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One Year Later.

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“Look at the little prick.” Boomer jabbed me in the ribs, slanting his head over to the other side of the club where the Albanian, Lakmi, sat in a dark booth. It wasn’t so dark that I didn’t see him sitting with his legs splayed and his arms spread along the back of the booth like he was Lord of the fucking manner. “Thinks he’s Hugh Heffner!” My best friend laughed and tilted the bottle of beer to his mouth.

“Well, if the fucker looks my sister’s way one more time, he ain’t gonna be anybody.” I ground my teeth together, anger prickling underneath my skin like tiny hot needles.

The Albanian wannabe had been ogling Sophie’s arse every time she’d walked past him and impressed I fucking wasn’t. Boomer scrubbed at his jaw, his leg bounced up and down as he watched the table where Sophie was sitting with her friends. Yeah – dude wasn’t liking it either, he was just as protective as I was when it came to my baby sister.

“Who’s the big guy with Sophie?” Boomer asked.

I shrugged. “Some bloke from her class, fuck if I know. Said he wasn’t a problem,” I grumbled, hoping she hadn’t been talking shit to me so I’d lay off her. The guy was good looking, something I’d noticed more than a time or too, totally Sophie’s type.

We were only sitting in this lame club for her. She wanted a night out and what princess Sophie wanted, princess Sophie got. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her, I just didn’t extend the same courtesy to many others besides Boomer. There I was, sitting drinking pissy beer, stewing about my lost drug sales, on a Friday night of all nights, and spoiling for a fight. I didn’t make mention of the fact that Charlie had told me to find an in at the club, the guys didn’t need to know. The place looked to be locked up tight and pushing Charlie’s shit through was going to be arduous work, if not damned near impossible. I wasn’t up for it, even if it had looked to be easy, this shit was wearing thin.

Way to piss my boss off.

“The big fucker?” Shorty asked. “Says he’s gay,” he switched his gaze to the Albanian.

My head snapped around almost spitting my beer in his face. “Her mate is gay?” I laughed not believing it. “Yeah right. She’s yanking your dick, Shorty. Look at him.” I pointed over to where he was sitting, the dude was hard to miss; all muscle and height even sitting down. “No fucking way he’s tapping arse instead of pussy. Give’s a new meaning to the word bear, dontcha think?”

Sizing him up, I wondered if Sophie had got it wrong. He didn’t look gay, not that there was any right or wrong way to look, but I’d never have guessed it. I could make out his dark eyes and his hair that wasn’t too long but had a bit of length to it, and a flash of gripping those strands in my fingers flitted through my head. I shifted my eyes from him, feeling uncomfortable.

“Nah, she was serious,” he smirked, “his mate ain’t though.”

I hadn’t even noticed the blonde bunny climbing into their booth who was now wrapped around the friend, I only noticed the muscled guy chewing Sophie’s ear off. I’d seen the pair around, in passing really – across the road, waving Sophie off – that kind of thing. They were mates from Uni, stood to reason I’d seen them together. Big guy was easy on the eye for sure, I’d had my fill a time or two, but I’d always tucked that little observation way to the back of my head. Straight guys were a one-way ticket to trouble, look but don’t touch. Knowing he was gay put a whole other reason for wanting him out of my head now.

Watching as Sophie got up and went to the bar, my eyes caught sight of the little Albanian turd running a hand over his crotch as he watched her too.

Fucking moron – arse kicking time.

Shoving the beer bottle down on the table with a hard clunk, I snagged Boomer’s attention, pushing to move out of the booth. As I slapped on his arm I glanced up again and saw some skanky bar fly climb on to Lakmi’s lap, straddling him, skirt hiked over the globes of her perky arse to the point you could almost see what she’d had for lunch. Cringing at the sight, Boomer laughed and ogled her. Lucky fucker, she just saved him a trip to the ER. Relaxing back into the booth, I ignored whatever Shorty was gassing about, him and Boomer were like two grannies at a social club when they were tanked up on shit. Tonight was no exception. Sighing, I twirled my bottle on the table, bored with it all.

My attention was drawn back to Sophie’s table, the sexy as fuck guy catching my eye. He must have felt brave for he didn’t look away. Shifting in my seat, the awkwardness was foreign to me. The pants tightening – not so much. He gave me a dirty little smirk before Sophie blocked my view. Laughing to myself, the words cock block had never been truer. Served me right, I did it to her every chance being her brother and all, only fair she reciprocated. Discretely tugging at my half stiff cock going on under the table, I grabbed for another swig of beer. Was going to be a long arsed fucking night. Groaning, letting my irritation be known, I watched Sophie get comfy across the way as the club started to fill up and the music got louder. Not what I would call Friday night fun.

No way in fucking hell.