I watch the people below on the dance floor through the mirrored glass of my office. It looks like mirrors from their side, but this side is completely transparent, so I can see everything happening down below. I had it designed specifically for this purpose, so I can keep an eye on everything and make sure nothing shady goes down.
It's too easy for drug traffickers and other unsavory characters to infiltrate a club and turn it into a seedy joint. That's not going to happen in my place of business. My club is going to stay on the up and up. Yes, I want people to drink and have fun, but ultimately, this is going to be a safe, legitimate place. I don't want any problems with the local police or God forbid, the feds.
I turn and walk across the room to the other window that overlooks the street outside. I grin smugly when I see the throng of people still waiting to get in.
Yeah, this place is a hit. Limiting how many people are allowed in at a time will make it even more desirable. Those who don't get in tonight will keep coming back until they eventually get to see what all the hype is about. It's all part of my strategy. Make people think somewhere is exclusive and hard to get into, and suddenly they're all vying for it.
I start to go back to my desk when a flash of gold on red catches my eye. I pause and look back down, my eyes seeking out what pulled my gaze.
When I find the source, time seems to stop. My chest tightens, and I can't seem to take in a deep enough breath.
A girl with red hair. She's a tiny little thing, especially in comparison to the model-height girl standing next to her. She's pale, her skin almost seeming to glow in the streetlight. Soft waves of red tumble down her back, nearly touching the gentle swell of her ass. I see the hints of gold that caught my eye now. When the streetlight hits her auburn locks, they glint and shimmer with gold highlights.
I'm captivated by the sight of her. She's the only redhead in a sea of blond and brunette, and she's shimmering purely like a diamond among cubic zirconia—better yet, like a ruby.
I've never been one of those fools taken to superstition, but once I get the comparison of her to a ruby in my head, I can't shake the notion that it's a sign. Club Ruby opens tonight, and then this pretty little ruby shows up right on my doorstep. And I've never been a man to turn his back on good fortune.
I rub my thumb along my lower lip as I study her thoughtfully.
Decision made, I lift my phone up to my ear and place the call to my head of security.
"Yeah, the redhead and the blonde who's with her. Let them in, and bring the redhead up here to me," I order him before clicking off the phone.
My head is buzzing with excitement, and my pulse races as I begin to pace restlessly, eager to know who this little one is and why I'm so taken with her after just one look.
I'll find out soon enough…
* * *
Sophie
Vera squeals and then winks at me when the bouncer walks near the back of the line and pulls us out, telling us to come with him. "See, I knew we'd get in!" she stage-whispers to me while she hops back and forth from one foot to the other.
While Vera might be super excited about this, my face is flaming at the glares we get from all the people who've been waiting in line longer than us.
"Why are we getting to jump line and go in front of all these other people?" I whisper back to Vera.
She just shrugs. "Because we look super hot. That's why. Everybody knows that's how it goes when you go to a club. The hot girls get pulled out and get to skip the line." She giggles again.
I frown at her explanation, though. My overly curious mind has too many questions. Who determined that we were "hot enough" to get in? How did anyone even see us all the way back there?
The bouncer leads us inside, and Vera starts pulling me toward the bar, but the bouncer stops us. "You." He points to me. I halt in my tracks and stare at the command in his tone. "The manager wants to see you in his office." He nods toward the stairs at the back of the club.
"Me?" I gape at him in confusion. I glance over at Vera, who is staring at me, looking just as shocked as I no doubt do.
I look back at the bouncer. "Are you sure?" I ask him, wondering if he has me confused with someone else. There's no way I know the owner of this place.
"This way, miss." He motions me toward the stairs by way of answer. I glance back at Vera, who motions me to go on with an excited gleam in her eyes like I've just hit the lottery or something. "I'll catch you later, girl!" she tells me before she heads off to the bar.
"Vera!" I call after her incredulously, unable to believe my bestie is going to just leave me to handle this alone. I mean, I don't know anything about the manager of this club. He could be a psycho killer for all I know.
I glance up at the stoic face of the bouncer and can tell by the unaffected look on his face he's just there to follow orders and there will be no getting out of this for me.
So with a racing heart and sweaty palms, I let him lead me up to the office, feeling a bit like a naughty schoolgirl who's being escorted to the principal's office. I'm nearly knocked over when a girl flings open the door and comes storming out, a look of unbridled fury on her face.
Her eyes narrow as they zero in on me, and then she pushes past me, purposefully hitting my shoulder as she does so.
"Excuse you," I mutter as she slams into me. I don't know if she hears me, though, because she keeps on stalking off down the stairs.