Master of his heart (Max and Brielle) novel Chapter 1372

Bryan squinted, feeling the grip on his collar tighten. With Irene perched on a high bar stool, he feared pushing her away might send her tumbling backward.

Irene had been with plenty of men, so her kissing skills were top-notch. She glanced down, spotting the bulge in his pants, and chuckled. So, it was all an act.

She let go just as a man approached the bar, ordering the most expensive drink. "Miss, your dancing is amazing. Let me buy you a drink."

Irene, with her cheek propped up on her slender fingers, traced lazy circles on the bar, her movements suggestively intimate.

The man signaled for Bryan to mix the drink. Without hesitation, Bryan skillfully prepared a cocktail and set it in front of Irene. The man discreetly dropped a pill into the drink, a move Bryan noticed.

He figured Irene was aware, too, so he didn’t interfere and went on to serve other customers. However, when he returned half an hour later, Irene had finished her drink. She was now leaning on the bar, cheeks flushed, while the man beside her was getting too close for comfort.

Bryan's temper flared, and he grabbed the man's wrist. "What's the problem? Can't I help my own girlfriend?" the man snapped.

Bryan narrowed his eyes. "She's my friend, and you two just met."

The man scoffed, "Coming to a bar dressed like that, she's obviously looking for a good time. She agreed to spend the night with me."

Just then, Irene lifted her head and smiled innocently at Bryan. The man tried to wrap his arm around her waist, but Irene grabbed Bryan's sleeve instead.

"Don't leave me. I need a man right now, and you'll do just fine."

He couldn't finish his curse. The restroom stayed locked for a long time until a maintenance worker was called to open it.

Bryan's clothes were disheveled. He asked the worker to clean elsewhere first. Irene's arms encircled his waist, but he brushed her hands away, unable to resist the seduction. No one could have.

Rubbing his temples, he said, "We're closing. You should go home."

Irene immediately looked upset, her eyes reddening. "Don't you want me?"

Bryan swallowed hard. It wasn't that he didn't want her, but he knew her heart belonged to someone else. He hated being a stand-in, unwilling to be seen through, only for her to envision someone else.