Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

"What was that about?" Ava had asked, eyes narrowing with the sharpness of someone too damn smart for her own good. Even Claire and Alina caught on, glancing between Cassidy and Parker as they all sat back down.

"Some ex?" Alina teased, though her voice carried a flicker of genuine curiosity.

Cassidy just shook her head, the picture of cool control, swirling her champagne without meeting anyone's eyes. "Nothing worth talking about."

Parker could feel their gazes shifting toward him next, but he wasn't answering either. Not because he couldn't. He just... didn't want to. Whatever that was, it wasn't about tonight.

And just like that, the subject slipped away, drowned in the next round of drinks as the celebration roared back to life.

Parker wasn't worried. Not really. He had Cassidy at his side. She wouldn't get drunk—hell, with her power levels, even the most expensive champagne in the Empire Room would barely touch her. If anything, she'd be the one keeping him from doing something stupid.

But maybe it was the rush of the deal. Maybe the energy of the night. Or maybe... he was already dancing too close to that edge of being drunk. He didn't know.

But the celebration was on. "Alright, now we're celebrating."

A server was already swooping in with another bottle of champagne—one of those massive ones that practically needed two people to pour. The cork popped with a sharp bang, and bubbly sprayed just slightly, making Claire laugh while Alina shook her head, already reaching for another glass.

"Parker!" Ava leaned in, smirking. "You're way too sober for someone who just saved a lady in a fucking bar." He joke was way too close to the fact.

Parker blinked. "I didn't save anyone. I—"

"Shut up." Cassidy was already holding up her glass. "To Parker. The boss. The man. Apparently also a hero now."

Hero?

The word made something twist in his chest, but before he could overthink it, Ava shoved a flute into his hand. "One more glass. We swear. No more after this."

The lies.

The damn lies.

Glass after glass followed, the Empire Room becoming a swirling, golden haze. The music pulsed, not overpowering but just enough to keep the atmosphere alive. The lights dimmed, flickering off the edges of their drinks, their laughter getting louder—messier.

Parker wasn't sure when the rounds had started multiplying. Or when Ava had moved from her side of the booth to practically tucked against his shoulder, her cheek close enough that he could feel her breath as she laughed. Or when Claire and Alina had turned the entire thing into a game, inventing wild toasts like:

"To billionaires who don't look like billionaires!"

"To hot bosses we'd totally sue for sexual harassment—if we didn't love our jobs!"

And then there was Cassidy—still graceful, still powerful, but the sharp edges had softened. She leaned back, watching, lips curled with amusement but her eyes lingering on Parker a little too long.

At some point, Ava pulled him onto the dance floor.

"You owe me a dance, boss man."

The floor was alive—chandeliers throwing soft reflections while the bass pulsed low and deep. Ava was close, maybe a little too close, her hands finding his waist as she moved.

"I—I'm not much of a—"

"Shut up and move your feet, rich boy."

They danced. If you could call it that. Ava wasn't even really dancing—just swaying, her fingers tracing light patterns on his chest like she was testing him. Parker was... tipsy. Okay, more than tipsy. And it was impossible to think straight when she leaned in close enough for her lips to brush his ear.

"You're not bad at this."

"At what?"

"Letting loose. Thought you'd be all stiff suit and tie forever."

He opened his mouth—probably to say something awkward—but Cassidy was suddenly there.

"Okay, my turn. Hands off, Klein."

Ava raised both palms, grinning. "Fine. But I get him back later."

Cassidy didn't dance like Ava. She didn't tease. She didn't press close. She just... moved. Smooth. Effortless. Controlled. And yet, somehow, Parker felt it more.

"You good?" she murmured, voice low enough that only he could hear.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

"Because you've had, like... seven glasses. And you're getting this stupid grin."

"I'm fine." He was not fine.

At some point, shots appeared. Someone—probably Alina—had convinced the server to bring a full tray of them. And the girls? They were chanting now.

"Parker! Parker! Parker!"

It wasn't fair. Not when Cassidy was smirking. Not when Ava was leaning closer. Not when the whole damn bar was half-watching like he was the prince of the room.

And so he did the shot.

And then another.

And then—

At some point, the music shifted to something deeper, heavier, pulsing through the velvet walls of their private booth. The VIP section blurred with the city's elite—models, celebrities, tech moguls—and yet it felt like their own world, separate from the noise.

Another round of drinks.

Another toast.

This time, Claire had her phone up, laughing as she snapped a picture. "For documentation purposes. We need blackmail material for tomorrow."

"Delete that." Parker pointed at her, half-slurring but still managing a glare.

"Make me."

Cassidy leaned back, watching with a smirk, arms folded but clearly enjoying the chaos. Ava, though? Ava was right there, practically in his lap, playfully tugging at his loosened tie.

"You look good when you're less... uptight, Parker."

"I'm not uptight."

"Suuure."

Another glass was shoved into his hand. Champagne? Whiskey? He wasn't even sure anymore.

The heat of it buzzed through his veins as Ava leaned in, close enough that he could smell her perfume—something sharp and citrusy. Close enough that he could feel her breath against his neck.

That tension built again.

The kind that made his pulse hammer—

And then Cassidy shifted.

"Alright. Break it up."

It was calm. Casual. But the look she gave Ava made the other woman lift her hands and back off with a lazy smile.

"Relax, Reed. We're celebrating."

"Exactly." Cassidy's eyes lingered on Parker—sharp, assessing, making him feel seen even in his half-drunk state. "And he doesn't need that kind of distraction right now."

The energy shifted.

The music blurred.

And yet Parker couldn't help but feel something simmering there—something unresolved.

And then it all spiraled. More drinks, more laughter.

At some point, Claire and Alina were trying to start a karaoke challenge with the lounge singer. Ava was practically daring the bartender to make a stronger drink. This was a safe space meant for rich and privacy, one could let loose freely.

And Parker?
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Somewhere in the haze, Cassidy had leaned in again, speaking low so only he could hear asking again.

"You good?"

"Yeah, I told you I am good, no... " he muttered. "Better than good. This... this is fun, right?"

Her lips curved.

But there was something in her eyes.

Something protective, almost... conflicted.

And then, sometime past 3 a.m., as the Empire Room wound down and they piled into the black SUV with their driver trying so hard not to judge—

Parker blinked. The city lights blurred through the window. His head... fuzzy. Chest warm.

Cassidy was leaning on his shoulder. Ava was half-asleep, mumbling something about needing pancakes. Claire and Alina were still arguing about who cheated at the drinking game.

And Parker, the next morning would to be the craziest thing that had ever happened to him save the day he got the system.

"...What the hell did I just do? I am never getting that drunk again." He will say. 'Cause the night was far from over, but...