Shit. I want her, just for the night.
My fist pumps up and down. I can picture it as though it was really happening. She’d be wild and sexy, like an animal that needs to be tamed.
I bring myself right to the edge and with the image of her big eyes staring up at me, I explode with a low guttural groan, knowing next time, I won’t be able to resist the real thing.
Chapter 7
Lexi
The line at The Dark Room is ridiculous. People are lined up and waiting to get in here when they could easily go down the road to another club and get in straight away. That tells me this is the place to be and that Rylee is going to be throwing a killer black and white party.
I’m so excited. Ever since I met Charli during the week, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this. I haven’t gone out and let loose in years and all I want to do is feel like a teenager again, back when I could have a good time without a care in the world.
Of course, then I went and got married and life became all about responsibilities. It was nothing but bills, work, and him. We got married straight out of high school, to my father’s disappointment, and every single day I remind myself that I should have listened to him. He was never right for me and my father knew it. I was just too stubborn to admit it.
My hands sweep down the black dress that I bought at Cami’s store and I feel stunning and sexy. My hair is done up in a high bun with a pair of dangly earrings and I somehow managed to get my makeup done in the cracked mirror of my bathroom.
I hear the familiar ‘beep beep’ of my phone and I pull it out to find an incoming text from Charli.
Charli – Hey hun, just seeing if you were still coming tonight? We’re inside, near the bar!
An excited smile takes over my face and I reply almost instantly.
Lexi – Hey Charli. Yes, I can’t wait. I’m just outside waiting in line.
Charli – Lines?! We don’t believe in them. I’ll come get you.
A moment later, Charli emerges from the front doors and immediately starts scanning the line. She spots me a second later and a beaming smile takes over her face.
“Hey,” she says as she walks towards me. I step out from the line and meet her in the middle. “Oh gosh, I love your dress,” she tells me as she leans in and gives me a quick hug. “Is this from Cami’s store? I was going to buy it last weekend.”
“Yeah,” I tell her. “Cami’s has everything.”
“Oh, I know,” she says, taking my hand and leading me inside the club. “I swear, every single one of my dresses comes from her store. She has great taste.”
I completely agree. I walked out of Style me Crazy knowing that I could have bought her whole store. She was an incredible help as well. I told her all about meeting Charli and the invitation to come here tonight, and she beamed at me as though she would have given me the invitation herself.
She helped me choose a dress and gave me a few ideas of how I could do my hair and makeup. I was a little nervous about it all coming together as I’m really out of practice, but in the end, I’m proud of how I look.
Charli and I step through the door and I look around the club in awe. “Wow,” I say with wide eyes.
“Tell me about it,” she scoffs. “I nearly died when I came in here for the first time. The place is incredible.”
Well, that’s an understatement. It’s no wonder The Dark Room is the most popular club in the area. It’s spacious and luxurious. It doesn’t come with that smelly, sticky feeling you get with other places, and it’s clear Rylee and her staff take pride in their work.
There are flashing lights and a live DJ, and it instantly makes me feel like dancing. “A tornado came through here a little while ago,” Charli tells me as she yells over the sound of the music. “There was a tree right where we’re standing, so Rylee used it as a chance to make some changes.”
“Whatever it was that she did, it’s paying off,” I tell Charli, kind of feeling a little freaked out about the whole tornado thing. I mean, that must have been terrifying. I’ve never been caught in a tornado or had any damages from them, but I’m sure it will happen one day. It’s just a part of life in these parts of the world.
“Sure is,” Charli says. We cut through the dance floor and she brings me over to the table where a bunch of girls sit, laughing and sipping on their drinks, looking absolutely stunning in their dresses, each of them sticking with the black and white theme.
“Hey guys,” Charli announces to the table before indicating to me next to her. “This is Lexi, she’s new here, so we’re adopting her.” She goes around the table and starts introducing all the girls.
She points out Zara first who gives me a beaming smile. “This is Zara, though I’m sure you remember her from the salon.” She moves across to the next girl. “This beauty is Imogen, then we have her best friend Izzy.” They both give little waves and I commit their names to memory. Charli moves across to the other side of the table. “Over here we have Rylee, who owns this killer place, and of course, Cami, who you already know.”
“Hi everyone,” I smile, feeling a little overwhelmed with all of their eyes on me.
“Hey,” Cami says as she gets to her feet with a smile. She walks around the table and instantly pulls me into her for a quick hug. “How are you? You looking incredible in this dress by the way.”
“Thanks,” I smile. “I’m good. I’m so excited to be here. I haven’t had a night out in years.”
“Years?” she gasps with wide eyes. “Then what the hell are you doing wasting your time talking to us. We need to get you a few drinks and get your night started.”
I can’t help but laugh and follow her as she leads me over to the bar. She walks right behind it and I stare at her wide-eyed, wondering what the hell she’s doing. “Don’t stress,” she laughs. “I work here as well.”
Relief pours through me. “Oh, thank god” I breath.
She hands me the drink and I take a quick sip. It’s like a fruity heaven exploding on my taste buds. “Cami,” I gasp. “This is incredible. What is it?”
“I don’t know,” she admits. “I’ve been fiddling with a few different things. This is my latest creation. It’s got a bit of vodka and a shot of tequila. I haven’t named it yet though.”
She heads back around the bar and I take another sip as she meets me. We head back to the table when it hits me. “You should call it ‘Cami’s wet dream cocktail’ because it’s just that good.”
“Yes,” she laughs. “That’s perfect.”
We take our seats at the table and I slide in between Rylee and Cami who busily explain the ins and outs of the group. After having to explain it a few times I work out that Rylee is dating a guy called Cole, who is Imogen’s big brother, but Imogen was sleeping with Cole’s best friend Caden until a whole heap of shit went down and they started actually dating. “So, it’s like one big happy family?” I laugh.
“Yeah,” Imogen says from across the table. “We really are, but even before everyone started hooking up, we were already that way. The boys own a gym, Rebels Advocate, with two of their other friends. Cami is close with Jace and the other is single. He’s a bit of a mystery, but man, he’s nice to look at.”
“Agreed,” Izzy and Charli laugh.
Imogen rolls her eyes at her friends but continues on. “So yes, we’re a big happy family. And if you’re happy for us to adopt you, it will be that much bigger.”
I touch my hand to my chest and her words wrap around me. “Thank you,” I murmur. She couldn’t possibly know how much her words mean to me, but she’s truly touched me, right down to my soul.
Imogen seems to see something in my eyes and she gives me the sweetest little smile and nod.
“All the boys are coming soon,” Charli says, stealing my attention. “So, you’ll be able to meet them. But watch out for Jace,” she says with a gleam in her eyes as she looks across at Cami. “He’s a bit of a cranky ass lately.”
“Hey,” Cami defends. �
��He’s not that bad.”
“He is,” they all laugh.
Cami rolls her eyes and looks at me. “Don’t listen to them,” she tells me. “Jace is great, he’s just got a lot going on. His heart is hurting a little bit.”
“Oh?” I question.
She presses her lips together and gives me a tight smile, telling me there’s so much more to this story. “Yeah,” she starts. “We kind of have a bit of an on/off relationship. It’s a bit hard to explain, but it’s like we’re always so close to becoming something and it’s clear he wants more, but he’s always pulling away.”
“He loves you?” I ask though I don’t need her response to see the truth. He does love her and the fact that they’re not together is killing her. “It must be hard,” I say for just her to hear.
She gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “It is,” she admits.
I give her hand a squeeze before reaching for her drink. “Here,” I say. “Tonight is about having fun. We can mess with him when he gets here.”
At that, her smile finally reaches her eyes. “Deal,” she laughs.
The night goes on and drinks are poured. I’m having an incredible time getting to know these girls and they’ve instantly welcomed me into their group. Rylee gets up and returns a moment later with a tray of shots that are all on fire and we join in, counting down from three before blowing out the flame and pouring the shot down our throats.
Izzy demands we all head out to the dance floor, and with every one of us in complete agreement, we get up and squish our way through the hundreds of bodies dancing upon each other.
We make our own space and slowly spread out to push the other people away and give ourselves plenty of room to move. We go nuts, and with a smile on my face and a drink in my hand, I dance the night away.
It’s the perfect night for me and has already been exactly what I’ve been needing. I haven’t felt so relaxed since I was eighteen and carefree.
Charli suddenly squeals and throws herself at a man who catches her with open arms, and not a moment later, there are men all through our group. I look around in shock. Each of them are huge. They’re well-built and easily the most attractive men I’ve ever seen. Rylee and Chari had said something about their partners being MMA fighters, and that fact is clear just by looking at them.
“You’re fucking kidding me?” I hear from an oddly familiar voice behind me.
I turn on my heel and come face to face with the world’s biggest asshole, and it’s not lost on me how he looks so damn good in his jeans and shirt. Though, I also notice that he didn’t really bother with the whole ‘black and white’ theme. None of the boys did.
“Oh great. You’re here,” I grunt. I mean, I was supposed to be having a great night. Not a night where I have to constantly dodge his bad attitude.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he snaps.
“Me?” I scoff. “I have all the right in the world to be here. The question is, why the hell are you standing here in front of me, wasting oxygen?”
“I don’t answer to you,” he snaps with narrowed eyes.
I study him for a moment and cross my arms over my chest. “You… did you follow me here?” I ask as the thought pops into my head.
“You fucking wish,” he scoffs as he smirks at me.
A guy comes and barges his way between us and throws his arms over Luke’s shoulder. “Whoa,” he laughs. “What the hell’s going on over here?”
“Nothing,” Luke grunts, never removing his eyes from mine. “This is my new neighbor.”
At that, a wicked grin takes over the newcomer’s face. “Ah,” he says, offering me his hand. “You must be the feisty little thing my best friend’s been losing sleep over.”
I raise an eyebrow at his comment. I know he means that Luke’s physically losing sleep because of the whole speaker thing, but the way his friend has worded it makes it sound as though he’s crazy about me. “That’d be me,” I say, placing my hand in his and giving it a quick shake. “I’m Lexi.”
A smug expression crosses Luke’s face which completely confuses me, but I don’t dwell on it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man says. “I’m Jace.”
“Ahh,” I smile. “So, you’re Jace. I’ve heard a lot about you tonight.”
“Jesus,” he grunts as his eyes flash across to Cami who laughs with the man clinging to Rylee. “I hope it was all good things.”
I can’t help but grin. “You’ll never know,” I tell him.
He shakes his head. “Don’t listen to anything they tell you,” he warns me. “Now,” he says, letting go of Luke and taking me by the shoulders. He turns me back to the rest of the group. “Who needs another drink?”
With that, we all head back over to the table and I’m shocked to see it still empty. I was sure that the second we got up, we would have lost it, but I guess it pays to own the club. As we make our way over it occurs to me that the girls had said that the boys own a gym together, so Luke is most likely a personal trainer or something along those lines. Maybe he’s a fighter like Cole and Xander. Whatever it is, it makes sense as he has a rock-hard body and eats like he’s never experienced the sweet taste of sugar.
We take our seats and I don’t miss how Luke sits as far from me as possible. Even though I purposefully look away, I feel his eyes constantly on me, burning a hole into my skin. I desperately want to look at him, but I don’t dare.
As we get comfortable, the girls go around and introduce all the guys, and as I’m busy trying to memorize the name that goes with the face, Jace returns with a whole lot of drinks.
He places them down on the table, slides in beside Cami, and throws his arm over her shoulder. She melts into him and tilts his head back to whisper something in her ear. I can’t help but watch as her face flushes and she smiles up at him.
It’s clear that whatever these two share is strong and it’s a shame that they can’t seem to work it out. From what I’m seeing, these two would make an incredible couple.
It doesn’t take long for Jace to announce to the table the connection between me and Luke, which apparently everybody already knows the story. The girls instantly burst into laughter as Cole and Caden smirk at Luke.
I finally look up at him only to look straight into his eyes. I feel like he holds me captive, that it’s impossible to look away, so I’m absolutely relieved when Cole steals the table’s attention. “So,” he says as he takes his beer off the table. “I got some news this afternoon.”
The guys all turn to him with questions in their eyes, while the girls wonder what the hell is going on. “We got the property for the new club.”
“What?” Caden asks with wide eyes. “Are you shitting me?”
“Nah, man,” Cole says with a grin. “It’s ours.”
“Fuck yeah,” Jace cheers.
The girls start cheering and the guys clink their glasses together. I look over at Luke who has a smile from ear to ear, and it looks fucking good. I don’t really know what’s going on, but from the few details I’ve been able to piece together, the guys have bought a new gym. So, they’re either moving their gym somewhere else or building a second one. Either way, it’s exciting news and I find myself extremely happy for them all.
“Come on,” Jace says, grabbing Cami and pulling her up beside him. “We need to celebrate.”
Chapter 8
Luke
She’s fucking wasted and who’s the sorry bastard who’s going to have to deal with it? That’s right. It’s me.
This is one of the main reasons I don’t want to bother with a girlfriend. I just don’t want to deal with all the bullshit that goes with it. I see my friends with their girls and they practically drool over them. Don’t get me wrong, I love the girls. They’re all incredible. But the guys are fucking whipped and that’s not me.
It’s been a great night despite her being here. The second I saw her, I considered leaving. I didn’t want to put up with that shit tonight, but then, it wo
uld have been a mistake. Sure, we mouthed off at each other at the start but once I came to terms with the fact that’s she’s becoming a bigger part of my life than I had originally planned, it was fine. In fact, it was actually kind of fun.
She completely lets loose in a way that I’ve never seen a woman do before. It’s like she was a kid going out for the first time. She had no fucks to give and just wanted to enjoy herself.
So naturally, she can’t walk in a straight fucking line.
The club closed an hour ago, but we’re all still here. Rylee and Cami are doing something behind the bar. Me and the boys haven’t stopped talking about the endless possibilities for the new club, while Lexi and the rest of the girls are somehow still dancing. Though, they lost their heels hours ago.
Hmmm. Lexi. I felt a massive win when she introduced herself to Jace. I was fucking smug, but I still can’t work out why the hell it matters. It suits her, though, and I was left wondering if that’s her real name or if it’s short for something.
I was smug right up until we walked over to the table and I had the thought that Luke and Lexi sound good together. I nearly fell over with the thought. I mean, what the fuck is wrong with me? What kind of grown ass man thinks like that? Luke and Lexi. For fuck's sake. I sound like a teenage girl writing in her diary.
“Dude,” Caden says, nudging me with his elbow. I tear my eyes away from Lexi and look over at him. “What’s up with you? You’ve been staring at this chick all night.”
“Nothing,” I grunt, purposely making a point of not looking back at her.
“Bullshit,” he says. “Are you into her?”
“No,” I laugh. What a fucking joke. Am I into her? “The woman is infuriating.”
“So you keep saying,” he says with a knowing grin. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot with her.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? I’m not into her.”
“Alright,” he says holding his hands up. “So, what is it about her that you can’t stop looking at? Does she have a third tit that I can’t see?”
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