Chapter 5
Chapter five
Adam
The music surrounds me, pounding rhythmically as if this club has a pulse.
I watch the dance floor from the safety of the bar and see sweaty bodies gyrating in an obvious mating dance, pushing and pressing against one another, hoping to find a partner, if only for the night.
Cory dragged Damon here after he complained that his busy schedule and the language barrier made dating almost impossible while overseas.
I tagged along for some bro time, but it’s too loud to think in here, let alone talk.
Cory and Damon don’t seem to mind; they’re in the center of it all, switching dance partners any time the song changes.
I take a sip of my watered down drink and check my watch. While I’m considering just leaving my brothers to their fun, a big, familiar arm grabs me across the shoulders from behind.
“Don’t tell me our baby bro is thinking about calling it a night?” Damon looks like he’s just finished playing a quarter of basketball, but the woman boldly curled against his chest doesn’t seem to mind. She gives me an approving glance, which I ignore. Bros before hos.
“I was thinking about it, yeah. This place is a bit too trendy for me.” Cory comes up behind us and shoves his way to sit next to me at the bar.
“Don’t give him a hard time, D. You know baby bro can’t dance.” I roll my eyes and signal the bartender for another round.
“I can too dance. It’s Jr. who’s got the two left feet.” When Henry Jr. moved to Westchester, all women’s toes in NYC breathed a sigh of relief. The bartender wordlessly replaces my empty glass with a new Jameson on the rocks. At least the service is good. Cory just smirks.
“So why is the missing member of BTS sitting here sulking at the bar instead of tearing up the dance floor with some babes?” Cory does a few exaggerated boy band dance moves, cracking everyone up. He might be a finance wiz kid, but he’s also a huge goofball.
“I haven’t found the right girl yet. I prefer to be more strategic before—“
“The right girl?” Cory interrupts. “For what? It’s just a dance.
” For some reason I’m overthinking things tonight and my brothers can tell.
Well, Cory can, at least. Damon is pretty busy with his tongue down the bold girl’s throat.
They’re making out uncomfortably close to me, and I’m two seconds from letting them know I didn’t agree to a threesome.
“Like I was saying,“ I continue. Cory rolls his eyes dramatically.
“Some of us prefer to be more strategic, while others,” I look at Cory and Damon pointedly, “seem to be more about quantity over quality.” Damon briefly comes up for air.
Bold girl is now chewing his gum, and I try not to gag. Mono, party of two!
“If you’re looking for quality girls, you’re in the wrong place.” Damon nods to his new “friend”. “No offense.” She seems to take offense, however, as she walks off in a huff, leaving Damon to chase after her.
“And he just made my point. We came out to hang and now he’s going to be chasing after some girl all night.” Cory takes a shot and raises his eyebrow.
“No, you came out to chill. We came out specifically to find some chicks to help Damon with his dry spell. You’re more than welcome to fuck off back to Brooklyn if these women aren’t to your liking.
“ Cory’s being a dick about it, but he has a point.
Since when do I stress about the quality of my hookups?
I survey the crowd and find a busty brunette dancing sensually by herself.
I pound down the rest of my drink and make my way over.
“There you go, baby bro!” Cory shouts after me. “Go see if she’s marriage material!” I throw a middle finger up behind me and reach the brunette.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” she purrs. She looks me up and down before turning to grind her butt against my crotch. That was easy.
I put my hands on her hips, guiding her movements.
There’s no way she doesn’t know I’m enjoying myself.
Any closer, and we’ll need to use protection.
When the beat speeds up, she turns to face me, pressing her breasts against my chest. She leans close, purposely letting me feel her lips against my ear.
“I’m glad to see the stereotypes aren’t true.”
“What?” I ask.
“You know,” she says suggestively, and winks for good measure. No, lady. I really don’t.
“What stereotypes?” She finally stops dancing against me, looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“The stereotypes about Asian men.” She winks again and drops her gaze to my dick. “I can tell you’re packing some serious hardware.”
My jaw drops and I step away from her immediately. The nerve of this bitch! I head back to the bar, opening and closing my fists in frustration. Damon is already there, handing a drink to the bold girl from earlier.
“What’s up, man? You look ready to punch a wall.” I give him a grim nod and order another drink while I try to cool off.
“A little. The chick I was dancing with said she was glad I have a big dick.” I gulp down my swiftly delivered drink and motion for another one. I straighten when I see the anger in Damon’s eyes.
“Is my baby bro whipping his dick out on the dance floor? Bonehead move, man.” I look at him, thoroughly exasperated.
“What? Hell no. She could just tell from dancing with me.” Damon doesn’t try to hide his confusion.
“Uh…And that’s bad?“ I gulp the second drink and take a calming breath.
“She said she was glad I had a big dick considering the stereotypes about Asian men.“ At my last words, Damon looks nearly as angry as I am.
“Really, dude? In 2024? Still?”
“Right!” I said, feeling validated. That chick was rude as hell. “It came out of left field and threw me way the fuck off. I barely said two words to her and she’s calling me the Ron Jeremy of Asians.” Damon coughs into his drink to hide his smile.
“It’s not funny, dude.” His smile opens up to a full laugh and I start to laugh too. “OK, that was a little funny. But that woman certainly wasn’t. In what world is it a good idea to compare someone to their entire race?” Damon turns to me, his face suddenly serious.
“It’s ten times worse overseas, bro. It gets so bad sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it, just for the BS money I’m getting paid.”
“I’m sorry, man. That’s awful.”
“I’m one person’s stereotype, and another person’s fetish. All the while, I’m just missing home.” I’ve never heard my brother talk like this.
“Are you thinking about giving it up?” I ask gingerly. We all want Damon home, but we don’t want to pressure him. It’s his life, after all. He wipes his hand over his face.
“I don’t know…,” he sighs. “I might not quit, but maybe just let my contract run out at the end of next season.“ Holy shit! My brother is finally coming home. I wondered when he’d be ready. He’s in his 30s already, and playing basketball is not a forever job.
“That’s major, Damon.” He cuts his eyes to me quickly.
“Don’t tell Mom or Dad. I don’t want to get their hopes up if I change my mind but…I don’t think I’ll change my mind.” He looks so down right now, I feel bad for bringing up the brunette’s idiot remark. To be abroad, not looking like those around you or speaking the language? It must be tough.
I get so happy at the thought of having my brother back, just a train ride away, that I forget all about the woman, and buy us a round of drinks instead.
“Your secret’s safe with me.”