* * *

“T he guys had better get ready,” I say, twirling my hair around my finger. I’m riding shotgun down the road with my best friend, Hannah Fowler, in her beat-up Lexus sedan. The windows are rolled down, the wind blowing through the cabin and ruffling our hair as the downtown streets whiz by .

It’s been a long time since I’ve gone out, and boy, have I missed it .

But tonight I’m going to let loose, I vow. Enjoy myself for once .

“Why’s that?” Hannah asks as she speeds through a yellow light, glancing over at me. With shoulder-length blonde hair, big round cheeks, and eyes that are as blue as they are huge, she looks a lot like Amanda Seyfried, and she’s played it up a few times. Equipped with a sense of humor that almost rivals mine, she’s basically been my bestie since I struck out on my own. We’re inseparable .

I grin, flashing my notorious wink I learned from my big sister, Mindy, and boast, “’Cause I’m about to release the Rox on them !”

“Did I just hear you just say you’re gonna gobble all the cocks?” Hannah yells over the roar of the wind .

I laugh. “You know damn well that wasn’t what I said!” I got ninety-nine problems and gobbling cock won’t be one. If anything, that’s on Hannah’s menu, considering the tight black number she’s wearing that looks like it’s been painted on her frame .

Hannah giggles. “Well, it’s better than unleashing your deprived vajayjay on some poor man !”

“I can’t help it,” I say, shaking my head. “You go ten months without sex and see how you feel. Knowing you, they’d have to call the Ghostbusters because you’d have fucked half a dozen men to death .”

We share a good laugh and I smile as I let my arm hang out the window, enjoying the night breeze against my skin. We haven’t even gotten to the best part of the night and I’m already in a good mood. It’s a far cry from the sour, cantankerous pain in the ass I’ve become lately .

Don’t get me wrong—my job at Franklin Consolidated is okay and all, but it’s not my first love. The grin slowly fades from my face as I think back to three years ago. I was working the club scene and singing at Trixie’s, a local club back home, busting my ass for my big break .

It never came. There were too many rejection letters, too many times I got passed up on auditions. I almost tried out for X-Factor but got sick right before with a bad cold, so even that didn’t go as planned. Eventually, I set the microphone aside and went back to school. Mom at least had the decency to not say I told you so about my short-lived career as a singer. Instead, she gave me encouragement when I said I was moving away to finish up the degree that I’d been putting off .

I don’t really know why I moved away. My stepfather, John, has more money than my family could spend in five lifetimes and is more than happy to share it. Champagne, designer dresses, cocktail parties, and vacationing on yachts. I could’ve had it all, the total deb socialite .

But nepotism is not a life I want for myself. I want to stand on my own two feet like my sister, Mindy. Sure, she ended up marrying a super-handsome, rich stud, but she worked her ass off before that and still does .

Thinking about her, I feel guilt tighten my chest. I haven’t talked to her or anyone in my family for months. It’s partly because we all lead such busy lives, but I’d argue that Mindy’s life is perfect now. She’s got a great husband, two adorable kids, and a business of her own that she loves running .

I’m nowhere near there. And I can’t help but have this nagging feeling that even if I’m successful in my new career path, I may never get that feeling. So yeah, a night like this is just what the doctor ordered .

“Seriously, though, I need this,” I tell Hannah. “We should do this more often .”

As a gift to us both, Hannah decided to hit the grand opening of Club Jasmine, a brand new nightclub that’s being opened by a couple of rich pricks whose names I don’t know. It’s supposed to be hot and ritzy. I just want to get to the hot part .

Hannah nods. “I know, honey. You’ve been working hard for what? Ten months? And already getting a promotion. You need to reward yourself.” She shakes her head. “I’ve been worried about you .”

Satisfaction rolls through me. It’s about the only positive thing I can say about my job. My hard work has paid off. I’ve been recognized by the execs, and starting next week, I’m getting promoted, working as an assistant to the new regional president. I’m not his secretary. I’m going to be one of the junior analysts, gathering data and such for him. I can see myself going up the ladder in a couple of years and making big money .

But at what cost? I think to myself. At this pace, I’ll be sitting in a corner office with nobody to come home to, my best years behind me. The pay might be good, but is it worth giving up the one thing that brings me joy ?

Hannah pulls up to a red light, and I force that troubling thought from my mind, checking my makeup in the mirror. I’ve got dark hair, sparkling hazel eyes, and pouty lips, just like all the women in my family, and I’m pretty enough, I guess. But my spark, that mischievousness that made men weak in the knees, is absent from my eyes .

I need to get back to doing what I love, even if only on the weekends. Screw prioritizing work .

“What you should be worried about is the poor guy who’s gonna need a heart monitor when I get done with him,” I say, determined to stay upbeat, snapping my lipstick closed .

Hannah gives me a serious look and deadpans. “Is it really that bad? I thought you were just joking at first, but Jesus, Rox, I’m kinda scared. You ever see that movie Teeth , with the vagina that grows fangs? I feel like that’s you right now .”

“Oh, go to hell!” I laugh, but Hannah grins .

“Seriously, maybe we should just call it a night before you get yourself in trouble. I mean, I’m sure you’ve got something in your drawer at home that will take the edge off .”

I laugh. “Sorry, only the real thing will do. I prefer my meat hard, throbbing, and able to spray paint the walls .”

Hannah gags. “Gross! Just make sure you use protection. Don’t want you to wind up on Maury waiting to hear ‘You are the father!’ and the crowd going apeshit .”

“Okay, Mom. I’ll make sure to snag some of his DNA just in case .”

We both laugh as she turns a corner, and we see a line of cars stretching up the street .

Despite all my talk, I probably won’t even sleep with anyone. I’m just here to have fun, unwind, and relax. And if it comes along with getting to flirt with a cute as fuck guy, I’m all for it. The gears might be rusty, but I bet I can still twerk my ass with the best of them after I get warmed up .

My breath catches in my throat as the club comes into view. It’s beautiful. The parking lot is big and well-lit. The building itself looks like anything but a nightclub, with a large fountain out front and beautiful marble steps that are flanked by grand columns leading to the white double-door entryway. There’s a long line wrapped around the building, and I can tell the grand opening ceremony is already over as they’re just starting to let people in .

I’ve seen a lot of clubs, but I’m truly impressed with the presentation of this one. Everything I see says the owners sank a lot of money into this place. Honestly, it puts Trixie’s, with its neon sign, disco ball in the ceiling, and pink and purple ambient lighting to shame .

There’s no room to park in the main lot, so we have to go to the overflow lot down the street, barely finding a parking spot. Getting out, a cool night breeze sweeps the area, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin and excitement to warm my blood. Overhead, the full moon makes me feel like a wolf on the prowl .

Hannah peers at me, looking around my backside. Unlike her, I’ve opted for a red club dress, one that hugs my curves in all the right places. I got it from Mindy, who had her fair share of good luck in it, so maybe it’ll do the same for me. “Damn, girl, your ass didn’t look that big when we left home. Did you stuff it with some pads or something ?”

I place my hands on my hips and boast, “Girl, seriously? This is all-natural! They write songs about an ass like this!” I start popping my ass, reciting some classic lyrics .

Hannah bends over, grabbing her sides while laughing. “Oh, my God, stop! You’re killing me .”

“Stop making fun of my bootyliciousness then and let’s go !”

Giggling, we make our way to the club, evading people on the street. I see a couple of guys look my way and I feel a little thrill. I don’t see anything I like, though, so I keep going until we reach the club and the line that’s jam-packed out the building. Luckily for us, Hannah has a reservation for us so we don’t have to wait. I’d like to dance sometime before next Tuesday .

We walk past the men in line, and I feel more eyes on me. These men are all dressed well. There are no open shirts and rolled sleeves but rather suits and ties. It must be the club theme for the grand opening. My confidence should grow, but I’m hit by a sudden feeling of anxiety. Am I really ready to rock someone’s world or am I just looking for companionship? It’s been so long since I’ve been in the social company of the opposite sex. I don’t even know .

From inside the club, the bass of the music thrums against my body as we reach the door. My heart begins to pound. I almost feel like I’m back at Trixie’s. Almost. The two handsome bouncers are dressed in fitted suits, their hair cut professionally and their designer sunglasses blocking their eyes. They kinda look like the Men In Black. Whoever is running this place isn’t playing around .

“We have a reservation,” Hannah says. I don’t know how she got it. She’s got connections, I guess. Hannah gives her name and the bouncers let us in, pulling the large double-doors wide .

The entire interior is just as luxurious as the exterior. The bar stretches around a good quarter of the large rotunda that makes up the main room, lit up beautifully in blues and dim whites. Out on the floor, beautiful women and men dressed in great suits are already dancing beneath a balcony that overlooks everything. There’s a crowd up there, and I bet it’s the VIP section from the way things look .

My eyes are pulled to the stage that’s set up so that the VIP balcony can watch, and I feel my heart speed up some more. I want to get up there. I want to feel their eyes. I want their applause. I want to rock this place out .

“This place is incredible,” I finally say. It’s no lie, either. Everything, down to the smallest detail, is amazing .

“Isn’t it?” Hannah says, perfectly serious. “They really went all out.” Hannah’s eyes hungrily rove over the crowd. “But less talking and more stalking. Let’s hit the bar .”

We’re not even seated for a full minute before some blonde guy is hitting on Hannah. In my ‘lucky’ red dress, I feel a little deflated .

My disappointment is short-lived, unfortunately .

“Mind if I have a seat?” asks a voice. I look up into a pale but handsome face .

“Not at all,” I say politely .

He sits down beside me and grins, his eyes piercing into me. For some reason, my flesh crawls at his look. It’s just a bit off, even if he is hot .

“So where you from?” His voice has a nasal, whiny tone it, and I regret telling him to have a seat .

Somewhere you’re not, I want to say, and hopefully will never be. The words are on my lips, but I’m not comfortable being rude .

“Summerfield,” I say diplomatically. Come on, it’s been ten months. I should give the guy a chance. Maybe he’s just nervous and he’s actually sweet .

He arches an eyebrow. “Summerfield, huh? Where’s that ?”

I wave my hands nondescriptly. “Off somewhere on the coast .”

He chuckles. “It’s like that, huh?” He nods at the waiter. “Can I have a Bud Light for my lady friend here ?”

“You don’t have to buy me a drink,” I try to protest. I hate beer .

“I insist” he says firmly, grinning at me. “A beautiful girl like you shouldn’t be sitting here alone without a beer .”

“Is he the one?” Hannah whispers sarcastically in my ear. I could just kill her. The guy saddled next to her doesn’t give me the creeps and remind me of Draco Malfoy .

I mouth No , giving her an outraged look .

“Remember what you said. Unleash the Rox!” she jokes .

More like I’m thinking of unleashing The Rock to come lay the smackdown on this dude’s ass if he doesn’t take a hint .

The beer comes, and Mr. Weird tries to talk me up some more. “So, what do you do ?”

“Office stuff, nothing cool,” I reply, trying to politely let the guy know I’m not interested. “You’d be bored .”

But he’s not having it. “Oh, every job seems boring when you’re doing it,” he says, fiddling with his drink. “Hey, try the beer. It’s pretty good .”

“Not just yet. I don’t want to have to run to the ladies’ room all night,” I reply. Actually, hitting up the ladies’ room might be a good idea. It’d get me away from this guy .

“Oh, I get that. But come on, what could one beer hurt? Hey, if you need to pee, I’ll escort you to the guy’s room. Nobody’ll say anything .”

Seriously? Now I don’t feel bad. My gut feeling was right. This dude is a creep. As the music changes, I mutter under my breath, “Somebody please fucking save me .”

“T his is gonna be epic,” Nathan Scott, my childhood friend and business partner, boasts as the limo we’re in rounds the corner. He’s seated across from me, dressed sharp as a tack for our big night .

“All the cards have lined up for us,” he continues. “We’ve got a great local band and an assload of local celebrities. We even got that girl who’s got like two million Instagram followers because of her ass. That ass and Club Jasmine are going to be in front of two million people by the end of the night. I’m telling you, we’ve got everything.” Nathan claps his hands and rubs them together. “This is going to be huge, Jake. Huge !”

I shift again in my cushioned seat, messing with the cufflink of my shirt. I can’t deny the excitement in Nathan’s words, but I know you can do all the right things and still have a business fail. So I’m not getting my hopes up too much yet .

The nightclub was his idea, developed right about the time the rumors started about Graham Holdings, the company I work for, buying out Franklin Consolidated. I’d been reluctant to invest at first. But when Nathan laid out the numbers, I was sold. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” I say .

“Damn, man, can you be any more excited?” Nathan says, peering at me with a scowl. “This is a big day for us .”

It’s not that I’m not excited, and I usually consider myself calm and collected under pressure, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sweating bullets. We poured a lot of money in this thing. In fact, I poured everything I’ve saved into this .

I need this to succeed .

Especially when I have Sophie depending on me to take care of her, I think to myself. Sophie’s my sixteen-year-old sister who was orphaned six years ago when our parents were taken in a car accident .

She wanted to come with me tonight. Of course, she knew she couldn’t since she’s underage. “You can let me in. I don’t even need a fake ID,” she’d said, bouncing up and down and trying to look her cutest. Maybe that works when she wants me to let her buy a new skirt on my credit card, but this isn’t the same thing .

Still, it makes me smile. I’d done the same shit when I was younger, but I’m not going to let her break off into bad habits .

“See it?” Nathan asks as I’m still silent in my thoughts, his Bronx accent coming on full as he pulls my mind back to the limo. “The fuck? It’s all right in front of you. We got the whole fucking world at our feet .”

Nathan's lucky that he works independently because he curses like a sailor .

I adjust my collar, rolling my neck. I’m not in a full-on tux, but I’m in a designer suit that I bought just for the club. It’s a slightly brighter blue than I’d wear for my day job with a pristine white dress shirt and metallic red tie. Nathan insisted I wear something that ‘pops’. “I was just saying there’s a still lot of work to do, that’s all .”

It’s easy for Nathan to feel more nonchalant about the whole project. He’s a stockbroker who’s gotten rich with other people’s money, whereas I’ve had to work for mine. My grandfather lent me a name and a legacy that got me into a good school, but Mom’s love of Dad meant a middle-class life. Climbing the corporate ladder has been grueling. I’ve busted my ass and more than once pulled eighteen-hour days to make sure that I’m in a place of power. I’m going to be the Regional President for the Franklin Consolidated subsidiary, and I plan to do great things with the role .

Still, I’ve got responsibilities, Sophie being the chief one. The five million I sank into this club could set her up for life. Could being the operative word. “We have a long way to go,” I say .

“And I have every confidence we’ll make back every red cent,” Nathan says. “You do too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have signed on .”

It's hard to argue. I knew this was a risk, but I don’t mind that. I’ve always been guided by my instincts, and when something looks good, I go for it .

I shrug. “You’re right. It’s just a helluva few days—our grand opening and this merger. I start in my new position on Monday .”

“Oh, what’s up with that ?”

“I’m being sent to kick a little ass for an underperforming unit.” To say it’s been underperforming is a mild way of putting it. “I’ve been told to cut the fat or burn the place down if I have to. I’m not looking forward to being ‘that’ guy. I know some of the in-house employees are going to hate me .”

“Oh, well. Fuck ‘em is what I’d say,” Nathan says. “You do you .”

“Too bad I love my job,” I say. “They might hate me for a little while because I’m new, but trust me, they’re gonna respect me by next quarter. Those who are left .”

“If you say so,” Nathan says. “Glad I don’t have to do that shit. Making money with other people's money is my specialty. I don’t have to work on someone’s job. Which is why you should be jumping for this club to succeed. If it goes right, you can retire off all the Benjamins we bank .”

I chuckle. “That’s the plan,” I say, not wanting to tell him what I’m thinking. Truth is, I don’t think I’ll be satisfied even if this does turn into a huge income generating machine. I can’t imagine just retiring right now. I work too much to even imagine what that would be like .

“Speaking of which,” Nathan says as the limo rolls up to the sidewalk of the club. There’s a good amount of press, and even a few of the VIPs are gathered outside the club. I’m as impressed by it during the day as I know it’s going to look once the sun goes down. It was one of the things I insisted on, that our club looked as classy during the day as it will at night .

The crowd applauds as I get out. I shake hands with our local boxing champ and pose with him for a few publicity shots on the red carpet as the crowd builds. Cameras flash, and as the sun touches the horizon behind the club, it’s a certified throng .

Nathan and I both adjust our suits, and I wave as we mount the platform in front of the fountain. Nathan pauses, giving me a wink. “It’s show time !”

I know we look strange. I tower over Nathan at six foot three while he’s a modest five foot six. The cameras are flashing in our faces as soon as we’re ready, press calling our names and people in the crowd already chanting for the club .

Our staff strings the big red ribbon across the stairs leading up to the entrance, and I swear that I feel like I’m at a Hollywood premier. When Nathan brings over the special scissors that we’re supposed to use for the ceremony, really just painted up hedge clippers, the camera flashes are nearly blinding. I lift my hand, taking the wireless mic from Nathan .

“Thank you all for coming,” I start. “I’m not going to say that we’re as important as opening a new wing at the university hospital. But I’m proud of the work our team has done, and I’m looking forward to enjoying a few hours relaxing here. Thank you again .”

There’s polite applause, and I take one arm of the clippers while Nathan takes the other .

A cheer goes up from the crowd as Nathan and I slice through the ribbon, and the two of us lead the VIPs up the stairs and through the doors. It’s been awhile since I’ve been here. I’ve been so busy setting up my place here in town and getting things settled with my transition to Franklin Consolidated. But seeing it like this, I have to give it to the architects. The place is a dream, with the perfect blend of classic touches that I like along with cutting-edge lighting and styling. It’s going to be a unique club for a very long time .

I check out the bar and the stage, then head to the VIP section overlooking the club just as the doormen start letting in the regular customers .

“This club is amazing,” one of the first women through the doors says to Nathan as she comes up to where we are. She’s going around and checking everything out I guess .

By the look in Nathan’s eyes, I don’t think he’d be opposed to taking her home tonight. “Thank you. My partner here helped, of course. But all the heavy lifting was on me,” he says to her .

I smirk. Nathan’s going to take the credit, huh? “Well, I let you do the heavy lifting since you’re closer to the floor. Less distance to move .”

The girl chuckles, but Nathan’s undeterred. “You know what they say, big things come in small packages. And you’re right, having three legs to stand on helps .”

I have to chuckle. Nathan is an outrageous flirt, and it works. The girl’s eyes flicker down to his crotch before she smiles. Nathan pats the seat on the couch next to him, and she sits down, making me shake my head. He’s going to have a fun night .

“Champagne, sir,” the waitress says, handing me a glass. She’s wearing a form-fitting blouse, a damn near painted-on skirt, and is even some wearing some thick-rimmed glasses, totally playing up the naughty professional vibe of the night. But she’s as professional as can be, just like we instructed all of our employees .

It was one of the things I insisted on. While I know Nathan would love to sample what some of the girls could offer him, I won’t allow it on my watch. I want to set an example for Sophie, and that means showing her that I can treat my employees with respect. I can be a gentleman. And I want my employees acting with respect too .

“So how much do you think we’ll clear tonight?” I ask, getting down to business. One of the local celebs comes up, shaking hands. I return the favor, sending over a bottle of Kristal as thanks for coming by .

“You send more bottles like that? We might break even,” Nathan laughs. “We’re doing just fine, man. I’ll check with the manager before we leave tonight. He’ll get me an estimate. But remember, tonight isn’t about turning profit. It’s about getting rep. We get rep now, and we make bank later .”

We chat for another forty-five minutes or so, and I’m amazed as the club fills up. There’s no way the folks still outside are getting in for hours unless they’ve got a reservation .

“Great turnout!” Nathan crows, loving the flow of people still coming through the doors. It’s fun, and best of all, authentic .

“It is,” I murmur. I have to say even I’m impressed. “It’s a weight off my chest . . .”

My voice trails off as I see her walk in. She stands out in the crowd of mostly whites and blacks in a fire engine red dress that hugs her body like it was custom made for her. Long brown hair frames her angelic face, and while I’m too far away to see her eyes, her lips are perfect. The way her cheekbones are shaped, she looks like . . . “An Angel .”

“What?” Nathan asks, but I barely hear him as I watch her breathlessly. She goes over to the bar with a girl who’s obviously her friend or wingman, and a thread of anger courses through my head as I see some guy come up on her. I grip my glass harder as I see him laying on the moves, even though she doesn’t seem too into it .

Nathan waves his hand in front of my face. “Yo, Jake, are you listening to me ?”

I blink rapidly, shaking my head as I turn back to him. “Huh ?”

“I said this place is going to change our lives .”

“Hold that thought,” I say, my eyes and my mind on one thing only. I toss back the rest of my glass and get to my feet, heading for the stairs. As I leave the VIP area, I’m not thinking about Nathan, or money, or even how well our grand opening is going to turn out tonight. All I can see is the angel in a red dress .