**Third person**
The VIP club area pulsed with energy, the air thick with the scent of champagne and perfume. Girls in bare tities and thongs paraded the room, their smiles bright as they attended to the men lounging on plush couches.
In the midst of this chaos, Lucas sat at the edge of the room. He gripped his short glass tightly, his jaw clenched in anger, as he mentally replayed the events of today.
How on earth did he go from having the perfect evening with Valerie to… to this?
That damn Matthew! He slammed his fist against the table in front of him, the loud thud drowning in the sound of the music.
He stared into the amber liquid, his eyes blazing with a fire that threatened to consume him, and then he emptied his glass at a go.
"Two shots," he growled at the bartender, his voic
