Page 75 of Choosing Hope

Sarcastically, I drawl, “Clever girl.”

The clench of her back teeth almost raises a smirk. It would have done if I weren’t in such a filthy mood.

“Where’s Travis?” I growl.

Her shoulders rise an inch; “He went up to the office twenty minutes ago.”

I pick up my glass and strut off in that direction, leaving Kalie standing at the bar, no doubt seething—not only to be rejected, but dismissed without so much as a cheerio.

Without knocking, I burst into my partner’s office to find him on the phone.

Judging by his facial expression, I instantly know his conversation is difficult. I slump into one of the guest chairs in front of his desk, sipping my drink and considering the best way to break my news.

He slams the phone down with a groan.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were in Dubai until Saturday.”

I rub my fingers over my mouth.

“Sophie and I have got problems,” I admit.

Saying it aloud to an outsider feels strange.

He interrupts me with a chuckle.

“What?” I demand, my mood flipping.

“It’s about fucking time,” he spits.

My eyebrows clash together, wishing I hadn’t been so open about my marital issues. I ignore his amusement, needing to get out of here before I lose my temper.

“I’m selling my shares in the club to Carlo.”

He sits forward, leaning his elbows on the desk, his expression suddenly deathly serious.

“What? No, you can’t do that.”

I snort. “They’re my shares, mate. I can do whatever the fuck I like with them.”

Knocking back the rest of my drink. I slam it down on his desk, my lack of coordination almost smashes the glass, but I couldn’t care less. I rise and turn to the door.

Another person I’ve pissed off; I’m collecting them tonight.

I stride back into the club to see if I can find Carlo.

Claudette catches my eye, and I make a beeline for her. She’s one of the few original staff members; recently she’s been working in a management role. Initially, the club employed Claudette as the fixer. The VIP members loved her a little too much. In her hunt for a wealthy husband, she was dedicating far more time entertaining the punters than we intended. However, her organizational skills are top-notch. So, we promoted her, and now she oversees the entire club, making sure everything is running smoothly. It’s the perfect job for her.

Now that she’s gotten over her infatuation with me, we get on well. I have a lot of respect for her.

I lean down, pressing a kiss to both of her cheeks in our customary manner.

“Hey, Claude, how’s your night going?” I ask, noticing my words are a little slurred.

“Good. We’ve been busy tonight.”

I nod, glancing around at the bustling bar.

“You’ve just missed an erotic show with Carlo and his lady friend,” she teases with a cheeky smile.