“Who?” Matt asked.
“Dante. The guy Lauren has been dying to sleep with for three weeks, ever since she and I started going to T,” Alex said matter-of-factly.
“How many times have you seen him?” Matt asked.
“Three or four,” Lauren replied.
“Does he know you’re interested?”
“Yes, unless he’s one of those ridiculously gorgeous-but-stupid types. I haven’t been dropping hints as much as anvils.”
“Maybe he’s gay.”
Alex and Lauren both laughed as one. “No way,” they chimed in unison.
“How do you know?”
“Girls just know,” Lauren replied, and Alex nodded in agreement. “Besides, that hasn’t stopped me before. Anyway, I dunno what his problem is, but tonight’s the night. I’ve decided I am getting laid. One way or another, I’ll be in his bed or he’ll be in mine.”
The TV volume had jumped. Alex saw Matt put down the remote, concentrating on the screen. Something the news anchor was saying had caught his attention. “Authorities are still no closer to unravelling the brutal murder that occurred late yesterday at the Shakedown Bar near Sydney Fish Markets. A baffling case that Senior Sergeant Robert Young described as ‘the worst he had ever seen’. Todd Wilson has more—”
“All right, Musketeers! Let’s go,” Lauren said, finally finishing her makeup and slinging her handbag over her shoulder.
“Wait up. I want to listen to this,” Matt called.
“…violent slash marks across the throat—”
“What for?” Lauren asked impatiently.
“You do realise this happened less than twenty minutes’ walk from where we are going tonight?”
“Do you honestly believe you’re going to get attacked surrounded by people in a club? Grow a pair, Matt. We’re late.”
“Calm down, babe. Jeez,” Alex said. “The place has only been open fifteen minutes anyway.”
Lauren had already gone out the door and headed down the stairs.
“My dad’s mate owns that pub. I hope he’s ok,” Matt said.
“Surely you would’ve heard something if he wasn’t?” Alex asked, scratching his forearm absently.
“Yeah. Fuck it. Let’s go.” Matt switched off the TV. “She’s a bitch when she’s on heat, ain’t she?”
Alex smiled apologetically. Matt responded with a half-hearted scowl. “Will you ever stop apologising for her?”
Alex leant in and kissed him. “Probably not.”
Matt took a deep breath. Alex guessed he was contemplating what to say, but whatever it was, he shook it out of his head. “Did you say fifteen minutes?” Matt asked, checking his watch. “How stupid do you have to be to open a place so late, only to close it before dawn? I mean, how do they make any money?”
Alex smiled again. “You’ll see.”
Chapter Two
The T Club
“Christ almighty!” Matt exclaimed as the cab pulled up opposite T.
“Told you so,” Alex said.
The line to enter T was a hundred meters long. Two bouncers guarded the door at the start of the line. Neither held a clipboard or seemed to be engaging the waiting throng with friendly banter like he was accustomed to seeing. Stereotypical “big black guys” usually seen at bigger joints, like hotels and the casino. They reminded Alex of the British palace guards that are forbidden to move.
Both of them were barrel-chested, with their hands folded in front of them and as still as statues. It was a cool night, and the club was like a beacon of light compared to the surrounding streets.
“Looks like right here is the best place to get you three in. I’ll have to go around the roundabout and come back otherwise,” said the cab driver.
Matt handed the guy two red twenty-dollar notes. “Thanks, man. This will be fine.”
The three got out and waited for the traffic to thin before they crossed the street. Finally spotting an opening, they hurried towards the club, several car horns beeping at them. Alex distinctly heard “lucky prick” shouted to Matt from one of the passing cars, and couldn’t resist a wave. Matt and Alex headed to the end of the line before Alex realised Lauren wasn’t with them. She was in fact, heading straight for the bouncers.
“Babe?” Alex called.
“Watch this,” Lauren mouthed. Lauren made her voice go girly as she approached them. “Excuse me, we are friends of Dante. Could we maybe cut in?”
Alex had seen Lauren’s sweet-little-girl act before, usually reserved for traffic cops when she got caught speeding. It seemed so fake, but to this day, she had never received a ticket. Whether Alex liked Lauren’s act or not, it always seemed to work for her.
Not tonight, though.
“Yeah, yeah. Everyone says they are friends of Dante’s. End of the line.”
“Oh, come on,” Lauren tried again, flipping her hair and flashing her smile. “We’ve never had to line up before. You can’t let us in…please?”
“End of the line, sweetie.”
Alex watched as Lauren’s whole demeanour changed from sweet to sour. She had known Lauren for years and she was the sister she’d have chosen, if family members could be selected. But Alex wasn’t especially fond of Lauren’s pouty attitude when things didn’t go her way.
“Sweetie? What’s your problem?” Lauren barked, as if the bouncer had personally attacked her.
Alex took her by the arm. “Come on, hun.”
Lauren let Alex lead her away, but still yelled at the bouncers. “Don’t even know a good customer when you see one? You two deserve a fucking raise!”
“Loz, shhh. Don’t worry. If he’s not here, we can come back another night.”
“Bullshit! I want cock,” she retorted, walking side-by-side with Alex along the line, not bothering to lower her voice. Alex heard Matt click his tongue in contempt.
“Don’t worry, darl. You can have mine anytime!” shouted a guy in the waiting crowd, grabbing his crotch as she passed.
Alex and Lauren found the speaker at the same time and looked him up and down. Bleached blonde hair,
