He glanced around. “Where’s Grumpy?”
“He’s not coming,” Avery replied.
“His loss.” He put his arms around both of them. “I’m gonna have the two prettiest women in the town all to myself.”
“Wait.” Avery stopped in her tracks. Remembering Marcus’ parting directive, she ducked out from under JR’s arm. “I need to find Ray.”
“You looking for your bodyguard?” A deep voice asked behind her.
“Yes.” She turned around, looking directly into a pair of grey green eyes.
“He’s standing by the side door.” Bryan gave her a lazy smile, inclining his head.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” He gave her the once over. “Heard you killed it tonight, Red.”
“Thanks. You didn’t see?”
“No,” he said drawing out the o. “I was busy with… Mandy, Denise, and Derinda.”
“Hey Bullet. Come back.” A cute brunette with a dimpled smile stumbled up. “Uh-oh.” Her hand went in front of her mouth. “I don’t feel so good.”
“I told you to lay off the alcohol,” he chided. “Mandy, why don’t you go sit back down with your friends and talk to Dizzy for a while?” He turned her around and pointed in the direction of the rhythm guitarist.
“Alright,” she agreed in a pouty voice weaving back to the others.
“Nice,” Avery said with a raised brow watching her. “Three girls? Really?”
He gave her a wolfish grin. “Why should I choose when I don’t have to?”
“How do you even keep all their names straight?”
“I don’t know. I’m good with names. Like a lot of things.” He shrugged. “But I save nicknames for the important ones, Red.”
JR cleared his throat.
Avery jumped. For a moment she had completely forgotten anyone else was there. Embarrassed, she introduced them to the Tempest guitarist.
“Where are you guys headed?” Bryan asked.
“Club Classic,” Sam answered quickly, missing Avery’s zip-it gesture.
“Maybe I’ll see you there later,” he told Avery, peering down at her through hooded eyes.
JR led the way through the densely packed pub, the twenty something crowd congregating around bistro height tables and lining the long oak bar. In front of her, Sam held tightly onto Avery’s hand. Hood up and head down, Avery let her lead. Between the crowd noise and the TV’s blaring, conversation wasn’t an option.
“The club’s down here,” JR informed them when they reached a dark concrete staircase at the back of the bar.
The basement was dimly lit. People were queued up, velvet rope on one side, unpainted cinderblock on the other, faces glowing from cell displays as they languished. JR bypassed them, heading directly to the front of the line. He stopped before a burly man in a blue blazer. Between his close cropped hair and his clipboard, he appeared to be the man in charge. Lifting his sunglasses to the top of his head, JR made eye contact with him. “Daniels, party of four,” he said firmly.
Buzz Cut checked the list and made a mark on it. He took three armbands out of a legal sized envelope and clipped them on Avery, JR and Sam. His gaze narrowed when Ray stepped forward. He looked at Avery. “This is a very exclusive club, if you get what I mean.”
“No, I don’t get what you mean,” Avery countered defensively. “Tell me this isn’t a racial thing.”
“Of course not.”
“Then what’s the issue?” Avery asked.
“This is a high tone place.” Buzz Cut leaned in, lowering his voice. “The hired help generally wait in the car.”
Avery’s brows drew down. “That’s ridiculous. He’s with us. I’m sure your manager would be interested in your turning away Brutal Strength’s lead guitarist because her friend didn’t meet your personal requirements for admission into the club.”
Buzz man looked around nervously and looked back down at his clipboard. “You’re right. My mistake. We have plenty of room.” He offered Ray a band, swung around, slid a key card through a slot, and pushed open the door so they could enter. “Welcome to Club Classic.”
“Sorry about that, Ray,” Avery told him as he fell into step beside her. “I can’t believe there are still small minded people like that around.”
“Forget it Avery. What matters most to me is that from day one none of that has been a factor in how you see me.”
“Still.” Her jaw clenched. “It’s just not right.” She spun around, determined to go back and have a few more words with the moron.
“Leave it.” Ray moved to block her path. “He’s not worth the breath or the energy.”
Her lips pursed, but she gave him a tight nod before turning back to locate JR and Sam. As she moved deeper into the club the volume