Chapter 5
Luke
R andy caught up with me at the club later that night. Since I was only filling in for someone else, I wouldn’t have to be there too long. Just in time to take off for my fight.
“How’d it go earlier?” he asked as he stood next to me at the door. His face contorted as he hid a wide yawn. Despite the loud music, the bass thumping so hard that it vibrated up the ground through our legs, and the lights flashing erratically like it was a wannabe rave in here, my man was tired . He’d pulled the same double as I had, working as security at the resort all day and now as a bouncer here at night.
“Bro, you need some sleep.”
He scoffed. “Like you’re one to talk.”
I shrugged. “I know I can sleep once I’m home, though.”
“Not me.” He rolled his eyes. “Not with King acting like he’s got colic. Or gas. Regina had terrible gas.”
I chuckled. “Look at us. Old men in here talking about baby gas.”
“Shit. I’m the old man. You ain’t got babies to gossip about their gas.”
I smiled.
“You’ll be so whooped when you are though.” He nodded, scanning the crowd like I did. We could shoot the shit and do our job at the same time.
“Tired? I bet.”
“No. Whooped as in your son or daughter’s gonna wrap you around their little finger so damn fast.” He grinned. It didn’t erase the fatigue in his eyes but his smile was pure. “Nothing beats being a dad.”
He wouldn’t be wrong. I was excited to have a kid someday. I had to find a woman first, but I wasn’t in a rush. My dad never showed up. According to my mom, he checked out when she told him that she was pregnant. I was determined to break that cycle. It’d stop with me. Whenever I would be so lucky to settle down, I’d be there for my kid, no matter what.
“How’d it go, though? That pain-in-the-ass VIP? I wanted to come check in with you before you head out.”
“Just like you said. She was a pain in the ass.” I wasn’t going to mention the view I got of her fine ass—then or now.
She was here, as a matter of fact, and it took a hefty amount of focus not to glance her way for too long. I refused to play this game. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of catching me looking at her tight, short skirt. I wasn’t going let her notice me dragging my gaze up her slender, toned legs, that luscious ass, tight waist, and those tits—
Nope. Not going there. I refused. As soon as I felt the now-familiar draw to her, that nagging need to find her in the crowd, I mentally groaned and resisted, concentrating on something else across the room.
When she and her friend entered, a silent stare-down commenced. She didn’t seem like the kind to let a man have the last word. I left without saying a single damn thing to her, hoping I’d never run into her again.
How ironic that she had to choose to come to this club tonight, among all the nightlife options in Miami.
She didn’t seem as excited to dance like her friend. Nor did she care to drink much, only one cocktail, not that I was paying attention or anything. I wasn’t paid to stand here and stalk her. I had to help the other guys keep this place on the safer side of crazy.
“All of them are.” Randy shook his head, paying attention to a little bit of a crowd near the bar. “Loaded. Spoiled. Bitchy brats.”
His summary of the VIP guests was spot on. “You forgot entitled.”
“Uh huh.” He nodded. “Talking down to us like we’re morons, on the wrong side of the tracks. She didn’t threaten to get you fired too, did she?”
I shrugged. She had, but it didn’t bother me. “She’s not going to do a damn thing.”
I stood there considering how we’d listed the ways a woman like that alluring brunette wouldn’t ever click with someone like me. She was too rich for my tastes, too full of herself and haughty. Which made it all the more frustrating that I felt so stuck finding her. Intrigue could make a smart man an idiot, but I simply didn’t have the damn time to be curious about the prickly woman.
Over the last half hour of my shift, though, it was damn near impossible not to know where she was. She’d made an impression on me, not just because she was hot, but because of her stubbornness to butt heads with me. Her quickness to single me out as a worthy adversary of some kind.
I watched her not finish her drink. I also was a witness to her sort of dancing with a few men. Her tall friend was one of those natural partiers, an extrovert who was always down for a good time. The VIP guest who threatened me didn’t seem interested when a guy in a Laker’s hat got too close, but all in all, nothing bad was happening. Nothing suspicious that could warrant me interfering.
“You ready for tonight?” Randy asked, coming back toward the door when I was counting down the minutes to leave.
I nodded, raking my gaze over the blue-green-eyed brat. “Ethan should be here to relieve me soon.”
“I think I saw him heading this way from the back—there.” Randy tipped his chin at the burly man who’d requested someone to fill in for him for the first half of the shift.
“Good.” I patted Randy on the back as we did a side hug. “And of course, I’m ready for tonight.”
“Cocky bastard,” he teased.
“Nah. Just confident. I beat this guy a few times already.” I shrugged as I moved to leave.
“Then why are you matched with him again?”
“I’ve got no fucking clue. Because Jimmy doesn’t think I’m ready to advance.”
Randy shook his head. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. Good luck.”
Luck never had anything to do with it. Only raw grit and determination to survive.
Ethan passed me, taking my spot and telling me thanks as I moved through the club to reach the back door. The staff exit was that way, and I had to clock out to ensure this half-shift counted on my pay. Before I could clear a route out of the thickest area of the dance floor, I did it again.
Or maybe this time, it was her fault. It hardly mattered if she glanced at me first or if I’d fallen prey to mark where she was. Our eyes met, and I hated how easily she trapped me in wanting to stare for longer. Those eyes. Such a light, electric blue. I’d never seen anything like them before. The novelty of her eye color wasn’t what had me hooked though. Her attitude was what really got me.
She smirked, lifting one corner of her lips in a sultry yet sassy expression.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one to notice that I had my sights set on her. The guy in the Laker’s cap was still near her, and he stepped in front of her, blocking her from my view.
I wasn’t close enough to brush against her shoulder, but now that this prick shoved between us, it seemed like we were confined in too small of a space.
“What the hell are you looking at?” he demanded, puffing up his chest to look mightier.
I gave him a dead look, wondering if he really wanted to use that tone with me.
“Fuck off, man.” He shoved at my chest, not moving me. As he tried to get in my face, moving fast as he shifted his weight, I glanced at the woman behind him.
“I see you watching her,” he taunted. “Well, guess what, homeboy? She’s here with me.”
She stepped forward, scowling. “Hey, I’m not here with anybody.”
He held his arm up to barricade her, warning her not to come close, and I fought back a growl at how he almost smacked her. Scooting back, she sneered at the guy for his move.
“She’s a guest here. She’s here with me.”
“I’m not—”
He grinned, turning to smack her ass to get back. “You be patient.”
“Hey!” She twisted, a scowl marring her face. “Don’t touch me like that.”
“I’ll do whatever I want with that ass.” He moved to the side, chasing after her, but he didn’t get a chance to lay his hands on her again.
Consent was a basic concept, and the anger on her face was all I needed to see to know she didn’t care for this asshole.
I locked my fingers around his arm, holding his limb in the air before he could grope her. Intervening in fights was part of the job, but I was off. My shift was ending. If I hadn’t been watching her so closely, I likely wouldn’t have noticed her irritation with this handsy guy.
“The fuck?” He tried to yank his arm free to no avail.
“Listen to her. If she said to back off”—I pulled him closer so I could growl the rest—“then you better back off.”
“Who the hell are you to try to—” He grunted, giving up on talking and trying to hit me.
His jab was a weak effort. He had no form and the booze that reeked from him was a clear sign he wasn’t sober enough to handle a fight with me.
“You motherfucker,” he replied hotly. “Mind your own business.” He tried again and again to punch me, and I held him back. When he couldn’t get a hit in, he fought harder, landing a strike on my arm.
This was bullshit. I would be fighting later, and I didn’t need to deal with his pansy ass now.
“Whoa. Whoa, Luke.” Randy rushed up, getting between us to bust up this little scuffle.
Easy, man.” Once Ethan had the Laker’s fan held back, Randy faced me fully. “This isn’t worth losing your job over either.”
I doubted it’d come to that. If anyone were to investigate if I was abusing my position here, they’d see and hear that this ass didn’t listen to what the woman said. Still, Randy was right.
I was forgetting myself, ignoring my duty. I didn’t want to lose this job, not until I could know that I’d have more reliable income to count on from fighting. I planned to ask Jimmy about it tonight when I saw him, but until then, it would be smart to cool down.
“Emma!” The woman’s friend squeezed through the growing crowd to reach her. “What happened?”
Emma. At least I knew her name now.
But that doesn’t matter. We stared at each other again, stuck in this annoying spell of awareness. Of noticing each other and failing to look away.
Doesn’t matter what her name is. She wasn’t someone who’d ever belong in my life.
Shaking my head, I turned and resumed heading for the exit.
Just like before, I didn’t have idle downtime to get involved with Emma. I had a chronic problem with trying to help and save too many others. She wouldn’t be the first damsel in distress I’d rescued. It was obvious that I couldn’t walk away from someone in need. Like how I provided for my mom. How I took Randy’s issue earlier. And now this, Emma dealing with a stupid idiot who didn’t listen to her order to back off.
Not my circus , I reminded myself.
I had to learn to pick my damn battles better.
Ha. Pick my battles. I smacked my hand on the push bar to the exit door, wishing I literally could. As I walked into the night to get to my match, I wished that Jimmy would let me choose my fights and have more say in my career.
Because if all I had to do was focus on fighting, I wouldn’t have to put up with sassy woman with intoxicating bright eyes anymore either.