*The song for this chapter is Six Feet Under - The Weeknd.*

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Celeste

I had to push the cryptic note that was discovered earlier in the day to the back of my mind for work that night. It was going to be a busy night at Haze and over my dead body was I letting my staff run the night without me there to keep everyone in check.

The purple lights were illuminating the club; the dancers were walking around and performing on the stage keeping our clientele satisfied. All the dancers I'd hired were trustworthy girls that lived and breathed their work, so I was more than happy to give them a safe environment to do their thing in. I took the safety of my girls very fucking seriously, none of the men here were allowed to touch them in the public area of the club, and they certainly weren't allowed to touch them in the private rooms without the consent of the girls and without two of our security team outside of the door.

I was stood behind the bar, flicking through the books and making sure that everything was in check and in order. Even the tiniest of mistakes wasn't going to fly, and with me being a perfectionist I had to ensure everything was in order for when Papa checked the books. I had my head dipped down into the books as I was circling and highlighting the key things that I knew Papa would check when Lana stormed over to me, bag swinging off her shoulder.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" I pipe up, lifting my gaze to hers slightly as I raise my eyebrow in curiosity.

In true Lana style, she flung her bag onto the bar and slumped down on one of the stools before leaning over the bar and grabbing a full bottle of tequila, and throwing some down her throat.

That's my girl.

"The blonde guy from last night has been circulating none stop in my brain and I don't want any of it. Not one single bit of my brain wants to be preoccupied with some guy whose name I don't even remember," she rambled to me, bringing up the bottle to her lips and taking yet another swig.

"Then stop thinking about him" I conclude, looking back down to my books as I continue highlighting the important bits of information.

"Oh my god! Thank you so much for your helpful insight, CeCe! I really never ever considered that," she sarcastically drawled out to me, pushing the bottle away from herself as she placed her bare forehead on the bar.

I rolled my eyes as I quietly removed the bottle from the bar so Lana couldn't hear me, signalling to one of the bar guys to cut her off and not give her any more liquor. The last thing I needed was to be hauling Lana's drunken ass into my car when the night was done.

I slipped out from behind the bar to start my routine patrol of the floor; I wanted to make sure the clientele was happy, the dancers were happy and that everyone was doing their jobs. We had some high-end clients in the bar tonight. Wall Street type men with more money than sense and unsatisfied wives at home.

Hey, if they line my pockets who am I to judge?

My black two-piece suit with a white lace bralette underneath was a perfect fit for tonight's crowd. My black stiletto heels were tapping off the floor as I made my way around the public booths on the main floor, ensuring that everyone was happy and content. As I was about to take my final sweep around the tables at the far back of the club, one of the dancers came up behind me and tapped my shoulder.

"Miss Delgado, one of the VIP booths on the balcony has requested you."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, cocking my head slightly to the side as I turned myself to face her properly.

"It's Celeste, Abigail. You don't have to call me Miss Delgado. Did they say what the issue is?" I question.

"No. Just that they request to see you," she replies, her bright blue eyes and blonde hair shining under the purple lighting of the club.

"Okay, Abigail. Thank you. Get back to work," I tell her, her timid features nodding as she makes her way onto the floor.

I sigh as I make my way to the stairs at the side of the main floor that leads up to the VIP section of the club. I take the steps one at a time in my stiletto's, trying my fucking hardest not to trip and land on my face.

Heels weren't my strong point.

When I make my way up to the VIP section, I glance around and notice that only one of the booths at the far end of the balcony was occupied at that moment. Inhaling a deep breath and exhaling it slowly, I made my way to the booth, my hips swaying ever so slightly as I walked.

If I was going to get shit, I might as well use my best assets to my advantage.

"You requested the owner, sir?" I say when I arrive, plastering on my best fake smile as I stop in front of the booth.

"Sir? I could get used to hearing that leaving your pretty mouth."

I snapped my head up instantly, my jaw slacking slightly as I noticed the man who was sat in the booth in front of me.

It was the man from Sinners.

There he sat, drink of whiskey in hand and dressed in very similar attire that he wore last night. He had a black button-up shirt only half-buttoned up sitting loosely on his frame, black skinny jeans that clung to his slender legs with black smart shoes on his feet. His gold chain was swinging loosely off his neck and his fingers were coated in the same rings that he wore last night.

He looked fucking sexy.

"What do you want?" I question, my whole demeanour changing in his presence as I tried to push away the sinful thoughts that were creeping through my brain involuntarily.

"I didn't know you owned this place," he stated, his eyes raking my entire body from top to bottom before he met my gaze again.

"That's lovely, so glad you discovered that I do. Now, what do you want?" I spoke to him, fake politeness lacing my words as I kept my eyes fixed on his.

He smirked as he leaned back on his elbow, reaching into his pocket with his spare hand as he pulled out a packet of cigarettes and placed one in between his luscious lips.

Stop it, Celeste.

"Join me for a drink?" He asks, signaling to the space opposite him.

"I'd rather die."

He raised his eyebrow as that signature smirk played on the corners of his lips, lifting his lighter up to his cigarette as he inhaled and exhaled the smoke.

"Come on. I can't be worse than the rest of the old fucks in here," he playfully attempts to banter with me, unsuccessfully might I add.

I scoff as I walk over to the table, leaning my body over the table slightly as I reach into his pocket and pull out a cigarette from the box that was in there. I look at him expectantly, my eyes staring straight into his as I wait for him to catch my request. On cue, he leans forward and presses the end of his lit cigarette to mine at an angle. His eyes were glossed over as I maintained eye contact with him, inhaling my now lit cigarette and exhaling it in his face.

"Actually, you are worse than the rest of the old fucks in here. You don't catch a hint to fuck off when I've given you plenty," I reply to him lowly, my body still leaned over the booth table as he took in every syllable that left my lips.

He didn't even flinch at my words, instead, he took another drag of his cigarette and exhaled it over his shoulder before replying, "You see, angel. I would catch a hint if your hint implicated what you claim it does. If you truly didn't want to be here, you would have taken your pretty little ass and turned yourself straight back around."

I raise my eyebrow at him, slightly impressed by his quick response and attempt to shut me down. Exhaling some smoke I'd been holding in my lungs, I click my tongue and stay level with him as I lean closer and drawl, "Now, that wouldn't have been very professional of me now, would it?"

"You don't throw me as the type to care about professionalism, baby," he utters back, discarding his cigarette in the ashtray on the table.

"You don't know a thing about me," I shoot back.

"Nor do you about me, yet you still claimed to know all about my financial status and ulterior motives last night," he replies calmly, his eyes getting a lustful look in them as I exhale the last bit of smoke from my lips discarding of my cigarette as well.

"Was I wrong?" I question, cocking my head to the side as I swipe my tongue across my lower lip, keeping my gaze fixed on his.

"What good would it do me to tell you?" He replied, his knuckles flexing on the material of the booth as he scanned my frame again.

I chuckled lowly, standing myself back up and fixing my suit before taking his empty glass from the table and beginning to walk away.

"Where are you going?" He instantly calls to me, looking flustered from our close interaction.

I glance over my shoulder at him, coating my lips with my tongue briefly as I let a small smirk take over them.

"I'm going to get us them drinks."

/. AHHHHHH! A DOUBLE UPDATE TO SAY THANK-YOU FOR 100 READS!! I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR EACH & EVERYONE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACES!!