The Beach Club

12. Alvaro

    

It's almost a quarter past nine and I've not seen any sight of Poppy and her cheap friend. Foam scatters and sprays and dances across the club in huge quantities. I'm trying to focus on the drinks and the music and the other customers, but it's so fucking hard when I've got my eyes set on the entrance at every waking minute looking for an out-of-this-world brunette to walk through.

     I shake my head just as I ready myself to give up for the night. Tomorrow will be another day and I won't let her slip through my fingers so easily. And if Poppy's not here tonight, then what godforsaken club has she ended up at? I roll my eyes just as Diego starts to grind against another desperate soul that we wouldn't even consider for the business. "Estúpido," I curse under my breath. It's true though, Diego truly is an idiot.

      I reach behind the bar for a beer and pop off the cap just as a golden-blonde haired girl slides her wet arms around my torso. I enjoy it for only a second, before I put on my best false smile and shrug her off. There's only one set of arms I want around me tonight and it isn't hers. Fuck. I hate feeling like this. I just can't seem to shake off the effect Poppy has on me. Not only that, but she is incredibly valuable, and she doesn't even realise it.

     Jose rocks up to the club just an hour later, his body draped with designer attire. He discretely snarls at the realisation that he needs to walk head on through a fucking foam party, and I internally snigger. A cigarette rests between his lips and he merely nods my way, before he swiftly makes it to the back office. I follow him quickly, down the stairs and through the murky corridor, knowing our Uncle's patience isn't one to be challenged.

       "What do you have for me?" Jose asks without even looking my way, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard lay on the wooden desk. It's too dark down here, but the office sits under the club, so windows aren't an option. The bulb hanging from a thin wire will have to do.

    I pull up a steel chair. "Two girls. British. One is, well...fucking incredible. Daddy's girl. Pure. Pretty as fuck. She will make us wealthy."

      "Excelente," he murmurs. "Escala de tiempo?"

    Timeline. Of course he wants an ETA.

     I roll my shoulders. "Soon. I thought she'd be here tonight."

      "And she is not?"

    I shake my head. "No. I will see her again. She will come back if it's the last thing she does."

    Jose exhales all too obviously. "And her friend?"

     "Like every other girl on this fucking island. Pretentious. Big tits though. Slim body. Tall. Someone will pay."

     Jose runs his hand across his close-shaved beard, his dark eyes glistening with a hint of contemplation. He stubs out the last of his cigarette and blows the fumes around the small room. "Get it done," he says harshly, shutting off the laptop. "Make sure she comes back."

     I nod apprehensively. "I promise."

    With that, Jose clicks his tongue and starts scrolling about on his phone. When I sense that he has a call to make, I make my way back up to the club, stopping short when the sight of Poppy and her friend come into view.

     The air seems to suck itself from my lungs at the same time a huge jolt of electricity rides through my veins. She's here. She's fucking here. I sense the smile that's growing across my cheeks, but to hell if I care. Poppy's here and that's all that matters.

     I drink her in. She stands awkwardly next to that friend of hers that already looks like she's drank herself past the point of reasoning. Not that she probably had any form of reasoning to begin with, but my assumption is that she acts solely on impulse. Poppy, however, she looks perfect and proper and delicate. Innocent like a little dove dressed in a white floaty dress that elegantly emphasises the bust of her perky breasts. My tongue darts to my lip, the sight of Poppy's free, silk brunette hair dancing in the warm wind, her dark, gorgeously captivating eyes dancing around the space. Fuck, she is a whole new realm of attractive tonight.

I turn abruptly when someone nudges my back. At the realisation of my uncle stood behind me, I hide my smile. He, however, is smiling like he's just realised something huge. Perhaps he has.

"That's the chica, huh?" Jose places another cigarette between his lips before his back leans against the bar. His eyes train on Poppy, and it suddenly becomes all too obvious how he believes that, like I, Poppy may be one of our most valuable conquests of yet. "You did good, Alvaro. Fucking good."

I smile with smugness. Diego joins my side and drapes his wet arm across my shoulder. "It was me too, Boss."

"The fuck it was," I counter. "But fine. If you want to take credit for that cheap whore then I'm not stopping you."

Diego laughs with a hint of malice. "We take the rocks with the diamonds, brother. Believe me, Zara is important."

I grimace and bite my lip. As much as I hate to admit it, Diego is right. Zara is influential over Poppy, and, even though she is a one hundredth of what Poppy is worth, she is still of great significance to this operation. Poppy and her come together, that much is true.

"Enough niños," Jose barks. "You work as a team. Finish the job." He straightens the collar of his tie and heads out the club, though not without discreetly taking a final glance up and down the petite body of Poppy. My jealousy cranks up a notch.

    After I'm sure Jose has left the vicinity, Diego and I exchange a fleeting glance that tells each other that we have work to do. Without hesitation, Diego smiles and straightens the collar of his white shirt that's now almost transparent thanks to the lashings of foam flying from machines at each corner of the premises. He narrows his eyes and makes way to Zara, who practically falls head over heels at the realisation that her love interest has returned to her feet. Nevertheless, I appreciate the distraction, because when I catch how Poppy stands idly by when Diego and Zara engage in a welcome kiss, I know it's my turn to save Poppy.

     Tonight, I will be everything she needs me to be, before she is everything I need her to be.