Chad refused to go undercover, even though the Special Forces team had been trying to drag him into it for a while now. The closest hed come so far, was being their favorite guy to call when it was time to kick in doors and take people down. And that was fine with him. He would much rather kick the ass of a bad guy, then just sneak around chatting and shuffling papers, trying to find dirt on someone.
Now their friend Jason, on the other hand, would be much better boyfriend material for Envy. Shed gone to school with Jason, but therein lay the problem. Jason had crushed on her all during high school and hung out at the house so much that Envy considered him a brother not a guy.
Jason had joined the Angeles National Forest Rangers directly out of school and had held the same job ever since. Envy still loved hanging out with Jason. She also got to see her best friend Tabatha more often, since Tabatha was part of Jasons unit with the rangers.
Chad got up from the sofa and stood outside Envys bedroom door. They had been roommates for the last four years, since their parents had died in a car wreck, and theyd gotten along wonderfully. He was a cop and she was on call for bartending at several of the clubs within the city.
The only reason he didnt say anything about her getting a real job was because most nights she made more money than he did. That made things even better because when rent came due, Envy was the one that usually paid it, while he took care of everything else.
What club? he asked through the door.
The new one called Moon Dance, Envy swept some of her long strawberry hair up in a ponytail, leaving the rest to hang down her back in long layers. I might as well apply as a bartender while were there.
Chad frowned. Thats the one out toward the end of town, right? He walked back to his room without waiting for her reply. Recently, things down on that end of the city had gotten a little dangerous. Disappearances were the most prominent danger and quite a few bodies had been found within a city block of that club.
So far there was nothing they could link directly to Moon Dance, except that the victims of choice were all club goers. It was just the time frame that Chad and a lot of other people found suspicious. There had been some question as to whether or not there was a serial killer hanging out at that bar. Several of the latest victims had been last seen within the club. As a police officer, he couldnt overlook the probability that there was a connection.
Since his gun and badge were already in the car, Chad grabbed the small taser and slid it into the back waistband of his pants. With all the bad stuff going on down there, he wanted Envy to have it just in case something went wrong while they were in the club.
Coming out of his room, he glanced down the hallway and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his sister. A black leather skirt with lace peeking out the bottom at mid-thigh covered her legs followed by a black lace belly shirt. There were leather patches only where it counted enough to hide her breasts and show off her slim belly and navel.
She was also wearing a pair of black leather boots that came just over the knees with dainty link chains around the ankles. A necklace their mother had given her years ago graced her neck with a beautiful piece of amethyst quartz hanging from it. Most of her red hair was tied up in a high ponytail with some of it falling over one shoulder.
Her make-up was tastefully done with a bit of black eyeliner and shadow and a dark shade of lipstick. She looked like a dominatrix.
Damn, out for blood are we? Chad cocked an eyebrow, giving her the once-over twice. He had a mind to cancel the night out and make her go back to her room for safety reasons.
Well, I have decided, Envy raised a delicate eyebrow, After I take care of Trevor, Im going to have fun! From now on, I refuse to date just one guy. I dont want a boyfriend I want a LOT of them! That way when one acts like a jerk, it wont matter because Ill have others that will be more than happy to kick his ass.
Yeah, I remember how well that went over in high school. Chad shook his head, knowing his sister was way more innocent than she pretended to be, Lets take my car in case the station calls.
Only if I get to play with the blue lights, Envy smiled, knowing he would let her.
Chad sighed and started walking out to the car. I swear youre worse than a kid in a toy store squeezing every stuffed animal that makes noise and driving everyone insane.
What? she laughed. I like the blue lights. People get out of our way when I turn them on.
Like the time you did it when we ran out of coffee? he asked. You do know thats a waste of taxpayers money, right?
If you dont shut up Im going to drive. Then youll have to deal with the red lights and the siren, she warned with a playful wink.
Chad immediately shut up because the last time that happened, shed been late for work and hed been too sick to drive so hed sat in the passenger seat sound asleep. The chief still gave him grief over it.
*****
Envy clicked off the blue lights about a block away from the nightclub and looked up at the spotlights that danced across the cloud-covered sky. She watched as the two-story building came into view.
Shed been working so much lately that she hadnt had a chance to check out Moon Dance, but some of her customers had raved about it. On the outside it was nothing fancy. It just looked like a brick warehouse with very few windows and a large purple neon sign high on the front wall.
People were standing in line halfway across the massive parking lot dressed in their best club clothes and talking with each other animatedly. The fact there was still a line after ten at night let her know that working here would probably be very lucrative.
Yep, Im definitely putting in an application, she smiled at the prospect.
At least the line is almost gone, Chad said sarcastically, not wanting to wait to see Trevor get a good dose of his sister on adrenaline.
He parked way down on the darkest end of the parking lot right next to Trevors car. Before Envy could open the car door, Chad reached out and caught her arm. Here, he placed the small taser in her hand then, without a single word about it, he opened his door and got out.
Envy wrapped her fingers around the device with a smile. Her brother had taught her self-defense to the point to where she could probably take down most of the cops he worked with without breaking a sweat. But Chad had always said, Why fight, when all you have to do is press a button?
She slid the taser into the little side pocket of the leather skirt along with her ID. Shed press Trevors button all right. Shed happily press the elevator button going to hell just to see him in it right now. No one cheated on Envy Sexton and got away with it.
They walked toward the line side by side and Envy was especially happy when the line started moving so fast that it only took a couple of minutes to make it inside.
The doorman was dressed in a nice pair of Armani pants and matching suit jacket. The shirt underneath was form fitting and showed off his nice chest. His brown hair fell on either side of his face in waves. A bit of stubble was present on his face and he had piercing dark eyes that almost glowed in the neon light.
Chad paid and they showed their IDs before the man stamped their hand and unclipped the red velvet rope allowing them access. They entered the main doors and walked down a short hall toward another door that slid open as they approached. Both of them stopped when they entered the main room and stared. It was a lot like walking into another dimension.
Chad paid and they showed their IDs before the man stamped their hand and unclipped the red velvet rope allowing them access. They entered the main doors and walked down a short hall toward another door that slid open as they approached. Both of them stopped when they entered the main room and stared. It was a lot like walking into another dimension.
For as packed as the parking lot had been, you would think it would be wall-to-wall people inside but it wasnt. Envys lips parted as she walked across the floor to the massive hole cut out in the center of the room.
Stepping closer to the railing, she looked down onto the dance floor below. On either side of them was a walkway that extended across the main level with a long bar that stretched the entire length. The bar itself looked like sand blasted glass with soft neon lighting weaving all through it.
Two sets of stairs went down from her left and right and met in the middle before descending to the actual dance floor below. The dance floor was glowing with soft light, just enough to cast their feet in a type of black light. It all added to the pandemonium created by the overhead strobe and colored spotlights that moved everywhere except directly on the dancers.
The way it was set up, you could see the dancers from the knees down, but other than that, their bodies were shadowed.
Envy leaned over the railing, looking to see if there were any more bars on the lower level but there was nothing but the dance floor. It kind of reminded her of a pit. Once you went down those stairs, you would be at the mercy of the darkness that shadowed the dancers in privacy.
It's three stories? she asked, looking up at the solid ceiling above them. Counting the basement, that would be the third floor and she wondered if it was also part of the club or if it was off limits.
Cheers and catcalls made her glance back down at the dance floor. She stared in disbelief when an ice-blue colored spotlight hit a cage in the middle of the pit. She was instantly enthralled with the man behind the bars.
Chads gaze also stopped on the cage. It looked like a small jail cell. Inside it was a man and woman and they were circling each other. Even from this distance, he could sense the heat in their movements. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the banister when the guy in the cage pushed his dance partner against the bars only for her to duck under his arm as he tried to pin her against them.
Spinning around, the guy grabbed her wrist and brought her back flush against him before guiding her hands to the bars in front of her. Making her grip the bars, he rubbed himself against her almost naked body until her head fell backward against his chest as if she was enjoying it.
It was animalistic in nature, almost like a primitive mating dance of some kind. Chad and Envy found themselves captivated by the show, the display affecting each in different ways.
Chad watched them for a few more minutes in silence as the main couple sprang apart only for the man to trap her in a different position. The heat of their movements made his jeans grow tight as the males hips jerked upward against the girl's ass. Moving his gaze away in frustration, Chad forced himself to look at the decorations on the upper walls that he could see from his angle.
It was mostly flashing lights with steady black lights near huge portrait style paintings with sleek bodies of jaguars, some fighting and some solo predators on the hunt. The lethal animals seemed to have a life of their own. The still paintings almost moved with the lights, giving the impression that the animals were alive and watching.
He had to admit the theme was unique but it worked. His eyes followed the movement of the lights across the walls and he noticed that chains hung between the pictures, some with spiked collars and black leather whips.
He glanced back toward the cage and was about to go find Jason when he spotted Trevor on the dance floor near one of the spotlights. The idiot was sandwiched between two girls and looked like he was having the time of his life. Glancing over at Envy, Chad knew he didnt have to say a word when he noticed she was staring straight at the trio.
Envy cocked her head to the side trying to study Trevor as if she didnt know him. It made her wonder why shed dated him to start out with.
She had to admit he was very easy on the eyes. Damn good looking would be the best phrase. He looked kind of like a California surfer dude with his flyaway sandy blond hair, golden tan and grayish blue eyes. He was completely lickable and had been a lot of fun.
But if you took away his good looks, there wasnt much too really attract a girl. All that was left was a college frat brat who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. When he was around, he was very attentive but he would also vanish off the radar, sometimes for days at a time.
The only other good thing she could think to say about him was that he was pretty hot in the sack, and had given her some of the best moments of her life.
To think, she'd actually believed he really liked her more than liked her. Goes to show what the hell she knew about men. Truth be told, she was just getting tired of being alone but then, thats no reason to start dating a guy.
She sighed longingly as she watched him cup the ass of the girl plastered against him, realizing she felt no jealousy at all. If shed really been in love with him, wouldnt she be completely pissed off right now instead of simply hurt? What bothered her most was that hed lied about wanting only her.
Jason had been watching for Envy to come into the club from his bar stool closest to the door. Hed known she would come and he wasnt surprised to see Chad with her. After giving them a few minutes to look around, he smirked in satisfaction when he noticed the tenseness in Envys shoulders and knew shed spotted her boyfriend making out on the dance floor.
Hed tried to hide his jealousy for the last couple of months and he didnt want to hurt her, but if this is what it took to get her away from Trevor, then it was for her own good.
Turning back to Kat, the pretty bartender hed been talking to, Jason smiled, Told you theyd come. He nodded in Envy and Chads direction.
Hed been here over an hour, but after witnessing Trevors cheating on Envy, he hadnt been in the mood to join the crowd. Hed wound up bored and begun chatting with Kat to pass the time. Hed even told her about Envys cheating boyfriend.
So thats your best friend and his sister? Kat eyed the couple but her main interest was on the cop. If Jason hadnt told her that Chad was a cop, shed never have known it. He was hot as hell.
About six foot one with sun-kissed skin, and brown hair with golden highlights. It was a little longer than the normal cop hairstyle and looked like the wind had blown most of it to the side, leaving him with a slightly wild appearance. She found herself comparing him to Quinn, and then blinked realizing shed done it again. She glanced back at Jason knowing they both needed to get over old flames or risk the constant burn.
He doesnt look like a cop, Kat said, eying Chad and wondering if he was dating anyone. Jason hadnt said one way or the other.
Yeah well, Jason almost pouted when he noticed the way she was looking at Chad. He shook his head, Ill be back in a few minutes.
Finishing off his club soda, he slid off the stool and walked toward his friends. As he closed the distance between them, he laid his hand on Envys shoulder. Lowering his lips close to the shell of her ear he whispered, Do you want to dance?