Attainment

I hang up the phone and turn back to face the crowd, even more pissed off to see the numbers practically doubling. What shits me further is that the male to female ratio is not in my favour. I don’t fucking need any more dick-heavy men in Alexis’ proximity.

“Bryce, you ready now?” Derek asks, looking annoyed.

I hold up my finger. “Just give me a minute.”

Before we begin our next song, I quickly call Lisa who is on door-entry this evening.

“Opals Nightclub, Lisa speaking.”

“Lisa, it’s Mr. Clark.”

“Oh, yes, Sir. How can I help you?”

“Tell whoever is manning the door that the ratio is off. Limit the men for the next hour then get them to do another summary.”

“Sorry, Sir. I will tell Tony now.”

“Good. Thank you, Lisa.”

I hang up the phone once again and find Alexis watching me, concern on her face. Wanting to ease her mind, I make my way to the edge of the stage and squat down.

“What’s wrong, Hunny?”

“You look agitated. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine. I just had to arrange a few things.”

“Okay, but this is your Buck’s night, too. I want you to enjoy yourself.”

“I will,” I reassure her, lightly tapping her nose with my finger. “But first I want to watch your reaction to the next song.”

She smiles that earth-shattering smile I love so much. “Ooo, what is it?”

Waggling my eyebrows at her, I stand back up. She runs her tongue along the top row of her teeth while her eyes travel the length of my jeans. It has me wanting to abandon the night and take her back to our apartment.

“Alexis,” I growl in warning, her look indicating her inner salacious thoughts.

“What? I’m waiting,” she shouts in response, now smiling innocently.

I’ll give her waiting.

Before nodding toward Lucy to begin the song, I notice Joey enter the room. I acknowledge him with a swift lift of my chin as he proceeds to stand not too far from Alexis’ position. Just having him here now puts my mind at ease a little.

Taking another step back, I wink at Luce, and just like the time we played in Shepparton, she and Derek are the only ones illuminated by light as she begins to play the piano in “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses.

Alexis—standing at the very front of the stage—blows a kiss in my direction, cementing the fact that I was right when choosing to re-enact this performance for her—I knew she’d love it.

Just like the time before, when I performed this song to Alexis with the sole message that I would wait as long as it took for her to realise that we were perfect for each other, I once again serenade her during the guitar solos, even showing off and kissing her passionately while still playing like the freak that I am.

I’m normally not one to show-off or flaunt my talents and wealth like an unappreciative flog. But playing the guitar is something I’m good at, really good at. It’s also something my father was extremely proud of and told me to always go hard at. And it was because of Dad that I had learned to play in the first place. He had given me lessons from the ripe age of four, he too being a brilliant musician. Music ran in our family, my Grandmother had been a violinist, and apparently her aunty had been an opera singer.

When I was ten years old and Lucy six, we used to sit around the lounge room and play our instruments. Mum loved the piano and could voice a fairly good tune, in fact, we all had a natural love for music; a passion for producing a melodic sound. It was those particular memories that stood out to me the most, being some of the happiest times in my life.

I, too, want those times for my family, to sit around and teach Brayden, Nate, and Charli—if they want—to play an instrument. I’d love nothing more than to sit back and listen to them harmonise with each other while Alexis sings. It’s one of my family traditions I hope to uphold.

Finishing off the song, and standing on top of the piano as a tribute to Slash, I wink at my woman. The twinkle in her eyes is all that is needed to know that the complete over the top act I have just displayed was worth it—my sole reason for now playing the guitar on stage, purely for her. Alexis’ reaction is all that matters to me.

“Okay, ladies and gents. We have one final song to play for this evening then we are off to celebrate our leading guitarist’s final night out as a bachelor. Yes ladies, I’m sorry to inform you, but my man, Bryce, in just a few short weeks, will be marrying this beautiful lady in front of him,” Derek says boldly, gesturing toward Alexis.

She raises her hands and I nearly have a fit. The dress she is wearing is strapless and should not be worn by someone who raises their hands, especially Alexis. Not knowing what else to do, I jump down off the stage and wrap my arms around her, covering her nearly exposed chest.

She happily welcomes my embrace and drapes her hands around my neck. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I say back, before taking her mouth with my own.

“Oh, alright you two, hurry up,” Derek complains as the crowd wolf whistles.

I separate my mouth from hers and whisper into her ear. “As much as I love to see your tits, my love, please keep your hands below shoulder level, no one else needs to see them.”

Kissing her cheek quickly while she gives me a puzzled look, I pull away and climb back on stage. As I turn around, I notice an angered expression on her face, and her arms now folded across her chest. Before I can jump back down and ask her what’s wrong. Lucy and Will begin playing the intro to “You’re the Voice” by John Farnham, and I have no choice but to stand there and wonder what the fuck is wrong with her. I just saved her from flashing the crowd. Surely that’s a good thing.

By the time Derek starts singing the pre-chorus, her frown has disappeared and she is enjoying the song with her friends. In fact, now that I’m no longer focussed on her change of character, I become notably aware that the entire club is fully engrossed in our performance.

It really shouldn’t surprise me, this is, after all, a great song; an iconic song. And it dawns on me, as I take in the patrons swaying and singing along, that I should’ve bloody ignored Derek and gone with a live bagpipe player, it would’ve been perfect. Fucking Derek!

Winding down the song, and playing the coda till the end, I smile and sigh with relief that our set is finally over. As much as I adore playing the guitar—especially for Alexis—I want nothing more than to spend some time wrapped around her gorgeous body. Not only for the sheer fucking delight and feel of her in my arms, but also for the intent to shield her from the many sets of perverted eyes I have spotted around the room.

“Thanks guys,” I say to the band. “She loved it.”

“Glad my percussion talents have assisted in you getting your dick wet tonight,” Will offers as he pats me on the back. “Now, let’s hope they do the same for me.”

He jumps off the stage and heads toward Carly’s friend.

“Has Will got a thing goin’ on with Carly’s friend?” I ask.

“Her name is Libby,” Derek answers. “And yeah, kind of...he hopes to, anyway.”

I inwardly smile to myself, enjoying the fact that Will too, seems to have taken a liking to someone who doesn’t resemble an eighteen year-old.

“So where are we headed next?” I ask with not much enthusiasm.

“You’ll see. Come on, pack up your axe. We’re goin’.”

* * *

After putting my guitar away, I make my way down from the stage and head toward Alexis. Her back is to me, and her arms are propped on top of a bar table. She is bent over just a little, and I can’t help but stare at her legs, especially the one which is gently rubbing up and down the back of her calf muscle.

As I begin to stalk my prey, I am approached by a couple of women.

“You were so good up there,” one of them says with a suspect smile. “How long have you been