Seeing White

by Charlotte E Hart

  We find a high table and stools by the dance floor and start talking about the trials and tribulations of the social network - who’s sleeping with who and what’s happening to each person in the room. Teresa grabs a passing barman - yes, I do mean grabs - and orders three drinks, apparently making them large. Within what seems like minutes, the drinks arrive swiftly on our table and Belle smiles sweetly enough to ensure the next round will arrive just as speedily. I pick up my drink and close my eyes to listen to the euphoric melody that’s singing out.

  We talk, laugh and giggle for ages until I notice that Belle has gone a little rigid, her demeanour a little more closed off than usual. Scanning the room, I soon notice why. Mr. Conner Avery is making his presence felt as he ambles around the room. Women are falling over themselves to put their eyes in front of his. He’s a tall man, about 6ft 4inches with blue hair and tattoos, very solid and good looking in a dangerous kind of way. He knows it and uses it to full effect. He should have been a rock god really. Unbelievably, that isn’t the case at all because it seems the man’s far too clever for that.

  He made an absolute fortune when he developed one of the best pieces of software in the last ten years, and the two big rivalling software companies battled for a year to licence it. Blutech Inc is now a very wealthy company and Avery continues to design more and more. He seems to work hard, but he’s constantly papped for doing something that he shouldn’t be doing. It’s usually something naughty. However, he is one of the most charismatic men I have ever met and I really like him in a big brotherly kind of way. Scott’s has been delivering pastries to him for a year or so, and he continues to pop into the shop every now and then, always asking if Belle’s about. More often than not, I tell him that she isn’t even though she’s hiding in the kitchen, which kills me laughing. I’ve never really seen a man have that kind of impact on her before and I still wonder why she just can’t talk to him. But regardless of my slight concern on the matter, it is hilarious to watch her suffer.

  Suddenly he’s approaching our table and I watch Teresa stand and start to leave with a conspiratorial wink. I take this as my cue to leave also. Belle lunges at my hand.

  “Don’t you dare leave me,” she whispers.

  “Darling, you’ll be fine. Stand tall,” I reply with a smirk. She gasps at my retaliation from the earlier comment as Conner gets to the table, looking effortlessly casual in black jeans and a tucked in blue shirt.

  “Belle, lovely to see you tonight. You look incredible as usual,” he states, lifting the corner of his mouth.

  “Conner, you do not, and what are you doing here anyway? The papers said you were in LA,” Belle says stiffly, trying not to look at his face. I smirk at her unease and put my drink on the table.

  “Ha! I’m here to meet a good friend if you must know. Are you keeping tabs on me, Belle?” he chortles. “Beth, is that you in there? Fucking hell, girl, you look like a goddess. If I wasn’t so interested in your sister, I’d be hunting your arse all night.”

  “Why thank you, kind sir. I’ll take that as a compliment, I think.” I blush a little, feeling slightly uncomfortable because that’s not entirely big brother like and the quite intriguing sneer that Belle is trying to mask does not go unnoticed by me.

  “You should. I never knew your legs were such a sight to behold,” he says, scanning my shoes – well, Belle’s shoes.

  “I think I’ll leave on that note before it gets uncomfortable,” I say, turning from him and frowning.

  “Beth, I think I could get really fucking uncomfortable with you whenever you like,” he says with a wink. Okay, really not comfortable at all now. His chuckle at my need to look anywhere but at him has me smiling again, thankfully.

  “Mr. Avery, you are not quite as charming tonight as you normally are,” I reply harshly, swatting him with my clutch and turning on my heels. Thankfully, he doesn’t mean anything by it, and I know this because his eyes have only ever been for Belle.

  “My apologies, Madame,” he says, bowing in an attempt at chivalry. It looks quite ridiculous.

  “Forgiven, just once. Now get on with wooing my sister.”

  With that, I turn to leave as he takes up a stool next to Belle, smiling a megawatt grin and proceeding to exude every inch of his raw sexual spirit he can muster in an attempt to convince her he is the man for her. Unfortunately, I can’t help but think that he’ll probably have a very hard time and a very long wait. Bless him. Poor man.

  Chapter 3

  Alexander

  H e stood watching over his club from the office above the bar and leaned his head on the glass to feel the throbbing of the music. He couldn’t hear the sound but he could feel the beat thundering through the fibre of the building, sense it pounding through his body, reminding him of years before. He’d put his heart and soul into this place, let his creative flair open up on it. His company normally broke things up and made as much money as it could from selling off pieces to the highest bidder. Big fucking pieces that were worth a lot, but nevertheless, he still basically traded on failing businesses. He’d retained a few and pumped some capital in and they were doing well now, but most of his wealth had been made from someone else’s misery.

  Actually, he’d made a habit of ensuring businesses failed to make sure he got the right deal. He’d also been an utter bastard to the nicest of people just so that they were too scared to argue with him. But INK had been his dream, a place to make people happy, and more importantly, to make him a lot of money making people happy. The security was very tight and the members list very limited. He’d seen plenty of clubs fail miserably by letting the wrong people through the door, collapsing the perfectly balanced atmosphere.

  He hadn’t been here for about three months. Tom Bradley, the club manager, was very experienced and had earned Alex’s respect within the first few months of opening. He knew that the club was in very safe hands, and was only called in on the odd occasions when something was seriously wrong or when Tom needed to talk with him about something relevant.

  Tonight had been the latter. They’d had an interesting chat about increasing profit via various mediums and the potential for a new club in Rome. They’d already begun work on the venue in New York, but both his ideas were promising and required a little thought.

  He kept out of the day-to-day business and tried not to put in too many appearances. There were only a few people that knew he owned the place. A few more thought he was simply an investor. He was fine with everybody guessing so he never really discussed the place with anybody at all. It was his little piece of a dream. Prying eyes were not welcome in the slightest.

  However, his main objective tonight was to meet with Conner. They hadn’t seen each other for about month or so. Conner had just spent some time in LA with Tyler Rathbone, CEO of Rathbone Industries, going through the latest of his software designs and probably making himself several more million in the process. In the meantime, Alex had been in New York for three weeks, dealing with the complete incompetence of his fucking useless employees, firing most of his senior level team and poaching an entirely new team from the closest rivalling company. He had most definitely announced himself in Manhattan as a person not to be taken lightly. That may or may not have been a mistake. For once he may just have been a little too ballsy in the wrong place. He’d just have to wait and see. He’d damn well enjoyed every minute of it though. There was nothing better than pissing people off.

  From the corner of the door he noticed a flash of red entering the bar area with legs that went on for a damn mile and long, slender arms. He admired a woman who would allow herself to stand out in a crowd. The world was full of little black dresses. He followed the long legs as they moved gracefully toward a shorter, dark haired woman, pretty enough but not a patch on the redhead. Her luscious locks were piled high on her head with tendrils tumbling down her neck onto her bare shoulders, and her skin was so creamy white that his mouth was salivating at the very idea of taking a bite out of her. His dick
jumped at the prospect. So, chuckling at himself, he went toward the phone. No woman had ever refused an invite to the office when asked and as he was determined to have her within half an hour, his cock would get what was coming to it regardless of its impatience. However, he was so mesmerised by the way she moved that he couldn’t help just watching for a while longer. He stood with his hands in his pockets, just staring at her. Her eyes had a heavenly glow and those lips… Christ, they were made for kissing or fucking - preferably both, maybe even at the same time. He really didn’t care as long as they were wrapped around something of his. Fuck, she looked perfect. She had a quality he hadn’t seen for a long time. She didn’t have any hardened edges. She looked soft and warm. Her smile lit up the room and her animated way of chatting made him grin to himself with an affection he hadn’t felt before. When was the last time he did that? Just smiled with affection? Fuck knows if he ever had - probably not because it was one of those ridiculous emotions that happened to brainless people.

  There was a sudden, sharp knock at the door, and before he could turn, the door had opened. He smirked at his friend’s entrance as he heard Conner walk in, loudly, as always.

  “Sorry, man. Should have waited, shouldn’t I? I keep forgetting that bit.” Without turning from the redhead, Alex responded.

  “You’re still hoping to catch me at it with a couple of girls so you can join in, aren’t you?”

  “Well, now that you mention it.”

  “No.” It wasn’t happening with Conner - not that.

  “Oh all right then. Come here and give me a man hug then. I’ve missed you, Mr. White.”

  “Too busy looking at a piece of rather extraordinary skirt down here.”

  “Right behind you. I love this one-way glass shit you’ve got here. I keep meaning to get it installed in the office - great for perving. Which one?”

  “She’s wearing red,” he said. Conner peered over his shoulder and then head butted the window randomly with a sigh.

  “Oh dear. That is not the cup of tea for you, my friend,” Conner replied with a shake of his head, rubbing his hand across his forehead. “You have no right whatsoever picking her.”

  “What? Why? Do you know her? And what are you trying to say about me?” he said, swinging his head to meet Conner’s face for the first time.

  “Nothing, man. Only that she is by far the sweetest woman in the club and is absolutely not going to be up for the sort of stuff you want to do to her. But I agree, she does look incredible tonight. Never really seen her like that before,” Conner replied, taking a sip of his drink.

  “Really? I think that needs more defining.” Conner sighed again and scanned the crowd.

  “Honestly, Alex, she’s just not into it. What about the girl in blue over there?”

  “Fuck the girl in blue. I probably already have anyway. Tell me about the redhead,” he ground out, looking back down at her long legs and tilting his head to the side. She glided her way towards a taller woman who looked similar somehow - harder though, not as ethereal or beautiful by a long shot, but still a worthy viewing.

  “Okay, okay, calm down. Fuck. Her name’s Elizabeth Scott. That’s her sister over there in the scorching, backless black dress. Frankly, I wish it was frontless. I’ve been trying to get into her for about a year. So beautiful. Her name’s Belle. They own a catering company that serves high-end parties. They’ve also got a shop in town. God, she’s just too fucking sexy for her own good. Look at the way she sways. I love a woman that sways,” Conner replied.

  Alex watched them meet up with each other and laugh at something. Christ, her mouth was simply fucking divine. She suddenly swung her head round and looked up towards them as if she sensed she was being watched. Her eyes narrowed a little and bore straight through to his soul for a second, seemingly accusing him of past sins or something equally disturbing, before she turned back to the others.

  “The red dress, Conner?” he pressed again, slight irritation lacing his voice now and some strange sense of fucking guilt addling him for no reason. She couldn’t have seen him, but he somehow felt that she saw straight through him to places even he hadn’t visited for a while.

  “Oh, yeah, well there’s not really much else to say. That’s all I know, man,” Conner replied with a shrug.

  “What’s the shop called?” Alex asked.

  “Scott’s.” He continued to stare for a few moments longer as she drank a cocktail of some description and then bowed his head, turning to Conner.

  “Not the girl for me you say? Are you sure you know what I need?” he said with a raised brow.

  “Well, there’s what you need, man, and what you want. Which one are you asking me about?” Alex smiled and shook his head in resignation

  “Okay, let’s go find us what we want for the night then, shall we? The suite is waiting for us,” he said, making his way to the door, glancing back at the redhead again.

  “Now you’re talking. Lead the way.”

  Conner closed the door behind them as they made their way toward the private elevator at the end of the corridor. The moment they entered the bar area, Alex immediately scanned for the redhead again. Gone. Fuck. That irritated him.

  “Any more ink, man?” Conner asked.

  “Two more added in while I was in New York.”

  “Lisa do them?”

  “Who else? I think she’d have my balls if I went elsewhere,” he replied with a chuckle.

  “Fuck, I’d let her near my balls anytime. Mind you not with a sharp object - that girl is some crazy shit.”

  “Agreed, but she does know her art.”

  “Damn right. So who are you having tonight?” Conner asked as they entered the bar, scanning it for prey in his usual relaxed manner. Alex shook his head at the man and continued onwards.

  “I thought we’d just catch up. It’s been a while since we just talked and drank like the old days.”

  “What the fuck was that? You’re not going soft on me, are you?”

  “It’s not all about your dick, Conner. I’m actually quite interested in how you are and what’s been happening in your life.”

  “Yeah well, sweet as that is, I’m fucking ravenous. That Scott woman is infuriating and I need to get laid,” Conner replied, running his fingers through his blue hair and sidling up to a blonde who was leering at him. That Conner smile was firmly plastered across his lips as she nudged him back and did that fucking giggling thing that stupid women do. Why the man found it interesting was a complete mystery. Mind you, she’d probably open her legs within ten minutes so if Conner was desperate, why not?

  Alex chuckled to himself and signalled to the barman on the way past the bar. He was a new chap, which was a ball ache, as he wouldn’t know what they drank. The guy completely ignored him and carried on talking with some girls, so he calmly walked to the divider, opened the hatch and strolled into the serving area, walking towards his favourite malt whisky.

  “Hey, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” the barman shouted, rushing towards him as he lifted two bottles off the shelf, suddenly aware of his presence.

  “Having a drink or two,” he responded, deadpan.

  “Who the hell do you think you are? You can’t just walk in here and take the booze. I’m calling security.”

  “Please do, and while you’re at it, call Tom as well,” Alex said as he picked up two tumblers and started pouring. The guy hastily picked the phone up and dialled while looking at him in complete amazement.

  “Get out of the bar area, you dick, before you get yourself beaten out of it,” the little, now infuriating, shit shouted. So, he waited calmly while chatting over the bar with Conner and handed him a drink.

  “You’re going to fire him, aren’t you.” Conner said. It wasn’t a question.

  “Probably.”

  “Give him a chance, man. He clearly doesn’t know who you are.”

  “Well he should.”

  “Fuck, you’re an arrogant bastard,” Conner re
sponded, mouth twitching in amusement. Alex smiled and drank some scotch. Christ, that burn was good.

  He smiled as his security team began throwing people out of the way as they pushed through the crowd. The two guys stopped abruptly when they saw the barman facing off with him, practically knocking the blonde to the ground. She giggled again so he rolled his eyes at her and waited for the dick to speak.

  “What the fuck are you idiots doing? Get him out from behind my bar,” the barman whined as he threw his hands around. It was fucking pathetic and overly dramatic to say the least. The boys looked over to Alex for instruction.

  “It’s all right, guys. Go back to the door. Tom will be here in a minute. Good response time, by the way,” he said smoothly, watching them frown in puzzlement at the situation.

  With that, they nodded then turned and left without a word to the barman who was now looking very confused. Alex watched as Tom Bradley made his way toward the bar and scowled at him. He always liked a chance to remind him of his job. It really didn’t happen very often, but it was still good to have a reason to pull him down a peg or two every now and then.

  “Alex,” Tom said across the bar.

  “Tom, we seem to have a useless barman,” Alex said, nodding toward the guy.

  “Really? That is quite a novelty in here.”

  “Quite.”

  “Right, can someone explain what the fuck is going on? Am I being filmed or something?” the barman ordered. Conner chuckled and tipped the bottle of scotch up to have another drink.

  “Constantly. Didn’t you know that?” Alex retorted.

  “Mike, this is Alexander White. He owns the club and you just broke some major rules in here,” Tom explained politely. “What would you like to do, Alex?”

  “I’d like an apology for a start. Then you can fire him,” Alex explained calmly to Tom as he downed another Scotch and smirked at Conner. It appeared he needed to keep up with his friend who had clearly begun the game of let’s get trashed.