Nineteen Page 5

  Apologising and touching her shoulder to make sure she is ok, there stood before me, has to be the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on. He is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome but it’s his eyes that really steal your breath; they are the most vivid shade of blue I have ever seen.

  Liv notices the hotness in front of her, well it is impossible not to and she bats her eyelashes at the handsome stranger. He smiles back at her obviously liking what he sees, then makes his apologies and walks out into the foyer behind us, without even so much as a glance in my direction. Nothing new there Campbell my brain whispers and I am not even disheartened, I’m used to blending into the background, besides I’ve made my place there and it is where I feel most comfortable.

  Liv looks back at me a little flushed and links her arm with mine again before proceeding to walk into the club, leaning to whisper into my ear,

  ‘Scarlett, if that fine specimen was anything to go by, we are gonna have ourselves a ball tonight!’ her fake American drawl makes me giggle and I have to agree he is indeed a very fine specimen.

  My eyes sweep over the opulent surroundings, trying to take in everything and everyone.

  I steer H towards the first bar area, knowing that it’s too early to head for the VIP. This is where the fun is at for now; we can always head up there later.

  It’s quite busy here already and getting the attention of the bar staff, in order to get served, is proving more difficult than I thought. Maybe we should be up in the VIP, at least they know who I am there.

  Just as that thought enters my head the barman nods over at me and I ask for two bottles of Peroni.

  Passing one over to H he takes it with a grin.

  ‘Cheers J, I’m bloody parched’ then he glances all around his surroundings before adding ‘Jesus, this place is amazing! Nate must be seriously minted!’

  ‘Don’t bloody tell him that, his head is far enough up his arse as it is without you fawning all over his empire’. I smile, I am jesting of course, well partly. ‘It is pretty amazing I guess, he’s looking into opening up in Ibiza next’.

  H gives an awed but appreciative look ‘Why didn’t you take the partnership when he offered buddy? I mean you would be set up for life right about now!’

  ‘For fuck’s sake H you sound like my bloody parents! I have my own dreams remember? You used to have some of your own too before Bella!’

  I don’t mean to sound quite as attacking as that came across and H glares at me a little before slapping me across the back again.

  ‘J I’m not getting into this again with you tonight, let’s just get pissed and have a laugh. One day your dreams may change too, I can’t wait to be the one that says ‘I told you so’ when they do but for now go get us some more drinks in and let’s check this place out! It’s like all my wet dreams rolled into one in here’. He winks, ‘Not that I’m on the prowl or anything but I can sure as hell enjoy watching you get knocked back a few times!’

  H never stays annoyed with me for long, I think that’s why we’ve been mates since forever. I am dark, brooding, selfish and have a bit of a temper. H is friendly, open, honest, forgiving and a real joker. Our complete differences in character are what make us so compatible as mates.

  ‘Hah! Me get knocked back? Now that, my friend, is definitely straight out of one of your dreams! And for the record, it’s your round, so get them in, I’ll wait over there’. I nod towards a spot that overlooks both the bar and the dance floor.

  H gets served at the bar far quicker than I did and is soon approaching with two bottles of Peroni and two shots of what looks like Tequila in his hands and a cheeky ‘Let’s be having you’ smile on his face.

  Handing me my drinks he glances to his left and let’s out a sharp ‘Hah!’

  ‘What now? Did you just spot someone famous and get all star struck?’ I laugh at him.

  ‘Nope, I was just laughing because the fun is already beginning’ he nods his head slightly to the left to bring my attention to a group of girls who are smiling and giggling in our direction.

  ‘Foxy groupies have eyed you up already my man and we’ve not even been here half hour! Shit you are good, I swear if they could bottle whatever the hell it is you’ve got, you’d be made a millionaire by morning!’

  ‘I can’t help but bear this curse alone my friend, you would not enjoy what I do for more than a month, It would be too taxing for you!’

  We both laugh and knock back our shots following them with a large swig from our bottles.

  I look over at the group of girls and throw in a trademark Fox smile just for the hell of it. H shakes his head in mock disgust.

  ‘Jesus, you just can’t help yourself J, where you go, women follow, most of them are already removing their underwear before you have even looked their way!’

  ‘Don’t be jealous H, you’ve always done well out of the deal, I was always very good at sharing my spoils with you’.

  ‘Bollocks! You’ve always left me your cast offs or the ones who’ve not tickled your fancy, I’d call that sloppy seconds and rejects buddy’. He downs the rest of his bottle.

  ‘Good job you found Bella then all by yourself’. This is one area that H does not like the piss being taken.

  ‘Bella is all mine buddy, she would never look your way for even a second. I can’t understand why you pair just can’t get along’.

  I can, Bella despises me and everything that I am. She is quite an attractive girl, if you like loud mouthed women who don’t know when to button it and with an arse as large as her mouth.

  ‘Me neither’ I shrug. ‘Guess she must be some kind of mutant female to not bend to the force of my charms’.

  ‘Oh she’s different alright’ H smiles admiringly, ‘I’m going to ask her to marry me when I get my long overdue promotion and don’t go spoiling it by taking the piss J, she’s all I want and need, so let’s not get into any kind of debate on the matter tonight’.

  ‘She’s all yours H, would I ever try and say anything that might make you change your mind?’ I give him a weak smile and change the subject.

  ‘Right that’s enough bonding, it’s time for you to sit back and watch me find the sweetest piece of arse here tonight and take her home for a much needed fuck’.

  ‘With such romantic words as that buddy it’s no wonder the chicks fall at your feet!’

  ‘Don’t you just know it, now watch and learn my friend’

  We move closer to the dance floor and I search the crowd of clubbers spotting the pretty blonde in the pink dress that I bumped into earlier. She is dancing with a relaxed sensuality that isn’t uncommon for a girl with her looks. I scope out those around her to see who she has come with and notice a tall, shapely, girl, with dark, caramel hair that falls half way down her back in tousled waves. She is wearing a metallic coloured second skin style dress, dancing alongside her but with her back to me.

  The view from the back is just perfection, she has long shapely legs that you can just imagine would wrap tightly around you, a rounded but firm arse leading to a slender waist and what I can just determine, as she moves slightly to the side, are delectable pert breasts that are just more than a handful.

  Shit her rear view alone has given me a semi, shame I can’t see her face from this view, knowing my luck she will have a body made for sin and a face made for radio.

  I move position slightly to see if I can catch a glimpse of her but as I do H taps my arm, drawing my attention back to him.

  ‘I’m just going for a piss, don’t move or else I won’t be able to find you and you know me, I’ll be in trouble before you can say ‘Nice tits gorgeous’. So stay put, no chasing any tail until I find you again, Oh and get the next round in, you’re getting slow on me in your old age’.

  I nod and lift my half full bottle at him, he moves in the direction of the Gents so I swing back around to find Miss Sinful Body.

  Where did she go? Pretty blonde is still there, bumping and grinding with some faux Italian looki
ng bloke but Miss Sinful has gone.

  My eyes search over the rest of the dance floor but she is no-where to be seen.

  Fuck! That’s just my luck lately, no sooner as I have someone in my sights, I can’t get close. The delicious Vanessa Havers firm evidence of that.

  Pissed off I turn back towards the bar. H better get a move on, I need to see if Miss Sinful’s face lives up to the body and I need to find out now! The urge to take someone home and ride them hard all night is pressing down me, making me tetchy. You would swear it’s been months since I last got laid, not a matter of days! What the hell is going on with me?

  H ambles back towards me from the Gents, he took what seemed like forever in there and I’ve almost finished my second bottle alone.

  ‘Where the fuck have you been? Anyone would swear you were a woman the amount of time you took in there!’

  ‘Those toilets are A-freaking-mazing J, the urinals talk to you when you take a piss, there was a bloke there offering me a towel and some free aftershave and they had sofa’s in there! I mean what the hell do you need a sofa in the John for?’ he looks like a kid who had just come out of the toy store.

  ‘You mean to tell me I’ve been stood here drinking alone because you’ve fallen in love with the bogs in my brothers club?’ I ask in the most unbelievable tone I can manage.

  ‘Chill J, I’m not used to this shit, its awesome man, you need to lighten up and get laid’.

  ‘I’d love to but my best mate is spending half his night in the bogs so my chances of finding someone to hook up with are getting slimmer with every half hour I wait for him!’

  I practically launch his bottle at him and down another shot, slipping two more in front of him to catch up.

  ‘Get these down you, we are heading to the VIP, it’s getting ridiculous down here and I’m sick of waiting ages to get served. If you loved the toilets, you are going to come in your pants when you see what it’s like up there!’

  H grins at me from ear to ear, downs his shots and picks up his beer.

  Leading the way to the VIP area, I keep my eyes scanning the crowd just in case I see Miss Sinful again.

  No luck there though, although I do make eye contact with a few women who would do just as well, or a few women I’ve had before and could manage the task well enough, if only I could get her out of my mind. At least if she turns out to be as ugly as sin I know I have other options.

  The bouncer at the VIP entrance moves the rope to one side for us to enter, nodding to me in recognition.

  The furnishings up here are even more decadent than down stairs and I can’t help but look at H to see his reaction to it all.

  He is awe struck and mumbling something about his wet dream coming true.

  It’s gotten pretty full up here too but I immediately spot Nate sat in one of the first seating areas, next to Miss Pretty in Pink of all people!

  Well I should have guessed he would home in on her, I knew as soon as I saw her that she was bang up his alley.

  He’s already got a bottle of Grey Goose on the table, which surprises me as he would normally have a bottle of Cristal sat there to aid his seduction.

  He notices me walking towards them and then sees H coming up behind me. Rising to his feet, he gives me a full ‘manly’ embrace, followed by H and proceeds to introduce us to Miss Pretty in Pink whose name is surprisingly Tallulah.

  Not a name I would have put with how she looks and I’m not very often wrong, I think Nate is getting played! Hah, it’s good enough for him.

  ‘Hey H, how’d you like the club?’ he grins at us waiting for his reply. I should have guessed it would be the first topic of conversation.

  ‘Shit Nate, it’s freaking amazing, I can’t believe what you have done to the place and it’s obviously the place to be, J tells me it’s packed out every night’.

  Nate was obviously chuffed with H’s response and he seemed to puff out his chest just like a proud peacock at his words, or was that just a figment of my slightly bitter imagination?

  I notice that up until this point Miss Tallulah is unaware of Nate’s relationship with the club, she visibly gapes a little before composing herself once she realises it must belong to him.

  Hmmm? Even more bizarre, Nate almost always uses his success to snare his prey, especially if in one of his own clubs.

  This was a new technique for him and I couldn’t help but wonder why the sudden change.

  He offers us all a glass of Grey Goose, I shake my head and call over a waitress. There’s no way I’m drinking straight Vodka with Nate, I hate the stuff, who the hell would choose to drink it straight?

  Just at the moment I turn to beckon her over, I catch a slight glimpse of something metallic heading in my direction, lifting my eyes up, I come face to face with the most mesmerising eyes I have ever seen. Shaped like large almonds, the centre of each a beguiling, blue/green of such a shade I have never seen before. It almost feels like I am looking into a pool of beautiful, clear water.

  I don’t get a chance to assess the face the eyes belong to as with an ungraceful stumble, the owner of said eyes lurches towards me about to fall. It takes all my will to snap out of my daze and catch her in my arms before she hits the floor.

  My eyes sweep over the opulent surroundings, trying to take in everything and everyone.

  ‘Hey Scarlett’ Liv calls out over the pounding bass of the music. ‘Ray here wants to know if you’d like a Sex on the Beach or a quick Screw . . ball?’ she winks suggestively at me as my mouth gapes open in response.

  ‘Don’t panic, he’s just offering us a cocktail on the house, come choose one before I choose for you.’

  I look over at Ray standing behind the bar, he looks mid-twenties, with an all over designer stubble and is just as immaculately dressed as every other employee in Acquiesce. His dark brown eyes skim all over my barely there, bodycon dress, making me feel completely naked.

  I subconsciously wrap my arms around myself and force a smile at him.

  ‘I’ll have whatever Tallulah is having please.’ He looks me over once more before turning and grabbing various bottles of alcohol and expertly pouring the required shots into a cocktail mixer.

  Transfixed by watching him work, I fail to notice that Liv is in deep conversation with some random guy stood next to her at the bar. Typical Liv, we’ve not been here ten minutes and she’s already attracted the attention of two guys, the first of which was simply far too beautiful to be real.

  ‘I’ve not seen you in the VIP area before, I know we’ve only been open two months but I’d never forget a face or body like yours’.

  Ray leans over the bar and slides me a tall, highball glass, filled with a delicious looking orange/red liquid over lots and lots of ice. Giving him a small, sheepish, smile I take a large, loud slurp of my drink through the straw and wonder why they hell I wore this dress as it’s definitely sending out all the wrong signals. I mean Ray here thinks he is on to a sure thing, judging by the lascivious smile he is currently giving me.

  I have an overwhelming need to get away from randy, leering Ray, so I nudge Liv with my hip to get her attention and nod over towards the seating area.

  The sumptuous deep velvet chairs look good enough to fall asleep in and are arranged around dark wood tables. Each table has a Moroccan style, gilded cage candle holder in the centre, containing what looks like a lit candle but on further inspection they are in fact dim, flickering bulbs that give the same effect. They perfectly complete the whole decadent feel of Acquiesce.

  The VIP area that Liv scored us passes for overlooks the whole club. I guess being a VIP entitles you to quite a few perks, lording it over every other clubber with your own private bar is one of them. Not that I am complaining, I really didn’t want to try and find somewhere to stand in what was quickly becoming a very full club.

  It was getting quite crammed down there yet here, raised above the main floor, were only myself and Liv plus two other guys. A quick glance over at them and I re
alise that the taller bloke was the one chatting Liv up at the bar.

  ‘For God’s sake Em, Cheer Up!’ Liv shouts a little too loud in my ear, causing my brain to tickle with the vibration of her words.

  ‘We need to get more drinks down us and then hit that dance floor baby, let’s show this club how Scarlett and Tallulah work it!’ Her infectious smile prompts me to smile back and nod in agreement.

  ‘OK but if I’m going to attempt to dance in this . . this second skin you’ve made me wear, I need at least another dozen of Randy Ray’s cocktails’.

  ‘Randy Ray?’ she looks at me confused.

  ‘Yes Randy Ray the barman who was sleazing all over me earlier.’

  ‘NO Way! Well he is kinda cute Em, if you like that designer stubble thing he’s got going on but if he’s not your type, I’ve no doubt you will be fighting them off once we hit the dance floor’.

  She must see the terror in my eyes as she quickly adds ‘Em you look H-O-T so work it baby, it’s the last night of your teens, there will be no more ‘Scarlett’ tomorrow so let’s see her out in style!’

  She has a point, I know I look 100% more attractive than I normally do but no matter how much of her magic she has worked on me, I still look like Liv’s taller, podgier, ugly sister.

  ‘C’mon then Tallulah’ I say jumping abruptly to my feet and finishing off my drink with a loud slurp of my straw, ‘Let’s get us some more of that deeeelicious beach sex thingy, knock back a few shots and then I’ll show you how to bust some moves on that there dance floor’. Laughing loudly she jumps up and links her arm with mine then suddenly turns to me all serious.

  ‘Hey I like this new Scarlett, she’s fun but don’t you ever say the words ‘Bust some moves’ again!’