Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
W ilder finished posting the laminated signs in the women’s bathrooms and headed up to his office. It was almost time to open and, for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t filled with excitement. What he felt was dread. It was the feeling that something bad was going to happen and he was worried he wouldn’t be able to stop it.
Wilder walked around his desk and took a seat. He turned and watched the security feeds as the line for general admission began to form along the sidewalk after checking in with Hardy. VIPs wouldn’t be arriving this early, but they always let in some of the people on the sidewalk first to get the dancing started. VIPs didn’t like walking into an empty club.
Hardy looked as if he wasn’t paying attention, but he was. He was writing on the tablet that controlled the number of people let in, the reservations, the VIPs, and sent notes to the staff about certain people—birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette parties, celebrities, and so forth. He was writing down each name who was in line and writing down what they were wearing and how they presented themselves. To keep WET exclusive, Wilder made it hard to get in. Hardy knew that and kept his eyes open for hints to see who should be allowed in. Are you already drunk or on drugs in line? Then you won’t get in. Are you aggressive or complaining loudly? You don’t get in. If you’re excited, happy, but well-mannered in line, you have a better chance of getting in.
The knock at the door had Wilder looking away from the monitors. “Come in.”
Bryce walked in looking just as worried as Wilder felt. “Ready for the doors to open?”
Wilder took a deep breath and nodded. Bryce sent a notification to the staff and Wilder watched as Tiny opened the door from the inside and stood guard. The crowd perked up as Hardy began letting in some of the people waiting in line.
Hardy let their regulars in first. Patrons who had money, but not enough to be in the VIP area, and who usually showed up every week. They were big spenders, big tippers, and knew how to behave. However, Wilder now inspected each one as they were let in. Hardy then let in several groups of women.
Wilder watched as a group of four women were led in and a woman who had been standing with them followed close behind, making it five. She smiled and thanked Hardy but she seemed to stand a bit apart from what appeared to be a girls’ night out. Wilder moved to stand by the window overlooking the club’s interior as he watched the woman with curly brown hair that had been pinned up to show off her slender neck join the others at the bar. That’s when Wilder really saw the difference. Designer jewelry, shoes, and clothes dripped off the group of women. However, the curly-haired brunette beauty only had on costume jewelry and he was pretty sure her outfit, while sexy, didn’t cost more than fifty bucks.
Wilder sent a text to Hardy with the description of the woman. A minute later, Wilder was looking at her picture on the scan of her ID Hardy had made when she’d gotten in line. Tiffany Anderson. Wilder looked back at the woman who appeared to be trying to fit into the group and frowned. Either the group didn’t like her, or she wasn’t with the group at all. Either way, Wilder was going to keep his eye on her and it didn’t have anything to do with wanting to wrap his hand in that curly hair as he kissed those pink-tinged lips of hers.
Bex laughed when the group laughed, but it was clear they were starting to pick up on the fact that she was trying to be with them. They were the means to her way into the club and it had worked. Now, she was trying to figure out how to not be so obvious about being near them. They seemed as if they’d be the perfect target for Wilder Townsend. They could easily be robbed of tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry per person. They were also on the hunt for some men. Apparently one of them had just signed her divorce papers and was ready to be single in the city.
Bex picked up the menu and pretended to look at the drink menu. The girls began talking about powdering their noses so Bex decided to lead instead of follow. She walked around the dance floor which was now full of people. The big-name DJ who was in residence this weekend hadn’t begun his set yet so normal dance music was being played.
Bex took in the layout of the club, the security in the VIP area that had begun to fill up, and the cameras around the club as she made her way into the bathroom. Once in the stall, she closed the door and unlocked her phone. She turned on the app that ran in the background and acted as an audible wire. She put the phone into her bra and waited for the women to come into the restroom. A restroom that was very nice. It was spotless. It had great lighting for touching up makeup. Fresh flowers lined the sinks. There were also various lotions, feminine products, and mints along with condoms.
Bex looked up from where she sat when she heard the women enter. She pulled up her legs and then tried to look between the stalls. Bex’s eyes landed on a framed laminated sign on the inside of the stall door.
Feel unsafe?
Is a date not going well?
Is someone making you uncomfortable?
Are you afraid to try to leave?
Ask any of the servers for a Midnight Margarita and one of the staff will quietly get you away from the situation you’re uncomfortable in and will wait with you while you get a ride home.
Bex took her phone back out and snapped a picture of the sign. She wouldn’t expect that in a club that was preying on women.
“Oh my god. Did you see that man at the end of the bar,” one of the girls gasped as soon as the bathroom door closed. “I want to ride him like I’m a jockey in the final stretch of a race.”
“I just want to feel a dick between my legs that doesn’t poke me three times and then wilt,” another girl said as they all giggled.
“Well,” one of them said, dropping her voice, “did you hear about the special shot you can order with the male bartender?”
Bex leaned forward as if that would help her hear better. Why would they order the Midnight Margarita when they were trying to get laid?
“It’s called the Love Bomb,” the woman whispered. “It’s spiked with ecstasy. You can only order it from the bartender named Sasha.”
“How do you know that?” someone asked as Bex suddenly felt disappointed in Wilder Townsend. It was true. He was dealing drugs.
“Emma told me. She said it turned her hook-up into the hottest sex she’s ever had.”
“Then what are we waiting for? I claim the hottie at the end of the bar. He’s all mine!”
Bex listened to them finishing their makeup touchups and then headed out to the bar before she put her feet down and left the restroom. Bex fought her way back to the bar to try to listen as the women ordered their shots.
The bar was more crowded now and Bex couldn’t get super close, but was only two men away from them when they placed their order. This was it. As soon as those shots were made, she had Wilder Townsend for distributing drugs in his club.
“Four Love Bombs, please,” the leader of the group asked the handsome bartender who must be Sasha. Sasha winked at them and told them a price that was incredibly high in a very sexy Eastern European accent. “Here you go,” she said handing him her credit card.
“Cash only,” Sasha replied as he pushed the stray brown hair from his face. The women dug around their small purses and handed over the money. Bex would have all the evidence she needed as soon as Sasha handed them the drug-laced shots.
The door hidden in the wall next to the bar opened and Wilder Townsend and an enormous man, who Bex had seen stationed at the front door earlier, stepped onto the main floor. Bex very much understood the sexual desire the woman in the bathroom talked about. Bex wanted to hop on and ride Wilder Townsend to the finish line too. While he gave off this relaxed, easygoing, party-boy vibe, right now there was nothing relaxed with him. His intense blue eyes seemed to take in everything with a keen intelligence as he walked around the bar.
Bex glanced up as he walked by and their eyes connected. Her father and uncles had always said the eyes gave criminals away. They could be guilty, vacant, or innocent. In the split second her eyes connected with Wilder’s. She found his filled with anger before a flash of interest entered them when he looked at her. Their eye contact didn’t last long. He looked away and back to the women at the bar.
“Ladies,” Wilder practically purred as he leaned against the bar. Bex turned to watch. Luckily, he’d walked by the group before turning. He casually leaned against the bar so Bex had a full view of his face as he smiled at the women. Asshole. He knew they were taking ecstasy and was going to take advantage of them. “Celebrating tonight?” he asked as he nodded to the shot glasses they were holding up in preparation for a toast.
“I’m divorced! Want to be the second penis I’ve ever had?” the taller of the women asked as she pushed her chest out for his viewing pleasure.
“Do you know what I’d really like?” Wilder asked with a sensual smile, the women hanging on every word. “I’d like you to set down your glasses and do something for me.” The man then licked his lower lip, and Bex, while hating him for taking advantage of women, followed the tip of his tongue wishing it was running against her lips.
The women eagerly set the glasses down, ready to do his bidding. “I like this game. What can we do for you next?” the divorcee asked.
Wilder flashed another smile. “You can leave my bar and never come back.”
Bex stopped breathing. She felt her brow knit in confusion.
“What?” the woman asked, clearly just as confused as Bex.
“Those drinks you ordered have drugs in them. I don’t allow drugs in my club. Please leave quietly or I’ll have security escort you out. Your IDs have already been marked and you’re banned from every WET club in the world. Don’t bother arguing. It’s already done. You can either save your dignity and leave calmly or you can make a fuss and I’ll have you escorted out very publicly.”
It was then that Bex realized the big guy had moved behind the bar and had his hand on Sasha’s shoulder and that two more security guards were standing behind Bex ready to move in if necessary.
She’d been so caught up in Wilder that she’d missed the security guards moving in. The women looked ready to fight until they saw the two security guards step closer. They gave up the potential fight, grabbed their purses, and started to stomp off.
The divorcee stopped at the last second and spun back to Wilder. “I bet you don’t even have a big dick.”
Wilder’s lips tilted up and the smile could only be described as deliciously wicked. “I’ve never had any complaints about my size. More importantly, I know how to use it until you lose your voice from screaming so hard.” However, his eyes didn’t stay on the divorcee. His eyes met Bex’s when he said it. Heat shot through her as Wilder Townsend freaking winked at her before turning to the bar. “Tiny, take him to my office. Luna,” he said to the other bartender who had stopped to watch the scene unfolding at her bar. “You’ll need to fill in until we can get a second bartender in for the night.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“Thanks for the tip. Can you lock these up in the top shelf case?” Luna nodded as he handed her the four shot glasses. She pulled a key from her pocket and opened a locked glass cabinet over the bar to put them inside. The shot glasses were clearly visible as she shut and locked the door before pocketing the key.
Wilder walked by Bex on the way to the door the big guard had escorted the bartender through. Bex kept her attention on the bar, but in the mirror she saw Wilder watching her. Her heart started to pick up with anticipation as if she were storming a room to make a bust. Wilder Townsend was not the kind of guy Bex was normally around. He was way too rich for one thing. And way too handsome. Men like that weren’t the normal blue-collar guys she grew up around. He was tall and muscled, yet lean and had a jaw that looked as if an artist had created it. Then those eyes. They seemed to see everything.
“Need another?” Luna asked.
“Yes, please.” Bex slid the glass over to her. “Club soda with lime.”
Bex continued to pay attention to the men around the bar after Wilder disappeared behind the door. Some came over and chatted her up, others were focused on hanging out, and then others with hooking up with one of the myriad of women filling the club. Nothing seemed suspicious. That is until Detective Max Caldwell walked into the club and was led straight upstairs.