Chapter 2
CJ
I used to love what I did. I used to live for these nights; the lights, the dancing, the music, the wedding parties, birthday parties, shit, even the divorce parties were a blast. By day, I was CJ, a regular construction worker for my family’s company.
I played the part of the dutiful son well, and I was always there for my family whenever they needed me. However, this right here was all mine because, by night, Club Envy was my baby, my passion. As an investment, I opened the club with my best friend Vik five years ago. Everybody knew he was the frontman running Club Envy, and I was the silent partner. It wasn’t that I was ashamed of the club; it was more that I didn’t want my two lives mixing.
Club Envy was the place to be; we were a popular club, and it didn’t hurt that our two levels catered to everyone. Whether you wanted a night out just for drinking and dancing or enjoyed a night out and entertainment. We prided ourselves on having the very best dancers, both male and female. Dancing had always been something I excelled at and was something I had always wanted to pursue, but I was expected to join the family construction business after finishing college. I had no problem with that because my family was always supportive and knew of my side venture. As long as the two didn’t mix, my family didn’t want Peterson Construction to be associated with the club.
Every couple of weeks, I disguised myself in my trademark mask and became ‘Hammer,’ a silly name Vik created for a bit of flair, and for a few hours out of that week, I let loose on the stage. It was my way to de-stress and have fun. It was even better when we had groups in the club, and I would pick some lucky lady to get up on stage with me and dance for her. They always got handsy, which I didn’t mind, but nothing ever came of it, especially not since Stephanie.
There’s a bridal party tonight, and I’m due to go up on stage soon. I’m finishing up with my white contacts when Vik appears with a grin that's a mile wide behind me. I finish what I’m doing, turn around, and point at his face. “What’s got you smiling so hard?”
he looks at me and shakes his head, hands in his pockets and bouncing on his feet like a goddamn toddler.
“Man, you're not going to believe who’s in tonight!”
he gets that dreamy look on his face whenever he’s about to talk about his friend, Tanya.
“Let me guess, does it have something to do with a leggy brunette, ball-busting badass?”
His smile grows wider. “You bet! She’s here with that bridal party. She’s friends with the bride. She pulled me to one side, saying, ' The bride doesn’t want your dance,”
before he even finished what he was saying. I groaned. “You have got to be kidding me! I live for getting up on stage! What bride wouldn’t want a dance from me? Wait, it isn’t someone I know, is it?”
He laughs at me getting worked up. “Well, if you would give me a chance to finish, I can explain!”
I nod and wave him on. “As I said, the bride doesn’t want the dance because she has asked you to dance for her maid of honor instead. She’s called Emmy, and if I were into redheads, I would snap her up; she is a dream. She’s been going through a pretty shit time with her boyfriend, who is a complete prick, and so her best friend wants to do something nice for her”
Hmm, maybe tonight is looking up already.
I can hear the end of the set currently on stage and wait to one side as my boys filter off. Giving them each a nod and a “good job”
as they walk past. Most of the guys I get dancing here already work for me at Peterson Construction; it turns out I’m not the only one who wants to let off a bit of steam. The MC hypes up the room for me, and I step out on stage to total darkness. I can hear the excited murmur of anticipation, the air crackling with my energy, and it feels electric.
I look up just as the lights hit me; dead ahead is the bridal party, and right where Vik said she would be is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Her long red hair spirals down one side of her head, spilling over the front of her shoulder. She’s wrapped in a green dress that hugs every single one of her generous curves. Just looking at her makes my mouth water, and I know I need to start my set, but I seem rooted in the spot. She’s looking right at me, her mouth slightly parted, and even from where I am on stage, I can see her breath has become shallow. She likes what she sees and fuck me if that doesn’t make my cock twitch with excitement.
Suddenly, she breaks the spell and looks away at her friend. Oh, doesn’t she realise that I have her in my sights now, and we can’t have that? I approach her and see her friend, the bride, go wide-eyed as I get up close behind her friend, Emmy. I see her tense, and a smile tugs at my lips. She slowly turns around and takes me in, her eyes raking up my body so intensely I can almost feel them on me. She gasps when she gets to my face, and I flex my muscles for her; even in the club's darkness, I can tell she is blushing. As I hold out my hand to her, no words are needed; she takes it and follows me up on stage to the lone chair I have waiting for her. I move behind her and signal for the music to start.
The heavy beat starts, and I see Emmy’s breathing pick up a notch; she has no idea what to expect. Just before the words kick in, I lean close to her ear and whisper, “Make sure you hold on to the edge of the seat, sweetheart.”
She shudders at my voice and nods in response.
The first words flow through the air, and I tip back the chair as Emmy gasps, her head between my legs as she looks at me, wide-eyed and upside down.
I flip the chair back to sitting and spin around to straddle her just as the song talks about penetrating someone.
I roll my hips on her, grabbing hold of the back of the chair and standing up.
I circle my hips right in front of her face before dropping back down into her lap and rolling them again.
She’s looking me dead straight in the eyes as if she’s mesmerised, and fuck me if she hasn’t the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen.
I stand up, then back, grabbing her hands and pulling her up with me.
I loop her hands around my neck, put one of my hands at the back of her neck, grab her left leg, and hike it up and around my hips, gyrating into her and making her move with me.
She starts to move her hips on her own, and I have to hold back a groan; I’ve never gotten this handsy myself on stage, and I’m going entirely off routine, but this feels right.
I look into her eyes, move my mouth to her ear, and ask, “Do you trust me?”
I look back at her, and she nods.
Dropping her leg, I put my hand just beneath her jaw, gently grabbing her throat. I move around her back and keep my hand where it is; then, I nudge her legs apart from behind while she faces the crowd. I can’t hear her gasp, but I feel it. Then I let go of her throat and snake my hand around the front of her waist while my other hand moves down her back; just the slightest push and she understands what I want her to do; she bends over for me, putting her hands on the stage while I hold her up. I move my body again and look out at the crowd, seeing that everyone is eating this up, especially her friends; they’re going crazy! I bend over Emmy and help her to stand up. Her head drops back onto my shoulder, and she’s breathing heavily. Spinning her around, I look into her eyes to ensure she’s okay, and she rewards me with a killer smile.
She’s enjoying this as much as I am. The song is nearing its end, and I’m not ready for it to finish. I pull her close. “I’m going to lie you down now, is that ok?”
again, she nods. I lay her down on the stage and stand over her, my legs on either side of her. Looking down at her, I place my hands on either side of her head, our faces close enough to kiss; I move to a handstand position and slowly lower myself down and into a plank over her. I saw down and up her body, then back again into a plank as the song ended.
We’re both breathing heavy, and I can feel my cock straining against my pants. Never have I ever gotten hard while giving a dance. I stand up and help Emmy up, while she adjusts her dress, I adjust my dick. Just as I’m about to ask for her number, she turns and gives me a shy smile and says, “Thanks for the dance. You dance very well.”
She cringes, blushes, and then runs off stage to her friends.
I want to go after her, but the MC is ushering me off the stage for the next act. I run back to the changing area, remove my mask, take out my contacts, and undress. I want to make it back out there, find that beauty, and ask her for her number.
Vik walks in, clapping and heading over to me. “Wow, CJ, that was fucking amazing! Did you hear the screams out there tonight? They ate that shit up, and the tip jars are full!”
I pull on my joggers and then t-shirt and sigh, “Yeah, Vik, really great. Listen, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve got to get back out there before she leaves; I want to grab her number.”
Smiling, I put my trainers on and grab my bag, but Vik stands in my way. “She’s already left, man, sorry. She looked flustered, but the bride and the rest of the party were still out there.”
I drop my bag on the floor and wipe my hand down my face; sitting on my seat, he says, “Hey, come on, why don’t you come and have a drink with us? I’ve just had another bottle of champagne delivered to Tanya. Don’t worry, I haven’t told them who you are.”
I look up at Vik, blowing a breath, and say, “Fine, yeah. Let’s go”
Out on the club floor, I stick out like a sore thumb. We make our way over to the bridal party just as an entire tray of shots is delivered to the table. I sit next to the bride; I want to learn about my red-headed Cinderella. I take two shots and hand one to the bride. “Hey, I’m CJ; congratulations, when is the big day?”
She takes the shot glass from me and beams, “Hi CJ, I’m Hayleigh, and the big day is in 4 months! I am so excited to become Mrs Winters. You know my friend was here just before, she had THE hottest dance with ‘Hammer’ on stage. Do you know she is my best friend in the whole world? Also, she could become my actual sister-in-law one day, I mean, I love her, but I hope for her sake she doesn’t become my sister-in-law because her boyfriend is a fucking wet blanket who doesn’t deserve her. He is such a manipulative prick! Did you know that?”
she throws back her shot and then burps full-on burps before swiping the back of her hand across her mouth. She throws her head back and laughs, “OH MY GOD, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to burp like that in your face!”
I can’t help but laugh. If this girl weren’t already getting married, I’d have introduced her to my brother Nate; she’s just his type.
“It’s fine. I work in construction, so I’m pretty much surrounded by burping and farting guys all day long. So, you were telling me about your friend?”
I want to get as much information about Emmy as possible; I am unsure why. I don’t even want to date, not after everything I’ve been through, but there is just something about her.
“Emmy. That’s my friend’s name. She is, honestly, the best friend anyone could ever have; she is loyal, beautiful, and funny. You know I introduced them, Chad and Emmy? I wish I hadn’t, but I knew that he worked where she worked and he’s my fiancé's brother, and at first, he was lovely, you know? He treated her right, and we all went on double dates, which was fun. Then, after about a year, I noticed just how miserable she was and how nasty he would become. I would hear him talk to her like she was a piece of shit and then turn around and blame her, telling her that he lost his temper because of how she was with him! That’s bullshit, isn’t it?”
I nod my head. Inside I’m seething; not only was she in a relationship, but she was in a relationship with fucking prick. “Yes, it is bullshit. Have you not told her to leave him?”
I’m selfishly hoping it’s a yes.
“Well, only like a million times. She has this outlook that she isn’t worth anything and she should be lucky because at least someone loves her. He’s ground her down so much she doesn’t even remember who she is anymore. She used to be like me, so outspoken and vibrant, but now she’s just so…sad”
She starts to cry, and I panic, waving at Vik; he nudges Tanya, and she hurries over. “Oh dear, looks like someone has had too much to drink. Come on, let’s get you home, honey”
I stand up and move over to Vik. “Hey man, I’m going to head on home. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow,”
We say our goodbyes, and I head on out.
It’s gone 2 am by the time I get back home.
I kick off my shoes on the porch and head straight for the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge.
The house is deathly silent, and usually, it doesn’t bother me, but tonight, after the club and the dance, it bothers me a lot.
I would have loved to bring back that beautiful redhead, Emmy.
Nope, I'm not going there. She’s in a relationship. I don’t have her number, but she’s in a relationship. I don’t even have her last name, and oh yeah, she’s in a relationship!
I’ve had a shit time when it comes to relationships.
My last girlfriend, Stephanie, really did a number on me.
It’s been 6 years since we split, and since then, there hasn’t been anyone, not even a one-night stand or a slight interest in anyone, not until tonight.
When I split from Stephanie, I swore off all romance, I thought I had it all with her, and I was ready to put a ring on her finger, but she screwed me over and broke me into pieces.
No, it’s good that the bombshell from tonight has a boyfriend. It wasn’t meant to be, and I have too much going on now anyway, even to entertain the idea. With that sobering thought, I slip into a fitful sleep.
I wake up with a groan and a crack of my neck, looking at my phone and realising it’s already 5:30 am, and I should have been at work 30 minutes ago; I need to stop sleeping on the couch.
Although my family owns the company, that doesn’t mean I have a free pass.
My older brother Cole took over the reins from our dad, and he runs a tight ship; he isn’t going to let this go; I am most definitely going to be on his shit list for the rest of the day.
Scrambling up, I run upstairs and hop in the shower, taking all 5 minutes in there while simultaneously brushing my teeth.
Once I’m done, I quickly get dressed and head to my truck. I don’t even have time for coffee, which pisses me off, but hey, that’s my fault for waking up too late.
Pulling up to the job site, I see Cole’s stormy face waiting for me outside his portable office.
At first glance, you wouldn’t think he ran the company; he’s dressed just like the rest of us.
Dad offered me to work alongside him in a management role, but I prefer to use my hands; there is no way I could sit behind a desk all day, pleasing sub-contractors and whatever else he does.
I grab my tool belt and hard hat from the backseat of my truck and make my way to Cole.
“Good morning, sunshine. What a lovely day it is today. Did you have a nice sleep, little brother?”
Cole gives me a hard stare, which, to other men, would have them quaking in their boots, but to me? No, to me, it doesn’t do a thing.
I put on my cocky smirk. “Why yes, thank you, big brother; I slept wonderfully.”
Before he even gets a chance to respond, so I don’t push him further, I ask, “Do you know if the electrician has arrived yet?”
Cole sighs and shakes his head. “No, they haven’t been yet. I phoned up Bill this morning, though, to give him an ultimatum. Either they get their arses in here within the next hour, or the contract goes to someone else. You might want to move on to another part of the building while we wait for them, and don’t give me that look! I know it’s a pain in the arse, but it’s the best I can do. This is why we need a full-time electrician on the books.”
I pat his arm and go to walk past him. “You’re right, but you know as well as I do, Cole, that Dad won’t let you hire an electrician on the books; he wants them outsourced and contracted that way; he can chop and change them when they do shit like this. The company is still mostly his, after all; we’re just the cogs in the machine. On that note, I’m going to round up my team and review my plan of action for today. I’ll catch you later, Cole.”
Cole chuckles. “Yeah, you’re right about that. Hey, how did last night go? I heard from Vik that you met a girl. That true?”
I can see in Cole’s eyes that he’s concerned. My whole family was witness to the shit Stephanie put me through, and considering there hasn’t been anyone since her, I can understand his worry.
I laugh it off as best as I can. “Vik has a big mouth and should learn when not to speak, but for your information, yes, I did dance last night, and no, there is no girl. She was just a random girl who happened to be pretty, but she had a boyfriend, so it was all good. May I return to work now? I mean, I was late coming in and all?”
I plaster that cocky smirk on my face one more time, but nothing fools my big brother.
I hate that pitying look he gives me. He says, “Sorry man, I just thought maybe you might have met someone nice, is all. Have a good rest of the day; I’ll give you a shout when I hear back from Bill”, and with that, I turn to go find my guys to get the show on the road.
The day was just what I needed; it took my mind off everything I wanted it to, and the physical labour of it all made my body and mind feel exhausted. I wasn’t at the club tonight, but the thought of going home to my empty place was depressing. I see Cole’s light still on in his trailer, knocking as I open the door; I see him flat-out sleeping on his desk. I bang the door shut and stand with my arms crossed as he almost flies out of his seat. He looks at me like I have three heads. “What the fuck, CJ? Jesus, I was resting my eyes. You didn’t have to barge in like a herd of elephants!”
I look at him, and with my most serious expression, I ask, “Why, big brother, are you calling me fat?”
Cole bursts out laughing and gestures for me to sit down. He grabs two beers from his mini fridge and passes me one; I take it, nodding my thanks and take a long pull from the bottle. The bubbles feel nice going down my throat, just what I needed after a long, hard day. “So, do you feel like sharing why you were napping like a toddler? Everything ok?”
Cole scrubs a hand down his face and sighs, “Yeah, I’m ok. I’m stressed with running this place, keeping on top of all our different contractors and accounts, and booking meetings and materials. It’s just a lot and every day, I finish late”
he looks thoroughly beaten.
An idea springs to mind, “So, ask Dad for help? Like a secretary or an admin assistant.”
Cole looks at me like I’ve just solved some world crisis; he says, “That is probably the smartest thing you've said in your entire life! I’ll give Dad a ring”
I flip him off and go outside.
Walking back to my truck, I see something curled up underneath it.
I crouch down and reach out for it—a small, fluffy ball of brown and black fur.
The poor little guy is shivering, his coat is matted, and he stinks to high heaven, but there is something in his eyes when he looks at me, exhausted and fearful.
I don’t know what breed the dog is, but I know he’s coming home with me.
I wrap him up in my coat and put him on my passenger seat. As I get in my truck, I stare down at him and smile; for once, it will be nice to have someone to come home to.