Chapter 9
NINE
CLAYTON
“Where are you?” I whisper under my breath as grainy clips of CCTV from the other night flicker across the screen.
I’ve watched it so many times now that I’ve started seeing it in my dreams, but I keep searching, looking for any clues of where Holly might have gone.
I don’t know how many times I’ve looked at it now, searching for clues.
After the fight broke out in the club that night and I was required to help break it up, Holly returned to the bar and was gone by the time I came to look for her.
The grainy black-and-white image shows Holly coming into view, finding her friend, and quickly leaving the club. After that, there’s no more footage of her. I’ve scoured the CCTV each night since, hoping that she’s come back and I just didn’t see her. That doesn’t seem to be the case.
All I know about her is her first name. There are a surprising number of Hollys in the local area. I know, because I’ve been searching. She might not have even been from around here. I know it’s a pointless exercise, but I can’t make myself stop. I’m obsessed.
There was a connection between us, a spark that was impossible to ignore, something I’ve never felt with another person.
She was in this very office, and if I close my eyes I can almost convince myself that I can still smell her sweet scent.
If we hadn’t been interrupted, then I have no idea what would’ve happened between us.
Gritting my teeth together tightly, I growl under my breath.
Those fucking idiots. There is a group of guys who occasionally come in and cause trouble in my club.
One of the newer bouncers must have let them in.
They are barred as they turn violent as soon as they get a drink in them, making it unsafe for my patrons.
Now things have gone a step further and they caused me to lose track of Holly.
My hands ball into fists on the desk, the tattoos over my knuckles stretching tightly. Those fucking troublemakers are lucky I haven’t come across them since, as I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from working out my frustrations on them.
I know I’m spiralling. I can feel myself sinking into the dark recesses of my mind, but she is the only thing that can bring me out of it right now. I have to find her. She’s become like an addiction. I had a small taste of her, and now I keep coming back for more. Only I can’t fucking find her.
The frantic buzzing of my phone pulls me out of my trance.
I’ve been staring at this paperwork on my desk for the last 4 hours and I’ve barely made a dent in it.
Probably because my thoughts continually return to her.
Completing the boring admin that the club requires to keep running is usually something I do with ease, but ever since that night I’m finding it impossible to focus.
My phone continues to vibrate, the sound seeming to get louder the longer I ignore it.
For fuck’s sake.
Reaching forward, I shift through the scattered paperwork until I find my mobile buried beneath it, hitting the accept call button without checking who it is. There are only a handful of people who would call me on my mobile, all business calls going through the phone at the club.
“Clay,” I answer gruffly, rubbing my free hand across my face. I’ve never been one for airs and graces, and my current state of exhaustion isn’t helping the matter.
“We need you to come to the shop.”
Bear’s deep voice rumbles through the phone, not bothering with greetings.
I would know his voice anywhere. He said we, which means that Elliot is down there with him.
What could they need me for when the two of them are already working on it?
This whole gym and health-food business is more of their baby than mine, I’m simply offering finances and the occasional hand, but I already have a full-time business to manage.
Not that I’m doing much of that at the moment, thanks to the blonde-haired beauty that keeps running through my mind.
“I’m busy.”
He’s clearly expecting this response, as he snorts. “You’re not going to find your mystery girl locked up in your office. People are going to think you’re a fucking vampire if you don’t get some sunlight soon.”
That stings. The implication that I won’t find Holly only makes me want to find her more, to prove him wrong.
However… thinking over his statement, he might not be wrong.
I’ve reached a dead end in the club, so perhaps I need to take my search wider.
Still, the idea of going outside now is not something I want to do.
My head aches from last night and I really do have a shit load of work to do here.
“I have paperwork,” I reply, but even I can hear the reluctance in my voice.
“Clay, we need you.”
Shit. He knows how to manipulate me into doing exactly what he wants.
Bear and Elliot are the closest thing I have to family and if they need me, I’m there.
I don’t make friends easily, and my biological family gave up on me a long time ago, so the people who I let in are more important to me than anything else.
Taking a break from my search won’t hurt, and it will probably do me good to get out of the club for a bit.
Sighing, I push away from the desk, standing as I look around for my jacket. “Fine.”
Bear chuckles quietly on the other end of the line. “The fresh air will be good for you.”
Bastard. I don’t bother to reply, simply hanging up and shaking my head. They always get their way. Whatever. They need my help, so I’ll be there.
It’s time to go and visit Hinton Grove.