by Bellus, HJ
Eli wraps Kam up in a hug, being careful not to squeeze Martha. “Glad to have you back. I love you, Kam.”
It’s not unusual for Eli to be open about his feelings. The three older brothers have ridden him for years about it. Kam can’t bring himself to respond, so he only pats his back and kisses his temple.
“Birdy,” Kam acknowledges as he goes to sit down in the booth. Cole’s large hand grabs him by the shoulder. His older brother wraps him up before he can move.
“I’m sorry, Cole.”
“Don’t be. I fucking love you, Kam, and really can’t go through life without you. Please never do anything so stupid again.”
“I really wasn’t looking forward to seeing you today. I know I seriously let you down, man.”
“Kam, that’s where you’re wrong. Seeing your lifeless body nearly killed me, and it’s only your health I worry about.”
“Enough with the pussy convention.” This time it’s Birdy who whops Dax upside his head.
“Watch your language when Martha is around.”
“Son of a bitch.” Dax rubs the side of his head. “Take it easy, tiger.”
Another smack lands on the other side of his head, courtesy of Eli.
“Watch your fucking mouth in front of my daughter.”
“Holy shit.” Cole puts his hands on his hips. “Martha will have the vocabulary of a well-educated sailor in kindergarten.”
All the men settle in the booth. Dax and Eli snuggle up with their women, Cole is absorbed in pulling up files on his MacBook, and Kam strums the table with his fingers. A lingering smell of whisky floats in the air and creates an urge in him to slam a few shots. He’s pretty sure his brothers wouldn’t approve of him drinking on his first day out from rehab.
Kam knows he’s not an alcoholic or a drug addict. No, his problem is overreaction and pushing the limits of everything he puts his hands on. He knew she was poison, but couldn’t stay away.
Cole snaps the lid to his MacBook closed. “Okay, Sterlings, we have some business to take care of.”
Kam glances around the table at the three extra bodies, not certain how he feels about the additions.
“Well, looks like L.A. has been good to us.” Dax brushes the tabletop with his hand. “We’re now uncles, Eli’s a dad, you reunited with Chloe, and I find Birdy. Let’s just hope there’s no more pain in our path.”
“Yes, let’s hope the fucking West Coast curse has run its course with us Sterlings.” Cole takes a long pull from a beer bottle.
Kam decides ‘fuck it’ and heads to the bar, downing three shots and bringing a bottle of beer back to chase the whiskey. He notices the looks his brothers give him, but also knows they’re not going to bring up shit in front of the women.
His head is already lighter, and he’s ready to get down to business. “When do we leave for Denver?”
“If everything goes right, in about a week,” Dax says.
“And what’s the current status there?”
Cole hands Kam an iPad. Kam chugs the rest of his beer, analyzing the reports and figures.
“So we are on track for the Denver project?”
“Yeah.” Eli nods.
“Excuse me.” The head bartender approaches the group. “Your food is here. Would you like it brought to your table?”
“Well, where else would we fucking want it?” Dax asks, and shortly receives an elbow to his ribs. Kam chuckles to himself, thinking ol’ Birdy has her hands full. The man walks off, and Eli begins talking about how they’d managed to stay on schedule in Denver.
“We had to call in backups.”
Kam straightens in his seat. “You fucking didn’t, did you?”
“We didn’t have any choice, Kam.”
“They run fucking car lots back home, not clubs.”
“They’re businessmen and family. It was the only choice we had or we’d be weeks behind in construction, and you know how that can snowball.”
Kam leans back and tries to comprehend his cousins being of any use. Yes, the Sterling brothers are party animals and sometimes straight-up assholes, but the Bennett brothers were 100 percent fucking trouble. The Bennetts are their cousins on their mother’s side, and where the Sterling boys had to come together after their parents died, the Bennett’s still live off their parents.
Fun to party with? Yes. But Kam doesn’t think he’s ever seen them lift a finger a day in their lives. Getting dressed up and wearing off their hangovers from the night before in daddy’s big showroom filled with BMWs was their idea of work. Actually, he has seen them work. Their dad uses them for eye candy to sell cars to young girls and cougars. Hell, he suspects his uncle has even thrown in a night with one of his boys on a car deal.
Kam’s in no place to judge. When he was back home he partied it up every night with the Bennetts at Made To Sin, but relying on them is another fucking story.
“It was Eli’s idea.” Cole rises to his feet, undoing the first few buttons on his shirt. “I didn’t like it either. Actually fucking hated it, but I flew home one day and laid it out to them. The fuckers were eager to go to Denver, and at first I figured it was to party.”
Dax interrupts. “But they’ve been working their asses off. Maybe it’s something they can take some pride in instead of working for daddy.”
The boys have always loathed the Bennetts for having both parents living. Each one of the Sterlings would give Made To Sin up to have their mom and dad back. They’ve never vocalized their resentment toward the Bennetts, but it comes out in snide comments.
“Wow, put it in the record books. The Bennetts have actually accomplished something,” Kam says, looking over the reports.
Ground has been broken, foundation is going in, and vendors have been lined up with delivery dates. Even Kam can’t fault the three brothers for the work they’ve done so far in Denver.
“I guess anyone can change.” Kam shrugs. “Any sign of the West Coast curse with them?”
Cole chuckles. “None. I have flights for the six of us a week from tomorrow. It’s time to start wrapping shit up.”
“Do we have all our managers lined up here?”
“Yes. You wouldn’t know it, but none of these people have ever set foot in a Made To Sin club. You should see them run it at night. Completely impressive.”
Cole’s cut off when the head bartender carries over bags and boxes of food. Kam immediately recognizes the aroma of Chinese, his favorite, and can’t help but smile. “Thank you, guys.”
He listens to his brothers mumble and bitch about the meal. It’s their least favorite. He only gets it when he takes a girl out on a date, which never happens, or when he orders it in himself. It was their mom’s favorite too. She and Kam were always sneaking off on lunch dates. Fitting back in with his brothers will be easier than he thought, and the new members to the family make life all that much sweeter.
It’s only a penthouse, but Kam considered it his home before his month at rehab. It’s the little things he missed while being locked away in the fucking loony bin, like three showerheads pounding down on his skin. He sure doesn’t miss the counselors digging deep and attributing his adoption issues to the overdoses.
No, that was all her. He now knows to stay away from parties when he’s set off. Kam’s thinking more along the lines of a pizza buffet to punish himself. After he dries off, he lies down naked and studies the ceiling. Even the feel of the sheets is heaven. Kam tucks one leg under the sheet while leaving everything else exposed to the world.
He checks his phone one more time, knowing word has traveled that he’s out and back to the party scene. There are plenty of texts covering the screen, but not one from the one person left to talk to. But what can he expect? She was disappearing on him before, which started his downward spiral.
He’ll go to the club tonight and mingle with the customers, passing out free drink cards. It’s his signature thing to do, and on the East Coast when patrons see him coming they know there’s always a hefty stac
k of ‘the after-party that never ends’ cards coming their way. It’s his slice of advertisement, and he passes them out everywhere in his hometown. He had given out several before meeting her, but then everything went to the wayside, and his vision became blurred by the need to have her every single night. It’s a fire and gasoline type relationship, and Kam knew it from the beginning, but he could never resist the urge to be with her.
“Ready, man?” Cole’s leaning on the doorjamb.
“Give me about twenty.”
“I’ll be out in the dining room.” Cole turns to leave. “It’s good having you back, brother.”
“It’s actually good being back, Cole, and thanks for always being here for me.”
There’s so much more Kam wants to tell his brother, but that’s just not him.
“I’m always here for ya, fucknut.”
Kam chuckles at the typical banter and relaxes for the first time since coming home. He’s resisted the urge to text her since being released from rehab, but he can’t control the itch in his fingers any longer.
Kam: Hey, I’m back. Call me if you want to hook up tonight.
All they’ve ever really done is hook up at night, and sometimes in the middle of the day. She wants nothing more, and he was okay with that until the night she never showed up and he lost it. Kam slides his phone to silent and tucks it away in his pocket, knowing she’ll never text him back. He decides he won’t obsess about it tonight.
He’s back, and it’s good to be a Sterling. Kam moves to the mirror, splaying his hands on the counter and taking a good long look at himself.
“It’s good to be a fucking Sterling. Get your head on straight and be the fucking beast you know you are.” He repeats the mantra over and over to himself in the mirror before stepping away and splashing on some cologne, and then adding the final touches to his hair. He buttons up his white dress shirt, leaving the top buttons undone to show off his tanned chest. He slides on his thick silver watch and adjusts it to perfection on his wrist.
“You ready, diva?”
Kam turns to see Cole standing in all his dapper glory, and he slides on his aviators.
“Now, I’m ready.”
The brothers ride the elevator in silence, and it feels just like old times, dressed to the nines with swag oozing from both of them. All they need is a little liquor in them and women hanging off their shoulders, and then the Sterling picture would be perfect—minus two, that is. Eli and Dax are taken.
The elevator dings, alerting them of arriving company, and as if the universe read Kam’s thoughts, Dax emerges. The man is a giant and makes business wear look amazing. He slaps his hand on the door, holding it open for a second longer, and in the next moment flowing red hair invades the scene. Birdy is on his arm, dressed in a very tight black dress with her tresses draped around her shoulders.
“Don’t fucking look at her like that,” Dax growls as they step on the elevator.
Kam hadn’t realized, but his eyes were magnetized to the cleavage spilling from her dress. She was fucking hot beyond words, and he finds himself shocked because he’s never looked at Birdy in this light. She has always appeared to be a plain redhead to him.
“I fucking said quit looking at her.” Dax steps in front of Birdy, shielding her from view.
Cole begins laughing hysterically. “Well, you shouldn’t have let her play dress-up.”
Birdy peeks around Kam’s bicep and grins. “Dax, quit being so uptight. You made me promise to…”
Dax is quick to cover her mouth with his opposite hand before she divulges details, and Cole and Kam roar with laughter. Who would have ever thought a simple woman would have Dax Sterling all wound up?
“No worries, Dax. You know redheads have never been my thing,” Kam says as he steps off the elevator.
“Thank fuck,” Dax replies.
The group of Sterlings head to the parking garage and load up in the SUV. On the ride over, Kam studies his phone and has to fight his psyche to not text or try calling her one more time before his night begins. Once he walks into Made To Sin, he’ll transform into a businessman, schmoozing and pleasing the customers.
Hell, he’s been known to strip on top of the table for a bridal party a time or two just to gain more business. And truth be told, he is an attention whore, so that didn’t hurt either. Kam’s always been the brother stepping up and pushing the PR to new limits for Made To Sin, and tonight when he steps out of the SUV in front of the hopping club, his blood courses through his veins. For the first time since moving to the West Coast, he feels like himself.
“God, feels good to be home.”
His brothers chuckle at his comment and follow behind him. Kam leaves his aviators on as he enters the club. He’s shocked by the sheer number of people in the club on a Thursday night at six p.m. There will be a mile long line by nine for sure. The adrenaline pumping through him now excites him, and he finds the bar right away, ordering his normal three shots and a beer. He instructs the lead bartender on shift that night to always make sure his beer is filled.
He doesn’t feel bad for putting added pressure on the man; the Sterlings pay a higher wage than any other bar around. A tiny blonde waitress rests at the bar next to him. Kam studies her from head to toe.
“Looking good.” He cranes his neck to see her name badge. “Kimmy.”
“Thanks, Mr. Sterling.”
He straightens her tank top and adjusts the strap on her shoulder. “It’s Kam to you.”
“Thanks, Kam.” She picks up the tray of drinks the bartender places in front of her and takes off.
The little flirting session with her makes him feel on top of the world.
“No employees.” Cole sits on the barstool next to him.
“No fucking shit. Just praising a girl for a job well done.”
Kam knows it’s the golden rule and would never dare to break it. He can only imagine the can of worms it would open. Tapping a waitress, and then the next night moving on to someone in the penthouse. The waitress gets jealous, slapping sexual harassment charges on the club. The possibilities are endless, and the men already have been branded as sexy playboys in the media. They don’t need any charges to taint their image. Hell, it’s the image Kam has worked hard to build.
Kam rolls around, rests his back on the bar, and watches the patrons dance and drink, most of them huddled in booths conversing. He spots a table of giggling women and watches them for a bit to makes sure it’s a girls’ night out kind of thing. After several minutes he decides to move in. As soon as he arrives at the table, all heads turn toward him, and he knows he has these women under his thumb. He snags a lone chair from the table next to them, twirls it around backward, and straddles it.
He makes sure to sink down nice and slow on the seat, letting his forearms relax on the back of the chair.
“Ladies.” He nods.
“You’re a Sterling, right?” one of the blondes asks.
“Sure am.”
The brunette next to her elbows the blonde in her ribs. “I told you, and it’s Kam, right?”
“You ladies have done your homework.”
“Bullshit,” one of their friends yells out. “She’s on Google and probably gets off to your pictures at night.”
The brunette turns several shades of red and buries her face in her palms, while her friends laugh their asses off at her. Even Kam can’t hide his amusement.
“Come here, sweetie.” Kam points to her and gestures with his finger.
The brunette climbs from the booth, and he spins his chair back around to face the women. When she’s freed from the booth, he grabs her by the hips, whirling her around and sitting down with her.
“Let me fulfill a bit of that dream.” Kam placing a kiss on her cheek.
Her friends hoot and howl, pulling out their phones to snap a picture.
“Kiss her cheek again.”
“Now, ladies, you missed your chance. I don’t perform for anyone.” His large hand covers t
he girl’s cheek. “Anything you post, hashtag Made To Sin.”
He then turns his question to the quivering woman on his lap, and he can tell her shakes aren’t because of where her ass is planted.
“May I?” he whispers against her lips and hears all of her friends squeal. He knows their phones are ready and this pic will trend in a matter of seconds, generating loads of free promotion. God bless social media.
She gently nods. He then goes in for the kill, covering her mouth with his. She tastes sweet, and he can feel her body melt into his as he kisses her. He darts his tongue between her lips. He can see the crowd gathering around them and is ready to put on the show of his life. He grabs her hips and adjusts her so she’s straddling him, and the whole while their lips never unlock.
He drags her arms from her sides and wraps them around his neck. Kam runs his hands up and down the length of her ribs, allowing his thumb to lightly brush against the side of her boob. He feels his cock harden, and he knows it’s because he hasn’t had his hands on a woman in over a month.
He hears Dax’s voice break into the crowd.
“All right, freak show party over. Let the women enjoy their night.”
Dax grabs a stack of after-party cards from Kam’s chest pocket and begins passing them out. Kam knows it’s early in the night, but he’s already hankering to pass his room key to one of the women to show them a real after-party. Just one taste of a woman put him over the fucking edge.
“Nice work, bro. Looks like you’re back in the saddle.” Dax pats Kam’s back.
Kam forces himself to leave the group of women and follow his brother.
“Have a nice night, ladies. Drinks on me tonight.” He winks at the group.
Kam pats Dax’s shoulder as they walk away. “I’m so fucking horny I might fucking die.”
“Go find a piece of ass and take her to the back.”
“Between us, it’s a woman who fucked me up.” Kam places his hands behind his head. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”
Dax and Kam settle in at the bar where Birdy is talking to another young female.
