“Hey, man.” Archer held up his hand in a wave.
Noah’s eyes widened with excitement. “Holy shit! What the fuck is up?” He stood and gave him a solid hug with a firm pat on the back. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“We’re in town and thought we’d look you up. Cecilia mentioned the name of the club, and we were looking for a little fun. Looks like a cool place.”
Noah pulled him in close, his breath coated in alcohol. “Oh, it’s fun. You don’t know the half of it. Did you order drinks?”
“They’re coming.”
“Let’s go over to VIP.”
Archer looked behind them. “You mean the area they reserve for rich assholes?”
“The perks of working here, my friend.”
They headed toward the raised platform.
“Aren’t you on the clock?” Krys asked, addressing the elephant in the room.
“I like to relax when I get off.” Noah pealed out a laugh. “I fuckinglovea double entendre!” Noah winked at the lady guarding the steps as she unlocked the red velvet rope to allow them entry.
Archer looked at the stage in the back and realized this dancer was completely naked and had superior dancing skills compared to the girls on the main floor.
When the woman crawling across the stage gave Archer a predatory smile, her fangs punched out. All four, which meant she was a Chitah. Spots rippled across her naked flesh, inciting applause as the crowd rained money on her.
Immortals had fetishes about other Breeds, and dancers used it to their advantage. Archer once witnessed a Mage stripper whodelighted the crowd by juggling energy balls—a dangerous feat since Wielders had the capability of incinerating a man with those things. While Archer appreciated the work these girls did to survive, he didn’t feel comfortable in a sex club.
Not at all.
Noah led them to a curved booth in a dark corner. Archer sat in the middle, Noah on his right and Krys on the left. He needed to keep Krys away from Noah since his cousin had a short fuse and loved to start shit.
“I thought you had to work extra shifts?” Archer asked. “Lucky bastard.”
Noah collected his beer from the server. “This place never closes. They needed someone for the morningandafternoon shift. I already put in my hours. Now it’s time for daddy to play.” He got up and prowled toward the stage with bills wedged between his fingers. The dancer stood and shoved his face in her crotch, grinding against him as he put the bills into her garter. When he walked back, he flicked his tongue salaciously at them and sat back down. “Tracy knows what I like.”
A fire burned in Archer’s stomach when he saw that. “Don’t you worry Cecilia might find out?”
“Fuck, man. We’re not mated. You can do what you want until you’re officially mated. Even then…”
He left the suggestion hanging.
Archer had been a player his whole life, but deep down, he always knew if he ever chose a mate, he would be fiercely loyal to only her. Maybe because part of him knew the destruction of infidelity. Archer had no desire to mate, so if he did, it would only be for genuine love. He couldn’t imagine deliberately hurting a woman who trusted him, nor could he imagine driving that woman away.
Which led his thoughts back to Cecilia. She didn’t come across as selfish or the type to hurt anyone. Frankly, the more hegot to know this promiscuous douchebag she called a boyfriend, the more he understood what might have driven her to cheat. But one question floated in his mind: If Noah was consumed with pleasures of the flesh, why had Cecilia behaved like a woman starved for affection that night? From his personal experience, Shifter women strayed because of neglect or incompatibility. Noah didn’t seem like a man who would ignore a beautiful woman like Cecilia.
Curious about this big job offer that would have them moving out of town, Archer asked, “Does this job pay well, or are you looking elsewhere? Seems like the girls are the ones making all the money around here. Maybe you should find something closer to home and save on gas.”
“Fuck that.” Noah widened his legs when another woman took the stage. “Storybook is a sinkhole. I sure as hell don’t plan on working for a fucking Vampire. What’s left? Shitty waitstaff jobs or hauling lumber. I needed to get Cecilia out of the city. Too many temptations around here for a girl like that, and houses are cheap in the country. But my situation is changing. I’ve got another gig lined up. We’re meeting tomorrow.”
“What’s the job?”
He raised his beer and flashed a cocky grin. “Personal guard. That’s where the big bucks are, my friend. They’re not easy to come by since the elites rarely change out their guards. This guy doesn’t trust Vampires, which works in my favor. And he’s loaded. Because he likes routine, I’ll have set hours. The only catch is I have to move to Austin since he needs me on call.”
Archer noticed Noah’s eyes were glazed, his movements slower, his words slurring.
“Thank the fucking gods!” Noah exclaimed. “I can’t stand the driving. And some animal pissed on the side of my house. Can you believe that? Too many goddamn packs living out thereanyhow. I’m a city boy. No offense to you country bumpkins,” he said with a chuckle.
Archer stewed on the idea of them moving away. He wished his wolf had pissed all over Noah’s tires in addition to the house.
