Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Twenty-nine: "Tough night on the job"

I left Brooklyn's and went straight to work. She was all ready for her first day and I had to lie in her face like I had no idea when Boss explicitly said this is what was going to happen. Brooklyn was so naive, thinking she got the job because she just looked the part and was so appealing. And while those features were true to her, that's not really why she landed the job. Working for Zane is nothing to celebrate, I just couldn't work to get to The Playroom so I could do my job and keep my eyes on her.

When I stepped into the club, I shook off everything that was pissing me off the whole day. Like, Kim took Emereigh with her to her new LA mansion. And I checked Rick into a nice rehab.
There's no telling if he'll relapse when he gets out but at least I'm trying this time; if he goes back, it'll be out of my hands.

Like every other night, the club seemed desolate on the outside. I stepped out of my car and walked up to the security guard, Jay, seeing him with a line. It was 10:01 PM and the club was going to be packed thanks to some events dancer's hosting.

Jay gave me the nod and I pounded his fist before entering.

Bright lights and loud music greeted me as soon as I stepped in. Andre was doing his thing at the DJ booth while I spotted Lily training Cassie. Usually, I go to the bar first and speak, grab a drink, but I didn't want to freak Cassie out already so I decided to lay low until she noticed me.

"Hi, Noah," a short bottle girl greeted me. She had chocolate cherry colored hair, overdrawn lips, and large blue eyes.

All I could say back was "hey" before she smirked and walked towards the bar, opposite way of which I was headed.

I passed Venus on the sectional doing hookah and backpedalled.

"Venus," I spoke dryly.

"Hi, Noah," her soft voice returned.

"You look good tonight," I told her.

She blew smoke in my direction and said, "I look good every night."

"Well I never noticed until now."

Venus laughed at me and flipped me off. "Don't you have to go rough someone up or something?"

"Not until eleven, why? I can make time for you."

"Noah, you're cute," she said, "but your gender is not my type - and I like blondes."

"I'm everyone's type," I bragged, watching her stand.

Venus just shook her head. Before either of us said anything, a girl exited the dressing room and strided right to Venus.

She pursed her lips and flipped hair over her shoulder as the new girl approached, her head down as she fixed the accessories on her dress.

Fuck me. I already knew who it was from the legs and dress. It was Brooklyn.

She's going to spazz on me when she realizes, I thought, bracing myself.

"Hey, Venus, I-" Brooklyn stopped when her eyes connected with my face in the dark light.

"You what, love?" Venus urged her to spit it out. Then, she noticed how Brooklyn stared at me like she saw a ghost. Venus smirked and went behind Brooklyn, tucking the hair behind her right ear. I watched her lips whisper, "Oh. That's Noah, one of the boys I was telling you about."

Brooklyn blinked slowly and pressed her lips together. "Hi, Noah. I'm Brooklyn."

"Sup?" I kept things short and walked away, hoping Brooklyn wouldn't say anything to Venus about us knowing each other. It was a shitty thing to do, not explain myself fo Brooks, but what am I supposed to say:
"Yeah, we met on a cruise and then ended up moving in the same building- oh, and now we WORK TOGETHER, TOO?!" No.

This is weird and I'm sure Cassie was going to react the same way, if not, more freaked out.

The night went on and I avoided the main floor at all costs.

As I crept to a back room, I noticed Natalie in her all black outfit, strutting away from a table upstairs.

"Noah!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around my shoulders. "Always good seeing you."

"You, too, Nat." I breathed out, looking over the railing at the floor. The girls moved quick and lively from the bar to their tables, confidently waiting on the men and women.

My eyes instantly stopped on Brooklyn in that little black dress that hugged her curves perfectly and pushed up her breasts enough to make them almost spill out of the bra.
She was tempting, for sure.

Brooklyn left another bottle with a table of three men in suits and returned to the bar, catching a break.
She chatted with Lily while Cassie was at the other end slaving away. They both looked good at what they were doing. Cassie interacted with the patrons and enjoyed serving their drinks. Meanwhile, Brooklyn's personality was perfect for waiting on the clubgoers. I watched her throw her head back and laugh at one woman's jokes while she avoided someone else's physical advances. My jaw clenched in anger since I'm kind of security but I didn't act on it.

"The new girl, huh? She's gorgeous," Natalie talked when she saw where my focus was.

"How she doing?"

"She's a natural," Natalie confirmed what I thought as well. "Super bubbly, always smiling, and she caught on quick. I mean, she really knows how to get a good tip, if you know what I mean."

I swallowed, not liking the sound of that. "Yeah well don't let her turn out like you, Nat."

She turned her back to the rails and crossed her arms. "You mean escorting? Hey, anything goes. I'm just doing what I can to get ahead in this city. But do I sense a little crush, Noah, on the noob?" Natalie's long red nail waved in my face and I laughed, pushing it away.

I sighed and joined in on Natalie who spied on Brooklyn. We watched the new bottle girl do a spin, throwing her arms up in confusion. Brooks then threw her hair up in a ponytail, looking a little overwhelmed.

"Uh-oh, she's probably looking for me. Talk later?" Natalie proposed in her scratchy voice.

I nodded and watched her switch away down the stairs.

***

After leaving the blue room where the girls danced on the table as Zane discussed business with some new potential clients, I caught Brooklyn leaving the room with Natalie having had successfully delivered some champagne.

As everyone dispersed, I caught Brooklyn's arm again pulled her down the corridor where no one could see or hear us.

"Oh, hi! Nice to meet you, I'm Brooklyn. What's your name again?" She played dumb, putting her hand out for me to shake.

"Brooklyn-"

"Aw, we have the same name!" Brooks continued the act.

I put her arms to her sides and exhaled. "I get it, I should've said something."

"You knew I was going to be working here, didn't you? And you didn't say a word."

"Maybe I wanted to surprise you," I lied.

"Bullshit. Noah, this is weird."

"I know it is, Brooks, but aren't all coincidences?"

The high ponytail swept her shoulders as her head shook. "And for the record, I look great in this dress!"

I chuckled, hanging my head. "You look alright."

She leaned into my body, giving me these bedroom eyes, and bit down on her full lower lip.

"Just alright?" Brooklyn tested, pushing me against a wall.
Next thing I knew, she locked her fingers with mine and smiled at up me.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked, getting a whiff of the alcohol from her lips.

"I just had a couple shots with the guys at this one table, they're a blast!" She giggled, throwing her arms in the air like she was having the time of her life.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Brooklyn," I said, squaring her shoulders so she'd take me seriously.

"No?" Brooklyn moped. She put on this frown and then a second later, yelled, "Too bad!"

I sighed deeply as I followed her out of the corner.

***

All night I tried my hardest to stay away from Brooklyn. Just because we lived in the same place didn't mean we had to be best friends at work, or in real life.

She was doing her thing and I did mine. Gael didn't have work so I was alone for the night.

3 AM

Before leaving, I decided to make myself known to Cassie at the bar. She was small behind the bar and wore something Gael would probably ball tap me if he saw me happen to look at her a second too long. Not that I wanted to look at her in that way, she just seems so conserved it was weird seeing her so exposed.

"Jack and Coke me," I ordered, sitting on a stool.

"Noah?" Cassie asked, her eyes wide like she couldn't believe it was me she was really seeing.

"Hey, Cass. Can we skip the bullshit? Yes, I work here, too. Yes, it's weird. No, I had nothing to do with this." I glazed over the basics, assuming she'd have the same questions and concerns as Brooklyn.

"I'm so over this," she badgered, giving me the drink I requested.

I didn't say thank you, just took it back and checked the time on my phone.

A loud "WOO" caused me to look over at the busy table center-floor.
It was Natalie and Brooklyn cutting up with the customers.

Brooklyn was obviously drunk which Natalie normally would be against but it seemed to be working, and Brooklyn wasn't embarrassing herself.

"Do you like working here?" Cassie asked, cleaning a glass.

I cut my eyes from Brooklyn across the room and glared at Cassie. "I like making money. How's your first day, anything exciting happen, yet?"

Her shoulders popped. "The usual; drunk guys hitting on you, making drinks, you know." I bobbed my head and then turned in the stool.

Catching me look back at Brooklyn, Cassie asked me, "So does Brooke like the job?" The corner of my top lip pulled, twisting my face to match how I felt in response to that dumb ass question.

"Pssh. Ask her for yourself," I grumbled, putting the glass on the bar before walking away.

I'll admit, that was douche-y of me to say, but I just wanted to get home already.

"Good night," Cassie snarled at my rude behavior.

I said, "Night, Cass." In fairness, Cassie didn't deserve my asshole behavior, that's just how I get when I'm mad.

I stepped outside and saw a man kissing a woman wasn't his wife. Working at The Playroom, you learn to mind your business, playing Mr.Nice Guy won't get you anywhere.

Just as I climbed into the driver's seat, I hesitated to pull off.

Brooklyn's pretty messed up, I thought in my head. I should help her out. After all, I am supposed to watch her.

Then I remembered she's in good hands... I think. Natalie is a good friend of mine, we go back a couple years. I doubt her, Venus, or even Cassie will let anything happen to their new precious bottle girl.