Ripple Effect (Effect 1)

As I walked through the door, I saw Brandt sitting at the computer desk. He practically lived in this office, refusing to use his own. A video was pulled up on the large screen mounted on the wall. Front and center on the screen was some fucker with a black masquerade mask.

“Is this the asshole who’s causing us shit?”

Brandt turned my way. The ladies liked him a lot, but he had kept to himself. I thought they liked his bad-boy appeal with his messy, long blond hair. He had a few tats, not as many as me, but they were evident.

He cracked his neck from side to side. “What’s eating you? You look like you’ve got a stick shoved up your ass. Did that new girl turn you down?”

What is wrong with everyone tonight? First, Trigger, and now, Brandt is getting all insightful about my sex life.

I went and stood in front of the screen and continued looking at the man in the mask.

I need another drink.

“Ainsley’s claimed, Brandt. Quit dicking around, and tell me what you found.”

Brandt slightly chuckled from behind me, and it pissed me the hell off. Ainsley was knocking me off balance, and these bastards could sense my weakness. I’d be the one pleasuring her, and that was all that mattered. Anyone who wanted to give me a hard time could fuck off.

After some clicking of the keyboard keys, the video started playing.

Brandt explained what he had found, “Whoever this asshole is, he didn’t take his mask off the entire night. I’ve got the footage pulled up to where we can see him taking the picture underneath his suit jacket with what looks like a high tech little camera.”

Whoever this prick was, he had taken the picture subtly. I would have never noticed it if I were doing surveillance. The camera barely stuck out from this angle. It wasn’t uncommon for some members to wear masks to keep up with the fantasy in the club, but they had to log it into the system when they arrived.

Walking up closer to the video screen, I asked, “Did you see how this asshole got past security?”

The screen went black, and another image was cued up.

Brandt started explaining, “I think he was connected to Roach. Watch this, and see for yourself.”

The next video started playing. Roach, the security guard who had quit without notice, was checking in everyone before they were buzzed into the actual club at the main entrance on the sex-club side. Roach had never sat right with me, but it had been a favor to Brandt, who was trying to help a friend. Roach had two kids, and he’d had no job and needed something steady. Brandt had hoped the security position would help keep Roach out of drugs, so he could stay with his kids.

Everyone needs a second chance, Adam. I know I did, Brandt had said to me.

I had capitulated to Brandt’s request, but those words of agreement burned like acid now since I went against my gut. Roach had passed all the normal background checks, but something had rubbed me wrong about the guy.

Next, the unidentified asshole in the black mask walked up. Roach gave a slight nod of his head and buzzed him through—no paperwork, no sign in.

My eyes darted back to Brandt. We’d had several heated disagreements about why Roach shouldn’t be hired.

Hell, the nickname he had given himself was enough of a damn clue to me.

My gut had told me Roach would be a problem, but I’d ignored it for Brandt. Now, because of it, we had a problem on our hands.

Brandt put his hands up and looked contrite. He knew I had gone out on a limb for him. “Hey, man, I get it. I’m sorry. I thought he wanted a fresh start, and I couldn’t turn someone away. If everyone had turned me away after everything I did, there’s no telling where I would be. I’m fucking pissed that I asked you for a favor, and he backstabbed me. This is my mess, so I’ll clean it up.”

I looked up at the ceiling for a second. “I know, Brandt. I get it. I think we should talk to Hampton first. The moment we play our hands, it’s all out there. For now, Roach and his accomplice have no idea that we know what they’ve done. Let’s see how many times this bastard got into our club and who all was here those nights. We need to determine what kind of liability we’re looking at.”

Hampton did all our background checks for the club. He was also a private investigator.

“Sounds good, Adam. I’ll have Hampton investigate Roach deeper, and we’ll see what turns up. Roach’s ex-girlfriend picked up his kids and moved to Florida, so I’ll have Hampton check to see if he’s joined them. In the meantime, I’ll start combing through the footage and let you know what I find.” Brandt ran his hand through his hair.

He was as pissed as I was. He just didn’t show it like I did.

I started walking out of the room. “Thanks, man. I’m going to go check out the bar side. The Thrillhammers are playing tonight, and the crowd gets a little wild every time they play.”

He yelled after me, “Take a damn walkie-talkie with you, and I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

I went to the door and passed by the walkie-talkie basket. I hate those damn things.

All the walkie-talkies did were beep and go off through the entire night. It was a distraction as I worked. On one or two occasions, the button had been held down while someone was getting a piece of ass. I didn’t need to hear that shit.

I called over my shoulder, “Call my cell phone.”

As I closed the door, I could hear Brandt chuckling.

Bastard.

I made my way to the only internal door connecting the sex club with the bar. The main outside entrances were on opposite sides of the building. Only Brandt, Trigger, Snake and I had the key that opened up into our bar side office. This go-between office stayed locked. We didn’t want drunkards accidentally wandering into the sex club, and it was damn near impossible to get in on the sex-club side unless a slimly bastard like Roach let the person in.

As I made my way into my other office, I locked the door behind me. The pulse of the music vibrated through the walls. I could hear the crowd going wild as The Thrillhammers went into their opening song “JESCO.” It was going to get crazy out there tonight. We had hired them about six months ago. Since then, their popularity had exploded, and they could pack a house.

I left the connecting office and locked that door behind me before making my way out to the bar area. The bar was decorated how Brandt and I liked. Old street signs and neon beer signs filled the rustic-metal walls. It was a fun bar with a dance floor.

As I ente

red the bar area, I made eye contact with Chris, the guitarist for The Thrillhammers. He gave me a nod that told me all was good. I walked toward the main entrance to check on everything. The bouncer, Jethro, was a bald heavy-set man. Sitting on a stool, he looked like a giant teddy bear, but that motherfucker could throw down if he needed to. Jethro had been with us since we had opened the place nearly five years ago.

I walked up and slapped him on the back. “Hey there, man. Anything happening?”

Jethro rubbed his slick head and said, “Nah, it’s all good so far, man. We’re at ninety percent capacity. I’ll start the waiting line when we get to ninety-five.”

I slapped him on the back again. “Thanks. Let me know if you need anything.”

Jethro nodded as a couple walked up to him with their IDs. I made my way to the bar as The Thrillhammers played, working up the crowd.

“Jesco White, where are you tonight?”

Jenney, another employee who had been with Brandt and me since the beginning, was working behind the bar tonight. She was dancing with the beat of the song, her strawberry-blonde hair bouncing around. When she saw me, she grabbed a Guinness. She popped the top off and handed it to me. “Here you go, Adam. It’s a full house tonight.”

I tilted my beer toward her. “Thanks, Jenney. It’s because The Thrillhammers agreed to do a midweek set versus their normal weekend ones.”

She tapped the bar twice as she called out, “I like it. Means the tips are going to be flowing in.”

Jenney shimmied over to her next customer, and I laughed. She was a funny girl full of spitfire. I respected her as she never tried to cross the employer-employee boundaries.

I dragged a hand down my face and headed back to my office. I was tired, and I wanted nothing but to be buried in Ainsley.

Shit, why can’t I stop thinking about her?

This had been a long day, and I was ready for it to be over.

After making sure I locked each door, I entered the sex-club side again.

I peeked back in the security office where Brandt sat, watching videos.