1 Chapter 1

Music blared, the base thumping like a heartbeat. The walls shook witht the sounds, making the glasses shutter with every pulse. The lights were low, almost blue, making the atmosphere intimate and secluded.

It was a typical Saturday night. The Co-Eds were out enmasse. Alcohol was flowing freely, and those who were wasted were having more fun than their sober counterparts. No one had any doubts most of those crammed together into the club were underage and using fake IDs. At the same time, everyone knew who owned this club. The rules were lax except for the dress code, so most of the time a blind eye was turned.

Smoke was thick, the smell of tobacco and other things. It didn't stop people from dancing and having fun. If anything, it enhanced the feelings in the darkened space. Girls in slinky dresses and high heels released their inhibitions and let loose. They could have fun and be safe. Bodyguards crawled the place making sure the fairer sex was undisturbed if they didn't wish to be.

Luke Meyes slammed his glass down on the table and glanced around. The boys in his VIP lounge were having fun. Each had at least two girls on his lap and were good hosts. The girls were laughing and pouring drinks, some even using various parts of their bodies as drinking vessels. It didn't matter if they were sloppy drunk. They were having fun and spending money.

The young man sighed. Being owner of the most popular club in Baymont was fun until it wasn't.

He stood and stepped onto the balcony. Looking out over his pride and joy, he watched his patrons have fun. They knew his rules and abided by them well. He wasn't prone to bouts of anger, but when people didn't listen, he was not happy. This place was one for fun and letting loose. It had a strict dress code and air of decorum. If those weren't followed, he had no issues ejecting people. Even some of his most valued clients had been tossed once or twice.

His mood was restless, and this was the last place he wanted to be. Sighing, he caught the manager's eye and motioned him up. Waiting for him, he told his friends to enjoy themselves as he was leaving.

Giving his manager his final orders, Luke stumbled out into the cool night. He pulled his jacket tighter around him as he walked down the brightly lit streets. The sidewalk by his club was full of expectant patrons itching to get inside. Some even greeted him as he came out of the alley. He couldn't remember their names with his foggy brain, but he answered anyway. It was the mark of a good businessman.

Being well known had its advantages, but there were also disadvantages. Too many people wanted to get in his good graces because they knew how generous to his friends he was. They just wanted to brag they received a gift from him.

A girl barely older than twenty latched onto his arm, giggling uncontrollably. It was very well-known Luke wasn't married, and to anyone's knowledge, he was single. Men and women alike proposed all sorts of arrangements with him, but he always turned them down. He'd earned the reputation of Lonely Luke.

Once a bodyguard pried her away, Luke continued on his way. It was like he was on autopilot. He was too drunk to drive, but he knew the way by heart. He could have asked someone to drive him, but his destination was a secret. He didn't want anyone to know. It was his little secret.

He enjoyed walking alone. This side of town was well-lit, and he could see up and down the street for nearly a mile. Restaurants, bars, clubs, and coffee shops lined the streets. Almost everything stayed open until the wee hours of the morning. Luke's own club was open until four in the morning and opened at eleven at night.

Luke was a quiet soul. He owned loud and obnoxious businesses, but he would rather be in a quiet corner with a good book. He had always been this way despite his upbringing. Sometimes his father wondered if he was his biological father even though they knew he was. Luke just didn't like overly noisy things in his personal life.

He turned one last corner and came to the street he'd been aiming for. It was a residential area half a mile from the busy downtown party scene. Street lights were placed every ten feet, making the street much darker than the area from which he'd come.

That's what Luke loved most about this area. It was quiet and homey, even with the various townhouses looming above him. Flowers sat on front porches and lined picket fences. Some front lawns had toys and bicycles strewn about. Children grew up in happy homes here.

Luke came to a light townhouse. All the lights were off save the front porch light. He fumbled with his keys so he could find the key to the gate. Being snookered didn't help matters, and he found himself giggling at his stupidity.

Finally through the first obstacle, he locked it back and stumbled up the stairs. He tripped on the top step and nearly hit the wall. A chair was his saving grace. He sat for a minute to find the house key. Taking a deep breath, he stood and tried to unlock the door. This took four tries before he fell through the entrances. Sprawled on the floor, he laughed at himself once again. Being drunk and doing stupid things was always funny.

Somehow, Luke managed to lock the front door. He sighed and kicked off his shoes. In his befuddled mind, he somehow knew to remove them. If he didn't there would be consequences.

Suddenly, his throat was dry. Trudging slowly, he found his way into the kitchen and to the fridge. There was plenty of water so he grabbed one. He didn't bother taking a drink though. He took it upstairs, tripping the entire way. It was amazing the bottle didn't burst.

Luke had to count the doors as he walked down the hallway. He was looking for the third door on the left. He had to recount twice before he found it. For the umpteenth time, he laughed at himself as he pushed open the door.

He was brealy through when he started stripping. His tie hit the floor first followed by his coat. His jacket followed but it took time to get his dress shirt off. He cursed at it when he threw it away. He simply walked out of his pants as he smacked into the bathroom door.

The lights burned his eyes when he flopped them on. He toed off his socks on his way to the shower. He turend on the taps, scalding himself when the water blazed immediately. Luke sat on the sink to remove his underwear then stepped into the shower.

Hours of sweat, smoke, and booze flowed down the drain. Luke washed his body and was reaching for the shampoo to wash his hair. The bottle slipped from his fingers and clattered to the showerbase. Bending over, he tried to pick it up, but his brain was fuzzy.

There was an even louder crash as he toppled to the floor. Luckily, he didn't hit his head. He sat down, laughing uncontrollably as the water pelted him in the face.

He heard a curse before the shower door was wrenched open. A sleepy, handsome face scowled at him as he smiled stupidly up at it. He held up the shampoo bottle, wiggling it in his hand.

With another curse, the newcomer jerked it away from his hand. Luke heard the bottle make a splurt sound before two large hands massaged suds into his wet hair. Despite their size, they were gentle on his tender head. He enjoyed the scrubbing, eyes closing as his head bobbed back and forth.

The water stopped hitting him in the face. Now it was a steady stream on his head. Suds flowed down his body. But it was gone all too soon. The water was turned off, leaving him cold.

A fluffy towel landed on his head and was rubbed gently over his hair.

"You should have called me before randomly showing up." Luke couldn't think of anything snarky to say so he hummed. "Are you drunk?"

"Mmhmm," he mumbled.

"Damn it, Luke."

Not liking the gruff tone, the chastised man held out his arms. He heard a sigh before two strong arms wrapped around him and pulled his body up. He stumbled out of the stall and stood still when his back was pressed to the wall. The towel skimmed his body swiftly but thoroughly.

Luke reached up and found the face of the other person. He was reprimanded by a swift slap to his damp thigh. He dropped his hands and waited patiently. Even in his drunken haze, he knew better than to test the other man. He was well-versed in martial arts, but the other man was a retired army special forces captain. He would instantly regret challenging him.

He was led to the bedroom and made to wait against the wall. Clean boxer briefs were painstakingly slid over each foot then up his legs before nestling on his hips. His butt was given a painful slap before he was led across the room to the bed.

Luke tossed himself intot the soft mattress and rolled around it for a moment. He settled against the thick pillow, eyes starting to droop when he was comfortable.

"Wait a minute." His eyes opened at the command. "Sit up and take this. If you don't, you're going to have one rager of a headache."

Sitting up, the young man took the medicine and washed it down with the bottle of water he'd brought up and forgotten. He nestled against the pillow again, watching the other person curse and mumble to himself as he picked up Luke's discarded clothing. He was getting warmer and by default sleepy.

A few moments later, the bed dipped with the other man's weight. Luke rolled towards his warmth, forehead instinctively going into his shoulder. Luke sighed contentedly, one hand coming up to the solid chest beneath him.

"If you try anything," the other man said. "I will kick you onto the floor. I've had a long day."

"Don't worry," Luke slurred. He kissed the collarbone beneath his chin. "I just want to sleep."

He heard the other man sigh then roll into him. Any other night, the sheets would be a mess. But Luke knew this person was tired from the vague sleepiness he'd seen on his face. Drunk sex was fun, but Luke liked to remember his escapades.

It took a bit, but he was finally able to drift off to sleep. Whether it was the bed he was in or the man beside him, Luke was comfortable enough to relax his drunken brain and go to sleep. He'd deal with the consequences when he woke up.