Path To Retaliation (Fighter's Den, #2)

Chapter 26 - Avery

I yank at the short A-line hem of my black dress to secure it in place as Cameron and I make our way to the entrance of Aria hand-in-hand.

We immediately spotted it as we drove down the street of the address that Nate provided us. The short two-story nightclub would have camouflaged with the rest of the similar looking buildings that lined the streets of downtown Massachusetts had it not been for the fluorescent hot pink sign that lit up at the top in all its cursive and pretty glory. Cameron and I had paused and looked at each other wondering if this was really the place Nate claimed he went to all the time. From the outside at least, it looked kind of...prissy. Nevertheless, there was a huge line outside the entrance and people were bustling to get in so Nate was right about its popularity. From our parked view, Cam and I had watched several of the men being rejected from entering and all the women kindly welcomed. There was clearly a pattern here and I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what kind of place this was.

We make our way to the front, not having to stand in the line thanks to the wristlets Nate provided, where a bulky bouncer stands with arms crossed. He immediately straightene up as Cam and I approach him, hackles rising. I quickly flash my wrist and gesture for Cam to do the same. "Hi, there. We're friends of Nate's."

Instantly his shoulders relax and he offers us a grin that changes the hard planes of his stoic face. "You must be the birthday girl?"

I laugh. "Yes. Twenty-four years young."

"Happy birthday." He tips his chin and jerks his thumb at the door. "Go on in. This'll be one hell of a night for you, first-timers."

"Uh, thanks, man." Cameron says and fist bumps him. We glance at each other quizzically before walking inside.

As soon as the door shuts behind us, I lift up a hand to shield my face as colourful ribbons of lights travel over the walls and floors and intrude my sense of vision. It takes several seconds for my eyes to adjust but once they do I can't help but gasp. My eyes dart around the place, not sure what to focus on first.

To the right, a huge stage takes up almost a third of the entire floor. It's high up off the ground and a set of about five stairs is attached to the front of the stage from the floor. On the stage itself are four poles spaced out and large hoops hanging from the ceiling. The poles are occupied by scantily-clad women performing their own dances but their movements are elegant and they exude class. It almost looks like they're doing a contemporary dance. The middle of the room hosts a huge dance floor that's packed with bodies that are jumping and moving to the beat of the loud music. Waiters and waitresses walk around offering drinks and small snacks to the people milling around. To the left of us, a bar stretches out from end of the room to the other and several huge men bartend to the waiting customers while serving food to those sitting on the round tables just off to the side. Between the dance floor and the bar is a staircase that loops around and takes you to the top level. I can't see much, only the balcony-style fence that covers the entire perimeter of the second floor, but I can vaguely make out a single door that seems to be the only thing accompanying the top level. Overall, this might be the classiest club I've ever seen in my life and it's obvious why it's so difficult to get in.

"Damn." A gaping Cameron turns his wide eyes my way. "This place is fucking spectacular. Why the hell didn't Nate bring us here before?"

"I don't know but the more I find about him, the more I like him."

"Speak of the devil, where is he?"

"Not sure." I squint my eyes and look around the club as I try to spot a familiar face. My gaze passes over a moving figure and I dart my eyes back to them, recognizing the pregnant brunette at the end of the bar by the stairs. "There's Em!"