Taming The Billionaire Heirs

The pulsating beat of the club hit Claire before she even stepped through the doors, a heavy thump-thump that matched the rhythm of her racing heart. She paused outside for a moment, taking a deep breath of the cool night air, before pushing open the heavy steel door and stepping into a world drenched in neon and shadows.

Inside, the air was thick with sweat, perfume, and tobacco. Claire walked through the club easily, her eyes adjusting to the dim, strobing lights as she made her way to the back room.

The staff lounge was a stark contrast to the chaos outside-a small, quiet space with worn leather couches and a few lockers. She tossed her bag into one of them and quickly changed into her work attire: a sleek black dress that clung to her curves and a pair of knee-high boots that added a few inches to her height. She checked her reflection in the broken mirror, applying a final touch of crimson lipstick and adjusting her brown hair.

"I hope the night passes away quickly," she muttered, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the bar. Behind it, Ray, the head bartender, was already in full swing, mixing cocktails with practiced flair.

"Hey, Ray." She smiled at him.

"Ready for another night in paradise?" Ray shouted over the music, flashing her a grin.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Claire replied, leaning across the bar.

"Hey," she nodded at the unfamiliar girl beside her. Judging from the waitress's uniform, she must be her colleague. But she has never seen her before.

The girl smiled back tightly at her, before muttering "Hey"

Claire's curious eyes trailed her, from her blonde hair to her pale skin, she looked pretty young and naive for the job. But she was quite an innocent beauty.

"There you go!!" Ray handed the tray of cocktails to the girl. She smiled at him, and Claire rolled her eyes when Ray winked at the girl. He must be in his full-blown flirty mood.

"I've never seen her before," Claire could no longer hide her curiosity immediately after the girl left.

Raymond hummed. "She's new."

Claire's mouth formed an "O"

"Quite a beauty for the job," she complimented, her eyes following behind the girl. Compared to Claire, who appeared sexy and feisty working in those uniforms, the girl was the direct opposite. She looked uncomfortable in that outfit, and that made her an easy target.

How did she end up here? She watched her, contemplating, until she reached a table at the conspicuous corner of the VIP lounge. Two men were seated at the table, their faces indiscernible in the dimmed light, but the man in a black suit somehow caught her attention.

Maybe it was the way he puffed his cigarette, or how the smoke dispersed into the air forming vague shapes.

When their gaze met, Claire looked away nervously.

"You're early today," Raymond stated, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah," she replied involuntarily.

"I just finished my shift early," she was referring to her part-time job at the chicken shop.

"I didn't want to go through the stress of returning home, and forcing myself to leave my bed later," she added with a nervous smile.

It was a lie. The only reason she didn't go home was because she was not ready to face her sick mother. At least, not until she had earned enough money today for her medications. Comforting her was becoming exhausting, and today, she felt numb.

"You still ran here" Raymond stated matter of factly, gazing intently at her. She didn't miss the skeptical look on his face.

Inquisitive Ray is here. She better come up with an excuse before she gets busted.

"I needed to shake and sweat some things out of my head," she replied with a shrug, before turning to face the lounge.

"It looks a little deserted today, or is it just me?" She quickly changed the topic.

Raymond hummed a "yes" before saying, "It's midweek, Claire."

Claire heard his voice so closely. He was leaning towards her ears, again. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. Here comes flirty Ray. At least, she was glad his inquisitive side had disappeared.

"People barely show up here on weekdays. Fun is for the weekends" he added in an alluring voice.

That was indeed true. People frequented the club mostly on weekends. Everyone seems to be going around with more serious business during weekdays.

"Well, except for some very interesting people." Claire heard him say. She did not fail to notice how his voice had gone from being playful to cold.

And what she saw next made her blood boil. It was the men from earlier.

The drinking partner of the man in the black suit was harassing the new girl. Claire watched as the man spanked the girl's butt while she poured drink in their glasses. She could picture the excitement and thrill on his face.

And she acted on impulse. Her palms clenched into fists as she strode towards them.

At the back of her clear mind, she heard Raymond calling to her. But rage had clouded her judgment, and the pop music playing loudly in the background only fueled her morale.

Her rational self only resurfaced when she reached the table. Maybe it was because of the strong tobacco scent that invaded her senses, or it was the piercing gaze from 'that man' at their table.

When their eyes met, Claire almost got lost in those piercing blue eyes. They were burning like blue fire against the dim light of the club.

Standing this close to him, she could see his sharp jawline. He was quite handsome, and for a split second, she just stood there admiring his eyes. She always thought Jade, her music idol, was the most handsome man in Veridonia. But gazing at the cold face of this man, her heart fluttered. His indifferent appearance only made him sexier.

But when her thoughts wandered to the reason she was at their table, her admiration deflated like a balloon. What good was his appearance, if he had no moral standing?

He was still puffing his smoke, and she coughed when it diffused in her direction. Beauty or not, a man like him was a red flag.

She looked at the girl who was spilling the drink in the process probably because of the tension. Or maybe because she was in a hurry to get away from the man harassing her. But all the same, her discomfort was visible.

She tried to leave after pouring the drink. But the man held her back, forcing her to sit on his lap. Then he began touching her, provocatively.

Claire lost every sense of rationality, then. She saw the tears falling silently from the girl's eyes, as she tried to cover her face with her long blonde hair.

Her brows furrowed. And she clenched her fist so hard that she felt the pain from the nails digging into her skin.

"Mister, do you know that counts as sexual harassment?" Claire asked loudly, her eyes shooting daggers at the man.

She felt the eyes on her, and she was so sure it was the blue-eyed man. But she ignored him, he was not the reason she was here.

"And who are you?" The man looked at her for the first time.

"Her mother?" He mocked.

"Get your filthy hands off her, or you'll regret it," Claire threatened. She could feel her heart beating loudly, as adrenaline coursed through every vein in her body.

The man chuckled evilly. "Jay, did you hear her?"

Jay. That was the mysterious man's name. It sounded pleasant in her ears, and she almost tried it on her lips.

She waited for the man to say something, and she couldn't deny the feeling of disappointment when he just sat there puffing his cigarette. What was she expecting?

She even felt more disappointed in herself for allowing this man to affect her this easily. But before her disappointment could sink in, she heard a gravelly cold voice.

Three words. "There you go!!"

And before Claire could process anything, she saw wads of cash flying towards her.

"That should be enough for a night." He said indifferently.

Claire felt rage seething through her like a volcano threatening to erupt. Was this man calling her a prostitute?

She watched him put out the cigarette in the ashtray, before tossing the table aside. Then, he stood up and adjusted his suit. Closing the distance between them, his large figure towered over her and she was in awe at how tall he was. Compared to her petite stature, she almost felt intimidated.

"Why?" His voice was so cold, despite the smirk on his face.

Before her confusion could sink in, she heard his next line.

"You've been staring at me the whole night, and although I'm not in a very good mood today, I can still satisfy you."

"Or is the money not enough?" He mocked her.

Claire watched his hand go into his pocket, and he brought more money out. He didn't bother to count it but threw it all on her face.

The money slapped her face so hard that she didn't bother to think of the consequences.

Her eyes caught sight of the glass lying on the table by her side, the drink was still intact.

Did he think he could humiliate her and she would stand there and do nothing? Regrets? She could have them later.

Grabbing the glass of drink, she threw it on his face.

She heard people gasping, and it was then she realized the music had stopped playing and eyes were on them.

"Don't intervene. He cannot know we are following him. Let's go!!" A masculine voice instructed at a darker corner of the club.