Hugo flashes his photogenic smile that has the pack of vultures hovering in closer. “I’ve got to run a quick errand. Any drinks you want are on the house."
“Okay, thanks,” I say with a shy smile.
Placing my clutch purse onto the countertop, I accept the cocktail menu from a smiling Rhys. Hugo paces one step away before he spins back around.
"Do I need to remind you of the non-fraternization policy of this club?" he questions with his vibrant blue eyes glaring at Rhys.
A broad grin morphs on Rhys’s face before he raises his eyes to the crystal clock hanging above the glass shelving behind the bar, which displays it is 11:50 PM. “Nah, it’s all good. In ten minutes my shift is over, so that won’t be a problem anymore.”
Hugo’s fists ball as his face lines with anger. “I’ll be back in five,” he says, irritation heard in his voice.
His eyes drift to mine for the briefest second before he pivots on his heels and struts through the crowd.Yes, I said strut, as Hugo Marshall has the perfect man strut. The right amount of swagger, a little bit of attitude, and a glimmer in his eyes that tells you he brings the kind of trouble your mother warns you about, but you can’t help but want.
Eight
Hugo
Irrational jealousy weighs down my chest as I make my way through the horde of people grinding together on the dance floor. It is irrational, as I have no reason to be jealous.
Ava isn't mine.
She’s never been mine.
She will most likely never be mine.
But watching her go gaga over Rhys had the ugly green monster rearing his head, primed and ready to yank Rhys over the bar and pummel some sense into him. Maybe a good beat down will remind him that Primal, the first stop on my club-hopping adventure for the night, has a very strict non-fraternization policy between staff and patrons. Isaac, the clubs’ owner, does not believe in the concept of mixing business with pleasure.
Until tonight, I never paid much attention to clause 23.1 in the employment contract I've been perusing the past two weeks. Although it is there printed in thick black ink, I never considered it set in stone. Now, I’ll happily remind Rhys that any break in the terms of the contract he signed will make his employment with Holt Enterprises null and void.
I’ll use any tactics I can to keep his hazel eyes off Ava.
Don’t get me wrong, Rhys is a great guy. He is only working at Primal to occupy his time until he commences his internship as a surgeon at a local hospital in two weeks’ time. He has the rare combination of both brains and good looks. If I was forced to pick a man for Ava to date, he'd be the first on my list. But even knowing that, my illogical jealousy built faster than Usain Bolt running the 100m sprint.
What does that mean? You tell me, as I don’t have a fucking clue.
By the time I make it through the mass of energetic partygoers grinding to the dub beats blaring out of the speakers, the back of my shirt is drenched in sweat and the five-minute timeframe I gave Rhys is already up. Racking my knuckles on the wooden door marked “Private” at the back of the club, I push down on the handle and sweep open the door. Isaac’s head lifts from peering at a barrage of paperwork scattered on his desk. He gestures for me to enter as he continues with his conversation on an old, outdated phone.
Isaac is a young entrepreneur who would rival the likes of well-respected nightclub owners Jeff Soffer and Noah Tepperberg. After our impromptu interview six weeks ago, I did a little snooping on Mr. Trust Fund. Even though Isaac is only twenty-two, he already owns a handful of nightclubs in the lower New York region.
His amassed fortune is rumored to be somewhere in the millions, but just like his personality, he keeps the actual value of his wealth a well-hidden secret. He is loaded and has looks that would make David Beckham pale in comparison. But what does Isaac lack that the others named above have? Some would say a heart.
Lucky for Isaac, I have a stellar knack for reading people. I can tell under his layers of darkness there’s a good guy just waiting to be exposed. Since I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, I've made it my mission to unravel the mystery sitting in front of me. Once Isaac finishes his phone call, he puts his ancient cell in the breast pocket of his suit jacket and gestures for me to take a seat.
“You should consider updating your phone. Wearing a thousand-dollar suit just looks tacky when you’re carrying a brick in your pocket.”
He tries to hide it, but I see the corner of his lips tug a little higher from my playful jibe.
“Did you find Ava?” he queries.
Although Isaac is only twenty-two, his demeanor makes him appear a lot older than he is. He is well-respected amongst his peers and feared by his rivals.
I nod my head. “Yeah, but Tammy said Pencil Dick left ten minutes before we arrived.”
This time, there is no doubt a smirk etched on Isaac’s mouth.
After leaving Jorgie’s house, I headed out for a night on the town. Drinking and escaping in the music were the only plans I had for the night. Isaac sweetened the pot in our ongoing negotiations by offering me the use of a chauffeured limousine from his private collection and unlimited drinks in any of his clubs.
The first thing my eyes zoomed in on when I stepped out of the limo was the long line of patrons vying to be admitted into Isaac’s latest club. The second thing I spotted was the guy who drove the first half of my night into the abyss of boredom. Marvin failed to notice my furious glare burning a hole in the back of his head as his nose was buried deep into the neck of a girl who wasn’t even half the woman Ava is.
