Page 40 of Lost Lyrebird

Bryan moves behind me, and I groan when I hear glass shatter.Bodie leans over the bar to inspect the mess.“Clean-up on aisle seven!”

I toss some towels to the kid.“I’ll grab the broom and mop.Just pick up the larger pieces and be careful.Don’t cut yourself.”

“Shit, Finn.I’m sorry, man.”Frazzled, Bryan moves quickly to clean it up.

“Don’t sweat it.Happens all the time.”

The slight headache I had earlier builds along with the tension in my shoulders as the boys get rowdier and Lily’s first performance draws nearer.The over-the-counter pain meds have done nothing to dull the edge.My body’s adapted to them.But at this point, I’ll take any relief I can get.

The loud music and flashing lights make matters worse.Usually, I’d take a break and spend an hour in my office with the lights off to get some relief—it’s soundproof for this very reason—but I can’t hide in the back tonight.

Not only do I want to see her perform, but now I need to play babysitter to these fools, and train fucking Bryan.He’s not a bad kid, but definitely not my best hire.This is evident when he doubts every drink he makes and checks with me before passing it to the customer.

That and the club is buzzing.Some of the dancers not on stage are socializing, while the waitresses make their rounds wearing their usual work attire: tight, hot-pink metallic skirts and white crop tops with the club’s logo across the chest.

Two of my guys are posted at the door checking IDs.Andre and Ken are here in the main area, keeping their eyes on the dancers as they mingle.Stone—another HOC brother with long black hair and a wealth of muscle—is upstairs with my bouncer, TJ, monitoring the private rooms and those giving privates in the lounge area up there.Dozer is my floater.He’s watching everything and working with different members of my security crew to cover breaks and check in.Thankfully, only a few low-scale issues have popped up.

Doesn’t stop my anxiety from rising, though, and there’s fuck all I can do about it except manage the bar and pass out drink after drink to the waitresses who seem to be a little overwhelmed by the unexpected increase in patrons.

I switch the channel on the two-way radio on my hip and lift it to my mouth as I ask, “How many?”

It takes Raven a moment to get back to me.Her laugh is the first thing I hear in my earpiece.“She’s up next.”She’s been giving me shit all night, because apparently, Bodie also filled her in about what went down during Lily’s audition.

“Good, it’s a fuckin’ circus out here.I hope she’s ready for that.”

The confidence in her tone when she gets back to me is a relief.“She’s ready.More than, I’d say.She’s super excited to get out there.”

And here I thought she’d be nervous as hell.

“You’re head over nuts for this girl, aren’t you?”Bodie taunts, inspecting me like he’s reading a book.

I give him a two-finger salute.“Fuck.Off.Rivers.”

His grin widens.“Why so serious, bro?”

Dozer comes by in time to catch the conversation.He chuckles and lifts an eyebrow at me.I point to each of them.“Not another word, or you’re both cut off.”

Time ticks on.My head pulses, but I stay behind the bar, keeping busy.Then the music cuts out, and Sasha exits the stage, collecting all the dollars littering its edge.

Alex, our emcee, takes the mic.“Who’s ready for something special?”He plays to the crowd and builds up the moment.Finally, he announces, “We got a new girl, and let me tell you… this stage is about to become lit the fuck up.She’s something to see.”

Whistles and raunchy comments erupt.The noise and spinning spotlight are the equivalent of a knife being wedged into my brain.A combination that hurts like a motherfucker, but I grin and bear it.

The lights dim, plunging the club into total darkness, except for the LED lights that run in lines along the aisles on the floor.Then a pink light flicks on.It highlights the black stage backdrop for a beat before smoke begins to pour out and crawl across the stage floor, swirling outward.It stirs anticipation throughout the club as people wait for the act to start.

“Give it up for our little flower… Lily!”

The crowd erupts and keep the cheers going as they wait.For a long moment, nothing happens.The overhead light leaves the stage and circles in a wide figure of eight around the club until it stops.When it does, every gaze locks on her like goddamn heat-seeking missiles.

She’s in the far corner, an opalescent diamond in the dark.

Her feet are kicked up on the table in front of her, crossed at the ankles, one leg draped lazily over the other, the toes of her silver heels bounce to the beat as the song begins.Her dress is skin-tight, sheer, and studded more heavily with crystals in certain areas.The spotlight glints off of them, sending fragments of neon dancing throughout the room.

With a slow, sultry smile, she kicks her legs high, extending them straight and holding for a moment before circling them in the air and then swinging them to the floor.In one fluid motion, she’s on her feet, bending over the table, leaning on her elbow.She playfully taps her nails on her teeth and sticks her ass out and gives a blinding smile to the crowd, all the while shaking her ass in a hypnotic rhythm that builds.The song is “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado, but it’s mixed with another song I can’t name.

Her makeup is darker now, with silver on her eyes and long, thick lashes.Pink blush and pink lipstick highlight her insane cheekbones and lips.She’s teased her hair a bit, and it lies in messy curls around her shoulders.

She’s a sight.One I’m having a hard time looking away from.