Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel) novel Chapter 11

Clairessa’s POV

Chapter 11: Rebound Night Out

The club was alive, pulsing with the same powerful energy I remembered. It was a place where powerful men came to live out their fantasies. Jess and I stood by the bar, and I could feel the eyes of some of the men on me, drawn by the silver dress I wore–the one with a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination. The attention gave me a sense of power I hadn’t felt in a long time, and I relished it.

“Claire… it’s your night. They’re all staring,” Jess whispered in my ear, her voice full of encouragement. I gave her a satisfied smile, and we both giggled like we were sharing a secret the world couldn’t understand

The bartender handed us our drinks, and I ordered a margarita, something light but potent enough to keep me in control. I took a slow sip, savoring the taste while my eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face. But Gabriel was nowhere to be seen, and my heart sank, the confidence I felt moments ago waning.

“Hello, beautiful,” a deep, bold voice called out behind me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turned to face the voice and found myself looking at an undeniably attractive man. Tall, dark, and with a sexy charm that was hard to ignore. “Hi,” I replied, taking him in, trying to gauge if he could offer the distraction I desperately needed.

“I’m Dave,” he introduced himself, extending a hand toward me.

“Claire,” I said, my voice low as I took his hand, offering a soft smile in return.

“Would you like to come with me to my private section?” he asked, his tone inviting yet filled with an expectation I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet.

I hesitated, unsure of what I wanted, when Jess’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Yes, we would. Where are you seated?”

“Right above,” Dave said, pointing to the secluded section upstairs.

“Great, lead the way,” Jess chimed in, and before I could protest, we were following him to a dimly lit, more private area of the club. The atmosphere was more intense, with a couple nearby lost in each other, making out with a passion that made me feel out of place.

He pulled my face close to his, his striking grey eyes locking onto mine. He was beautiful, yet I felt tense and on edge. “Relax,” he murmured into my ear, his breath warm against my skin. “I don’t bite.”

“No, he didn’t do anything. It’s not him, it’s me,” I blurted out, my voice breaking as my emotions got the best of me. “I just want to go home, please.”

“Oh, Claire…” Jess sighed, pulling me into her arms. “You’re going to be alright,” she whispered, holding me close as I let the tears I’d been holding back finally fall.

I sat on my bed, staring blankly at my laptop screen, unable to focus on the files displayed in front of me. My mind was elsewhere, replaying that night at the club with Gabriel. His intense gaze, the way his touch had ignited something within me, and his lips–I could feel my body come alive just thinking about it. As much as wanted to push the images away, I was powerless to stop them. But then I remembered how cold he had been to me at the office, and I suddenly felt angry. That night had meant nothing to him, proving he was no different from Adrian.

Adrian, the man I thought was the love of my life, turned out to be the one responsible for my pain–the reason I ended up at that club in the first place. If only he hadn’t cheated, none of this would have happened. Now, all I felt was an emptiness that longed to be filled. I was wallowing in the chaos of my thoughts when my laptop pinged with a notification.

I opened the email and froze. It was a message from Tems, Gabriel’s PA.

“You will be going on a two–day business trip with Mr. Storm. Please pack your bags. A car will be sent to pick you up.”