Hale Series Boxed Set

by Marie James

  “I would stay with him, of course. I’d want to be with him, always.” She grins, knowing where I’m going with the conversation.

  “Then you need to move in with him, so I can have the bathroom!” She grins from ear to ear.

  “I guess you’re right!” We hug and she gets up to leave.

  “So you don’t mind if I meet you guys tomorrow for the Bangarang set at Ampere?” I ask as I stand and put my glass in the now empty dish washer.

  “Of course not! Want us to swing by here and grab you?” She’s pulling on her coat as she speaks.

  “That’d be great. Keeps me from having to self-monitor my alcohol intake!” I see her to the door and hug her before she makes her way outside to her car.

  Garrett was much more interactive today and it leaves a smile on my face. I look at my watch and wonder if I have time for a quick wax, wanting to be prepared for every scenario going into tomorrow night. Maybe I’ll get lucky and Garrett will cave.

  Chapter 2

  Garrett

  That woman is driving me crazy! She’s tenacious, I’ll give her that. I don’t know how much resisting I can do. She has all but thrown herself at me and I can honestly say Ian’s demand that I leave her alone is pissing me off.

  We’re almost to his house to unload Lorali’s boxes and since he’s a captive audience right now, I figure it’s as good a time as any speak my case.

  “Getting pretty serious with Lorali huh?” I keep my eyes on the road as I talk.

  “Just about as serious as I can get, man. I love her more than life.” I almost gag at his sentiment; maybe she has a magical snatch or something.

  “I’m just going to be straight with you, Ian. I seriously want to hook up with Alexa. I’ve stayed away because you asked me to weeks ago, but she’s pretty hard to ignore.” I cut my eyes to him to try to gauge his reaction.

  He smiles. “She sure does seem smitten with you.”

  “Smitten? What is this? Texas in the forties? I highly doubt that, but you know how I am.” I don’t have to explain any further.

  “I mean do what you want. Lorali and I are pretty damn strong now so I doubt you hooking up with Alexa would cause too many problems unless you string her along.” He looks over at me to make sure I understand him.

  I chuckle. “Ian, she’ll know the score long before we fuck.”

  “She's getting under your skin?” He grins, like he knows something I don’t.

  “No. I just think I would enjoy sleeping with her and she keeps offering it, so I figure what the hell.” I shrug and keep my eyes on the traffic as we near Ian’s home.

  “Yeah, that’s how I felt about Lorali. Watch out Garrett or we may be moving Alexa’s things to your place next.” I wish I could reach over and smack the grin off of his damn face.

  “Fuck that shit! I’m not interested in any type of relationship much less domestication with some chick!” I’m amazed how quickly his tune has changed on the subject.

  “You know, not every girl is Jamie. Not everyone you meet is going to fuck you over royally.” I grip the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white.

  “My eagerness to fuck Alexa has nothing to do with Jamie. I have no desire for the kind of shit you’ve landed in. That’s not my future; it’s not where I’ll end up.” This is the second time he has tried to convince me to change the way I deal with women and it’s just as annoying as the first time.

  “Ok, man. I guess I’m just inside this love bubble and want everyone else to have the ability to experience it. I’m not saying you should go out and look for love in every woman you bang, I’m just saying don’t discount the possibility or you may miss her.” His smug look is even worse than the words spewing from his mouth.

  Never. As much as I don’t want to think that Jamie still has bearing on my life now, if I’m honest with myself, the shit she pulled over ten years ago still affects almost every decision I’ve made about women in my life. It’s left me protected and fully in control of my situation and I aim to keep the status quo. It has served me well thus far.

  It only takes about half an hour to get the truck unloaded and get out of there as fast as I can before he starts spouting shit about true love or trying to read the lines on my palms to determine my future.

  I have just enough time to run home and shower before I’m needed at the club. Fridays are always busy, but there are preparations that have to be made for tomorrow tonight and those are my concerns. The Bangarang set tomorrow will be the first time we’ve had a live band come in and play since we opened. They don’t start until ten, but the groupies will arrive hours before then and they have a huge following thanks to social media. I anticipate a line around the block before the band even starts. One of my tasks tonight is making sure the bouncers are up to speed on head count and procedure so we don’t get shut down by the fire marshal.

  ***

  The club looks amazingly different with the house lights on. The third party cleaning crew I hired has been doing an outstanding job keeping everything clean and polished. They also have spending privileges to fix anything they find is not up to par. Some clubbers can be complete destructive assholes when they drink, and I’ll be damned if graffiti and broken shit keep people from having the highest opinion of my club.

  Johnny, the lead bartender, is already behind the bar doing a quick inventory and checking the numbers against what the bartender had last night. Check and double check. It seems to keep people honest and on their toes. We have a lot of fun here but we also work our asses off. I nod at Johnny and he waves a tatted arm my direction and continues his work.

  I make my way back to my office to go over emails before I hit the floor. I wonder if Ian was thinking about all of this love he’s so fond of talking about when he fucked Lorali on my goddamned desk two months ago. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say no. Fucker.

  By the time I’m finished responding to a million emails and paying a handful of invoices I can hear the pounding of the music and from the sound of it, DJ Chavez has already done sound check and is getting the night started. I wouldn’t change my job for anything in the world but I’m well aware I’ll have hearing aids before too long; the constant pounding of the music is still in my head long after I leave for the night.

  I exit my office and make my way around the club, keeping an eye on party goers as well as staff. We had a problem a few weeks back with on-duty staff drinking, something I’ll not tolerate. My policy is: if you’re on the clock, you better be as sober as a church mouse. Everybody got a warning when the issue came to my attention, and the problem has all but stopped. One certain female thought she had job security simply because she thought she was hotter than everyone else, and continued to drink and I made an example of her. I haven’t observed any more misconduct since she was terminated. I guess they understand now that each every one of them is replaceable.

  The lounge areas are starting to fill up and there are a few brave souls on the dance floor. I’m always grateful for those who dance like no one is watching, because they help the others loosen up and loose people buy drinks, which is where the money is!

  I walk past the bar and Johnny gives me a thumb up to let me know that the numbers from last night match the ones from his count. Excellent! I really lucked out with the staff I’ve hired. Seems that headhunter I hired is actually worth the small fortune I paid for him, as the only problem I’ve had was with Waitress Barbie, and that issue has been resolved.

  I slide in to the DJ booth and make sure Chavez has intentions of playing the new Ed Sheeran single, the girls seem to love that British ginger for some reason, and happy clubbers spend more money. He must have been observing the female club goers reactions to his songs because he already has several scheduled to play over the course of the night. Like I said, that head hunter was worth his weight in gold. At this rate I may be able to start heading out before closing a few nights a week.

  Next, I head to the VIP lounges, we have 3 different ones and the
y each have a glass wall that separates the group from the rest of the club. It’s still early in the night and only one of the lounges is occupied, the three thousand dollar minimum bottle service has not deterred business in the least, but your high spends don’t show up until the night is in full swing. I greet and shake hands with the semipro baseball player in the lounge, thank him for spending his time with us tonight and move on. I’ve discovered connections in this business are made fast and without much provocation. I’ll remember him and he’ll remember me without me monopolizing his time while here in the club, and from the way the blond on his lap was already rocking her hips against his crotch I didn’t figure he’d be here much longer anyways.

  And so my night goes, making the loop over and over, stopping to talk to patrons and people I’ve met over the years in the club industry. This is my second club, my first club Luminosity sold last year for twice what it was worth on paper because of the clientele that frequented there. I established that club in LA, but was ready to move back home after life in the ultra-fast lane for the past decade. I’m not some nineteen year old punk anymore and I realize the importance of real friends and family.

  I keep looking around for anyone enticing and have yet to find someone worth losing a few hours of sleep over. I’m not conceited, but in this line of work people, men and women alike, practically throw themselves at you, whether it be honest attraction or some model looking for recognition, or even people just too drunk to walk past someone without offering to fuck them. We make sure those people get a cab quickly because the last thing we need is a sexual assault allegation because someone was over-served and made a bad choice. My point is there’s no shortage of willing women in this line of work. Lately though, it seems no one is up to snuff. Oh well maybe tomorrow night.

  Tomorrow night. Fuck. Alexa will be here tomorrow night. I know Ian said go ahead but he doesn’t mean to go ahead and do what I want to do to her, he means give her a shot and see where it leads, which in turn means he’s really saying “no”, that I should leave her alone unless I have more noble intentions. I don’t. My intentions aren’t bad, they just don’t include a happily ever after like his does with Lorali. I sure do miss his “que sera sera” attitude. He was much easier to be around a few months ago when he had the same viewpoint as I do.

  Love. That shit will ruin a bastard quick! No thanks. I’ll stick to my mutually satisfying one night stands, thank you very much!

  I close down the club just like every night since we’ve opened. The routine of it is comforting. Work, home, shower, bed and repeat. Perfect.

  Chapter 3

  Alexa

  I’m actually excited about going to Ampere this evening and not just because Garrett will be there. It’s been ages since I’ve listened to live music and it takes me back to college and all of the bands we used to see at the bar near campus. I don’t know much about Bangarang, I’m not a fan girl or anything but I do know they’re quickly growing in popularity. I’ve heard a few songs of theirs on local stations and I’m excited to see them live before they blow up worldwide.

  My social life has kind of been on hiatus for the past few weeks. Other than stalking Garrett a few times at Ampere I’ve pretty much been at home. I’m leaving out tomorrow for a conference in Los Angeles, so getting out tonight before I spend four days in meetings and in an unfamiliar bed will be just what I need.

  As I’m trying to pick my outfit for tonight, Garrett’s words keep ringing in my ear, Wear something slutty….well, yes sir!

  I opt for a super short black leather skirt and a turquoise, wispy halter top, paired up with sky high stilettos. Maybe this look will turn his head and jump start him into action. The color of the top pops against my natural red hair and adds an edge of mystery to my vibrant green eyes. If this doesn’t work, I may have to just give up.

  I’m contemplating what kind of trouble I want to get into in LA, when I get a text from Lorali saying they’re downstairs.

  “Josie!” I yell grabbing my ID and wallet. “They’re here!”

  Josie comes bounding out of her room in jeans, heels, and a cute top, a smile on her face. I can never get over how excited she gets when we’re going out, something she never does on her own.

  “You excited?” I ask as I slide my coat on. March in Denver is no joke!

  “Yes! I read about a drink online that I want to try tonight!” She’s practically skipping. Only she’d get excited about a new drink rather than the potential to hook up with a fine ass man.

  Which reminds me, “Have you called that hot cop Lorali told me about?” I can see her blush; someone has a crush. About time!

  “No.” She whispers as she walks past to the door.

  We make our way downstairs and into the back of Ian’s SUV. I’m thankful they had to drive across town as it gave the inside time to warm up. Looking slutty at the club is always less fun when you show up with frost bite.

  Ian pulls up to the valet. There’s a long line out front full of shivering people desperately waiting to get inside and the strobe lights are flashing in the sky, drawing even more people in. The sidewalk is pulsing with the beat of the music playing inside. We walk to the bouncer and are immediately let in. I grin when I hear the groan of the other people in line. I know exactly how they feel, not too long ago I also was in the same place as them, waiting and praying I caught the attention of the bouncer and he let me in, but that wasn’t always the case. I’ve had to go back home one hundred percent sober, feet throbbing, never having even seen the inside of the club.

  We step inside and immediately give our coats to the coat check. The atmosphere is addictive and I can’t help but smile and sway my hips, the energy of hundreds of people having fun flowing over me, igniting my own need for a good time.

  We’re quickly ushered to a VIP room, with a great view of the stage. Bangarang is just about to start and the crowd on the dance floor seems to be moving as one unit rather than over a hundred people. The DJ here is phenomenal and pays very close attention to the mood of the room and feeds them what they need. It makes for an excellent club experience, and it’s not a fluke. It’s been amazing each and every time I’ve been here.

  “What can I get for you guys?” The tall, svelte blond waitress asks; her attention more focused on Ian than us three women. Man does she have it all wrong. I can’t help but giggle, Ian does turn heads.

  “You ladies want to start with some shots?” Josie asks. “There are a few I’ve wanted to try!” We nod our heads; we’re down with pretty much whatever. “Please bring us three Alabama Slammers and three Snake Bites!” She requests with more enthusiasm than any one person should about trying new drinks.

  “I’ll have a bottle of water please.” Ian says as he runs his hand down Lorali’s back and grips her ass.

  Here we go again! Cue a night of PDAs.

  We chit chat at the table while waiting for the drinks.

  “You go back to work tomorrow?” I ask Lorali as my eyes scan the bar area below for Garrett.

  “Yep!” She smiles really big “Two weeks away means my desk will be piled high! I’m not looking forward to it all.” Her words contradict the smile on her face as Ian trails his finger up the exposed flesh of her thigh.

  “Sorry,” I respond, knowing she could care less right now what her desk will look like tomorrow.

  She pulls her attention from Ian momentarily. “It really won’t be that bad but it’s always crazy after a long break, and then dealing with my boss who seems to think my personal life is his business!” She rolls her eyes and cuts a glance at Ian, who’s paying no attention to us women while he looks at something on his cell phone.

  Lorali told me about the conversation she had with her boss last month. He’s sure that Ian will ask Lorali to marry him sooner rather than later. From the look on her face and the way she cut her eyes to Ian, I can tell it’s a conversation she’s not had with him. I smirk at her, loving the fact that we’re still close enough to have secrets
.

  The waitress shows up with our shots and all three of us take them both almost back to back. I shake my head after the Alabama slammer, never having been a huge fan of Southern Comfort. Ugh. What was Josie thinking?

  I’m gently dancing to the music and talking with Lorali, my back to the VIP entrance. I hear Garrett’s voice and I freeze, a cold wave of shivers run up my spine. “How are you this evening, ladies?” God, his voice is the epitome of sex. I just want to wrap it around me and roll all over in it, like a dog scratching its back on fresh cut grass.

  Even though he startled me, I’m able to regain most of my composure before turning towards him. He’s dressed in a gray suit with a black shirt and bright red tie. I have a quick thought of tugging on his tie and forcing my mouth on his; it passes, just not very quickly. Okay. I always have the urge to kiss him, throw him on the floor, and fuck his brains out; but tonight, I manage a smile.

  “The club is super packed,” Josie says, stating the obvious.

  Garrett nods and reaches around and shakes Ian’s hand.

  “You just making the rounds or do you have the chance to hang out for a bit?” Ian asks, taking a sip of his water.

  “I can hang for a while. The club seems to be running itself these days.” He flags down the waitress and requests a bottle of water.

  Why am I so shy all of a sudden? I’m sure it’s in large part due to the audience we have, but it also has to do with the flirting Garrett and I did yesterday. We had never been so brazen about it before and I thought I felt a shift in him. For some reason, I can’t even look at him, and it has me feeling like a damn school girl with a crush. I don’t get shy, but in this moment it’s exactly what I’m feeling.

  “Ok ladies,” Garrett says to Josie and I. “I hope you guys will make it out in two weeks for the breast cancer benefit and help us raise some money.”

  “Of course we will!” Josie loves to raise money to help others, but she’s naive and never asks questions first.