Fierce For You (Manhattan Beach Series #1)

“Jessica called. He said you’re ignoring her texts.” Earl, my best friend, told me as we sat in the bar section in the club. I rolled my eyes. Jessica is his cousin that I spent the weekend with. I know I’d made sure that she would understand that all it was about was s*x and pleasure. I don’t do relationships. Hell, I don’t believe in love. I don’t really understand why women believe in it. Love is not true. Whoever believes in love is a moron. How can people even love? This world revolves around money and pleasure. “I told you to not let her come near me if she’s going to act like my girlfriend the next day.” I told Earl before sipping on my whiskey. He laughed and shook his head. “Well, could you blame a little girl? I just wish you didn’t leave her without a word after the deed.” I rolled my eyes. “I hate to break it to you, dude, but I briefed your cousin about my rules before even touching her.” He shrugged. “You know girls, dude. Once they’ve reached heaven, they’ll be wanting to reach it again and again.” He said before gulping his drink down. “Anyway, music’s getting better. I need to find myself a mate tonight.” He saluted before making his way to the dance floor where women—almost wearing nothing—are grooving. I stayed in the bar and ordered another shot of whiskey. I’m going to get tipsy first before I can get myself to barge in the dance floor and have fun. And besides, I’m not really in the mood to dance. If I was, I would have gotten to the dance floor long before Earl did. “Fierce Bradley, right?” I heard a lady’s voice from my side. I looked at her and raised my brow at her face. “You know me?” I asked. She laughed. Her pearl white set of teeth and dimples welcomed me. Her red hair goes exactly so perfect with her porcelain white skin and her body is no joke. Everyone can see her curves even from sitting. “Who wouldn’t know you?” She leaned closer to me. “Notorious bad boy…” she whispered to my ear. But she’s not my type. I smirked. “Not too notorious for you, though…” She narrowed her eyes at me. I guess she got what I meant with that. She immediately jumped away from me giving me her deadliest glare before walking away from me. I smirked on my seat and just shrugged. Maybe the flavor this week is going to be innocence. Provocative is good but it’s boring. Maybe I want some challenge right now. “One shot of the strongest in the house.” My ears perked up when I heard a sweet lady’s voice on my right. My head immediately turned to that direction and was so shocked when I saw a hot semi-tanned girl with bronze hair fixing herself in her seat. She’s wearing a sleeveless cropped top and a pair of tight pants. Unlike all the other women in the club, she’s not wearing something too daring but she attracts me more than any other lady in the house. Her long hair flows down her waist and I can imagine my fingers running through them. She’s all so covered up but my insides are boiling with the sight of her curves. f**k! She lifted her head and her eyes landed on mine. f*****g s**t! I can’t believe I’m staring at the most beautiful pair of jade eyes in the whole world. “Excuse me?” She talked to me. Damn. Her sweet voice is going to be the death of me. I need to own her tonight. I need to get over this tonight. “What?” What’s your name? That’s what I wanted to ask but Fierce Bradley doesn’t work that way. I don’t come to girls. Girls come to me. But damn it. Maybe for this beautiful lady, I’d compromise. She furrowed her brows. “You were staring at me. I thought you have something to say.” She said. “Sorry.” She looked away and stared at the bartender again. Lucas, the bartender, smiled at her. I can see from the side that she smiled at him as well. I had to shut my eyes. If I don’t own her tonight, her motherfucking smile will haunt me forever. Lucas gave her drink and she thanked him. For once in my whole life, I wished I am not the heir to the Bradley Industries but a damn bartender in this bar. Damn it! She took a sip on her tequila and I saw her face contort in the taste. I smiled to myself. Innocence, right? Now, I’ve found the best prospect for my flavor of the week. She took out her phone and started typing something in. She looked furious as she typed in. and it makes me think how sexy she is when she is angry. Even with her furrowed brows and her pursed lips, she looked so fresh and sexy. “Oh, just get lost.” She muttered under her breath as she read something on her screen. I wonder who she’s fighting with. Does she have a boyfriend or her friend? Screw them all. Even if she has a boyfriend, I’ll see to it that she’ll end up in a hotel bed tonight with me. I’ll make her experience heavenly and earthly desires all at the same time. “Hey…” I interrupted her. She locked her phone and looked at me. “Yes?” She asked with a confused expression written on her face. I wonder where she’s from because she doesn’t seem to recognize me. She must not be from NYC because she doesn’t know me. Or maybe she isn’t the type who goes to clubs. “Are you alone?” I asked, silently praying to myself that I am not creeping her out even if her facial expression says it all. She nodded before looking away. Whatever happened makes me want to punch myself for doing it wrong. But I will not back out on this. If I want to sleep tight the next few days, I have to pursue this beautiful lady. I transferred to the seat beside her. I can even see Lucas smirking from his spot. He probably sees how interested I am in this lady. I glared at him and he shrugged. “I’m Fierce Bradley.” Memorize it, baby. You’ll scream my name tonight…and probably on the next nights when you dream about me touching you again. She just looked at me without hinting any expression in her face. The confusion a while ago is gone. She’s now looking at me like I’m some creepy man who wants to get to her pants. Well, I want to see everything underneath her clothes, though. “I was wondering if you’d also tell me your name…” Shame. What kind of lame attacks am I going to resort with? I just need to fulfill my mission for tonight. And that is to get this gorgeous lady underneath me. Own her probably five straight times or so. That’s all I need for tonight. She smirked at me. “So, you’re Fierce.” I can see a glint of hope from the way she uttered my name. She looked like she’s going to laugh at me soon. But whatever. As long as she goes to the hotel room with me tonight and I can touch and kiss every inch of her tanned body. Fuck. Thinking about it makes me real hard right now. “I’m Toni.” She said so sweetly that I think her name sounds like a brand of candy. Her jade eyes are too clear from this distance that I can’t help but adore them. I smiled, feeling a little triumph now that she told me her name. “Are you alone?” Toni nodded. “I was supposed to meet with my friend but she bailed on me.” She shrugged. I wanted to award that friend of hers when I meet her. I want to thank her for bailing on Toni tonight. I opened topics for us and she graciously talked with me. I’ve known that she’s from Manhattan and this is only her first time staying in New York City for good because of her work. She didn’t tell me what she does, though. I haven’t asked anyway. “Where are you going after this?” I asked her. She looked tipsy now. She’s tanned but I can see her cheeks flushing now. She must have had enough of alcohol by now. She’s been drinking too much. “Uhm…home?” She waved her hand at Lucas asking for more drinks but I held her hand and motioned Lucas that she’s not getting any drink anymore. Toni pouted in front of me. She looked cute and adorable but I still can’t get deny how sexy she looks right now. “I want to drink some more!” She whined but I shook my head. “No, baby. You can’t be too drunk tonight.” I can’t have you passing out on me. She pouted more and that made me smile. She loves pouting and I think she owns it that way. I can’t believe someone as mature as her would actually act like this. She’s just so…unpredictable. “Why? Are you going to have s*x with me tonight?” I almost choked on her words. How can she casually utter those words in public? We’re lucky no one seemed to care about us in here or that would have been a huge hit on the headlines in the morning! “And don’t call me baby. I’m probably older than you. It doesn’t sound so good.” She said as she took her purse. I raised my brow as I watched her take out something from her purse. I gave her a confused look when I saw her holding out her ID. “See? I’m older than you, right?” She said as if she’s so contented that she’s older than I am. I pulled her closer and leaned my chin on her shoulder with my mouth so close to her ear. “You’re still my baby even if you’re two years older than me.” I whispered. I smiled in content when I saw her stiffen with what I did. Hell, no one would feel numb with that move. Girls love when men whisper to them. I know Toni isn’t different. She’s a woman after all! She slowly looked at me with narrowed eyes. It’s as if she’s trying to weigh down what I just said by looking at my face. But then I placed my arms around her waist and pulled her in between my thighs. She gasped at my move. “What if I tell you I want to bed you tonight?” I whispered as my hands roamed to her bare stomach. f**k! This is going to be so good.