CHAPTER 5
Julius
JULIUS WANTED TO RIP HIS brother’s throat out for not intercepting the club owner before he’d whisked him away from Erica. He watched her intently from his vantage point in the crowd and fought a smile. She’d returned her coat to the woman at the coat check and headed for the bar. Good. She was quickly becoming an addiction. Her touch left the beast inside of him unsettled and craving more.
We’re here for the club, not the girl. Evan’s voice crept up inside of his mind, even though he was across the room.
He was one to talk. He was dancing in a throng of them.
Unlike you, I’m tracking the cash exchange at the bar, Evan said. Since we’ve been here, Stick’s cleared nearly ten thousand at the bar by the entrance alone. Or did you forget we didn’t just come to Savu for some skirt?
Stick placed a hand on his shoulder and pointed out one of the performance stages where a couple of girls danced in unison.
I know what we’re here to do.
Then act like it.
“This is the performance stage all of our artists like to use. Zena Shaun was here two weeks ago,” Stick boasted.
From the way he said it, she must have been someone. Julius oohed appreciatively even though he had not the slightest idea who that was.
“Yeah,” Stick continued, “She was here to promote her new single. All the Boys. Have you heard it?”
“Not yet. I haven’t kept abreast of the latest pop culture hits.”
“Really? That song is everywhere. It’s been on the top 100 for weeks.” Stick looked startled and it was clear he’d said the wrong thing. Part of Stick’s marketing model was built on entertaining celebrities in his nightclub when they came to town. As his investor, he should know the who’s who of the human world.
She’s a pop star.
“I don’t usually listen to many pop stars,” he said to Stick, who laughed in agreement.
“I didn’t either until I started this club. I much prefer a metal band.”
None of it made sense. Maybe he’d ask Erica to help him translate this. His eyes glanced through the crowd in search of her.
I’ll be over in a minute. Even inserted. When we’re done scoping the place out, you can get back to your precious piece of ass.
He fought a growl. Don’t call her that.
Ooh, someone’s touchy! Evan’s sing-song voice grated on his nerves.
He grumbled. Get out of my head, Evan.
Do your job, your highness, and I won’t have to be.
Fine. His teeth set in a hard line as he followed Stick around his club.
The owner prattled on about the sound systems, the max capacity, and every boring thing that was not Erica. Apparently, his brother was done counting the money exchange at the registers since he met up with them quickly. But to his disappointment, his brother droned on about the business, asking questions that could easily be deduced by looking around. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think his brother wanted to keep him away from Erica. But for the life of him, he didn’t understand why Evan cared who he wanted in his bed.
“And how do you staff your establishment?” Evan asked, clearly ignoring his sour thoughts.
“Word of mouth mostly,” Stick explained. “There’s no dearth of paying clientele, and that tends to attract the best promoters and bartenders in the city. In the beginning, most of my staff were walk-ins. Funnily enough, I was fully staffed before the doors opened without having to rely on any of my contacts or placing an ad. And based on the applicants that have come in, I could probably staff bars at four more locations.”
So, the dragon had thoughts of expansion. That intrigued him. From the cover charge at the door, the line that snaked around the corner, and the turnover at his bar, Julius was quite certain the dragon’s cash flowed like a river. His King needed that.
“Do you have the market to open more establishments?” Julius asked, turning his attention to the task at hand. The quicker they could secure a deal with the dragon, the faster he could get back to Erica.
For a moment, his eyes drifted up to the VIP overlook, searching for her. Still, it remained empty. He scanned the club until he spotted her near the bar, putting the final touches on a tray and readying her return to the VIP area.
“Of course. The city is growing exponentially,” Stick replied. “The market is ripe for new business development.”
He’s telling the truth. Evan shot over to him, but his thoughts drifted again.
He watched Erica straighten her almost-too-short shorts before lifting the tray over her shoulder. The bare skin of her legs made him lick his lips. The beast inside of him let out a low growl as several partiers eyed his beauty while she made her way back to the VIP area. None of them were worth her time.
He was already aching from the loss of her velvety soft skin against his. Just the slightest touch from her drawing on his skin… Her sun-kissed warmth had set him ablaze, especially when her pulse raced, thrumming from her wrist and through his hand. It radiated in his body and throbbed in his chest as if her heart beat for his.
By the gods, he could only wonder what it felt like to be inside of her.
Focus, Julius.
As much as he hated his brother’s invasive thoughts, he was right. Now wasn’t the time to launch himself at the girl across the room and fuck her into the floor. That would come later. He followed his brother’s advice and focused on something else. He admired the ink on his pale hand.
With a blotchy pen and an impossible time constraint, he was still starstruck at her feat. It was amazing how much it looked like the insignia of his house. Right down to the feather’s intricate crisscrossed pattern that beveled in elongated diamonds. Even unfinished, it would pass for a near perfect replica of what adorned the breastplate of the armor he wore back home.
It’s just a coincidence. Evan said without pausing in his conversation with Stick.
Or instinct. Of course, Erica drew his house insignia. Julius had never believed in fate, but glancing down at the bird on his hand, he knew that was what drew them together. He loved watching her work. She radiated like a fireball. In her singular focus, everything else seemed irrelevant to her. He wondered how that singular focus would perform when he finally got her into his bed.
By the gods, he wanted to claim her.
The beast inside of him agreed and let his fangs drop for the third time that night.
For fuck’s sake. If you blow this for us, let it be on your head.
Let it be on your head? You’re even starting to sound like them, he teased but was diverted when Erica ascended the stairs. She wore a small smile all to herself and seemed to bounce on her toes in excitement. He hoped their deal excited her as much as it did him.
His brother, however, had other plans. Evan purposefully found ways to keep Stick talking, thwarting his plan to get back to the VIP area. He even asked that they travel to the rooftop terrace that had been closed off for the coming winter. Despite its impressive view of the city, he was only enthralled by one thing at Savu. And it was abundantly clear that Evan didn’t want him to get to her.
Well brother, that’s too bad. She’s mine now.
Author’s Note: Is it favoritism to say I love Julius so hard?
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