Chapter 3

Talon POV

the club's music thrummed through Talon’s body, pounding into his chest like a heartbeat the second he stepped through the main doors.

People were scattered everywhere, crowding the dance floor, bar, and even the spaces in the corner where he’d set up high tables for couples to enjoy their more intimate conversations.

Ever since he’d opened the doors to Midnight Mates, his turnout rate had been through the roof. Every single night, they were running out of their top-shelf liquor while people danced themselves into the ground.

Even their VIP section had been booming, with high- class clientele returning on a frequent basis.

He had to say it was a rather successful endeavor, this pet project he’d decided on pursuing, despite the strange looks he’d received from his family when he’d brought up the concept a little over a year ago.

Because to them, what the city of Chicago really didn’t need was one more nightclub on the main strip. Which, Talon supposed, was fair considering they were a dime a dozen. But his baby was different. This place catered to those who never had a place to cater to the whims and desires of all kinds of shifters.

He’d made sure to take care of that need, unlike the rest of the clubs throughout this entire city.

As he headed toward the back of the club where the security room was located, a few women from the bar gave him the eye. Normally, it would’ve been enough to distract him into going over and welcoming them to his place, but today he simply just didn’t have it in him.

Passing by the high tables, another woman reached out and brushed his arm, a sultry “hey stranger” falling out of her perfectly painted lips. He glanced over, assessing her.

Did I … sleep with her recently?

He honestly couldn’t tell at this point. The faces all blended together after a certain number, and from then on, he couldn’t be bothered to keep up with his own revolving door.

Ignoring her, he continued toward the key-coded door that read EMPLOYEES ONLY on the front. He swiped the badge attached to his belt loop over the scanner and popped the door open once it unlocked. Stepping into the cool room, Talon let the door shut behind him. Deadening the music altogether. He rubbed a finger around his ear, wincing as it rang from the sudden change in volume.

“Hey,”

Talon looked over and spotted Gage bent over the dozens of security screens, all with varying angles of the floor and VIP section. His eyes danced over the screens, scanning each one for any nefarious activities. Talon walked over to him.

“What’s up?”

Gage shrugged and clicked on one of the feeds, zooming in on a couple getting hot and heavy in the corner of the club.

It made Talon snort. “You should’ve told me you wanted me to bring you dinner if you were in the mood for a show.” Gage clicked off of the couple and grinned back at him.

“You’re so sweet to me sometimes, Tal.”

Talon rolled his eyes.

“Anything exciting happening?”

“Nah. But some girl did manage to throw up all over Draco’s DJ stand.”

That made him snort. “You send Leo over to clean it up?”

Gage clicked on the feed that was directly over Draco’s booth and zoomed in. Both he and Leo were bent over with a mop in each of their hands and disdain written all over their faces. Draco’s turntables flashed bright colors to the beat of the music, shadowing them both in funky colors as they cleaned.

“They’ve been at it for ten minutes.” “Jesus, how much did the girl upchuck?”

Gage snickered. “Let’s just say that she was taking full advantage of our app specials.”

“Remind me to get rid of the kitchen in the back, then.”

Gage smacked his hip. “Don’t you dare! Those mozz sticks have saved my life countless nights being stuck in here.”

Talon glanced down at him. “I can always send you to the floor and switch you out with Leo if you’re that bored.”

“Don’t you dare.”

He smirked. “Be careful what you complain about.”

Gage groaned. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re a bastard?”

He reached out and ruffled the bear shifter’s hair.

“Too many times to count. But how else am I going to keep up my reputation?”

“Har, har.”

Moving back from the security desk, Talon nodded to the screens.

“Let me know if anything else happens.” “You got it, boss.”

At that, Talon left out the back door to a quiet hallway that stretched around the perimeter of the building. It gave him a little bit of extra time to collect himself before stepping onto the busy floor.

Normally, roaming the floor excited him. He enjoyed being in the midst of hundreds of people entwined together for only a night of wild fun and pleasure. It was that kind of environment that made his usually mundane existence feel vibrant and bright.

But over the past few weeks, it’d been becoming duller and duller, like the glitz and glam of owning a successful club had worn off, and now that there was nothing left to strive for, it bored him.

He’d been so busy making his club the number one spot in the city, chasing the high that came with winning, that now that it was all said and done, everything just felt flat again.

It was something his sister had given him a look over when he’d mentioned opening up this club in the first place. She knew him better than he probably knew himself, and maybe she suspected that Talon was simply chasing an unattainable high.

But whatever the case was, it was fucking annoying.

Pushing the emergency exit door open, Talon stepped into the club, catching Leo headed his way, dragging a mop and bucket behind him.

“How was clean-up duty?”

Leo shook his head. “Humans are fucking gross.” “You got that right.”

His general manager merely shook his head and tucked the mop and bucket into the corner, away from the sweaty bodies lingering closer and closer to them.

“Everything’s all ready, though.”

Talon nodded. “Good. Let’s head over then.”

The VIP section was only around the corner and was roped off to the normal parties that frequented the main part of the club.

Talon’s clientele in the VIP section ranged from affluent businessmen to shifter royalty, and while he didn’t care how they liked to mingle with potential partners, he’d rather they were kept separate from the rest of the drunken idiots out on the floor.

The bouncer standing at the front of the section nodded to them and immediately unclipped the rope, allowing them to pass through easily.

A voice caught their attention the moment they made their way into the section.

“You’re here!”

A woman, one who Talon didn’t exactly recognize, strutted over and flashed him a smile. She was wearing a skin-tight dress that hugged every curve, with deep cut- outs that showed off her entire back and a slit all the way up to her hip.

He ran his eyes over her, noting that she definitely wasn’t wearing anything under that piece of fabric she called a dress.

Her arms wrapped around his tightly as she pressed herself into his side, molding against him and rubbing him with her body.

Normally, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity to get in a quick lay before he needed to go back to work. Even Leo was stepping away to give him space in case Talon wanted to sweep her over his shoulder and carry her off to one of the private rooms.

But he just … didn’t … want to.

It was the strangest feeling he’d ever felt in his entire life, honestly.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she went on. “I missed you.” Bemused, he smiles a little. “Did you?”

She nodded quickly and flashed him another pretty smile. The kind that would usually get him hard and ready to go.

He looked down at himself. Nothing.

Huh …

“Well, unfortunately,” He wiggled his arm out of her grip. “I’ve got things to do, so you better find someone else to keep you company tonight.”

She blinked up at him in surprise. Even Leo gave him a weird look.

Before she could argue with him, though, he side- stepped her and continued on into the VIP section, leaving the woman rooted to her spot, dumbstruck.

Leo quickly caught up with him a moment later. “You okay, boss?”

He raised a brow at his general manager. “Yeah? Why?”

Leo gave him a frown. “Never seen you turn someone down like that. You know there’s nothing urgent going on. I’ve got it covered if you want to go take a break.”

He snorted. Is that what it came down to nowadays?

Taking a break? How sad.

“I’m good, Leo. She wasn’t my type.”

The shifter chuckled. “Wasn’t aware you had one.”

That made him roll his eyes, but he didn’t bother rebutting it. Honestly, it wasn’t like Leo was exaggerating. Looking at his personal life from the outside, it really did seem like Talon fucked anything that moved and had a nice smile. Which, he supposed, might have been where he’d gone wrong in the first place.

However, the only thing that was more annoying was that he seemed to be growing bored of not just his hobby but with his sex life too.

How fucking sad. A playboy getting bored of women throwing themselves at him. How pretentious can I even get at this point?

It made him shake his head.

Rounding to the private bar, Talon stopped and clapped Leo on the shoulder. “I’m going to take a break on the roof for a bit. Let me know if any of you need anything, and I’ll be right down.”

Leo gave him another strange look. “Yeah … sure, boss.

Whatever you need.”

He knew that he was probably speaking in tongues to the lion shifter, but he really couldn’t be damned to explain his (seemingly) existential crisis. Because, for one, he’d probably look actually insane. And two, he didn’t want to seem like he was complaining about the fortune he’d stumbled into.

Talon had always considered himself to be privileged in that sense, but knowing about it and bragging about it were two separate issues, and he wasn’t willing to let his own pity party spill over into spoken reality.

“I’ll see you in a bit.”

He nodded and bid the shifter goodbye. He headed over to the unlabeled door at the farthest end of the room behind the half partition. Talon climbed the steps to the roof and breathed in the crisp night air, letting it fill his lungs and relax his body.

He hadn't realized how tense he’d been. Now his body was starting to unwind and actually chill. He spotted one of the lounge chairs Draco had dragged up here one day with the excuse of it being good for relaxing during sets.

They all knew it was just a convenient excuse for the dragon shifter to have a spot to sunbathe on hot-as-balls days, but hey, who were they to judge, really?

Flopping down onto the chair, Talon pulled out his phone to check his messages and noticed he had one from his sister.

Immediately opening it, he read it quickly.

Guess what! I sent a few girls your way for the VIP lounge, so be nice to them! Also, one of them is someone special. I think you’ll like her ;). Have fun!

He snorted and clicked out of the text thread. His sister always had a penchant for trying to play matchmaker with him, and, despite her best efforts, it never worked.

Mostly due to the fact that he was a stubborn bastard and didn’t exactly see the value in having a relationship. But that was beside the point.

He sighed, leaned back into the lounge chair, and propped his feet up on the footrest. The Chicago skyline was beautiful this time of night and gave him that kind of kid-like nostalgia that reminded him of the simpler times in his life. Back when he barely had any worries or cares in the world.

I wish I could go back to that time …

He closed his eyes and let himself drift.