Page 35 of Brassy Bigwig

“Okay, thanks.”

As I end the call, I ball my hands into fists and squeeze.

A nightclub?

I haven’t been to one since I was in my early thirties, but I’m sure they haven’t changed much. Crowded dance floor. Sweat soaked skin sliding across the people around you as you gyrate against your dance partner. I can’t imagine Chloe at a dance club. She seems too sophisticated for that type of venue.

But I would kill to see her on the dance floor. To watch her move her body the way she did as she straddled my lap on the sofa in my hotel room. To feel her skin against mine. To smell her on my clothes when the night is over.

I look at my watch one more time, though I don’t know why. It’s only been two minutes since the last time I checked. Taking a deep breath, I down the rest of my whiskey and change into the closest thing to club attire I own.

* * *

SMR isn’t too far from my penthouse, so I texted Ivan to come pick me up and take me there. I’ve been here for thirty minutes, and I still haven’t found Chloe. There are so many fucking people. And they all look like jailbait.

I’m too fucking old for this shit. Why am I here?

Finally, I lock eyes on her across the room.

Her.

She’s why I’m here.

She’s sitting in the VIP area with a group of mostly girls and one guy. Thankfully, he’s lip locked with Shelby and not paying attention to Chloe. She looks incredible, as always, in a dress I can’t tell the color of because of the lights in this place.

But she looks sad. I watch her gaze over at Shelby and the guy she’s with. If I would have handled myself better today, she could be at my penthouse right now. We could have been the ones who went out to dinner. I could be the one sitting next to her on that sofa.

Suddenly, her eyes meet mine, and I duck my head into the crowd because I don’t want her to know I’m here. I make my way to the bar. Giving it a few minutes before I chance a glance at her again, I signal a bartender and order a beer. Then I find her once more across the room. I watch as she laughs about something with Shelby just before lifting a shot glass into the air and downing it in one gulp. Then the two of them make their way to the dance floor with the boy in tow.

Luckily, I have a pretty good spot where I am. I can see her but also remain unseen. I watch as her and Shelby dance together, the boy swaying behind Shelby the entire time. Briefly, I wonder if they just met tonight or if they’ve been an item for longer. I seem to remember Shelby locking lips with several men throughout the course of the week in Greece.

The sight of Chloe making eyes at someone across the dance floor pulls my attention in quickly. Moving my head, I try to see around the crowd to find out who she’s looking at. And if they’re looking back at her.

The moment I see a tall guy approaching her, strutting across the dance floor, I know he’s the one she’s looking at. The one she’s invited over to dance with her. To rub her body against.

Fury rolls through me at the sight of it. I want to go over there and punch Tall Guy right in the face. I want to throw her over my shoulder and into my car. Take her home with me and fuck her until I’m the only guy she wants to think about.

But I won’t do that to her. It takes every ounce of strength I have to stay put, drink my beer, and watch her.

With him.

A couple of songs later, she gestures toward the back of the club and leaves the tall guy alone on the dance floor while Shelby walks back to the sofa. Just before Chloe walks down the back hallway, she looks behind her.

Is she looking for me?

Walking along the perimeter of the room, I head to that same hallway and push the door to the ladies’ room open.

I don’t care who sees me.

---