microphones, as Ariana opened the doors, they started a barrage of questions, making it impossible for her to get to the car.

"Miss Hudson what happened in circa club last night-?"

"Miss Hudson, is there anything going on between you and Mr. Drake, your sworn archenemy?"

"Miss Hudson, is your father Albert Hudson aware of the relationship between you and Mr Drake?"

"Miss Hudson, why were you hopelessly drunk in Circa club last night? We have video evidence!"

"Miss Hudson, what were you doing in Circa club last night? You are known for not going to such places, what changed?"

Ariana's headache returned fiercely and more menacing than ever. She could see her car but was unable to get to it. She stood there trying to make a decision but the endless barrage of questions coupled with her banging head made the simple process difficult. She was about to defiantly push her way through with sealed lips when she felt a hand clasp hers. Even before looking up, she knew it was Ashton.

As soon as the reporters saw him, their ferocious appetite increased and they turned to him like vultures.

"Mr. Drake, is anything going on between you and Miss Hudson?" A curly-haired reporter asked, leaning forward hungrily.

Ashton deliberately slipped his hands around Ariana's tiny waist before speaking, knowing the reporters would not miss the small but significant action.

"Yes as a matter of fact we are in a relationship," he confirmed as he steered Ariana away. "If you'll excuse us…"

With a tight grip on her hand, he opened the doors to the lobby and the concierge ran to keep it closed from the intruding reporters who were still shouting more questions.

As Ashton steered her off in an unknown direction, Ariana struggled to process this new nightmare.