Strip Club

Claire arrived at the club after an hour and thirty minutes of driving. The long drive only intensified her anxiety. She began to question everything, starting when her grandfather suddenly insisted she marry just to claim her inheritance.

It didn't make sense. She was the sole inheritor since her mother had passed away, so who else would he give it to? Was she overthinking it, or were her grandfather and Joshua's grandfather just two friends who decided it would be best if their children became family?

Claire wished Joshua wasn't such a stuck-up jerk. They could have had plenty to talk about, starting with how their union had been forced upon them.

Elvis was waiting outside the club, his phone in hand, as he called her. When she stepped out of the car, he raised his eyebrows at her.

"You came in a cab?" he asked, clearly astonished.

Claire sighed. "Hello to you too, Elvis. It's so great to see your face."

"You don't look good, Claire. Is everything alright at home? Do you need my help or something?" Elvis asked, clearly showing his concern as he approached her.

She smiled and patted his arm, "No need to worry. I am fine!"

Elvis had light skin, a low-cut hairstyle, and nerdy freckles on his face. He was unassuming, but he had a way of breaking down her walls and becoming her friend. They had worked together for three years at her grandfather's automobile company before she hired him as an assistant when she started her own business.

Elvis shook his head in mock pity and covered her hand with his. "You must really be going through a rough time if you decided to come here rather than have really hot sex."

Claire's face turned red, and she slapped his hand away. "I told you it's nothing like that."

"No? Well, it does seem like it," Elvis teased.

"Shall we discuss my marriage or take me to the client?" Claire asked, changing the subject.

"Right, come with me," Elvis said, leading her into the club.

As they walked through the thick crowd of loud, dancing people, Claire wrapped her arms around herself. She should have been out partying instead of getting married. When was the last time she had such a fantastic time? She had been so consumed with work that she hadn't made time for herself. If she had enjoyed life more, maybe this marriage wouldn't feel like a cage.

"Are we really going to discuss business here?" Claire shouted over the music.

"Not exactly. There's a quieter area for the VIPs," Elvis replied, slightly glancing at her.

"I see."

He took her hand and led her through the crowd, a tactic he often used in rowdy places like markets or airports. Claire was small in stature, and it was easy for her to get lost in the crowd. They climbed a staircase where Elvis showed them a card before they were allowed in. When Claire entered the secluded section, she saw why it was reserved for VIPs.

"An exclusive strip club?" she exclaimed. "We're having a meeting at an exclusive strip club?!"

Elvis sighed regretfully. "I admit, the place is rather unusual. Like I said, this particular client has unique tastes."

"We're going to charge them extra for this nonsense," Claire declared as they walked past naked dancers of both genders.

It was a surreal scene. Almost everyone was naked except for a few businessmen in suits sipping wine. Claire couldn't believe her eyes. She found herself in the middle of a sensual environment, holding a meeting. What else could go wrong on this day?

"You've brought her," a young man with glasses said to Elvis. "She's your boss, right?"

Elvis quickly snapped, "And the company's owner, too."

The young man nodded slightly at Claire but didn't offer to shake her hand. "Thank you for coming, ma'am. My name is Nathan Peres. I'll be representing the company."

"You mean you're not the one who wants our services?" Claire interrupted.

"Not exactly. I'm his personal assistant, but he should be around somewhere. Please, have a seat," Nathan replied politely, gesturing for her to take a seat.

The young man gestured towards a comfortable-looking sofa positioned at the back, giving them a clear view of the scene unfolding before them, with male and female strippers parading around. Claire noticed someone engaging intimately with a stripper in a far corner and quickly cleared her throat, taking a seat.

"I don't see why I should be here since your CEO isn't here either," she muttered.

The man heard her. "I'm sorry. Mr. Cane isn't in a positive mood at the moment, so I decided to let him cool off for the time being. I also didn't expect you to be here."

"Spare me the details," Claire said, pushing down her irritation. "Everyone has their own issues. If he had shown up..."

Her words trailed off as she noticed something at the side. A man sat in a chair while a stripper danced around him provocatively. He held a cigarette, and his hair was impeccably styled. Claire would recognise that hair anywhere. She glanced briefly at Nathan. "Is your boss here?"

Nathan gave a small smile. "Yes. Like I said, I let him cool off while I handled the details of our meeting."

She looked at the man once again and then back at Nathan. "What's his name, this CEO of yours?"

"Oh, you may have heard of him. He's Joshua Cane, and he actually suggested we meet here. If you'd like to meet him personally,

Claire chuckled and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh no, no, that's fine."

Her eyes couldn't help but stray back to the man. When his head turned to the side, she caught a glimpse of his face. The stripper was now straddling him, seductively smiling as she trailed her hand along his suit. His head jerked back, and their eyes met.

In a sudden, thunderous moment, Claire looked away and back at Nathan...