1 ALICIA

One piece of news completely flipped my world, and the only person left in my world is hanging between life and death. But the saddest part of all this is the path I had to take to help him.

I smile at the diners at the table and take the order to the kitchen where I work. You see, I'm Alicia Star, a recent medical graduate, and I've been job hunting within my field for three months now, but it's been a lost cause. That is, until two weeks ago when they diagnosed my father with cancer. The chemotherapy sessions cost a lot of money, money I don't have at the moment.

"What are you thinking about?" Monica comes up beside me, nudging me to snap me out of my thoughts.

"I'm tired," I reply in a weary tone. "Having two jobs is killing me."

"I don't get why you just don't get a loan from the bank."

"And how do I pay it back?"

"You have this job, don't you?"

"Yeah, but my salary would just go towards paying off the loan," I explain. "Although I've been doing much better at the club."

Indeed, I have two jobs that allow me to pay for my father's chemotherapy sessions and cover the basic needs at home.

"Is it really as wild as they say?" Monica asks curiously.

"Well, it depends on the club's section you're in. For instance, I'm in the general area, where I attend to non-club members."

"It's to be expected. That place is huge, and its owner is a hottie that's worth enjoying," Monica bites her lower lip, and I laugh.

I still haven't had a chance to meet him, but most people react the same way as Monica.

"Alicia, table one!" the chef's assistant calls.

"See you later," I tell Monica before heading to pick up the food order.

Monica's cousin was the one who helped me land the waitress job at Gotic Club. It's a massive building divided into sections. The first floor, where I am, is the area for all the "Normals," people who only have access to that floor. The second floor is for members who pay a monthly fee and get exclusive spaces just for them. But the third and fourth floors are a mystery to me.

The pay is really good, and the tips are great too, so I can't complain about the place.

However, as soon as night fell, my responsibilities of attending to people started again. The music blared at full volume, resonating throughout the place. People danced, and others came and went from the bar.

"Alicia!" calls the floor manager, who is Monica's cousin. I set down the tray I was carrying and walk over to him.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Girl, the boss is coming. He usually spends an hour on each floor, and I'm going to need you to be the one to attend to him."

"Uh... sure, okay, I don't have a problem with that."

"Excellent!" he grins excitedly. "Just one small detail." He smiles guiltily and scratches his neck. "The boss is a bit... particular. He likes perfection, and his temper is pretty explosive. So, please, I ask that you don't make any mistakes if you don't want to get fired."

"Walter," I stomp my foot like a little kid throwing a tantrum. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because no one wanted to. But I can assure you that everyone before has done well, and you won't be an exception."

"Fine, but now I'm nervous."

"The bird has landed in the nest!" I hear the bartender exclaim, pointing his gaze towards the boss. Walter grabs my shoulders and turns me to face him, and what I saw left me stunned.

He's a tall man, around 6'3", quite imposing. He's dressed in a black suit with perfectly slicked-back hair. He's accompanied by two other guys who can't seem to take their eyes off their surroundings. Some girls look at him with awe and adjust their cleavage in their low-cut blouses to get his attention, but they don't succeed.

"Whoa."

" Elijah Morgan's got that effect on everyone." Walter said. "And you'll be his server for an hour. Now go, see Karls. He'll hook you up with what Mr. Morgan always throws back."

I nod and make my way over to Karls, who hands me a tray with a bucket of ice, a bottle of tequila, along with salt and lime.

I slip through the crowd in the joint and head to the VIP zone, where the big dude guarding the door lets me breeze in.

I scope out Mr. Elijah's profile. Dude's got his eyes locked on those folks busting moves a few yards away from him. He's keeping a straight face, no expression spilling the beans on how he's feeling at the moment.

"Good evening, Mr. Morgan." I say, inching closer with some uncertainty.

" Drop it all on the table." He answers without even looking my way.

"Sure thing." I reply.

I lean over to lay the tray on the table right in front of him. I set the bottle to the side, along with the rest of the goods for a solid night.

"You new around here?" His deep voice makes me jump, sending tingles up my spine.

"Yes, sir." I respond as quickly as I can without looking at his face.

" Why aren't you looking at me?"

" I'm sorry, sir."

I slowly lift my gaze, and our eyes lock fiercely. His eyes are this beautiful shade of blue, like nothing I've ever seen before. His jawline is perfect and proportional, his nose slightly upturned, and his skin tone flawless.

I watched him eye me up and take some interest, getting up from his seat and walking around me. I truly felt intimidated by the man, fearing I might lose my job.

" You can leave now."

He gestured with his hand, and I nodded with my head. I didn't exhale until I was back with Walter, who was waiting for me with news.

"And? " he asked.

" It seems like I still have my job."

" Knew you'd ace it! " He cheered with pats on my back.

However, I could feel a strong gaze on the back of my neck. I turned slightly and looked in his direction, and there he was, not taking his eyes off me.