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Chapter Three

M id-morning was always my favourite time of the day. My training session was complete, my head clear and my morning coffee either brewing or ready. Right now, it was the latter as it sat steaming on the bar in front of me at Nexus.

My club.

A dream that started when I was a teenager and festered in the recesses of my mind until I could no longer ignore the incessant need to achieve something. And it was achieving this dream which gave me the satisfaction I always longed for. The contentment which came from having total control over my life and everything I’d achieved because I’d made my own dreams come true.

Before I was able to succeed though, life wasn’t always easy. There were plenty of long nights with little income and a fair dose of stress. But on the days when it felt a little too much I would remember Mum parroting the infamous Vince Lombardi quote, winners never quit and quitters never win to spur me forward for another day. And eventually, I attained what I set out to do.

These days, I loved nothing more than waking up, pumping a playlist through my earphones and heading down to the beach for a jog. I loved coming home afterwards and smashing out a weights session – on my own, in my gym. Each piece of equipment mine alone with no one watching, or more importantly, distracting me with their inability to use fitness equipment correctly. I enjoyed the process of making myself a coffee and I loved basking in the tranquillity of the club before anyone else arrived knowing I was where I was today, because of me . Mum and my sister Evangeline had been significant supports to me throughout, as was my best-mate Cooper, but in the darkest moments, I could only rely on myself. It was me who had to find the courage to persevere and it was one of the reasons I preferred solitude wherever possible.

Stability and composure came from a sense of control and this was something I was good at – a place I found comfort – as long as my world was ordered, nothing could disappoint me or take me by surprise.

And it was these values which led to the few people I held close, enjoying nothing more than riling up a little chaos in an attempt to make me squirm. Frustratingly, it often worked too.

Heading to my office on the deck above the dance floor I noted the club was as pristine as I expected from my night staff and cleaning crew. It was a non-negotiable that any establishment under my ownership would never be anything less than perfect. I liked things a certain way and if my staff weren't on board, they were provided their final pay-check and told to move on.

Answering emails, placing orders and making sure everything was good to go before tonight saw the morning bleed into the afternoon. I spent at least thirty minutes on the phone to Evangeline listening to her rant about how Mum nagged her to do her tax return only to question everything she did. I spent another thirty minutes pacing my office, the phone glued to my ear while I did my best to remind her to just focus on finishing her final year of her degree, assuring her we would manage the rest later. I’m fairly certain from her constant sighing that something else was pestering her, but like me, she was pretty guarded. Us Micallefs weren’t known for being conversationalists unless we trusted those we were with and even then, we were cautious about what we shared. But with each other, this didn’t apply. Which was why I bore the brunt of many of her ailments, trying to validate and offer advice, often about topics I had no idea about.

Contrastingly though, where I continued enjoying the silence which often encased our childhood, she seemed to thrive on the noise and bustle of life – but, like me, always from the sidelines. Enjoying the party lifestyle as an observer rather than a participant. It was partially why I knew she would love living in the city once she finished her studies. There were far more job prospects in the business district anyway and having her closer would be a comfort. But for now, staying home with Mum allowed her to keep saving and selfishly meant I didn’t need to head back as often.

Reaching for my phone, I noted the day was almost over and soon this place would be pumping with the best that Sydney had to offer for those looking to let off some steam. My secluded office provided me prime real estate to ensure everything ran smoothly throughout the night. And for the outside and areas I couldn’t see well, monitors lined the far side of my office with a view of every crevice and corner of the place. An omniscient insight into the actions and decisions of each of the revellers who would fill the currently void spaces. Call me voyeuristic, but privacy mattered to me, and while I spent most of my time in the office while the doors were open, greeting and mingling downstairs only as required, my social battery was quick to drain and slow to recharge. I preferred being able to observe with minimal interaction unless I was needed behind the bar.

Although the boys often told me how crazy I was not to make the most of the multitude of women who came through the doors each week. Only the other night Jack and Cooper were nagging me about finding myself a friend claiming it would make me less of a douchebag . As if either of them could fucking talk.

While the calibre of women around here definitely wasn’t lacking, it had been a long time since anyone made me look twice and settling down just wasn’t high on the priority list. I’d made it this far on my own, why would I need someone else who would only encroach on what I'd built?

My phone pinging brought me out of my head and to a new message from Andy. I’d known him, or the elusive Andrew Gloss , since we were kids and despite our work keeping us on our toes, we stayed in touch.

Andy

Look at what I just bought with your money.

He forwarded me a picture of a new watch with its own fair share of diamonds. Judging by the size, a gift for his fiancé.

Enjoy it. Next time I’m taking the Outback Aces pot.

I shook my head inwardly scoffing at the title Andy’s mum had fashioned our poker nights. The stupidity of the name gave it credence making it our unofficial yet official title now. Andy’s fiancé wanted to have shirts made for us but that was not going to be happening – I had to draw the line somewhere.

Andy

Never too busy to kick your arse, bro.

Arns and her friend, Marlee are coming in tonight. Can you keep a close eye on them for me? Add everything to my tab.

Marlee.

The one with the sad eyes who slogged me right in the gut. I nearly laughed when I dumbfoundedly looked up and saw the way her neck flushed all the way up to her cheeks. Then she’d gone and tenderly rubbed my stomach and my heart pounded just a little quicker. Everything else in the room became blurry, those striking eyes holding me captive, until she disappeared as quickly as she had come. Leaving my skin far warmer and my world slightly off kilter.

Sure thing. I’ll have one of the boys keep watch, VIP lounge.

Andy

My man. Cheers. Will come by when we’re back in town.

Maybe tonight would be a little different to normal, I thought unsettlingly. Maybe someone would make me look twice and maybe she would be the same person who had crossed my mind a fair few times in the last week. The same woman who had haunted my dreams on no less than three occasions since we met.

The floor staff started to arrive, and the tinkering of bottles and stools being moved battled with the soft conversations as they prepared for service. While I enjoyed solitude, their movements below were melodic and soothing. It brought with it the anticipation of what was to come on a busy weekend and the pride which bloomed when I saw my regulars arriving for a repeat of the night before, or the staff returning to work because they enjoyed being here. I could argue that I didn’t care what people thought of me, but I did care if they felt appreciated and respected and it was clear in their smiles and the ambience that filled the air, even when the club was at capacity, that they did.

A light knock on the door had me looking at Wayne who was signalling his arrival with a wave. The door was open but I hadn’t heard him approach, the stealthy bastard that he was, and I nodded in greeting to my head of security. He’d been with me since I first opened Nexus and he was one of a small number of people I trusted with my life. His brother Heath sold me the place and at that time, my life was anything but easy. I was working behind various bars to establish myself in the scene and Wayne was one of the few who gave me both the time and space to find my feet while discreetly guiding me. I used to joke that I would never need his opinions, but more and more I found myself leaning towards him like the father figure I unknowingly missed. He was reliable, honest and pragmatic and that was exactly what I needed personally, and later more importantly in my right-hand man. While I wouldn’t be telling him anytime soon, the old bloke was wise and often provided the voice of reason to cool my irrational brain.

“All checks have been done, boss. Anything I need to know before we open?” He was a force, built on solid muscle and anger and I was confident nothing would happen with him on the ground. He ran his security team like a well-oiled machine and most of the time even just a look from him was enough to ensure the rowdiness of any riff-raff ceased.

“Hopefully a chill one tonight. How are Alyce and the girls?” I asked. Alexis and Zoe were something else and since I first met them, held a piece of my heart. When Wayne brought them in here it was difficult not to let my guard down as they ran circles around both their dad and I. Most people avoided me, finding my reticence uncomfortable, but not the twins. They took it as their opportunity to fill the silence with stories of their own and the innocence of it all was humbling. They, along with their mother Alyce, were the only people I’d ever seen give Wayne any shit without any form of repercussion. He often tried to be stern, but the girls took no stead and it was something I definitely enjoyed more than I should. Although, it wasn’t ideal when they discovered how to use the soda gun and decided it was here they would drink copious amounts of sugar and coat the floors with lemonade while Wayne and I were busy.

His face softened at the mention of his family. “They’re good, man. Driving me crazy like always,” he smiled.

“As it should be. Actually Andy’s woman and her friend will be in tonight. Reserve them the VIP area and ensure they are good the entire time, please? I need to know when they arrive, how much they drink and when they plan on leaving.”

He rubbed his hand over his bald head and cracked his neck. “Sure thing. Should be smooth.”

“Speaking of smooth, Coop’s new scotch arrived. We’ll have a glass tonight at close.” Turning away, I opened one of the cupboards discreetly located next to the small wet bar and grabbed my watch. The same one my Mum gifted me for my 21st birthday which she would’ve had to save for years to buy. I could have replaced it one thousand times over, but I never would, the sentiment as important as anything else. I fastened it to my left wrist before changing into one of the crisp white business shirts I kept onsite, pulling the collar down firmly. Tucking the bottom into my pants, I rolled my sleeves and tightened my belt to the fourth notch. The routine was subconscious and precise as was everything I did.

Glancing down to ensure everything was as it should be, I admired the intricate detail in the ink that donned most of the skin on my right forearm. Each piece was either a meaningful reminder of something I cherished or a reason to work harder.

I tapped the panther which encased the skin peeking from beneath the rolled sleeve before moving to complete my final checks ready for the doors to open for business.

It didn’t take long for the dance floor to fill and every seat in the place to be covered with someone looking to lose themselves in the music. Opening the doors to Nexus only three years prior, I still felt the same exhilaration when the place was full.

Although, recently, I’d been spending more and more time staring at the strobing lights, the cocktails and shots pumping over the bar and the sticky floors that were inevitable in a nightclub, and wondering what it would look like if I gutted the place and transitioned the space into a whiskey bar.

Light jazz music, a stark contrast to the deep base of J-Kwon pumping through the speakers now. Subtle low-hung lighting bouncing off brown leather lounges, a direct binary to the fluorescents currently encasing the floor. The clientele would also change and the need for a security team of twenty people would no longer be necessary. I could work the bar some nights purely because I wanted to and I could take more of a hands-on approach in the day-to-day running. Additionally, it would mean a calmer and more serene environment which at thirty-two, became more and more favourable.

Failure wasn’t something I could or would tolerate though, so I wouldn’t do anything until I had it all ironed out. And no one was going to help me so I needed to plan it all myself if I wanted to see that goal achieved. Growing up as the man of the house from such a young age showed me how you fought for yourself, clapped for yourself and didn’t compare yourself to others if you wanted to maintain a steady success and reach those targets. This was no different.

Observing another large group of people arrive, a nice mixture of men and women, maintaining a balance that wasn’t always easy to achieve, I smiled.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, the same way it always did when the place was popping like tonight. Sometimes I wished I could see the club through their eyes, noting if anything could be improved or enhanced. My gaze found Wayne, easy to spot in his plain black t-shirt ready to pop at the seams with the sheer size of him. He had a presence and people moved for him as if he were Moses parting the Red Sea.

He stepped aside and Andy’s fiancé, Arna, came into view in a wave of blonde hair looking happy and sophisticated in a pair of jeans and a black top. She gestured for her companion to follow before the crowd swallowed them both.

Forest eyes flashed in my mind and I followed Wayne and his mountainous biceps as he moved through to the VIP area. He was at least a foot taller than anyone else making him easy to track despite the crowd.

Messaging Andy to let him know Arna had arrived, I paused as I got my first glimpse of Marlee from behind, my glass suspended in midair as I greedily mapped her body. One which when I saw her only a week ago, was hidden under baggy clothing.

Long, perfectly toned legs peeking out from a deep purple dress, hugging her body in all the right places. Thick, chestnut hair barrelled down her back, pointing to a backside that should have come with a warning sign. She was all hips and arse and I sucked my teeth, the instant attraction I felt when I first met her, hurtling back and slapping me in the face like a bucket of water.

It didn’t take a professional to identify there were definite issues with control in my world and preferring not to share my spaces with anyone was in part due to the chaos which could ensue if someone or something entered my circle. But a man had needs.

Needs which didn’t always find the same satisfaction when met with my own hand. Maybe a night with some company was needed after all.

Although, even if I wanted to lose myself in someone else for a night, I wouldn’t be finding that with her. I didn’t mix my worlds, especially when it came to pleasure – that sounded like a fucking recipe for disaster and consequently, a mess which had the potential to give me a headache at the very least or at worst launch an irate Arna on my tail. Neither of which I wanted.

But when that purple dress came into full view I could have easily stood cemented to that very spot and watched that body all night jerking my dick like a man possessed.

Mentally kicking my own arse I headed towards the cameras. I didn’t care about the women in my club. None of them required me taking a second look, let alone this obsession. Despite my resolution I hastily tracked the screens until I found the right one. The one that had a direct view to the VIP lounge for another peek at the brunette in violet.

Her head was thrown back, laughing at something Arna was saying in her ear and I was lost for words for the first time in as long as I could remember. The innocence in those flushed cheeks, green eyes so striking I could see them clearly through the lens and her arms shifting shadows across her face as she swayed to the music.

Holy shit.

Why had I only just met this woman?

If she was close with Arna, surely she would have been at her engagement party and I would never have forgotten a face or body like that. With plenty of questions forming in my head, I shot another text off to Andy and decided now was the perfect time to do my first walk through of the night – knowing exactly where I would start.