Chapter 4: I Found Her

Liam's pov

I'm used to waking up early—years of insomnia will do that to you. It's a habit I've had since I was a teenager, and it's only gotten worse over the years, especially when I drink. But this morning, something about last night kept me in a deep slumber longer than usual. I didn't wake up until 6:30 AM, and when I opened my eyes, I immediately noticed something missing—the girl from last night.

Annoyance prickled through me. Why did it bother me so much? It wasn't like I hadn't had my fair share of one-night stands, but I'd never once been left with this sense of dissatisfaction after. I had the night of my life with her, and there was still a dull ache on my back from where she had scratched me in the heat of our passion. A smirk tugged at the corners of my lips despite myself. She was a wild one, that girl—a little firecracker.

I couldn't deny it. I wanted more.

That thought chilled me to my core. Since when did I care about seeing a woman twice? I had a rule—one and done, and I never went back. But with her, something was different. I needed to know who she was. I couldn't get her scent out of my head. A mix of cherries and honey, it was intoxicating, and I found myself wishing I could bottle it, inhale it every day.

I tossed aside the sheets and headed toward the closet in Ian's penthouse. Ian had a knack for picking up women, and it was a lucky thing he and I were the same size. I pulled on a suit, freshened up, and prepared myself for the day. My phone buzzed as I made my way to the car, and I knew it was time to make a call.

Jason, the owner of the club, picked up after four rings, groggy and clearly irritated.

"You know I work at night and sleep during the day," he said with a yawn. "This better be fucking important."

"I need to cash in a favor," I told him, getting straight to the point.

"This is the last favor I owe you, Carter," he replied, his voice sharp with irritation.

"You'll put yourself in my debt again before the end of the month; I'll bet all my wealth on that," I said, confident as ever.

He scoffed on the other end of the line. "Fair enough. What do you need?"

"I need the list of every person who attended the club last night, along with their photos," I ordered.

There was a long silence before he responded. "That's a breach of customer privacy."

"I don't give a damn," I replied, tone cold. "I want it now."

"I could go to jail for this, you know," he warned, but I wasn't about to back down.

"If you go to jail for emailing me some pictures, I'll lose all faith in our judicial system," I retorted, barely masking my annoyance.

"You'll get it in a second," Jason muttered. "One more thing, Liam."

"What?" I snapped.

"Don't ever call me before 9 AM right after a work night," he said, clearly fed up.

I didn't bother to respond, hanging up before he could say another word. Three minutes later, my inbox pinged, and I opened the email with haste. Dozens of photos flashed across the screen—every person who had been at the club the night before. I scrolled through the list, but none of the faces stood out. There was no sign of her.

Frustration churned in my gut. I swore under my breath and called Jason again.

"I had just managed to fall asleep again," he groaned when he picked up. "What now?"

"She's not here," I growled, tapping the screen in irritation.

"Who are you talking about?" Jason asked, clearly confused.

"The girl from last night," I said, my voice tight with frustration. "Are you sure this is everyone who was there?"

"Of course," he replied. "But if your girl used someone else's ticket or snuck in somehow, I can't help you."

I slammed my fist against the steering wheel in frustration. I'd have to find her my own way. But first, I had a meeting to attend.

When I arrived at Lance Corp, the workers were already seated in the meeting room, droning on about the new merger. I tuned them out, my thoughts still on the girl I couldn't shake from my mind. I already knew everything I needed to know about the merger.

"Where are the reports?" I asked, voice tinged with impatience.

The woman leading the presentation smiled at me, her eyes lingering a bit too long. She was one of those who had been staring at me since I walked in, clearly trying to get my attention. Her name escaped me, but I wasn't interested.

"They're right here," she said, standing up to hand me the folder.

I barely glanced at her as I took the reports. But something caught my attention. As she bent over to place the folder in front of me, a sweet, familiar scent filled my nose—cherries and honey, unmistakable. My pulse quickened, and I froze. My eyes snapped up to meet hers.

Recognition flickered in her gaze.

I couldn't believe it.

My mind raced, and my heart pounded harder than it had all morning. I had known from the moment I saw her last night that there was something unforgettable about her, but now that I had her in front of me again, it was all too clear.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she quickly straightened up, hurrying back to her seat. The woman, who I now remembered was named Brittany, opened her mouth, but I cut her off.

"I think I've heard enough, Patricia," I said, my tone dismissive.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It's Brittany," she corrected quickly, but I didn't care.

"I don't care," I muttered, already moving on. "I've heard everything I need to hear. Email the rest to my assistant, and I'll review it."

I stood up and turned to Emma Lance, the head of the company. I slid the contract over to her, and she glanced through it quickly, her brow furrowing.

"I don't like how we bear the brunt of the loss," she said.

"And I don't like how I'm supplying all the equipment, but here we are," I replied coldly, my patience thinning.

She sighed, looking defeated, but quickly signed the document. "I'll see you later, Mr. Carter."

"Can I have a word with Aria?" I asked, my eyes already locked on her.

Emma raised an eyebrow but nodded, stepping aside.

"Why do you need to speak to her?" Emma asked, her curiosity piqued.

"She mouthed every word of the proposal without looking up at the screen. That's the kind of person I need to talk to," I replied, voice firm.

Emma studied me for a moment, then shrugged. "You're done with the interrogation, I suppose." She gave me a curt nod. "Consider it done."

As soon as the door closed, I locked it behind me, leaving Aria and me alone in the room. She stood there, uncertain but clearly intrigued.

"It's you," I said, my voice low, almost a whisper.