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“Do you know him?” I ask Liam.
“No. He recognizes the cut of my suit,” he says. Liam could give a master class on confidence.
My gaze slides to his dark jacket, whichisgorgeous. My own style is casual comfort for school and understated business attire for work. The dress I’m wearing is the flashiest thing I’ve ever owned. If I'm going to spend a lot of time with Liam, I should probably learn some designers.
At the front of the line, Liam extends his phone, which has an image of event tickets onscreen.
The tall, heavy-set bouncer scans the code. “If you want to catch the artists at the pre-party, head straight upstairs, Mr. Callahan.”
Just inside the entry, there's a brightly painted statue of a female pirate in low-slung pants and a historically inaccurate halter top. She looks as though she has implants that are ready to burst out like creatures from the deep.
Although the outfit’s cheesy, her expression is one of defiance, and her gaze seems fixed on something far off in the distance. She makes me feel adventurous, which I guess is the point.
Liam’s grip on my hand tightens as he pulls me through the throngs of people. “Too crowded down here. Upstairs better be better.”
A packed hall leads to the main part of the club. Inside, the sound of the music is like a physical force, thumping through our bodies and vibrating up our legs. A DJ is spinning, but instruments are set up for the live show that’s coming.
We're surrounded by people wearing colorful outfits and dancing with wild abandon. The flashing lights create a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors, and everyone claps their hands and sings along to the music.
There's a hulking, bald man with black eyebrows standing in front of a stairwell that has a black, corded rope hanging across it.
“Callahan,” Liam says, showing the tickets again.
The bouncer scans a list on his tablet. “Had another guy who said he was Callahan.” His quick glance at Liam is slightly suspicious, as though Liam could be an imposter.
Liam’s expression is unconcerned. “That was my brother, Aiden.”
“Your brother’s a big dude.”
It surprises me that the man would mention only his brother as being big. Liam’s six-three frame is mostly muscle.
The big bouncer's gaze sweeps over another page on his screen. “Got it.” The man reaches over and unhooks the rope.
We ascend the stairs and enter a VIP area. There’s sloped seating to the left, which looks down at the stage, and a lounge that’s softly lit by modern glass chandeliers.
A collection of royal blue velvet couches are arranged in small seating areas. There are dozens of people, and Liam leads me toward a back area, but slows when he spots a party of four.
“Hmm.”
Three men and a woman stand together. I realize which one must be Liam’s brother Aiden. He has thick auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail that reaches the bottom of his neck. His size is impressive. He must be six-and-a-half feet of bulky muscle and towers over the entire group.
The two dark-haired men have similar large hooked noses, making me wonder whether they’re also brothers. One is taller and balding with thin black hair and a sharp mustache. The other is also trim, but with thick wavy hair and no mustache. The nearly bald man has a possessive arm around a blond woman’s waist. Her large breasts remind me of the female pirate’s as they strain the top of her red dress.
Liam stops a few feet from the group, rather than guiding me over to it. Aiden shifts positions so he’s bridging the space that separates us from their group.
Rock music blares, and top-shelf liquor flows freely as waitresses in sexy pirate costumes circle with trays. The sweet smells of cologne and perfume mingle with musk and alcohol.
As Aiden turns toward us, he looks vaguely familiar to me.
“Brother,” he says, shaking Liam’s hand. “And Olivia. Nice to see you again.”
I realize he was in the booth at the back of Four Leaf. How could I have forgotten him when his physique is so notable? It’s like forgetting you saw Mount Rushmore. But I was upset and distracted after being chased into the bar and ending up a spectacle on my hands and knees.
“Hello,” I say, glancing up at him. “Nice to see you, too.”
Even though we saw each other at Four Leaf, names weren’t exchanged, which means Aiden must know my name because Liam mentioned me via text. That thought gives me all the feels.
The man with the thinning black hair moves closer, and his dark eyes narrow. “Surprised to see you here, Liam, strolling in late like you’re on vacation.”
