Shades of Sydney (PUBLISHED ON AMAZON)

Chapter One

Seeing the line wrapped around the building of Club Purple made me smile. Usually a lot of people waiting to get into the club pissed me off because I would have to wait with them. Except tonight I was VIP.

My best friend, Amelia, hooked her arm through mine and gave the line a nervous look. "We have to wait in that?" she whined.

"No, I'm on the list and you're my plus one. Come on."

I towed her with me as we cut to the front. The heat of eyes on my back made me hold my head higher and add sway to my hips. People muttered insults and gave us dirty looks. I gave them a smirk to show I didn't give a damn.

The bouncer's shoulders were wider than my entire body. He took in my profile. My breasts were pushed up by a black leather corset with a matching miniskirt. To seem more rock chick, I threw on some black boots and silver chain necklaces. I pulled Amelia to my side. He frowned at her, not impressed by her short gray dress with three inch heels. She didn't rate "sex kitten" to club standards.

"Sydney West and my guest," I said proudly.

He looked at the paper on his clipboard and nodded. "Go in."

We walked into a wall of music. The room shook and people danced everywhere: on the floor, the stage, cages, and even on top of the bar. It was like they were being pulled by strings and were no longer human beings. The lack of air in the room was uncomfortable at first, like having a blanket over your head for too long, but I got used to it.

Worming our way to the bar, I avoided people dancing with drinks in their hand. I'd hate to have to smack someone down because their drink ended up on me.

Sitting at the end of the counter, I waved over the bald bartender.

"What will it be?" he asked, leaning closer to hear my answer.

"Whiskey, neat."

He nodded and looked at Amelia, who was sitting next to me. "And you?"

She fingered the hem of her dress and looked at the rows of liquor behind him. "Strawberry daiquiri, please."

He poured me a whiskey in a glass tumbler. I downed it in seconds and waved for another when he gave Amelia her drink. I paid him and he left to wait on the other customers.

"Do you wanna dance?" I shouted over the music.

Amelia stirred her drink and licked the whipped cream off the straw. "Yes. Let me taste this first," she said, sipping the contents of her drink. "Mmm, I love this."

I scanned the dance floor, looking for flies to catch in my spider web. Amelia drank like she could only afford one drink for the night. It annoyed me.

"Down that thing so we can join in," I said, motioning to the sweaty, writhing bodies on the dance floor.

She scrunched up her nose as she sucked the drink down. "Whoa, brain freeze," she said, holding her forehead.

A sinister grin curled my lip. "I'll finish it for you."

My friend handed me the glass and it was gone in a matter of seconds. She slipped off the bar stool and gave me a once over. "I don't know how you can drink like that."

"Years of practice," I replied, dragging her to the heart of the party.

"Though this year, you don't need a fake ID," Amelia said, laughing.

I shrugged. "With these," I puffed out my chest, making my breasts poke out more, "no one really asked, but yes, it's good to not worry about making a fake ID anymore for those places that follow rules." My skin crawled at the mention of rules.