Charlie has a hold of his friend who is cowering in his grasp. I rifle through his pockets and pull out the bag of pills he was packing and say angrily. “You fucking bastard bringing this filth into my club. Did you really think I’d watch you date rape my customers you fucking pervert?”
The crowd murmur as he pleads, “I’m sorry, man. They aren’t mine.”
I’ve heard enough and knock the fucker flying into the gutter. Turning to the line, I snarl, “If any of you think bringing drugs in here is ok, think again. I won’t tolerate it in my club and that’s what happens to those who do.”
Then we head back inside and Charlie whistles. “Man, that was quite some bag he was packing. Good job, bro.”
I growl. “Fucking bastards. I hate drugs and I hate men who try to drug a woman to get what they want. He’s just lucky I didn’t kill him.”
Charlie nods. “Fuck me, this day is turning out to be one big workout.”
We reach the door and he says wearily, “Come on, let’s get laid. I need to finish the day in a much more satisfying way.”
I roll my eyes. “You mean you didn’t get satisfaction from that?”
He grins and I laugh. I know he loves that part of what we do. Unlike me, he thrives on it. Charlie is a fighter and relishes the opportunities that present themselves. He takes great delight in wielding his power and I know he would have got a rush from that. He grins. “Come on bro, let’s go and get hammered.”
As we head toward the stairs, I whisper to the guy on the rope. He nods and as we move back up to join the other VIPs Charlie says, “What did you say to Tony?”
I grin. “Just extending an invitation.”
Charlie grins. “I thought there was a reason you went flying off. I’ll watch with interest.”
As he heads back to his proposition, I think about the girl I saw and hope she takes the bait. From the brief glimpse I got of her she’s perfect in every way and I hope she doesn’t let me down.
7
Summer
I’m still shaking. Tracey looks at me in shock and says loudly, “What the hell just happened?”
I can feel the stares all around us as we try to blend into the shadows. I can’t stop thinking about him. The man who came to my rescue and then left as quickly. There was something so incredibly hot about what he just did—what they just did and I think I know the answer already as I say,
“Who were they, Tracey?”
She shakes her head and says almost reverently. “The Carters.”
I fight to breathe and fight to stay focused.
“The Carters,” I say in a detached voice. “So, I have brothers?”
She shakes her head slowly. “Technically, yes. However, they are more like stepbrothers because they aren’t Joey’s sons by birth. He married their mother, and they came too.”
I’m not sure why but I breathe a little easier. Stepbrothers. Two ferocious, sexy as fuck, machines who don’t even know I exist.
We are interrupted as a man stands beside us and says in a low voice, “Ladies. The management apologizes for your trouble and invites you to continue your evening in a safer area.”
Tracey’s eyes can’t possibly get any wider as she fails to contain her excitement.
He stands to the side and says in a voice that expects obedience, “Follow me.”
Ordinarily, I would be heading the hell out of this place after what just happened. Ordinarily, I doubt I would have stayed as long as we have and ordinarily, I would keep as far away as possible from the likes of the Carters but I have questions that need answers, so smile sweetly.
“Thank you.”
I look at Tracey who appears horrified yet excited at the same time. She grabs my elbow and pulls me back, saying, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I shrug. “I’m doing nothing. I’m just checking things out before I make any decisions.”
She nods and we follow the man to the roped off stairs. He swings aside the barrier and winks. “Enjoy your evening, ladies.”
My heart thumps with every step I take as I climb the stairs toward my future. Stepbrothers. Why does that thought leave a bad taste in my mouth? I should be glad to find a new family. The more the merrier—surely? However, those guys look dangerous in more ways than one. My head may be telling me they’re family but my heart wants much more from one of them.
The air is different up here. It may be crowded, but it’s a completely different type of crowd that sips champagne and look around them with interest. There are little booths set all around that are crowded with people, except one. The one roped off at the end and currently being cleared by a server. A smart woman approaches, smiling warmly. “Welcome, ladies. I have taken the liberty of clearing you a table. Follow me.”
Tracey shakes her head and I can see she is finding it hard to act normal. This isn’t normal. None of it and I struggle to get a grip on reality as we follow the woman to the roped off booth. An ice bucket sits on the table with four glasses. I feel my heart thump as I understand who will be joining us. I’m not stupid and struggle to get my mind in the game. This is it, my opportunity to find my father and I can’t mess this up.
We take our seats and the woman smiles. “I’ll be back shortly with some food. Enjoy your evening and if I can help with any more drinks, please let me know.”
We slide into the booth and Tracey whispers, “Pinch me, I must be dreaming. This doesn’t happen to girls like me and I want to beam this out to planet internet to rub in the faces of all those bitches out there who laugh at me.”
I smile. “Then why don’t you?”
She looks horrified. “That would be so uncool. You only get one shot at the big time and I’m not going to mess this up by looking like a complete airhead.”
We laugh and then the atmosphere changes as two dark shadows appear. Before I even raise my eyes, I know who’s standing there and think I hold my breath as I stare up into the eyes of the man who made such a first impression.
My breath hitches as I stare into two of the darkest eyes I have ever seen. There is no warmth, no life, just the cold, dead, eyes of a killer. His hair is dark and cut about an inch all over. His body blocks the light and I watch the swell of his chest and see the tattoos covering his arms. Although dressed smartly, he has a toughness about him that calls to the woman in me. This man is what my mother often referred to as a hard man. Now I know what she meant because this man is magnificent.
I look beside him and see an almost mirror image but one. This man has fairer hair and a chiseled look that he wears well. He is looking at me with a hint of uncertainty that belies the person he is. The first man nods. “Please accept my apologies for your trouble tonight. I can assure you we don’t tolerate that type of behavior in our club.”
I find my voice, although I don’t recognize the shakiness in it. “Thank you. We appreciate your intervention.”
Tracey nods, apparently tongue-tied and the other man smiles impishly. “So, this is the plan. You now have your very own personal bodyguards to keep you safe while you have some fun. What do you say, are you up for it?”
Tracey wriggles on her seat and I laugh inside. If looks could talk, Tracey’s is screaming at them loud and clear and I see they don’t miss it and smile cockily. They slide into the booth beside us, one on each end and we are now trapped by a wall of muscle. The man beside me extends his hand. “Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Maxwell Carter and this is my brother Charlie.”