“Hey Finny boy, tequila, you in or you going for a piss?” Kyle calls out behind me loading his question with the silent search of my intentions for this evening.

I glance back at him, answering mindlessly, “Yeah, man.” When I look back, she’s still there. Looking. Just looking. No smile. No scowl. Just looking at me like there’s something compelling her to do so. The light catches her lip ring and my eyes roam the length of her body like a hungry man that’s been starved for weeks, no, months. She gives off something that makes my hormones run rampant, like an unbalanced teenager. Only I’m fully aware that I’m a grown man and I know exactly what I want to do to her. God, what I would do to her. She’s dressed in a little black dress, and I mean, little. It’s simple, but the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. It hugs her tiny, perfect waist, and only just covers her arse. Her legs, her perfect legs, which, even though she isn’t tall, look just long enough to wrap around my waist …

“Here.” Harley nudges my arm and hands me a shot of tequila. I take it mindlessly, all the while still locked on to the enigma on the other side of the room. Then she does something that floors me. She nods, winks, and raises her glass to me across the room. For a second, I’m stunned at the action. We’ve been watching each other for weeks, no words, no actions, just the silent knowledge that we both know we are looking at each other. Now she’s broken the silent pact, what does that mean?

Not really knowing what else to do, I nod my head in acknowledgement, then throw back the tequila. The burn doesn’t register this time. She smirks like she knows what I’m thinking and turns away, taking another drink from the blond guy that she’s with.

“You just need to do her already,” Kyle comments, making me turn in response. I am met with smirks from Kyle, Harley and Marc, who clearly all think it’s highly amusing that I’m so taken with this girl.

“What?” I answer sharply. I don’t like that they saw us looking at each other. It felt like it was just the two of us, everyone else faded in to the background and for that moment it was just us, in our own world, getting in each other’s heads. Which is a ridiculous notion in a nightclub full of people. If I got in to her head, would I find the same thoughts as mine?

“You and that chick. You’ve been eye fucking each other for weeks. She goes away, wherever, whatever, and now that she’s back, you’re both at it again, but this time, it’s more intense, man. You gonna make a move or not?” Kyle’s observations are right on the money. He might be a man of few words, but he sees more than I give him credit for.

“Not,” I grunt, pushing past him to get to the bar.

“Oooh, tetchy. That means you like her,” Kyle teases.

“How fucking old are you, Kyle?” I snap, turning back in his direction.

“Hey man, no harm.” He holds his hands up at my sharp reply. “All I’m sayin’ is, you’re twenty seven years old and you haven’t taken a girl home in, how long? How long has it been since you dipped your wick?” he asks nonchalantly with a chuckle, encouraging a chorus of laughter from the other guys.

“Look,” I answer, stepping toward him, “just because I’m not sleeping with half of Brighton and being the local manwhore, doesn’t mean I’m not getting any. It just means I’m not advertising the fact that I’m a slut like you, sweet cheeks.” I smirk and tap him on the cheek before taking a swig of my beer. The guys around us are quiet while they assess the possible situation that’s unfolding. They know I can be a moody bastard and they make allowances for that and ignore my moods half the time, but the fact that Kyle hasn’t answered me yet makes me wonder if I’ve gone too far this time. I’ve been pushing and pushing him lately and I don’t know why. My subconscious tells me it’s because I’m jealous of the intimacy he shares with all the girls he takes home. It has been a very long time since I was intimate with anyone and I don’t mean sex. Meaningless sex is easy to come by, even though I’ve not looked for it recently. All I seem to do is work, eat and sleep. The Saturday nights out with my boys are the highlight of my week and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t craving a deeper connection with someone, sometimes. I open my mouth to voice an apology and Kyle starts to laugh, hard. He grabs me around the neck with one of his big ropey arms and crushes me to him.

“You’re lucky I love you, man.” He chuckles, releasing me and proving my point by taking a place at the bar. “Watch and learn, my friend. Watch and learn.” He flashes his pearly whites at the bar girl he’s got his eye on and she smiles coyly. He places an elbow on the bar, rests his chin on the upturned palm of his hand and crooks his finger in her direction. Calling her to him in the most seductive way possible, and of course, she finishes serving her customer and comes straight to him, skipping the other customers that have been waiting patiently. We all laugh and leave him to it. He certainly has charm.

“Hey bro.” The voice from behind me takes a second to register, or maybe I just don’t really want it to be my sister, Lizzie, that’s just given me a freakin’ heart attack.

“Liz, what the fucking hell are you doing here?” I know I’m overreacting, she’s nineteen and well within her rights to be here but I’m carrying illegal drugs and it’s the last thing I want anywhere near my little sister. She’s had enough shit in her life, and has still got the weight of the world on her shoulders. It’s my job to try and keep her away from it all. I never take drugs to the house, and I make sure she’s never around if I going to be doing them. I don’t want that shit tainting my sister. The Cabin is a rave club, and there are plenty of illegal substances passed around here and I don’t want her caught up in anything. It’s also known to be a bit of a cattle market and some of the guys that hang around here just to pick up girls are far too pushy for my liking.

“I’m here with Jess and Tracy.” She waves her hand in their direction and they both give a nervous little wave.

“Who’s with Mum? How is she today?”

“Same as usual.” She shrugs, a wave of sadness passing across her innocent face. “Annie’s there for the evening. I’m staying with Jess. What’s up? Why you so tetchy?” she questions.

“I’m not …” I frown and take a deep breath. Taking myself down and realising that if I make it a big deal, it’s going to be a big deal, so I need to chill. “I was just surprised to see you here, is all. You know I hate you coming to places like this. You girls should be at one of the more upmarket bars on Princes Street or something,” I suggest, casually trying to get her to change her mind.

“Bro, you don’t make any sense, you know that? A club that’s good enough for my brother is good enough for me. Besides, I can have a good night with Jess and Tracy without worrying about getting hit on by arseholes with you and your friends here, can’t I? Anyway, Jess’s boyfriend dumped her yesterday, by text.” She props her hands on her hips and continues, “Can you believe it? By text, the cheap fucking wanker. We came out to cheer her up, you gonna buy us a drink?” She smiles sweetly and flutters her eyelashes.

I huff out a breath, “Yeah, yeah, I’ll buy you a drink, Liz.” I hook my arm around her shoulder and pull her in to me for a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Barman!” I call, “Three lemonades please, mate.”

“What? Lemonade? Finn!” she squeaks at me.

“Yep, that’s right. Lemonade … Or did you want a lime and soda?” I question, pinning her with a look that asks if she’s going to challenge me.

She’s my responsibility. Our dad fucked off long ago and I took that job on as my own.

“You’re a fucking arsehole.” She pushes both her small palms hard on my chest and angrily stomps away from me. “I’m not a little girl, Finn. I’m nineteen years old for fuck’s sake! I’ll buy my own drinks if you won’t buy them for me. Wanker!” She marches off back to her friends, her blonde soft curls bouncing as she goes. She is far too innocent and naïve to be in a place like this, and now I’m gonna be like a cat on a hot tin roof all night keeping every prick out of her way instead of unwinding and letting loose with my mates.