Six
Parker
I slam the door to my cabin when I return.
"Problem?" Cy asks from the dining table.
"Three words. Finn Fucking Bradley."
His hand forms a fist and tightens until his knuckles become white. "What did he do now?" he growls.
"He was in the grocery store, asking Tora out. The same mother fucking aisle he asked Eve out in."
Cy pushes the chair back, stands, and grabs his keys off the counter.
"Where the hell are you going?" I ask. "I'm talking to you."
"I'm going to track down Mr. Bradley and kick his ass."
"Cy Revere, you get back here before I kick your ass," Eve shouts from the hallway. She takes quick steps until she reaches us. Her hair is pulled up into a messy bun. She's wearing one of Cy's t-shirts, which is way too big on her, and a pair of boy shorts. "You aren't going anywhere." She points at Cy, then me. "Neither of you."
"I can't let Finn fuck with Parker's girl," Cy replies.
"She's not his girl." I shoot daggers at her with my eyes. "Okay, you might think she is, but according to her, she's single and Finn has every right to ask her out."
"So, what am I supposed to do? Sit here and not do shit while he takes her out and tries to fuck her?"
“I doubt he’s going to try and fuck her. He didn’t push himself on me.” Cy heads for the door again. “Would you knock it off?” she yells at him. “I married you, not him. Ease up.” Facing me again, she says, "You could show up at Astoria’s door so she sees you when she gets home.”
"She lives with her parents, who don't like me very much."
"Okay, scratch that." She stares out the front windows, deep in thought. The sun is high in the sky, heating our small town and making it a sauna. Thank God for central air-conditioning. Even with all the tall trees surrounding my mountain cabin, it still gets hot as hell here in the summer.
A minute or so passes while we all try to think of a plan. Eve whirls around with a broad smile on her face. "Let's go dancing!"
Cy groans. "You know I don't like to go clubbing, baby."
She waves him off. "We aren't going to spend the night on the dance floor. We're going to spy on Finn. I bet he takes Tora to the same club he took me to."
"You said he brought you to the VIP area," Cy mentions.
"That's nothing a few bills can't get us into," I state.
Eve and I both focus our attention on Cy. "Son of a bitch," he grumbles.
"You don't have to come with us," Eve states.
"No way in hell are you going without me. I don't want some sweaty guy grinding his dick on your ass."
She clasps her hands together and smiles again. "Then it's settled. Rest up, boys. Tonight, we're heading to the city!" I can only laugh at the way she manipulated Cy. She knows what buttons to push to get him to do what she wants. She doesn't do it often, but when she does, it works magnificently.
Eve gives Cy a quick kiss before heading back up the hallway. He smacks her ass. "Don't think I don't know what you just did."
She turns her head to glance over her shoulder at him and winks. Once again, I’m thinking how happy I am to have these two in my life.
****
Minutes feel like hours as they tick by. I pace, eat, try to work on some new software I’m developing, but it's of no use. No matter what I do, I can't get Tora out of my head, or all the possible things she could do with Finn if we don't intervene tonight.
Checking the clock for the hundredth time, I can finally get ready and leave. Black slacks and a deep blue button-down shirt will work for tonight. This is an upscale club. There will be women with tight dresses and lots of dancing, but the ones going to this club tend to be on the more conservative side dress wise. They wear slacks or khakis. Dresses that don't let their breasts show. That doesn't mean there isn't dirty grinding on the floor. And there is the occasional slutty woman, but they are always on the arm of a very wealthy man.
In the living room, I find Cy in khaki pants and a white button down. When Eve enters, he freezes on the spot and his jaw drops. The love that man has for her is obvious to anyone nearby.
Eve is wearing a black dress. It's lace but beneath it is a solid, silky fabric as not to reveal anything. It falls just above her knees and has a V-neck top with long, lacy sleeves. Her matching heels put her a little closer to Cy's height.
He wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close. "Don't leave my side tonight, baby. I don't want anyone's hands on you."
She pats his chest. "Don't worry. I only have eyes for you."
"If you two are finished..." I interrupt. "Finn could be putting the moves on my girl as we speak."
"We're coming," Eve says and offers me a smile. "Don't worry. Finn has nothing on you."
"Except for a stable job, with plenty of room to move up, and a sexy car." He owns half of a trendy restaurant in the city near the club. Hell, he could own more than that for all I know. And he drives a Mercedes coupe.
She puts her hands on her hips. "Are you serious right now? You’re wealthier than him. You might not work a traditional nine-to-five job, but the last deal you made brought in what, two million dollars? And the one before that was ten million. You're a catch, Parker."
I can't help but feel like I don't measure up to Finn, no matter how much money I have. I'd never voice that to Eve or Cy, though. I try to keep my insecurities to myself. Plus, Finn has something going for him that I definitely don't. He's never broken Tora's heart.
I don't respond to Eve. No matter what I counter with, she'll find the good. It's how she is. Optimistic and kindhearted. She's one of the best people I know.
We take my Rover into the city and find a place to park. When we reach the very unassuming awning, I take in the line which wraps around the building. There is nothing about this place that screams exclusive club, yet I know it to be true, and Eve remembers it from when Finn brought her here. I hope he brings Tora on the same kind of date he took Eve on. Then they’ll definitely be inside.
We skip the line and walk right up to the bouncer guarding the door. "Holy fuck, if it isn't Parker Maxfield," the bouncer says.
"Vaughn.” I smile and shake his hand. He's a big guy who looks like he belongs on a football field. "It's been a long time. What are you doing manning a door? Last time I saw you, you were working for my father."
"Still am. This is a little something on the side to keep things interesting. The money is a plus, but it's the atmosphere and sexy women I'm all about." You'd never know by his appearance that he's a lawyer by day, working at my dad’s firm.
I laugh and pull out some money to cover our fee to enter the club. He waves me off. "Your money is no good here."
"Thanks, man." I step closer. "Hey, is Finn Bradley in there?" With Finn owning a restaurant not far from here, he has to know who he is.
"He sure is and with one smoking redhead on his arm."
I ball my hands into fists but show no other sign of being pissed. I don't want Vaughn to know. If he did, he might not let me in. The last thing he wants is to allow someone inside who could cause trouble.
"How do we get into the VIP section?" I ask.
Vaughn reaches into his pocket and pulls out three small slips of golden paper. "Hand these to whoever is working that section. They'll let you up. If they give you any trouble, just come back out here and let me know."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." He opens the door for us, and nods to Cy and Eve as they walk by.
The thumping bass of the music vibrates through me as we make our way to the bar to get to the VIP section. Women glance our way, their eyes raking over Cy and me. I’m sure Eve’s ready to knock them out for looking at her husband. She grips his hand with hers. I don’t miss the smile he wears at how protective she is of him.
I've been here a few times, but nothing memorable. I prefer a good bar to a club. I'm not a fan of loud music, although the dark atmosphere certainly lends to getting frisky on the dance floor.
I glance over my shoulder to make sure Eve and Cy are still behind me as we wind through a throng of people. Cy has Eve pulled close to his body, as if at any minute someone is going to try and take Eve from him.
Luckily, the papers that Vaughn gave us work and we are immediately let into the VIP section. I don’t waste any time trying to find Finn and Tora. The lights are dim, but in this section, there are tables and booths. Dancing is kept to the floor, while this is more for those who want to have conversations or more private interactions.
Then I spot her. She's walking to the table where Finn is sitting. Her long hair hangs in loose curls down her back. Black pants hug her ass and legs, but not to the point they appear painted on. The emerald green top she wears sparkles every time light catches it just right. I've always loved green on her. It brings out the gorgeous color of her hair.
I start to move forward, but Eve plants a hand on my chest. "Find us a booth and sit down. Let me get a feel for the situation."
"But I need to..."
"I know what you want and stomping over there like a caveman isn't going to do you any favors. Cy and I will walk by and see how things are between them. She doesn't need to know you're here. At least, not yet. She's much more likely to relax in front of the two of us than she is you. Or so I hope."
Eve takes Cy's hand in hers as he grumbles that this isn't the best idea. She tells him to hush and to follow her lead. I find a place to sit where I won't be seen, yet can keep an eye on my friends and more importantly, Tora.
Cy and Eve walk past the booth where Finn and Tora are sitting, but then Eve pauses and glances over her shoulder at something past Finn's head. She's acting like she doesn't know he's there and fuck me if it doesn't work. Finn stands, and Eve feigns surprise. Cy shakes Finn’s hand, but I can tell it's not with any friendliness. When Finn starts to turn in my direction, I quickly spin around so he can't see my face. I wait a few breaths until I resume my position to continue watching them.
A waitress comes by to take my drink order. I order soda for all of us. I don't want anything to impair my judgment tonight and know Cy and Eve aren’t drinkers. The sodas show up before they find the table I picked out for us. They both sit down and sip their drinks, eyes on me.
"Come on. You're killing me," I tell them.
Eve smiles. "That girl has no love or even lust for Finn. She was sitting on the opposite side of the table from him and was more interested in scanning the club than she was engaging in conversation with us. She was looking for someone. My guess is you."
I skip over the part about Tora looking for me. "It's the first date. How can you be sure she doesn't feel more for him?"
"If she were interested in him, truly interested, she would have been cozying up to him in the booth or trying to engage in what we were talking about. It was like we weren't there. She could have cared less what we said. Then Finn tried to introduce us, since he didn't know we've met Astoria before, but she was off in her own world. He had to say her name three times to get her attention."
"Interesting," I mutter.
What if she was looking for me? Or was she simply bored and trying to find something else to look at instead of Finn?