The Fighter (The High Rise, Book 1) (7 page)

She excitedly
gives him a shortened version of how she works for Chastity who
gave it to her for Christmas and he smiles telling her he’s way
jealous and that he’d love to hear more about it later. He then
opens the door and we’re blasted with club music as he hollers for
us to go on inside.

“He’s so
cute!” Dani shouts as we walk toward the floor.

“He is! I
think he might have a ‘thing’ for me!” I yell back.

“Unless you’re
hiding a penis under that dress, I doubt it,” she returns with a
snicker.

I turn to her
with a frown and she nods laughing.

Huh. And here
I thought I could read people. I guess the purse comment should’ve
clued me in. Boy, do I feel dumb.

Six

Tonight I walk across
the street to the club to give things a last-minute inspection and
all seems well. My men do awesome work, so it’s no surprise but it
never hurts to have another look around
.

The permits
were signed weeks ago so I’m only here making sure everything goes
off without a hitch. Phil, the club owner, has had more than the
usual difficulty with my explanation of the AC units because, you
know, an on-off switch is tough to figure out when it’s digital.
But that just comes with the job, I guess. “That” referring to
idiots.

“Hey, amigo!
Glad you could make it!” Phil says as he holds his hand out.

“Hey,” I
reply, shaking his hand. “Just wanted to make sure you’ve got the
AC figured out and to give the electric and plumbing another
look.”

“They’ll be
fine! Just have a good time, compadre!” he answers excitedly,
patting me on the shoulder.

Another thing
that’s annoyed me about him is his use of Hispanic words when he’s
clearly Irish-American, red hair and all.

“I will once I
know everything’s in working order.”

“Come with me
for a moment,” he says, nodding his head toward the bar where
several people are scurrying around getting ready for the big
opening. When we get there, he calls a muscular guy over. “Tommy,
this is Heath Noble, the building project manager. You’ve seen him
around. Make sure to get him whatever he wants tonight.”

Tommy nods
looking me up-and-down then winks as if he and I have a secret.
“Baby, you just let me know what your poison is and I’ll hook you
up
all
night long.” He licks his lips which makes me
chuckle.

“Thanks,” I
answer and let out a snort when he winks again. He laughs then goes
back to stacking glasses and arranging bottles.

“Tommy might
be batting for the other team,” Phil leans over and whispers.

“It’s cool.
Pretty sure he understands that I’m not.”

Phil glances
at his watch. “Doors open in ten, esé, so I’ve gotta get to the
front. Madonna’s supposed to be here!” he says, clapping his hands
like a little girl before rushing off.

I turn and go
back to inspect a few things and wait for the crowd.

By midnight
the place is jam-packed. I’ve never seen such a diverse crowd, and
I’ll be damned if the queen of pop herself hasn’t for fucking real
shown up. At first I thought it was just a guy in drag, but the
huge entourage of bodyguards and groveling friends has proven me
wrong. Also, everyone screaming on the street when they came in was
a definite clue. I’ve seen other celebrities, some I could place
and some I couldn’t, but it seems Phil’s done pretty well for
himself tonight, other than figuring out how to operate the damned
AC unit. I’ve met him in his office twice to show him again how to
work the digital switch, how to flip the main disconnect breaker in
the electric panel in case something goes wrong, and to remind him
that his cleaning crew needs to visit the restrooms twice an hour
to keep the plumbing from backing up.

I’m now
standing on the second level where the VIP section is, having had
to flash a pass to the security dude to get up here, and testing
the railing to make sure it’s holding up. Satisfied with the work
my men did and deciding to do one more spot check before I leave, I
glance down only to see Ms. Kyle on the dance floor.

Yep. In a
crowd that’s maximum capacity my eyes go right to her. Fuck.

But, Jesus,
the woman is stunning, long hair in waves on her shoulders and
she’s wearing some slinky blue number that accentuates not only her
long legs but also reveals that she’s not wearing a bra, her tits
bouncing gorgeously as she dances with some chump. I finish off my
whiskey watching her over the tumbler and feel my cock jump when I
think about those red-coated lips of hers surrounding it.

“Goddamn it,”
I mumble, walking along the railing but keeping an eye on her.

Jesus. I want
to throw my glass against a wall because I don’t need another
fucking complication and that’s all she is. A complication. Nothing
more. Nothing less.

But that
knowledge does nothing to alleviate the fact that I want her.

I stop to
watch her and run a hand over my face knowing I’m screwed.

Thing is, I’m
an intelligent man. I’ve got a bachelor’s degree in business
management, I plan on pursuing a master’s in civil engineering, and
I have a steady job, so why am I letting my dick do the talking
here? I could walk down to that dance floor right now and take any
of a number of beautiful women home. Hell, I could call Jessica and
she’d come running just to get another piece of me.

So what is it
about Laney Kyle that has me tangled in knots?

Also? And this
is a huge also, I’m starting to question whether she’s involved in
her family’s illegal enterprises at all. And that has me all kinds
of confused.

I’m frowning
when I get to the stairs and thankfully lose sight of her in the
crowd as I start heading down to the main floor reminding myself
that I don’t want to know where she is or what she’s doing.

At the bar,
when I hold up my empty glass, Tommy makes me a new drink and hands
it to me, this time not bothering to flirt because he’s so busy,
and when I turn around, some babe is all up in my grill and rubbing
her body against me, running her hands up my chest to my shoulders
then down my bare arms. I’m just wearing jeans and a dark blue
t-shirt not having come here to party.

“Hey,
handsome. Wanna get outta here?”

I have to
chuckle because this is the norm. In Los Angeles, the supply of
beautiful women is endless as is the cache of bold ones and this
woman is not lacking in the looks or brash departments at all.

“Hey, darlin’.
Sorry. I’m working. Maybe another time?” I inform her.

“Crystal! Hand
me my purse!” she hollers at her friend who’s busy talking to
another guy. She pulls a pen from her purse and takes my hand,
writing her number on it. “I’m Bethany. Here’s some awesome ink to
match yours. Call me.” She smiles seductively then tiptoes up
kissing me right on the mouth.

Huh.

I walk away
knowing I won’t call her but have to smile when I look down at the
number surrounded by a heart that she’s drawn in my hand. Did I
mention the women here were bold?

I circle the
dance floor keeping an eye out for my auburn-haired seductress and
think I see a glimpse of her dancing with yet another asshole. I
narrow my eyes as I move to get a better look and sure enough, it’s
her, grinding her ass against his dick. She bends at the waist and
I watch as her hair falls down almost touching the floor. When she
stands back up she stumbles a little but the bastard she’s dancing
with doesn’t even notice. She grabs the arm of a blond woman
dancing nearby and shakes her head before turning and pushing
through the crowd.

I follow her
movement, walking around the floor to meet her, guessing she’s
going to be sick and is heading to the restroom. I arrive there
before she does and watch as she makes her way toward the ladies’
room, going right by me with nary a glance. Her friend’s not far
behind and I can see that she’s drunk. But she, unlike Laney,
notices me.

“I know you!”
she says loudly.

I nod
acknowledging that, yes, she has seen me before.

“I’m Laney’s
roommate! You’re Hot Tattoo Guy and she wants to screw your brains
out!” Her eyes get big and she puts a hand over her mouth realizing
what she’s just said then she starts giggling and points a finger
at me. “Do
not
tell her I told you that. She’d so kick my
ass!” Smacking a hand against my chest she says, “She got a little
dizzy so I’ve gotta get in there to check on her. ‘Kay, bye!” Then
she goes into the restroom

Now I’m torn.
Do I stay to make sure Laney, aka the possible enemy, aka the woman
I jerked off to this morning, is all right or do I go about my
business and leave?

I decide I’m
getting too close. I can’t let myself get involved. I need to
leave.

Just as I turn
to go, I hear a woman yell, “What?” from the bathroom which makes
me chuckle. A moment later I feel a push from behind and turn to
face the most beautiful and possibly most outraged woman I’ve ever
seen. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Laney Kyle.

“You!” she
yells, jabbing a finger repeatedly against my chest. What is it
with women and my chest tonight? “You are to ignore what my
roommate said! Got it, Hot Tattoo Guy?”

I try not to
smile but my lip curls up just a bit and now it’s on.

“Why’re you
smiling?” Jab! “Huh?” Jab! “You think this is funny?” Jab! “You…”
Jab! “think…” Jab! “you’re…” Jab! “hot…” Jab! “shit…” Jab! “don’t…”
Jab! “you?” Jab! Jab! Jab!

I grab her
hand to stop the jabs and not being able to help myself, lean down
to her ear and taunt, “You want to screw my brains out.”

Now, I’ve seen
pissed off before but this is something new. Swear to God, I think
actual daggers just shot out of her eyes missing me by mere inches
as does her hand when she swings it to slap me. Her misfired blow
goes awry and she twists and almost falls, so I grab her from
behind wrapping an arm around her waist pulling her back against my
front. I’m expecting a struggle but her roommate distracts her by
yelling her name as she walks up from wherever she went and is now
holding a shot glass out to her.

“Those guys at
the bar bought these for us!” the roommate chirps motioning her
head in the direction of the bar before holding her glass up for
Laney to clink hers against then they both drink them down.

“Oh, God! What
was that?” Laney says, her hand resting on mine that’s across her
belly and I know the shit’s gonna hit the fan the second she
notices.

“A Three Wise
Men!” her roommate informs.

Jesus. Jim,
Jack and Johnny combined is a serious drink. If you’re not feeling
it after throwing a few of those back, then you’re a better man
than I am. And Laney had already been stumbling along the brink of
inebriation before so I’m pretty sure this is going to toss her
over the edge.

“That was
kinda gross!” Laney says with a giggle then leans her head back
against my shoulder. “I think I’m done for the night.”

“Me too!” her
roommate announces. Then her eyes move up and she looks at me. “Oh,
I’m Dani, by the way!”

I feel Laney
grow tense against me as she slowly realizes what’s been going on.
First, she moves her head forward looking down at her hand that’s
atop mine then uses it to pull my hands from her. Next, she turns
reluctantly to face me, her eyes first going to my arms then my abs
and on up my chest until she’s looking at me, the aggravation
apparent on her face.

She says it so
quietly I don’t hear her at first and I have to lean down to catch
it. And when I do, I feel like a complete and total asshole.

“You’re the guy
who hates me
.”