Page 13 of Hustle

“VIPs,” Joey says, “fancy.”

“That’s us,” Sully smiles, exposing his missing teeth. “Fancy as fuck.”

He moves the ropes so we can get in, and immediately the smell of sweat and liquor hits me. The loud thumping bass makes it hard to hear the hostess, but she shows us to our booth overlooking the dance floor. I can’t wait to get out there. The stress of the Stacys, of Seamus, is too fucking much.

Time to dance off some of this energy.

We order tequila shots to get things started and head out to dance. The floor is packed, but we squeeze our way to the middle, carving out space.

The music is loud enough to help me forget. Before long, I’m letting go, the beat carrying me to another place. Joey and I dance for what feels like hours before taking a break for some more tequila shots and of course some beer to chase them. My hair is damp with sweat and I love it. Joey’s pulled her hair up into a ponytail, and we laugh about the people who dance to the lyrics of the music instead of the beat.

“Hey, Evi!” I look up. It’s Connor. And Seamus. Seamus is in a white button-down shirt and dark slacks that cost more than everything I have on. They mold to every inch of his hard muscled body and for one long, tortured minute I imagine what it would feel like to run my tongue along the flat plane of his stomach.

“This is Joey.” I introduce her to them both but keep my eyes resolutely on Connor’s face.

She smiles wickedly. I’ve told her about Seamus.

“Are you gentlemen going to come dance with us later?” Joey asks.

Connor laughs. “Can’t mix business with pleasure, ladies. Besides no one would take me seriously as the boss if they saw how badly I dance. Our bouncer Sully can do a mean worm, though, if you can get him out on the floor.”

He looks at me. “I hear the Stacys are giving you hell, Evi. I’m sorry. My girlfriend’s ex is a Stacy and he’s a mean fucker. I hope you beat their asses.”

“We will,” Seamus says. “With the law.”

Connor rolls his eyes. “Seamus, I love you, but you’re a nerd.”

Before he can respond, one of the bouncers starts shouting that there’s a fight in another room in the club.

“Duty calls, ladies. Have fun.” Connor disappears.

I watch Connor’s back as he disappears into the crowd, and then my eyes shift to Seamus. He might be a law nerd – Connor’s not wrong – but remembering the vague threat in his smile when Stacy’s goon came by Rico’s reminds me that there’s a harder edge there, too.

He’s my lawyer. He broke my heart. I shouldn’t get involved.

But then, I’ve never been very good with impulse control.

Seamus stands there now, obviously uncomfortable.

Still, I notice he didn’t leave. He just could have followed Connor.

“So what brings you here?” Joey asks. “Club business?”

“Family business,” He says vaguely, his voice going a little tight.

His background is corporate law, and I think that’s mostly what he handles for his family. But even though the Doyles have a lot of legitimate enterprises, he’s no doubt spending time figuring out how to keep everything on the right side of the law. Everyone in the neighborhood noticed when he went to practice with one of the fancier firms, and whispered even more when he left to open a practice of his own.

Stressful.

Maybe we both need to blow off some steam tonight.

“Sit down,” I say, pulling on his hand. Normally I’d revel in watching him be indecisive—it always makes him uncomfortable—but while getting a reaction from him is fun, I just want us both to have some easy, uncomplicated fun tonight.

Right.

He reluctantly lowers himself next to me. His body is tense. His taut muscles ripple under his shirt, and it’s a bit heady. He smells like a really good whiskey, honeyed and warm.

Joey smiles like a shark. “I’m going to the ladies’ room to freshen up. Excuse me.”

---