Want Me (Mess with Me 4)

“Sure. It’s great.”

That sends him into another fit of laughter. “Okay. Any particular reason you want me to come clubbing with you on a Friday night with no advance notice?”

To keep me out of jail.

“No. Why do I need a reason to hang out with one of my oldest friends?”

Just before I hang up, I hear him grumble, “Why does everyone always call me with their bullshit?”

I’ve been sitting parked on a side street near Spectrum for more than fifteen minutes waiting for Ethan to show up. Clearly when I said meet me I should have clarified that I meant right fucking now.

Finally Ethan texts that he’s here. I get out of my car and follow the sidewalk around the building to where the long line to get into the club starts. Shit. I should have been standing in line while I was waiting for Ethan to arrive. This is

going to take forever.

It’s already after ten o’clock.

Ethan falls into step next to me. “Hey man. Sorry it took me so long.”

I don’t want to yell at the guy when he’s helping me out. Sending Ethan to scope things out is the perfect plan. He can make sure Anya is okay and if she sees him she’ll just think he’s out clubbing.

Then I have the mental image of Anya being groped by some guy. Ethan won’t want to get involved. He’ll just tell me that she’s on a date and it’s none of our business.

The fact that he’s right is irrelevant. I need to see what’s going on in there.

“Okay what’s the plan?”

“I just figured we could hang out.”

His eyes narrow. “You want to hang out with me suddenly on a Friday night at a specific club? A club I know you’ve never been to before.”

“Yes. What’s wrong with that? We’re friends. Just two single guys going out to have a good time.” I pause. “How do you know I’ve never been here before?”

“Right. Whatever, dude. Come on.”

We bypass the line and I glance over my shoulder at the people who are glaring at us. Ethan walks right up to the bouncer and gives him some kind of fist bump. Then we’re being shown inside. The music is so loud my ears hurt as soon as we walk in.

“How did you get us in?” I yell over the music.

Ethan smiles sheepishly. “I used to party.”

That’s probably the short answer to a long story but I don’t have time to wonder what kind of shit he gets into in his free time. I have to find Anya. It’s dark in here and there’s some kind of weird strobe light that makes everything look purple. There are a lot of people in here. How the hell am I supposed to find anyone in this crowd?

Someone brushes up against me. I nod politely as the guy takes his sweet time moving by. God, I’m getting old. There was a time when I wouldn’t have noticed or cared about being in such close quarters.

Another guy passes by and looks me over before turning to whisper to his friend. I tug at my tie absently. Before I left, I changed into a nice suit in case the club had a dress code but clearly I shouldn’t have bothered. The people in this club are wearing everything from leather and chains to body paint.

Also, they all look about fifteen years old.

I lean over to Ethan. “Maybe I shouldn’t have worn a suit. They probably think I’m here to audit the place.”

Ethan says something but I don’t hear it because my eyes just locked on a girl dancing on top of a speaker. My feet move in that direction until I’m standing below her. Her dark hair whirls around her face as she gyrates. She’s wearing a black thong. I only know that because this angle gives me a direct line of sight up her dress.

Me and the guy right next to me. He’s wearing a shirt so tight it looks like he might Hulk smash right out of it at any second. He’s also wearing a baseball hat. Indoors. I roll my eyes.

“Stop looking up her skirt, asshole!”

Ethan appears at my elbow. “How did I know this was how the night was going to end?”