by M Dauphin
This is my club.
Sort of.
“Kayla!” The bellow comes from deep within me as I blow through the clear glass doors. The glass wall that surrounds the outside of the building, even though shaded, is nothing compared to the sunlight pushing through it. The black marble floors, swirled with silver and hints of bright red, shine up at me as I pace the lobby.
The bitch changed the keys to the back of the club.
“Kayla!”
The click of her heels echo throughout the building and I look up to the second level, awaiting her arrival.
She shows her face and I want nothing more than to put her in her place. The grin she’s wearing has no place right now.
“What the fuck did you do?” I growl at her, tightening my fists at my side.
“Oh,” she smiles sweetly as she walks down the stairs. The cold click of her bright red shoes, the bare skin showing way too much and leaving barely anything to the imagination around her dress. Who is this woman? I left her a month ago to move to St. Louis for this club. When I left she was in modest clothing, still sexy but not too much showing. She was in heels but not that fancy. She wasn’t wearing bright red lipstick and pin straight platinum blonde hair, staring at me through those fuck me eyes that have gotten me in trouble one too many times.
“What did you do,” I growl, unmoving.
“A few updates were needed, Knox. The club is getting bigger and we needed better security.” Her smile fades, bringing a more seductive grin on her face. “Come. I have things I want to show you.”
Her hand grabs mine and the man inside me can’t pull his eyes away from her ass and the way it sways in that tight black dress.
“Kayla,” I mutter, following behind her as her fingerprint opens the black and gold doors to the back.
“Shh,” she whispers, grinning back at me.
Walking through the club, I notice a shit ton of un-approved updates that have been done, but I can’t say I’m mad about them. The brown booths in the back of the viewing areas have been updated to black and red circular beds. The closer chairs are more for comfort and viewing pleasure now than the typical benches were before. We may not be able to hold as many people in the rooms now, but those that are there are certainly going to get a much better experience.
“How much did this all cost?” I let my hand slip from hers and spin, staring back at the viewing room common area. The dark and red accents add to the appeal better than the original muted earth tones did. She did good, but I’ll never let her know it.
“Does it matter?” Her hands slip around my shoulders and I feel her breath on my neck. “Isn’t it perfect, Knox?”
“It’s nice. How much did it cost?”
We weren’t doing bad before. We were doing fan-fucking-tastic. We didn’t really need this, even though it looks amazing.
“Less than a mil,” she whispers calmly.
Calmly! She spends almost a million of my dollars on this without running it by me first?! This is my fucking business!
“Kayla, that’s not your call to make!” My voice bellows throughout the empty room and a chuckle starts to escape her lips.
“Knox,” she purrs. “You know as well as I do that this is going to bring in more money. What good is having a club like Come and not using it to its full potential? Just imagine the new clientele that I’ll be bringing in with this re-make of the most popular part of our club.”
“If it wasn’t broken, why did you fix it?” I can’t be too thrilled about the updates because she still went behind me, and that’s unacceptable.
“It’s half mine, too, you know. I decided to make it something I like better and something that appeals to the eye more. With you not here, I figured it was now or never.” She’s smiling at me, her blonde pin straight hair tucked behind her ears making her look bare to me. No makeup, no jewelry. She knows how simple I used to like it and she’s using it to play my emotions.
I’m smarter than that.
“I’m here, Kayla. I’m just out of the office for a bit.”
“Please,” she scoffs. “We all know that little twat—”
No she’s fucking not.
“Excuse me?” I growl, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her against the wall. She grins. The bitch likes it rough. “You know exactly why I’m doing what I am. After all…this is for you, is it not?” I brush my thumb against her jawline as I push my body to hers. The bones in her hips make me flash back to having luscious Harper pressed against me. There’s nothing bony about her. She’s just right. I stare back at Kayla, her dull green eyes do nothing for me, not compared to the bright blue ones I have waiting for me in St. Louis. She’s grinning at me a devilish grin.
Two can play this game, sweetheart.
“Knox,” she pants, “I’m s—”
“No,” I snap. “You’re the reason this is going the way it is. I started this shit for you. I don’t want to hear another word about me not being here, got it?” She nods, eyes wide. “Good. Now I’m heading to my office to fix what you started and to make sure your wild spending spree isn’t putting us in the red.” I storm off, not looking back before slamming the doors.
The minute she’s out of my sight, Harper comes back to the forefront of my memory. Goddammit can I not have a moments rest from thinking about her?!
“John,” I say to my phone the minute I get to my office.
“Yep.” He answers almost immediately. He must have been sitting at his desk waiting to hear from me.
“It’s almost midnight John. What’re you doing at work still?”
“Just waiting to hear from you. I didn’t get much info on what was happening.” He sounds tired and I’m having a hard time believing him that he was just waiting for me. He has a cell phone, I know how to get a hold of him should I need to. If I’m going to have a general manager/operator of this new club, I have to make sure it’s someone who has their head on straight and starting off working into the late, middle of the night hours, isn’t the best way to keep your head on straight. I pride myself on being a good boss…I’d rather not lose my number one employee because I didn’t care to see that something’s bothering him.
“Everything ok over there?”
“Club’s good, Knox.” He sighs.
“And you?”
He chuckles and clears his throat.
“What’s going on, John?” He’s a friend first. All of my employees are friends to me and I try to treat them all with respect and be as kind as I can to them…but John is more than that. John’s a true friend, and I honestly don’t want him getting run down by this job. “Listen, if you’re getting too bogged down I can bring someone else in to help you until the club opens, I—”
“No, Knox…just stop, ok? It’s not the club. Leigh and I are just…well neither of us have ever roomed with another man before. It’s just a learning curve for both of us, ok? And right now, I’m more comfortable in my office than I am at home. That’s all. This will pass and I’ll be fine.”
I chuckle at him and shake my head.
“Go home, John. There’s someone there that loves you and probably hates you working so late into the night. Everything I need to tell you is in the email. I just wanted to leave you a message to check it first thing in the morning. There’s been a fuck ton of spending from the Springfield club and I want to make sure we’re still on track financially to open in a month.”
“Got it,” his voice is tired as he yawns and ends the call.
I spend the next two hours mulling over all the paperwork that Kayla has half-hazardly put together since I left. It’s been a month and already my filing and organization system has gone out the window. I’m almost through the pile of shit that’s been left on my desk when my phone buzzes.
HARPER: Highfives yer gone’
HARPER: Fucking autoroccest.
HARPER: BAH!
HARPER: BEeer.
I stare at my phone as the single word texts come through and all I c
an do is worry that she’s safe.
And that alone pisses me off.
Deciding to lock the phone screen and flip it over so I can’t see any more of her drunken texts come through, I get back to work trying to forget she’s out, partying, drunk, and I’m not there to help her.
Stop, Knox. You’re not a knight. She’s completely fine without you.
Fifteen minutes later and I don’t think my phone has stopped buzzing. Whatever she’s doing tonight, apparently she can’t get me off her mind. A grin sweeps across my face at the memory of her underneath me. Good lord she’s sexy.
I huff, picking up the phone and glaring at the screen, swipe it to view the forty messages from Harper. What can be this important that she can’t leave me alone? Did John not give her the message that I’m out of town tonight?
HARPER: Hey
HARPER: You
HARPER: DRANK
Jesus she’s beyond remembering this in the morning. I’m a firm believer of no phones when alcohol is being inhaled at the rate it took her to get this plastered.
The texts go on.
HARPER: I want to dnce with you
HARPER: Why you no reply???!???,,
The time stamps on the messages are within minutes of each other. Reading through them, it’s not until the final text that I know I need to go home.
Home.
Mother fucker. It’s not my home. It’s not my place to call it home with what I have to do.
HARPER: House was unlocked and open. Wht do Do? IN! Go IN!
HARPER: If I die you can have my blankets. You look good in my blankets. You look good in everything. Sxy.
The spelling tells me she’s either frantically texting or drunk off her ass still, either way she’s too far gone to handle whatever’s happening there on her own and I don’t know who she’s out with.
Why in god’s name did she wait to go out and get completely wasted when I’m out of town? I can’t keep her safe if I’m this far away!
“Kayla, I’m leaving,” I bark into the intercom that leads to her office. I know she’s still here…probably waiting for me to leave so she can pounce on me. Bitch. With my car keys in hand, I’m out the door before she can reply.
If Harper’s in trouble, I’m never going to forgive myself for leaving her alone.
And that feeling right there scares me to the core.
I have two hours or less to get my feelings in check.
With the sun glaring in through the window, the first thing I notice is the smell.
Good god what is that?
“Morning,” His voice radiates through my body, sending heat waves to parts that shouldn’t be awake this early. How can one word from a man I’ve barely known do that to me?
What is that smell?
“Hey,” my voice groggy and smoke ridden. Last night was probably a mistake, but I’m alive and I think it was fun…I don’t remember much, though. Last thing I remember we were hailing a taxi to head across the river to a strip club. After that…nada.
“Glad you’re alive.” He doesn’t sound very amused. My gaze is locked on the ceiling, and as much as I want to look at him and his beautiful features, I’m not. I’m not letting myself fall back into that hole. He’s my roommate. He’s leaving in a little over a month. I can’t get attached.
But Jesus he’s a fantastic lay.
“Me too. Last night was rough.”
“You’re telling me.” He lightly chuckles and I hear movement. Moving my gaze to him, the first thing I notice is that I’m not in my room. What the fuck?
“Where am I?” My eyes hit his and I see the dark circles and yesterday’s five o’clock shadow painting his normally refreshed features.
“John and Leigh’s,” he answers, standing up. I watch him as he walks towards the desk across the room from me. Grabbing a bottle of water, I hear the rattle of the pill bottle and sigh.
At least someone here is looking out for me. I shouldn’t be so relieved that it’s him, though.
I should be able to take care of myself.
“Here.” He shoves the bottle at me. “Drink. Hydrate. And take these.” His outstretched hand drops two ibuprofen in my palm.
“Thank you.” The water goes down smooth. A much needed refreshment in my dry as fuck mouth, but it’s not good enough. My body needs about four or five of these before I’ll feel like myself again.
“Why are you here?” My curiosity gets the best of me.
“A ‘thank you’ would suffice.” He grins at me as he sits back on the chair next to the bed. It’s then that I notice his appearance.
He looks like he’s been through hell.
“What happened to you?” I sit up and see him cock an eyebrow at me, eyeing my chest.
Great.
However I went to bed last night, I must have decided it was easiest to strip off everything.
I sleep like this at home all the damn time. Not at other people’s houses.
“Sorry,” I huff, pulling the covers over my bare skin.
“I’m not complaining.” The heat in his eyes, the same look that I’ve gotten used to seeing, is back. He grins at me and adjusts himself before relaxing in the chair.
“So what are you doing here, Knox?” I’m tired of these games. I’m a big girl. There’s no reason for him to be here watching over me.
“Well, racing home to find a ransacked apartment and no roommate in sight kind of sent me into a tailspin. Once I found you I decided I’d stay near in case your drunken ass needed me. And thank god for that,” he says, nodding towards the floor. “Looks like you’re going to have to pay John for floor cleaning services.
I lean over the side of the bed and groan.
“That’s the smell…” I whine. “Shit.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. What the hell were you doing going out like that without me in town?”
My eyebrows rise at him and I can’t find the words to yell at him for acting like a caveman.
“You know how much trouble you could have gotten into?” He looks at me curiously and I lose it.
“Seriously?! You leave town with no notice, not even a text! You have someone from your work find me and tell me you’re gone. Right after…after…” Fuck me I’m acting like a jealous girlfriend. “You know what. Never mind. I’ve gotta get going.” Tugging the blanket around me, I move to stand too quickly and almost fall in the process.
“Woah there, Harp.” His hands come around my shoulders and there we stand. Face to face. Angry. Hurt. Worried. I see his eyes flick to my lips then back to my eyes. He wants to kiss me…I can see it in the way he’s looking at me.
“Excuse me,” I grunt, pissed that even mad at him I can’t help but feel the sexual pull between us.
I wrap the blanket around my body as modestly as I can and storm to Leigh’s room to find him and John in bed still.
“Wake the fuck up, Leigh.” The door slams open, sending John and Leigh into a fit of sheet pulling and mumbles as they frantically try to hide their bits from me.
“Nothing I haven’t seen before, boys,” I mumble. “Leigh. Clothes. I need them.”
He looks at me with sleep still in his eyes and grins.
“You didn’t last night.” He says, forcing a chuckle from John.
“Not funny,” I huff. “I need to leave.”
“Great.” John mumbles, earning a slug to the arm from Leigh. He looks at me and shakes his head.
“You puked all over them on the cab ride back, Harper. They need to be washed.” His voice groggy and the frown on his face says I’m in more trouble with him than I thought.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, suddenly feeling like a child. “Do you have shorts and a shirt I can wear home, at least? I’ll get a cleaner here as soon as I can to clean up my mess.” He sighs and stands from the bed, walking over to his dresser without trying to cover up anything. John glares at him the entire time and I wonder how much Leigh told him about our past. Leigh’s been gay since day one, but
he’s never been modest, and for good reason. The man is ripped. If he weren’t gay I’d have jumped him years ago. That being said, there’ve been plenty of drunken nights he’s disrobed in front of me. It’s impressive, but it’s not what I want.
What I want is standing in the doorway, red faced, watching this exchange.
“Here,” Leigh says, as he hands me a pair of gym shorts and a white t-shirt. “This’ll have to do.”
“Thank you, you’re a life saver.” I hug him, not thinking about the clothes thing, and the blanket falls to the floor.
“Shit,” I mutter, breaking the hug and glancing back at Knox.
Why the hell did I do that? I don’t owe him anything. He’s not my boyfriend. He has no claim to my life. If I want to hug my gay best friend naked, then dammit I’ll hug my gay best friend naked.
“Let’s go,” he says, storming into the room. “John. Thank you. Take the day off, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He grunts as he grabs my arm, giving me no time to process what’s happening. On the way out I stop at the bathroom and toss the clothes at Knox. The taste in my mouth can’t wait. If I have to taste like I upchucked everything from yesterday one more minute I might actually do it again.
I use toothpaste and my finger to scrub them clean and when I come out to the living room, Knox is glaring at me and tosses the clothes back at me.
“Put them on,” he says. I grin at him, his jaw tight from anger.
Quirking an eyebrow, I put my hands on my hips and drop the clothes to the floor.
“Oops,” I whisper. He shakes his head and his hands go to his hips.
“Dress please.”
“If you say so.” Slowly bending at the hip, I don’t lose eye contact until I’m all the way bent over. A low growl escapes his lips and I grin, knowing what this is doing to him. Slipping on the too-big shorts, I roll the waistband until I’m confident they aren’t going to fall, then glare at Knox.
“I don’t appreciate the rude tone," I tell him, crossing my arms to perk the ladies up. His demeanor isn’t changing but his will not to stare at my chest right now is slowly breaking. A grin slips over my lips and he sighs.