Stalking Sophie by Emma Bray
one
Sophie
"All right, all right!" I tell Vera as I hold up my hands in a motion of surrender to stop her begging and pleading. "I'll go with you if it'll just shut you up."
"Yes!" she squeals and starts jumping up and down before she runs over to the closet and begins rifling through hangers to pick outfits for us.
I shake my head with a barely suppressed smile. My college roommate is tenacious when she wants me to be her partner in crime, but I wouldn't trade her for the world. She's quickly become my best friend.
She has to be for me to agree to go to this new club she wants to go to. She knows that clubbing totally isn't my scene. I'm not much of a party girl. But what kind of friend would I be if I sent her alone? And because Vera is totally a clubbing party girl type, I'm usually dragged to all these places with her.
There's a new club that just opened that she's been particularly excited about going to. Club Ruby. That's where we're going tonight. Apparently, it's all the rage.
It's the place to be, so of course, that's where my bestie Vera wants to be. She's all into picking up hot guys and hooking up—something else that I'm not into.
But again, I'm not going to leave my bestie out on the field by herself.
She gathers all her supplies and bids me to sit down, chattering away excitedly the whole time. I think dressing me up is half the fun for her, so I sit still and don't complain while she curls my hair, applies my makeup, and picks out an outfit that I'm no doubt going to feel very self-conscious in.
Vera was always one of those little girls who loved playing with Barbie dolls, and I think a lot of times, I'm just a life-size doll for her to dress up and play with.
Unsurprisingly, she picks out a short denim mini skirt and a blue tank top that's just short enough to show a strip of my stomach.
I frown, still not liking how much of my skin is revealed, but hey, it's a compromise. When we first started going out like this, Vera used to try to put me in crop tops and tube tops that bared my entire midriff and skirts that would show everything when I walked.
While this outfit isn't particularly up to my standards, at least I'm only showing a tiny patch of my stomach rather than my whole stomach. I turn my back to the mirror and glance over my shoulder to check the back of the skirt.
It looks like it’s long enough that I'll only be flashing my ass to everyone if I actually bend over.
Vera, of course, is one hundred percent comfortable in her skin. And why wouldn't she be? She's a blonde bombshell with a perfectly tanned complexion.
I, on the other hand, always feel a bit awkward with my pale complexion and smattering of freckles. I'm a redhead, so I've got that light skin tone, and I burn easily. Hence why I like to stay covered as much as possible.
I'm not nearly as tall as Vera is either. She's tall enough to be a model with her long legs that seem to go on forever, whereas I'm so short that I have to ask strangers to help me reach the high shelves at the grocery store. I've totally lost all shame about it, too. I don't even get embarrassed about it anymore because hey, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.
When Vera is done dolling herself up, we call an Uber to take us over to the club.
"Oh my God, Vera!" I whine when I see the throng of people waiting outside. "We're never going to get in this place!” The line here is at least twice as long as anywhere else we've ever been.
"Sure we will," Vera insists. "Come on, Sophie!" Her hazel orbs are shining up at me like puppy dog eyes, pleading with me. "I really want to check this place out."
I groan but allow her to pull me along with her when she grabs my hand.
I cross my arms and let out a heavy sigh when we take our place at the back of the line.
It looks like it's going to be a long night. To top it all off, these heels are already hurting my feet, and I haven't even stepped foot onto the dance floor.
I glance over at Vera with another heavy sigh, but she just grins at me impishly.
She's lucky I love her to death 'cause she's a pain in my ass.
* * *
Axe
I'm standing in my business office at the top of the club, surveying my latest venture with pride. I knew Club Ruby would be a hit. Of course, I own two other clubs in the city, so I knew going into this what it would take to make a successful club, and I must say this has been my most successful venture yet. Catering specifically to the college campus really paid off.
Of course, college students aren't the only ones down on the dance floor tonight. There are plenty of men in their thirties and forties and even older out there, but I already know it's the wild, uninhibited college kids who are going to be funding the bulk of my sales.
I watch the people below on the dance floor through the mirrored glass of my office. It looks like mirrors from their side, but this side is completely transparent, so I can see everything happening down below. I had it designed specifically for this purpose, so I can keep an eye on everything and make sure nothing shady goes down.
It's too easy for drug traffickers and other unsavory characters to infiltrate a club and turn it into a seedy joint. That's not going to happen in my place of business. My club is going to stay on the up and up. Yes, I want people to drink and have fun, but ultimately, this is going to be a safe, legitimate place. I don't want any problems with the local police or God forbid, the feds.
I turn and walk across the room to the other window that overlooks the street outside. I grin smugly when I see the throng of people still waiting to get in.
Yeah, this place is a hit. Limiting how many people are allowed in at a time will make it even more desirable. Those who don't get in tonight will keep coming back until they eventually get to see what all the hype is about. It's all part of my strategy. Make people think somewhere is exclusive and hard to get into, and suddenly they're all vying for it.
I start to go back to my desk when a flash of gold on red catches my eye. I pause and look back down, my eyes seeking out what pulled my gaze.
When I find the source, time seems to stop. My chest tightens, and I can't seem to take in a deep enough breath.
A girl with red hair. She's a tiny little thing, especially in comparison to the model-height girl standing next to her. She's pale, her skin almost seeming to glow in the streetlight. Soft waves of red tumble down her back, nearly touching the gentle swell of her ass. I see the hints of gold that caught my eye now. When the streetlight hits her auburn locks, they glint and shimmer with gold highlights.
I'm captivated by the sight of her. She's the only redhead in a sea of blond and brunette, and she's shimmering purely like a diamond among cubic zirconia—better yet, like a ruby.
I've never been one of those fools taken to superstition, but once I get the comparison of her to a ruby in my head, I can't shake the notion that it's a sign. Club Ruby opens tonight, and then this pretty little ruby shows up right on my doorstep. And I've never been a man to turn his back on good fortune.
I rub my thumb along my lower lip as I study her thoughtfully.
Decision made, I lift my phone up to my ear and place the call to my head of security.
"Yeah, the redhead and the blonde who's with her. Let them in, and bring the redhead up here to me," I order him before clicking off the phone.
My head is buzzing with excitement, and my pulse races as I begin to pace restlessly, eager to know who this little one is and why I'm so taken with her after just one look.
I'll find out soon enough…
* * *
Sophie
Vera squeals and then winks at me when the bouncer walks near the back of the line and pulls us out, telling us to come with him. "See, I knew we'd get in!" she stage-whispers to me while she hops back and forth from one foot to the other.
While Vera might be super excited about this, my face is flaming at the glares we get from all the people who've been waiting in line longer than us.
"Why are we getting to jump line and go in front of all these other people?" I whisper back to Vera.
She just shrugs. "Because we look super hot. That's why. Everybody knows that's how it goes when you go to a club. The hot girls get pulled out and get to skip the line." She giggles again.
I frown at her explanation, though. My overly curious mind has too many questions. Who determined that we were "hot enough" to get in? How did anyone even see us all the way back there?
The bouncer leads us inside, and Vera starts pulling me toward the bar, but the bouncer stops us. "You." He points to me. I halt in my tracks and stare at the command in his tone. "The manager wants to see you in his office." He nods toward the stairs at the back of the club.
"Me?" I gape at him in confusion. I glance over at Vera, who is staring at me, looking just as shocked as I no doubt do.
I look back at the bouncer. "Are you sure?" I ask him, wondering if he has me confused with someone else. There's no way I know the owner of this place.
"This way, miss." He motions me toward the stairs by way of answer. I glance back at Vera, who motions me to go on with an excited gleam in her eyes like I've just hit the lottery or something. "I'll catch you later, girl!" she tells me before she heads off to the bar.
"Vera!" I call after her incredulously, unable to believe my bestie is going to just leave me to handle this alone. I mean, I don't know anything about the manager of this club. He could be a psycho killer for all I know.
I glance up at the stoic face of the bouncer and can tell by the unaffected look on his face he's just there to follow orders and there will be no getting out of this for me.
So with a racing heart and sweaty palms, I let him lead me up to the office, feeling a bit like a naughty schoolgirl who's being escorted to the principal's office. I'm nearly knocked over when a girl flings open the door and comes storming out, a look of unbridled fury on her face.
Her eyes narrow as they zero in on me, and then she pushes past me, purposefully hitting my shoulder as she does so.
"Excuse you," I mutter as she slams into me. I don't know if she hears me, though, because she keeps on stalking off down the stairs.
A man suddenly appears in the doorway, and I swallow nervously when I have to crane my head back to look up at him. Jesus, he's so tall, his obviously muscular body encased in an expensive-looking suit.
My eyes continue to sweep up him to his dark hair that's stylishly disheveled like it's casually wind-tousled. My eyes are drawn back to meet his, and my breath hitches when I'm assaulted by stormy gray eyes that latch on to me.
The way they rove over me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes has me flushing and squirming.
"Thank you, James," the man tells the bouncer who brought me up here. "You may go."
He steps back and motions me into his office, and I cautiously step through the doorway, feeling his body heat jump out to burn me as I walk past him.
Good lord, I don't know what it is about this man, but his presence is dark and powerful and all-consuming.
The door clicks shut behind him ominously, and I suddenly feel like a mouse caught in a cat's lair.
He steps toward me, and I take a step back. He pauses and stares at me, his expression contemplative like he's trying to figure something out.
"Do I know you?" I ask him just to break the silence, my voice coming out more breathless than I intend it to. It's a stupid question because I already know if I'd ever seen this man before in my entire life, there's no way I would ever forget him. He's unforgettable, his presence so big and looming and powerful.
"No, little ruby, but that's something I would like to change," he says as he begins to take another step toward me.
My brow furrows. What's going on here?
"Why did you have me brought up here?"
He doesn't answer me. "What's your name?" he asks me instead.
I consider not answering him, but I find my mouth moving before I can stop myself. "Sophie Smith."
"Sophie Smith." He repeats my name slowly, like he's trying it on for size.
"Who are you?" I ask him back.
"Axe Black," he answers without hesitation, "the owner of this club."
"What do you want with me?" I ask him.
My eyes narrow as I recall the girl storming out of here looking furious. I think I'm starting to connect the dots, and if he thinks I'm one of those girls he can just pick up and command, he has another think coming.
Axe takes another step toward me, and I step back again, but this time I have nowhere else to go. He's backed me into a corner.
The smirk that tugs on the sides of his lips says that he's very well aware of this fact too and that it was his intention all along.
"I want so much with you, Sophie," he tells me, his voice gliding over me sinfully like smooth velvet.
Heat curls inside me at his tone, but I ignore it. I refuse to be another notch on this playboy's belt. I'm preparing to push him away and sprint for the door when he surprises me by lifting his hand up and touching my hair ever so softly. My breath catches in my throat.
"So beautiful, little ruby," he whispers as his eyes rove over my hair.
Okay, so maybe he's got a redhead fetish or something. He spears his fingers through my hair before bringing his hand to rest on my skin and cupping my jaw.
Sparks shoot through me from where the pads of his fingertips touch me, and I gasp at the sensation. It's like there's suddenly an electric current running through me, and he's the catalyst causing it.
He's looming over me, and my heart starts pitter-pattering away in my chest.
I look up into stormy gray eyes and lick my lips nervously. His eyes snap to my lips and darken, the storm clouds within them beginning to roll deeper and darker.
"Why are you calling me that? Ruby?" my voice comes out barely more than a whisper.
"Because that's what you are," he tells me, his voice equally low and husky. He moves his head closer to mine so that his mouth is right by my ear. "My little ruby, a sparkling gemstone among a sea of rocks."
The man is sinfully handsome, and his voice skating over my ear sends a shiver down my spine. I can tell by my body's reaction to him that it would be so easy for me to fall for him.
But then I remember the woman I just saw storming out of his office. I don't know what the story is there, and I don't really care, but there's no way I'm going to allow myself to get involved with a man who has a woman storming out of his office like she has a right to be that angry with him. What if she's his girlfriend—or better yet, his wife? Or maybe one of many lovers?
Somehow I summon the strength to place my hands on his chest—a very hard and firm chest, I might add—and push him back.
"Look, I'm not your ruby, and I'm not interested, okay?"
His eyes register surprise at the force of my push as he stumbles back a few steps.
I take the opportunity to hurry to the door.
"Sophie, wait!" he calls after me, but I'm already out the door and closing it behind me.
I race down the stairs and over to the bar to find Vera like the hounds of hell are nipping at my heels.
I don't know what it is about Axe, but he makes my body feel funny things, and all I can think to do is put as much distance as possible between me and the predator who looks like he wants to devour me whole.
I glance back over my shoulder and relax when I realize I haven't been followed. At the same time, I feel a sharp stab of something that feels suspiciously like disappointment.
I shake my head and order a shot.
What the hell is wrong with me?