The Club Read Online Free Page A

take it on.’
    ‘Worth it, though,’ Vibes said, adding quickly, ‘not that I’m trying to sway you, or anything, but – well, you know. It’s a great place.’
    ‘So you said.’
    ‘Bad habit, repeating myself.’ Vibes flashed her a sheepish grin. Then, shrugging, he said, ‘Suppose I’d best let you get on with it, then. Don’t mind if I just grab a bit of my gear, do you? Only Fabian’s waiting out back to lock up and I don’t want to keep him waiting, ’cos I don’t think he was planning on sticking around.’
    ‘No, go ahead.’
    ‘Right, well, then.’ Another smile. ‘See you later, I guess.’
    Watching as he strolled across the dance floor and tripped lightly up the stairs to the DJ’s booth, Jenna bit her lip thoughtfully. She hadn’t even considered what her decision would mean to the staff. If she sold Zenith they would all be out of a job. But even if she’d wanted to keep it open, she doubted that she’d be able to afford all the work that would be needed to bring the club into the twenty-first century. The decor was hideously old-fashioned, the seating worn and faded, the carpets so manky that she’d bet her feet would stick to them, and the bar was a huge wooden monstrosity with brass hand- and footrails that would have looked more at home in an old back-street pub – which was probably where her dad had picked it up from in the first place. It might look great in the alcohol-glazed atmosphere of night, but in this harsh overhead light it resembled a seedy old working men’s club.
    ‘Er . . . excuse me, but who are you , and how did you get in here?’
    Jumping when she heard the accusing voice behind her, Jenna turned around and saw yet another good-looking man. This one was white, with expensively cut blond hair, slate-grey eyes, and a very good-quality suit.
    Raising an eyebrow when he saw her face, Fabian King’s gaze slid over the rest of her and a slow smile lifted the corner of his lip.
    ‘You must be Fabian?’ Jenna said, looking him in the eye, unamused by his leering.
    His eyebrow went up another notch. ‘How did you know that?’
    ‘Vibes mentioned you.’
    ‘I see.’ Flipping into instant cold mode, Fabian frowned. Vibes had obviously tricked him into coming over, thinking he’d be stupid enough to let him in then get straight off and leave him to his little rendezvous. ‘I suppose he let you in the front door, did he?’ he demanded now, all set to tell her that she could damn well let herself back out the same way.
    ‘No, I let myself in,’ Jenna told him coolly, wondering what it had to do with him.
    Eyes narrowing with suspicion, Fabian drew his head back and peered at her. ‘How?’
    ‘With these.’ Jenna showed him the keys.
    Scrutinising her face for a moment longer, Fabian clicked his fingers. ‘You must be Jim’s daughter?’
    A flicker of a frown crossed Jenna’s brow. She had never in her life heard anybody shorten her dad’s name to Jim, and it didn’t sound at all right. But then, maybe he’d liked it – who knew? There were plenty of things she hadn’t known about him, it seemed.
    ‘So, how are you?’ Fabian asked, in a sympathetic if you need to talk, I’m your man tone. ‘Funeral go all right?’
    ‘I’m fine,’ she told him guardedly, not liking the sudden switch from cold suspicion to warm familiarity. ‘And it went as well as we could have hoped, thanks.’
    ‘Sorry I couldn’t make it,’ he went on, as if he’d been invited – which he hadn’t, because she didn’t even know who he was. ‘I would have loved to have been there, but there was too much to do over here, I’m afraid. And, knowing your dad, he’d have preferred me to get this place sorted than to waste time saying goodbye to a coffin.’
    ‘Mmm,’ Jenna murmured, thinking that his choice of words was a little insensitive, even if she did agree with what he’d said. Her dad had put the club first in life, so why wouldn’t he in death?
    Pity he