The big man hung his head, brought his hand to rub his tired eyes and nodded. Jax reached forward to pat him on his shoulder. Zee didn't surrender. He was giving Jax a chance. He couldn't possibly screw it up now, could he?
"Let's go in. Who knows what those maniacs are doing to her now?"
Jax unfolded out of the car, following Zee. The door to the back of the club swung open, and a guy as big as Zee greeted them, "Mr. Clark. Zee. The VIP lounge has been reserved for your group."
"Thanks, Abbott." Jax shook hands with the man and patted his arm. "Call Tina tomorrow for tickets to the show, all right?"
"Thanks, Mr. Clark. Have fun tonight. It's ladies' night."
Of course, how could Jax forget? Luke and Marco chose the club because of that exact reason.
Zee and Jax walked through the back hallways, through a small kitchen, and out the side of the DJ booth. The club was packed, loud, and full of energy. A svelte woman with bright red hair greeted Jax with outstretched arms.
"Welcome back, Jax!"
"Thanks, Tonya. I believe my friends are in the lounge." Jax let the woman air kiss his cheeks.
"Yes, they have their drinks. They're having fun. You just tell me what you want and I'll make it happen. You want girls tonight? I've got the right ones for you. Models, Jax, legs up to their lashes." Tonya slapped a hand on her thigh and laughed.
Jax cringed at the offer. He glanced over at Zee, who clearly heard the comment. "We're good for now, Tonya. Thanks."
He made his way up a set of floating stairs. Eyes were on him. He could feel the gazes and the intense sexual energy coming off women as he passed them by. It was enough to drive a man crazy, but Jax wanted to feel only one woman's sexual energy. And as he got to their VIP lounge, he saw her sitting on Luke's lap. His hands fisted. The tension in his shoulders was enough to impede blood flow to his brain. He felt a muscle tick on the side of his face. Maybe going to this club with her was a bad idea.
Chapter Eleven
Cade was surprised when they arrived at the club, although she shouldn't have been. They'd skipped the long line. Flashes blinded her from cameras of paps hanging around the club. Screams filled the air as their group walked towards the entrance. Marco and Luke flanked her, but they waved at their fans. Cade tried her hardest to use her hair to block the cameras. The last thing she wanted was her face on the front page of the tabloids. The boys shook hands with the bouncers before going into the loud club, where she let herself relax for a moment before taking her surroundings in.
Club 88 didn't look like much from the outside, but once inside, Cade tilted her chin up to see the grand spectacle. It was massive, too geometric, and much too modern, which gave Cade an ersatz feel. Suspended off the ceiling were mirrored flat panels, which absorbed and attracted the colours and lights from the DJ booth. The dance floor was filled with gyrating men and women, packed like sardines. There were pretty women walking around in sequined bras and matching booty shorts, with makeup thicker than mud and hair pulled into long ponytails, carrying trays of colourful drinks. The entire club was almost like a scene from a sci-fi movie.
Every woman they passed licked their lips and eyed the boys by her side. The guys greeted them back in their own ways, but neither of them left her side, even when they went up a set of stairs and took over a black and purple-themed room, if she was to guess, VIP lounge.
"Where's Jax?" she asked no one in particular upon seeing the empty room.
"He takes the back entrance," Marco answered.
"Yeah, he likes to go through the backdoor." Luke added a snarky laugh.
"You're both idiots. Leave Cade alone," Beth told the guys. "Wanna drink, hon?"
"Um. I don't know. I've never really gone out to a club like this before," Cade confessed.
"Never?" Luke and Beth both said.
Cade shook her head. "I'm more of a pub girl. You know, peanuts and beer."
"I know what to get you." Luke waved a waitress over and made his order. "Stat! We have a club virgin in our midst!" Cade sneered at him. Luke grabbed her hand and propped her on his lap. "Babe, don't you worry. You're hanging with the cool kids now. No more band camp for you."
Beth snorted and laughed. "Yeah, and Luke would know all about band camps."