She stepped past him and entered the dimly lit room where Jenny was already making herself comfortable on a plush, black leather sectional.
“Wow,” said Ashley. Having never been in any club before, let alone a V.I.P. lounge, she was impressed. There were several tall glass tables set up near a large plate window overlooking the dance floor, a video game area, and a long bar in which a totally hot bartender was busy cleaning cocktail glasses. As if sensing her interest, he looked up and flashed a ten-thousand-watt smile, making her blush.
“This place is fucking awesome,” declared Jenny, her eyes already shining from the alcohol.
“That it is,” murmured Curt, looking at a message on his phone. “So, something just came up, girls, and I’ve got to split.”
“Okay, well, thanks for everything, Curt,” said Ashley, relieved he wasn’t staying. The way he stared at her body made her feel dirty.
He nodded. “You bet.”
“So, is there going to be a party here or something?” asked Jenny. “I mean, we’re not going to be the only ones in the V.I.P. lounge, right?”
“Oh, you could say there’s going to be a party,” he replied with a small smile. “In fact, tonight’s a private party and you two girls are the honored guests.”
Jenny raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? That’s kind of weird, though, isn’t it? I mean, we’ve never even been here before tonight.”
“That’s okay,” called Curt, walking towards the exit. “You’re young, hot, and tasty. It’s all good.”
“He’s so weird,” whispered Ashley after he’d left.
Jenny smirked. “That’s why he’s called ‘Creepy’ Curt.”
A new song by “Pink” blasted through the club and Ashley was dying to dance.
“I think we should go back downstairs,” she said, biting the side of her lip. “Wasn’t the point of coming here to check out guys and dance our asses off?”
Before Jenny could respond, the door opened and a dark-haired guy wearing a long, black leather coat entered the lounge.
“Oh, hi,” said Jenny, standing up.
“Ladies,” murmured the devilishly handsome stranger. “Welcome to Club Nightshade.”
Ashley could hardly breathe. The guy was tall with broad shoulders and full lips. As he stared into her eyes with his crystal blue ones, a fire ignited between her legs.
“Hi,” she answered, breathlessly.
“Hi,” said Jenny, who was also mesmerized by the stranger’s hypnotic stare. “Who are you?”
He licked his lips and smiled. “I’ll be your host tonight. My name is Ethan.”
Chapter One
“Excuse me, waitress, can I get another coffee over here?” snapped the twenty-something blond with the Bluetooth attached to her ear. She’d been sitting in the corner of the diner, talking loudly into the headset, making sure everyone around her knew she was important. From her boasting, I understood she was some type of investor, and a successful one at that. To me, she’d been nothing but a royal bitch.
“Are you ready to order yet?” I asked quietly, refilling her cup of coffee for the fourth time. She’d been in the diner for almost an hour and I’d tried to take her order several times, in which she’d brushed me away with her hand like a bothersome fly.
This time she gave me an arrogant smile. “Yes, waitress … I’d like the Oriental Chicken Salad.”
Bitch.
I looked up from my order pad. “Excuse me?”
The woman raised her eyebrows. “I’m sorry?”
I could have sworn I heard her say “bitch”, and from the smug look on her face, it seemed very likely.
“Sorry, I thought I heard you say something else,” I mumbled.
She looked at her watch. “I just gave you my order and I don’t have much time to wait.”
Get moving, Bimbo…
This time I’d been staring at the woman, and her lips hadn’t moved when she’d called me a “Bimbo”, but I’d heard it as clear as day.
Stunned, I stepped backwards, right into Susan, knocking her tray over. “Oh, God! I’m sorry, Susan!” I groaned in horror, my face turning red.
Susan bent down and began picking up the water glasses. “It’s fine, Nikki. Fortunately, it wasn’t anything important,” she replied. “Just a little water.”
As I bent down to help Susan, the evil blond customer’s voice popped into my head once again.
What a dumb, stupid bitch.
I stood up and stared at her. “What did you just call me?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about.”
“Having problems over here?” asked Rosie, coming towards us.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “My fault, I bumped into Susan.”
“Don’t sweat it, honey,” said Rosie. “It’s just water. I’ll help you, Susan. Nikki, go and seat those other people who just walked in.”
“Can somebody place my damn order?” snapped the woman, tapping her long, painted nails against the table. “I don’t have a lot of time here.”
“Certainly,” I replied.
“Don’t worry, Nikki. I’ll just seat the new customers,” said Susan.
Jesus, is everyone around here incompetent twits?