The bass pounded through Eclipse nightclub as Amelia downed her third vodka cranberry.

For the first time in four years, she felt alive.

"I can't believe you finally dumped that bastard," Jessica shouted over the music, her eyes bright with vindication. "I've been waiting years for this moment!"

Amelia's best friend had despised Damian from day one.

She'd watched him slowly crush Amelia's spirit with his cold indifference, his casual cruelty, his complete dismissal of everything she was.

"To never cooking another dinner that goes straight into the trash," Amelia raised her glass.

"To never sleeping alone in your own bed while your husband screws his ex," Jessica clinked their glasses together.

The alcohol burned, but it felt like freedom.

On the dance floor, Amelia moved like she hadn't in years.

The music flowed through her body, washing away the memory of Damian's disgusted looks, his sighs of annoyance whenever she tried to talk to him, his complete lack of interest in her as a woman.

For the first time since her wedding day, men were looking at her with desire instead of dismissal.

Three of them gravitated toward her, drawn by her confident movements and the way the club lights played across her skin.

She chose the tallest one, letting him pull her closer as the music swirled around them.

His hands were warm on her hips. Real. Present. Everything Damian had never been.

The thought hit her suddenly-she was twenty-eight and still a virgin.

Four years of marriage to a man who had never once touched her with desire. Who had spent their wedding night at the office, leaving her alone in their honeymoon suite.

"AMELIA, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

The roar cut through the music like a gunshot. Amelia spun to see Damian Wright pushing through the crowd, his face twisted with rage she'd never seen before.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was deadly quiet.

"You're coming with me. Now." He grabbed her wrist hard enough to bruise.

"Who the hell are you?" The man she'd been dancing with stepped forward. "Her boyfriend?"

"Her husband!" Damian snarled.

The lie made Amelia see red. "Ex-husband. As of this afternoon."

But she was trapped between them now, each man gripping one of her arms. Damian's fist connected with her dance partner's jaw, sending him stumbling backward.

"Don't fucking touch her!" Damian hauled Amelia toward the exit.

She waited until they reached the quieter hallway before yanking free. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"I need you to go back to the hospital. Tonight."

Amelia stared at him in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"You need to tell the Gifted Doctor to reconsider Sophia's case. Tell him you were wrong about her condition."

"Are you insane?" Her voice rose with incredulity. "I made my professional assessment. The case doesn't warrant his expertise."

"Professional assessment?" Damian's laugh was harsh. "You're his assistant, not a doctor. You let your personal feelings cloud your judgment."

"I don't make mistakes," she said coldly. "And don't get too cocky-you can't affect me anymore!"

"You-"

Before Damian could respond, a saccharine voice cut through their argument.

"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

Lilian Marsh appeared like a vulture scenting carrion. Sophia's best friend, all venom and false sweetness, clearly having followed them from inside.

"I saw you on that dance floor with multiple men," Lilian purred, her eyes glittering with malice. "How shameful. Dancing like a whore while married to one of the city's most eligible bachelors."

Since the divorce wasn't public yet, most people still believed they were married.

"Poor Damian, having such a slutty wife. Tell me, how long have you been cheating on him?"

"Not everyone is as desperate as you, Lilian." Amelia's voice could have frozen fire. "Speaking of desperate-how did Sophia react when she found out about those nude photos you sent her boyfriend?"

Lilian went white. "What photos?"

"The ones you meant to send Damian but accidentally sent to me instead. Very artistic shots with captions like 'My breasts are softer than Sophia's' and 'I can please you better than she can.'"

Even Damian looked shocked, his eyes widening as he stared between the two women.

"You're lying!" Lilian shrieked.

"Am I?" Amelia pulled out her phone with deadly calm. "Should I show everyone? I kept them as evidence of your pathetic attempts to steal your best friend's man."

"Stop!" Lilian lunged forward, hand raised to slap.

Amelia caught her wrist mid-swing and delivered two sharp slaps across Lilian's face. The sound cracked through the hallway like whips.

Lilian stumbled backward, clutching her reddened cheek. "Damian! She attacked me!"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes, expecting protection, expecting him to defend her against his wife's violence.

Instead, Damian's voice was cold as winter. "Get out. Now."

"But she-"

"Do I need to call security?"

Lilian fled, her heels clicking frantically against the marble floor as she disappeared back into the club.

Amelia watched the scene with cold satisfaction.

"Good. Now this should be the last time I see you too, ex-husband. Stop stalking me."

She turned to leave, but something in Damian's chest twisted violently. The way she'd handled Lilian-confident, fierce, unafraid-it was like watching a stranger wear his wife's face.

This wasn't the quiet, submissive woman who'd tiptoed around their penthouse for four years.

His wife. Ex-wife.

The distinction felt meaningless when his blood was burning with inexplicable rage at seeing other men's hands on her body.

As Amelia walked toward the club's exit, another figure stepped into her path.

Tall, expensively dressed, radiating the kind of wealth and power that commanded attention even in a place like Eclipse.

"You've got to be kidding me,"

Damian snarled under his breath, his fists clenching as he watched yet another man approach the woman he was only now realizing he'd never truly known.

From his private booth overlooking the club, Lucas Sullivan had been watching the drama unfold with growing fascination.

The brunette had caught his attention the moment she'd started dancing-there was something about her that reminded him of a masked woman he'd met years ago. Someone he'd been searching for ever since.

But it was the conversation he'd overheard that sealed his interest.

She knew the Gifted Doctor. And it seemed she didn't just know him-she was a particularly influential figure. The mysterious surgeon he desperately needed to save his sister's life.

"I can't believe we're hiding behind pillars like teenagers," his friend Mark complained.

"She might be my only connection to the surgeon I need," Lucas replied, though his eyes remained fixed on Amelia's face.

When he'd seen how she'd handled that blonde woman-quick, decisive, unafraid-he'd been impressed.

And when Wright had tried to drag her away like she was his property, Lucas had felt an unexpected surge of protectiveness.

Now, seeing her walking away from Wright, he made his move.

"Good evening, beautiful."

Amelia looked up at him, exhaustion replacing her earlier fire.

"Look, I'm really not-"

"How many men do I have to tell tonight that she's fucking married!" Damian's roar echoed through the hallway as he charged toward them.

Amelia's face transformed with fury.

"And how many times do I have to tell you we're DIVORCED!"

"We got divorced today! Today, Amelia! And you're already letting strange men put their hands on you!" Damian's voice cracked with an emotion he didn't understand. "Tell me the truth-were you cheating before? Did you break our vows first?"

The accusation hit like a slap. Amelia stared at him in disbelief.

"Do you have any right to ask me that? Any right at all? You're the one who spent months screwing your ex-girlfriend! You broke our vows! And now you're having a meltdown because I'm talking to men after our divorce?"

Something snapped in her expression. Pure, undiluted hatred.

"You want to know the truth, Damian? I was a virgin on our wedding night. And four years later, I still am. Because my husband was so disgusted by me he couldn't even pretend to want me for one night."

Damian went white. "Amelia-"

"No, you wanted the truth. Here it is. Four years of marriage and you never once touched me. Never once looked at me like I was a woman instead of an obligation. So forgive me if I don't feel guilty about finally finding men who actually want me."

She looked up at Lucas, taking in his confident bearing and expensive suit. Perfect.

She grabbed Lucas's hand, her voice honey-sweet. "I've had enough drama for one night. Would you take me home?"

Lucas felt her small hand in his and saw the challenge in her eyes.

This woman was using him to hurt her ex-husband, and normally he'd walk away from such games.

But something about her drew him in.

"It would be my pleasure," he said smoothly.

Damian's face went purple. "Do you even know who you're talking to?"

Of course Damian knew Lucas Sullivan. The billionaire whose wealth made the Wright fortune look like pocket change.

A man known for being untouchable, who never got involved in other people's drama.

"Mr. Sullivan," Damian said carefully, his business instincts warring with his inexplicable jealousy. "She's upset. She doesn't know what she's saying."

Lucas pushed Damian's reaching hand away with cold precision.

"Mr. Wright, the lady seems to know exactly what she's saying. You're the one who needs to learn when to walk away."

Without warning, Lucas swept Amelia up into his arms, carrying her bridal-style.

Amelia's eyes widened in shock. She'd expected him to play along, not literally sweep her off her feet.

But seeing Damian's face-the way his jaw dropped, the way his hands clenched into fists-made her lean into Lucas's chest with a satisfied smile.

"What were you expecting, Damian?" she called over Lucas's shoulder. "That I'd spend the rest of my life crying over you? That I'd waste away waiting for a man who never wanted me in the first place?"

Her laugh was sharp as broken glass. "You're not worth my tears. You never were."

Lucas carried her toward the exit, his stride confident and unhurried.

When Damian tried to follow, two large security guards appeared, blocking his path.

"Let them through," Lucas said quietly, never breaking stride.

Damian watched helplessly as his ex-wife disappeared into the night in another man's arms.

This woman who'd just publicly announced she was still a virgin.

Who'd called him out for his cruelty in front of strangers.

Who'd looked at him with such pure hatred it had stolen his breath.

This wasn't the Amelia he knew. The quiet woman who'd endured his coldness without complaint.

Who'd made his favorite meals and never said a word when he threw them away.

Who'd slept silently on her side of their bed, never reaching for him, never asking for more than he was willing to give.

This Amelia was a stranger. Strong, fierce, unafraid to fight back.

And watching Lucas Sullivan carry her away felt like someone was ripping his heart out of his chest.

For four years, he'd told himself he didn't want her.

For four years, he'd treated her like she was nothing. An inconvenience. A burden forced on him by his grandfather's dying wish.

So why did seeing her with another man make him want to tear the world apart?

Why did her confession about still being a virgin hit him like a punch to the gut?

And why, for the first time in four years, did he finally understand what he'd lost?

When they got out of the club, Lucas set Amelia down on her feet.

"Thank you, Mr. Sullivan." She murmured.

With how Damian had addressed him, Amelia knew he was an important person in society.

She really didn't want to get mixed with these kinds of people anymore but at the same time, her body was singing from being in his arms.

"You're welcome. I could still take you home if you're up for that." He offered.

"I."Before Amelia could reply to that, a voice interrupted them.

"There you are."

Lucas and Amelia turned to see the man she was dancing with earlier at the club, the man Damian had hit.

This time, he had about five hefty men around him, and they were obviously thugs.

"Oh, you're not with that punk anymore? Just how many are there? No one has to get hurt, I have taken a liking towards you so come with me, I promise you'd have a good time." The man let out in a threatening tone.

Lucas pulled Amelia behind him.

"Get lost." He ordered.

The man, determined to get the beautiful Amelia signaled his men to attack Lucas.

Lucas charged towards them, punching and blocking every jab and kick as high as his head, each attack and retreat performed, skillfully, he was determined to protect Amelia.

But to his surprise, the woman he wanted to protect lunged at the men before he could stop her.

She moved like the wind, sending kicks to the knees, punches to the jaw. One by one, the men dropped to the ground, weakly.

Within minutes, the entire group, including their leader lay barely conscious on the ground.

Lucas swallowed as he stared at Amelia.

"You're strong." He complimented.

She smirked. "I know."

He didn't feel intimidated by her. If anything, he got even more fascinated and drawn to her.

"Since we've just gone through that together, how about we go on a date?"

Amelia scoffed. "Are you sure you didn't stage that attack to flirt with me?"

Lucas cocked an eyebrow. He reached for her, swiftly.

Snaking an arm around her waist, he pulled her against his body.

Amelia's breath caught but she didn't push him away.

"I have better means than that if I want to flirt with you." He ran his thumb through her bottom lip. "You're so beautiful, Miss Brown." He drawled.

This wasn't the first time she had been called 'beautiful' but she had no idea why his words, his voice stirred something in her chest.

She had only wanted to use him to piss off Damian.

She shouldn't be in his arms like this.

She shouldn't be a blushing mess.

Seeing his head lower as he brought his lips to hers made her eyes dilate but she still couldn't bring herself to push him away.

The second they kissed, her skin sizzled.

His lips were so warm against hers. The kiss started off soft and sensual. Mouths pressed together, lips slowly caressing, his tongue touching her lips, and she opened wide to take him in.

His arms encircled her waist and pulled her to him. She was pressing against him, her soft curves against his muscles.

Even under his designer tux, she could feel his rock-hard body. She could feel something else too.

The kiss started off soft and sensual, but it rapidly became something else.

The ringing of her cellphone startled Amelia and she realized she had been kissing a stranger, passionately.

Alarmed, she disengaged from him.

Had she learnt nothing from the behavior of men?

She had just gotten divorced but here she was, in the arms of another man!

Did she want to get hurt again?

She glanced at him awkwardly as she answered her call.

It was Jessica.

"Where are you, Amelia? I've been searching for you everywhere. Are you okay?"

Amelia recalled they had gotten separated on the dance floor.

"I'm fine. I'm at the side of the club's building." She replied and then hung up.

She glanced back at Lucas who had his arms crossed around his formidable chest.

"About the date." He reminded, but she interrupted him.

"It can't happen. I'm not interested."

She didn't want to get involved or entangled with another man again. She didn't want any man to leave her questioning her self-worth and beauty. She wanted to focus on herself. She felt she was better off alone.

But as she walked away, her lips still twitched from his kiss and she couldn't deny how devastatingly handsome that man was.

Lucas Sullivan had a smirk on his face as he watched her walk off.

He learned throughout his whole life that timing was everything. He had always been practical, he had made logical and reasonable decisions. He believed that all his calculated and logically planned decisions had led him to where he was now, as the President of the greatest empire in New Orleans.

Nothing ever moved him. He knew a lot of people often wondered if he had a heart. Even he himself had thought about it and concluded that he wasn't wired like most people. He felt extraordinary and he stared at people as lesser beings.

But his control slipped the moment he saw her tonight.

And after kissing her, it was as though every part of his life was shifting to include her.

Oh, he was going to make her interested.