Three years ago...

Jade Ann Del Rio Velez knew how to behave accordingly. All the time. Always the prim and proper princess of Giorgio Velez was how she was described by the media and the whole Filipino industry. It’s her late mother and her teachers in etiquette taught her to be. She should not tarnish the name "Velez" and should always look elegant to perfection. And she was okay with it till her good friend Georgina Meneses decided they should unleash their wild streak at the nearby club tonight.

"Honey, we're just going out to party. There's nothing to fret," Georgina rolled her eyes as she blows dry Jade’s hair. Her friend must be unaware that her feet drummed incredulously under the vanity table. “You’ll enjoy it. I promise!” she said as she sprays some Finesse onto that natural brown that she just let down and decides not to ruin it. Georgina lowered her head at Jade's side and looked at her in the mirror. "Much better. Now I'm gonna do your make up."

“I’ll be fine,” Jade managed to say, looking at her reflection on the mirror. "But if Dad will know about this..." Speaking of her dad...

“He'll understand. Jade Ann, you're a grown-up woman and not a teenager anymore! Clubbing won't harm you,” Georgina shook her head as she held Jade’s face and put some colors to her not so pale face. Seconds later and it was done. That fast. Then she led her on the bed where the dress lay and excitedly give it to her. "Better change now. Times clicking, Jade. Harry will be here any minute.”

“With this?” she asked incredulously. It’s a black long sleeve gather dress that’s been out of the market recently. It has deep v collar with lace detail, long mesh sleeve, rope pulling bottom and yes, it’s indeed backless.

“Just try it. Come on! Fashion designers like you should try other things too!” with nothing to argue, Jade walked back to the bathroom to change.

Seconds later she got out of it wearing that dress. Surprisingly, it fits her perfectly though a lot of skin was showing. The dress she’s wearing was still conservative compared to Georgina’s sexy satin lace-up sling dress. On the name itself, it has lace-up shoulder straps, rope pulling sides that she can hike up on those endless thighs whenever she wants, and also it's backless. The half Filipino, half Brazilian model let her brown mane hung sexily on both shoulders. She’s sexy as sin and she knows it. Sexy is her game and she’ll rock it all night with booze and guys at bay.

“Not bad,” Georgina looked pleased the way she looks. “Now for the last piece,” a pair of deadly heels was placed in front of her. Jade wears flats all her life so it must be hers. “Wear it, Jade. No one wears flats on the club,” as if reading her thought Georgina said. Again she doesn’t want to argue with her so be it. She wears it and instantly realizes why she hates heels.

Three consecutive honks caught their attention and Georgina knew it was Harry. She grasped Jade’s hand, her eyes glint in excitement as she smiled at her. “That must be Harry. Let’s go. It’s party time!” and they run off her room and down the stairs not paying attention to the curious stares of the maids. The butler was kind enough to open the front door for them and off they went to the luxury car parked just outside their mansion's gate.

Harry, Georgina's on and off boyfriend for years, was patiently waiting for them while sitting at the hood of his black Mazda6. He stood up as he caught sight of them. Jade could fairly see how Harry assessed them from head to toe and she does not like the way his eyes stayed longer to hers. Georgina let go of her hand and met Harry who welcomes her with open arms.

Her friend kissed him on the mouth but Harry has other things in mind.

He deepened the kiss with Georgina as he stared at the timid Jade Ann Velez not far away. So she’d finally put her voluptuousness to good use. Damn! Georgina looked sexy as always but Jade give sexy a different kind of definition. She had her own look and he dropped his eyes to take them in again.

She’s hot. Very hot.

"We'll never make it on time, lover boy!" Georgina pulled back on that heated kiss, thinking she'd done the good thing to wear matte lipstick that is smudge-proof! She turned around to see Jade standing a few meters away from them, looking awkwardly at them? Probably because of the kiss, she smiled then walked towards her good friend of hers since college. "I'm sorry about that. Come on. I promise you'll enjoy the night."

"I hope so," Jade muttered to herself as she finally slips in at the back seat. Harry started the engine when everything is settled and head off to the club Georgina is bragging about.

~*~

Georgina was right. Club 56 was the new trend in the metro, garnering patrons from the elite society. While the outside looked the same as it neighboring buildings with the difference of that name embossed on the top, inside was completely different. It was like the guests were warped to a different dimension with loud music and colorful lights. She did her research on her reliable phone but the actual this is far from what she has expected.

It's jam-packed!

As the car rolled to stop to the known club just before the clock hits 8 in the evening, her friend dragged her excitedly inside it. Harry was left behind to park the car and tell them that he’ll be there in a minute. Jade couldn’t care less. Her main concern is that the noisy club made her feel disoriented as they eased their way thru the busy crowd. She longed the peace of her room that instant as they settled on two bar stools and order some margarita.

"Just order as many drinks as you want. It's all paid for tonight. Sky is the limit, baby!" Jade shook her head as Georgina finished another glass of margarita likes its sparkling water. Her friend ordered another one.

"That would be enough for you, George," Harry came beside Georgina and took her glass away. Jade raised an eyebrow to this man who came late yet the lights didn't hide the smudge of someone else's lipstick on his mouth. "We wouldn't want you here vomit all over and your pictures posted on every entertainment section the next morning," Jade sipped from her glass, ignoring the two. She had a hunch that Harry is plotting something in mind. His eyes gave him away.

As if to prove her point, Harry did offer her another drink, "Try it. Swear it's just a drink," he chuckled and still give her the drink. It's colorless and tastes better than a margarita.

"Hmmm...taste good," she said approvingly, not seeing Harry smiled wickedly while staring at her lips. She lifted the glass once more and took a long sip, savoring that sweet taste in her mouth. Georgina steered them through the dance floor and they rock their bodies like all the partygoers.

She is pretty unaware of the pair of cobalt eyes watching her intently from the second floor.

~*~

Greg had checked her out, the rising fashion designer and the only daughter of the renown Giorgio Velez, Jade Ann. He's not expecting Georgina Meneses to bring her good old friend of hers into his party. He invited the model thinking she'll bring her hot friends at least but seeing the Velez heiress grinding her hips and lose herself in that man's mouth was quite an entertainment. He brought the glass on his lips and took a long sip of his whiskey.

"I heard Jade is in the club," Brandon's eyes searched the crowd for that particular woman. They are in the VIP room on the second floor separated by glass walls. "Oh, that's Georgina!"

“And that’s Velez,” he nodded to where the brunette bombshell, locking lips with her man as they sway in time to some sexy, carnal music. He gave a half-cocked smile as he indulged himself in such scenery. Oh, she was good. But he was better. Way better to than that lousy lover of hers.

"Wow, she's hot!" Brandon acknowledges as he stared at that hourglass body hugged beautifully by her dress. He gave his old pal a closer look. "She's your type," he wiggled her eyebrows.

“She is? Maybe,” Greg placed the empty glass of the passing waiter and get another one. “But the thing is would Giorgio Velez would like her daughter get associated with me?”

“Maybe?” a bemused expression crossed Brandon’s face and he shook his head in disbelief. "Are you rattled about the idea that she's Giorgio Velez' daughter? You're not Gregory de Jesus! Tell me where he is and I'll drag him out this instant!"

“You’re talking nonsense,” Greg threw a boring look to Brandon. "Why don’t you join your girls at the back?”

Brandon realized he's being dismissed and with that, he's amused. Nevertheless, he obliged, not saying a word, as he began to thread his way back to the girls and have some fun.

Perhaps it's common knowledge to the society that Gregory de Jesus was the next successor for the presidential position of De Jesus multi-national acclaimed chains of businesses but the 25-year-old man had some interesting things in mind. This whole keeping up with the De Jesus thing was taking him away from what he wanted. He values his freedom and he's getting everything at hand. And his becoming a party-loving playboy as his older brother had been getting the media all frenzy.

They watched him closely, determined to report every sign of his activities; from the next party he'll be attending to the new girl he's dating. He would not be able to stand unrecognized in a crowd and that made his father all the more furious about him.

Yet still, he's here, drinking his whiskey while watching the designer make-out to that guy. He cocked a brow seeing something off, that guy was planning bad for miss designer right there. He bet the missy could not bear the embarrassment of the society talking about the scandal the next morning, the humiliation it will bring to Velez's name. It will be the biggest day for the paparazzi who did not seem to care about reporting the truth for the sake of cold cash.

“Does your father knew about this, baby girl?” He swallowed the last bit of it before summoning the bouncer nearby and ordered that guy she’s with to be thrown out of the club immediately. The buff man nodded and moves right away.

“You owe me, Velez...” Greg had the impression that he intended to claim her debt anytime soon.

~*~

She felt invincible.

Head spinning slightly, Jade shakes her booty; tempting, teasing the no-name guy she's with that moment. She can't remember the name. Was it Josh, Levin, or Noel? But she's enjoying his company nonetheless especially he’s transparent enough to tell that he’s attracted to her and he wanted something more. He whispered those words as if that will lure her to his bed. She turned to face him and gave him a good-bye kiss on the lips and leave him that instant. No, he’s not having it.

Not on her watch.

She danced with some girls and flirt at some hot guys around when she felt the need to use the restroom. Along the way, she saw Georgina arguing to Jake Contreras, the new face of Baltimore perfume and Georgina’s arch-nemesis. She knew Jake since college for they become seatmates at some subjects and the straight-laced guy was probably the most patient man who could deal with Georgina's quirks. Or maybe not? Because the next thing she knew he silenced that mouth with fiery kisses. Her friend kissed him back not knowing, or maybe she knows, that she's lip-locking with Jake. Jade decided not to disturbed the two and walked straight to the restroom.

As soon as she's done with her business inside she stepped out of the restroom but someone pushed past her and knocked her against the stranger. Strong arms immediately wrapped around her waist and pulled her into that rock-solid built. Her breasts had been squashed on his chest and an electrical current shot through her. Every nerve ending of her body tingled and her nipples instantly hardened, throbbed against the sheer fabric of the cloth she's wearing. His body heat was warming her in so many ways that she doesn't want to admit. And boy that filled her something hot in the pit of her stomach.

With a little gasp, she jerked away from his. She saw his eyes of darker hue burned into her. "That was a close one," he spoke in low, intense voice and Jade shivered. That was sexy.

Then her eyes focused on that sensual curved of his mouth and her breath caught in her throat. Damn the lights for he can't see the man. His image is kind of blurry that she needed to blink several times to focus.

God, did that make her so interested in him?

“Thanks for coming to my rescue,” she said shakily, failed to hide the embarrassment in her tone.

His lips twitched. “I’m not doing it for free though. I want your payment, baby girl.”