ADAM

It seems that Erin decided to come to the club earlier than usual and I'm glad that I didn't have to interrupt my work to pick her up. I had a terrible night, twisting and turning in my bed when an irritating cough wasn't waking me up. My primary responsibility is to run a profitable business and that means making sure my employees work under healthy and safe conditions.

I don't know what Duncan is capable of, but I don't want to find out either. When we went this morning to pick Imogen's stuff from her apartment, it seemed as if he had spent the night elsewhere. We worked fast to pack her clothes and a few personal possessions in bags and brought them to Rory's apartment. It was shocking to see the bruise he left on her and I had to hold my tongue, because none of the words in my head for him were kind. I tried to match Imogen's positive mood and not let myself go off on a rant.

She'll be okay with Rory and being close to the club means I can give her a ride to the apartment when her shift is over. I would have offered her to stay with me also, any of us would have done the same, but my studio only has one bedroom.

"Did you sleep at all?" Erin comes up the stairs and sets her laptop on the table I'm working at.

"Some. Getting the news about Imogen was unsettling. You?"

"I did, even when Sam slept next to me. He was the one who had a rotten night," she sits in front of me and starts to open a folder.

"Sam? Our Sam? You and Sam?"

"Oh, don't be an idiot. We were talking on my bed about what happened between Imogen and Duncan and passed out. It's been a long time since I had sex."

I place my hands on my ears and hum loudly, because the fact that my sister has had sex still perturbs me.

"Fuck off!" She pulls my hands off my ears. "You have been too overprotective lately and is driving me nuts!"

I have no other choice. Seeing Erin hurt and vulnerable on the night of her attack broke my heart. It felt as if I got hurt together with her. I love my sister and I'll do anything to make sure she's okay.

"I'm sorry. Too many things in my head. Will you clear the air with Noah? I don't know exactly what happened between you two, but that last set was odd."

"Is he here?"

"Not yet, he had a few client projects this morning."

"Good, because I still need to gather my thoughts. You know I love Noah a lot, as much as I love Sam, and I feel terrible that I can't reciprocate his feelings. That's pretty much what happened."

"That's shit for him, but I completely understand how you feel."

The annoying irritation in my wind pipe returns and before bursting into a cough I grab the inhaler from my bag. Erin has a worried look in her face as I take the medicine.

"Are you getting ill again?"

"I'm not sick. Stop looking at me like that, Erin. I'm only preventing going into a cough fit."

"When was the last time you saw a doctor?"

"I don't need to go to the doctor for this. It's a waste of time to hear him say what I know I have since I was born."

"I wish you weren't so stubborn. Everyone is worried about you. You look like shit."

"Gee, thanks, I love you too."

"I'm being serious."

"Well, if everyone wants to take care of everything I need to do or think about to keep this place running I can have the luxury of resting."

"You are one big controlling asshole. We all want to take responsibilities from you, but you won't allow it. Noah and I are as capable as you to run this place. So maybe you should talk to that peanut brain of yours and convince it that others can also do things well."

"And who will keep things running when you two are playing in your little band?"

Erin's eyes widen first and then turn into slits. I went too far.

"Little band... Is that the way you see our work? Child's play? I appreciate your honesty. So if Moon Rocks stops at all, will your little club be as packed?"

Her voice has an icy tone that freaks me out.

"Erin... I didn't mean it like that. Don't mind me, I have too much going on and can't have you pissed at me as well. The band is one of the biggest reasons people come to the club. I'm really, really sorry."

"Give me the sales report of yesterday," she says dryly.

"But I'm about to..."

Knowing it will turn into an argument if I don't comply, I hand her the papers and she logs in to our administration program. I consider what I should do next. Going home and taking a nap sounds reasonable. I let out a deep breath and a soft but audible whistle comes out of my lungs. She looks at me for a moment, raises an eyebrow and returns to her work.

"Adam, everyone is here," Noah says from the stairs.

"Oh, you are here already. Did you finish your project so quickly?" I ask and he nods before going downstairs without additional words.

Erin stares at his back and shakes her head. "Is this a staff meeting?"

"Yeah, we need a plan about Duncan."

Erin and I join the group downstairs. Everyone from the kitchen, waiting staff, as well as the cleaning crew, our musicians, and the security guys are here. Imogen gave me permission to share what happened. I contacted some of our team while bringing her stuff to Rory's apartment with the request to spread to everyone else the need for an urgent meeting.

"Thank you all for coming here so early and without much notice. Imogen got physically hurt yesterday by her boyfriend Duncan," I say while looking at her and feel surprised not seeing the bruise on her face. "We need all eyes and ears, especially by the front door and the service entrance in the kitchen, because from now on, Duncan is forbidden to enter the club or be anywhere near Imogen. There are arrest and restriction orders against him. We are still waiting to hear from the police if they have been able to find him."

Imogen looks at the phone in her hand and shakes her head.

"We have a photo collage that we will place next to the doors and at the bouncer booth in case you get any doubts on whether it is him. Guys, I need you to be really strict in controlling the male ID cards," I look at the security guys who nod. "When in doubt, just turn on the warning light switch at the booth and one of us will come to assess the situation."

What sounded like a crazy idea from Erin at the time, turned out to be a blessing. Walkie-talkies or a PA system in a loud place like this are pointless, and a color-coded lights system notifies us if help is needed or food is ready.

"If you have any additional ideas, please let us know. Have a coffee at the bar and I'll compensate you for an hour of your time for being here so early. Thanks again."

I have a quick chat with the security guys to let them in the detail that Imogen is pregnant and to keep an eye on her if she feels unwell. The rest of the group gathers in front of the bar where many of them help serve coffee and pass out cookies. Erin and I head upstairs again and after going through the papers, she stares at her laptop.

"Are we really almost out of beer?" She frowns at her screen.

"We have enough for today, but I have a backup plan."

Rory stands next to us with two shot glasses in his hands that he hands to us. The liquid in them is light pink and smells like lemon and what is that... Cranberry?

"What is this? And why are we drinking so early?" Erin asks.

Rory chuckles. "Take a small sip, don't drink it in one go."

We do as instructed. It's very sweet and I can taste vodka, but further than that it doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary.

"How is this the backup plan?" I ask.

"Because this is Moonlight," he grins.

Erin and I look at each other. Rory has lost his marbles.

"Ro, we need more than a name to understand." Erin says.

Rory takes a little black-light device out of his back pocket, the one we use to control the club's hand stamp, and moves it on top of the glasses.

"It glows!" Erin says with a mix of awe and delight.

"We might be running out of beer, but we have a shitload of vodka and tonic water in the storage. If we install a few of the UV lights we use for Halloween I can run a special tonight."

"It's genius! When did you think of this?" I take the light again and move it over my glass. The liquid glows an eerie light blue, moonlight in a glass.

"I have been toying with the idea for a few weeks now. Some clubs and restaurants have signature drinks like margaritas and so. I thought, why not have our own? I checked my mixing books and found a section on glow-in-the-dark drinks. The challenge was to make it look elegant and not like a creepy mad scientist lab drink. If you agree to it, I can ask Noah to help me install the lights by the bar."

"I say go for it and I'm sure it will be a hit with the ladies. What do you think Adam?"

"Definitely go for it and if it works out, we can make it our signature drink. Can Imogen make the chalk sign?"

"She is working on it as we speak," he grins. "I knew you would be sold out on the idea."

Rory returns downstairs and Erin watches me.

"What?"

"This is an example of how we can contribute to make your life easier. You become obsessed with fixing the main problem and don't consider the alternatives. I agree with you that we need a new beer service because their delays are causing us problems, but let me think things through with you."

I only nod. She is morethan right, but I have my pride and won't admit it out loud.