Page 8 of King of Clubs

“The food is pretty good,” she agreed.

“What time is your flight?”

“I’m taking a late one tonight, but before that we're going out. You and me. You’ve been holed up in this apartment for far too long and it’s time to let loose.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and moved to the fridge.

“Out where?” I asked, as I internally pondered how I felt about going out to a place with loud music, alcohol and people. So many people.

“Anywhere. I want us to have some fun before I get on my flight.”

Taking a deep breath I resignedly asked the question I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, “Where exactly are we going?”

Her eyes widened before she was squealing, “Yesssssssss,” while enveloping me in a full body hug.

“Can’t breathe,” I choked.

“Ahhhhhh,” she screamed into my hair. “We're going to have so much fun. We’re going to dance, have a drink and chillllllll.” Her excitement was a little contagious and I begrudgingly felt my lips twitch. Maybe this was exactly what I needed to celebrate all the little wins I was having with the bouncing blonde currently all over me.

“So, I know this is going to make you moister than a slice of cake in the middle of a trifle, we're going to Mr. Terrifying’s club.” A cheeky grin split her face, matching her bouncing from side to side.

“Please don't ever compare me to dessert compost,” I retorted with a grin, before comprehending our destination for tonight. Suddenly I was much more interested in our plans, especially if it meant I could potentially get a little glimpse of the man in question. “Oh, Mr. Terrifyingly Sexy’s place. Is he going to be there?” I asked, unsure if I wanted the answer to be yes or no. Arns’ assessment of him being a man of few words seemed legitimate given he hadn’t said a single word to me but nonetheless he was a tall glass of what I wanted to drink.

“Probably, let me ask Andy.”

“Absolutely not. I don’t want him to know I think his friend is hot. That’s humiliating. He wouldn't even remember me anyway or he might just think I was someone who broke in given how hysterical our first interactions were.” I remembered forcefully punching him in the stomach and shook my head.

“You mean when you tried to fight him then ran back to your room like an 11 year old?” She did her best to suppress her laugh to no avail and I giggled also. It really was going to go down in my top three most embarrassing moments, I was certain.

“I better go and start getting ready because I obviously have a lot to recover from after our introduction. I also haven’t undertaken any sort of maintenance in quite a while,” I lifted the leg of my pants as evidence of my self-neglect. “I’ll start with my toenails because no one needs to see these claws.”

Arna looked at my feet, then shrieked before grabbing her phone.

“Marlee! When was the last time you showed them any love? They’re going to need gloves and a chainsaw.” Her look of horror would have been hilarious if my nails truly weren’t so horrendous.

“Well I –”

“Consider it done,” she interrupted, “I’m booking us in now with my local because I refuse to be seen in public with those.” She didn’t look up when she spoke desperately trying to secure an appointment for my Sasquatch feet.

Meeting her gaze, I mustered all the enthusiasm I could manage. “Okay, fine. Let’s take these hangnails out into the world. I should probably also wash my hair,” I pointed to my incredibly neat ponytail, “because this slick hair,” I paused for dramatic effect, “no product.”

“Ewww,” she sneered, her mouth falling open in mock horror, “for everyone’s benefit, please go and bathe yourself in anti-bacterial.”

A laugh bellowed out of me and it felt good. For the first time in a long time there was a little excitement fluttering within at the prospect of seeing someone I found attractive. Even if he was terrifying, potentially unable to speak and would need to be on guard in case I attempted a core strength test again.

Sebastian

Chapter Three

Mid-morningwasalwaysmyfavourite 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.

Myclub.

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 achievingthisdream 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 winto 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 ofme. 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.

---