by Mary Potter
“I have a shift tonight, anyway,” she counters. “It will look suspicious to the girls if I don’t turn up.”
“I don’t care what it looks like to the other workers. I care what it looks like to Chains and whoever else is fucking involved in this,” I growl. “If they hear that you went there, they’ll stop at nothing to track you down.”
“They’re going to do that anyway,” Kyra says, tossing her head. “And the girls will cover for me.”
She isn’t thinking straight. She isn’t even considering that there might be some workers there who won’t keep her secrets. Say nothing of the unfamiliar clients who would be in the area. Even if we go in through the back, there is no guarantee that she’ll remain unseen.
I’m less recognizable. Chains knows who I am, of course, but his men and the people working at the club wouldn’t know me at first glance. I can slip in and get the information I need before anyone realizes that I’m there.
No. Kyra is a liability that we can’t afford right now.
Looking into her stubborn eyes, however, I know she isn’t going to back down. If I try to tell her to stay here, she’ll follow us, which would put her in more danger. I scowl. Kyra is absolutely infuriating. She’s also a stranger, and I know there’s only so much I can do to stop her, short of locking her in a room.
For a split second, I actually consider it. Then I growl and run a hand down my face. No, I can’t do that, especially since I just rescued her from being locked up.
“So, what? You want to work your shift?” I ask.
She gives me an incredulous look. “I’m not stupid,” she snaps.
“The jury’s still out on that one,” I mutter, and she glares at me.
“I just know you’ll be able to get more information if I’m there,” she says. “I won’t be staying to work.”
Well, that’s something, at least. I have one last card to play. It’s dirty, but I need to do whatever I can to convince her to stay back.
“What about your daughter?” I challenge, and she falters. “If you put yourself out there as a target, you’ll only be putting her in danger too.”
She doesn’t answer for a long moment. Then she straightens her shoulders and looks me dead in the eye. “And if these guys are allowed to keep going, she’ll be in danger, anyway,” she huffs. “They’re not going to stop looking for me. With me, you can take them down quicker, and we’ll all be safe.”
With that, I know I’ve lost. If she didn’t back down when I brought her daughter into it, then there’s nothing else I can do to convince her. Before I can say anything else, my phone rings. It is probably a good thing because the comment on the tip of my tongue might have started an argument. Stressed and frustrated, I pick it up without looking at who it is.
“What?” I snap.
“Woah, man. What’s wrong with you?” asks Viper, though he sounds more amused than insulted.
“Sorry,” I grunt with a sidelong glance at Kyra. “Just some unexpected hurdles.”
“Yeah, well, sorry, but I have to add some more,” Viper says, his voice lowering as he turns serious. “Griffin is calling again.”
Of everything we didn’t need now, it’s for that asshole to be sniffing around. I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with him.
“Are you serious?” I demand.
“Yeah,” Viper huffs out. “But that’s not all. He mentioned Night Pleasures.”
I grow still. “Why?”
“He said that he’d recently come into advice that informed him of our ownership of the place, and he wants to add that into the deal,” Viper says. His voice turns dry. “With an increase in selling value, of course.”
Viper sounds bemused, but my mind is racing. There’s something very, very strange about all of this. After all, I’ve only recently become aware of Night Pleasures, the place that Chains bought with club funds while I was away. None of the other club members, apart from Fury, Tex, Arsenal, and Thor, knew about the strip club. So how does Griffin know about it? There’s something not right here.
“Can you stall him?” I ask. “The last thing we need is for Griffin to sniff around right now.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kyra’s head shoot up, her eyes widening. I frown.
“Roger,” Viper says cheerfully, though I can hear the undercurrent of steel in his voice. “And you’ll message when I can tell him to fuck off?”
“With pleasure,” I say with a snort. “Give him a run around first.”
“Oh, I plan to.” With that dark promise, Viper hangs up.
“Did you just say Griffin?” Kyra bursts out as I hang up the phone.
“You know him?” I demand, narrowing my eyes.
Kyra lets out a burst of humorless laughter.
“Know him?” she asks. “He was there the night I got kidnapped. I couldn’t remember his name earlier, but when you said it, I recognized it. He’s the one that decided I needed to use my talents somewhere else.” His expression twists. “From what they were saying, he and Chains have been working together, and Chains provides the resources for Griffin to do whatever he’s doing.”
That is far more information than I thought I’d get. I stare at her, stunned. I knew Richard Griffin was an asshole. The way he hassled my father while my mother was getting started on cancer treatments and his absolute inability to take any sort of denial for an answer were enough to tell me that. But for him to be directly involved in the trafficking of women? That’s a surprise.
“How do you know Griffin?” Kyra asks with her eyes narrowed.
“Bastard has been trying to buy our property,” I growl. “And he won’t take no for an answer. I didn’t realize he was with Chains.”
But I should have, and that’s what rankles me the most. In the months that I was gone, Chains had pretty much taken over control of the entire club. I was gone, and my father was in no position to take his position as the leader. What, exactly, did Chains promise Griffin? No doubt, he swore that he would sell as soon as he was the president, when he took over the finances and the deeds to our lands. But then I returned, kicked Chains from the club, and threw a wrench into all those plans.
It also begs the question of why Griffin is so intent on getting our lands. What sort of empire is he expanding? The more I hear about him, the more I realize that he isn’t just a simple, pushy real estate mogul. Right now, I can’t concern myself with him. Chains is my current problem, and he’s the one that is putting Kyra, her daughter, and the entire staff at Night Pleasures in danger. He’s the one we need to take down.
I can think about what to do about Griffin later. Right now, I need to put all my focus on Chains and the nightclub. With it being in Devil’s Mayhem’s name, it shouldn’t take much to take it legally. But if Chains truly is involved in a lucrative and illegal side business, he’s going to give me one hell of a fight to get it back.
I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. Somehow, it feels like everything has just gone from bad to worse.
“So?” Kyra asks, and I open my eyes. She’s standing across from me with her arms crossed and her chin raised. “What’s the plan, then?”
She’s framed by the light of the fire behind her. Her makeup is still thick on her face, and she’s dressed in faded clothes, her hair falling from its pins and wild around her face. She appears fierce. There is a look in her eyes telling me to just try to deny her what she wants.
Despite myself, I feel reluctantly impressed by her. She’s just been kidnapped and almost sold, but she’s ready to get back out there and help others. If she was one of the old ladies in the Devil's Mayhem, I would have welcomed her presence with open arms. It’s with this thought that I finally give up the fight. She’s not going to give up, and I’ve lost the desire to battle her.
“Do what you want,” I sigh, then give her a hard look. “But stay with me at all times. Got it?”
She blinks, looking taken aback. Maybe she thought it would take longer to conv
ince me. Then she smiles, and I can’t help but watch in wonder as it completely transforms her face. The tired lines smooth out, her cheeks lift, and her eyes gleam. It’s like watching the sun peek over a darkened horizon.
“What about Emma and Carla?” Mandy asks, and I jerk, tearing my eyes from Kyra’s face, unable to believe that I was almost caught staring.
“They can stay here,” I say. “Mandy, can you get some of the others around to help clean out some rooms? Tell them it’s a paying job.”
“Yeah?” Mandy asks with a grin. “Count me in, too, then.”
“I’ll help too!” the girl, Emma, pipes up. She’s still clutching at her mother’s side, but she looks up at me seriously. “Are we going to stay here for a while?”
I get the feeling that she’s guessed more than she’s been told.
“As long as you need to,” I say to her, and I’m rewarded with a solemn nod. I glance at her mother. “If there’s no argument?”
I can see Kyra’s jaw working furiously. I can already tell she’s a proud woman, and this sort of charity would get on her nerves, but it’s a battle between her pride and her daughter’s safety. As such, I’m not surprised when Emma wins out.
“No,” she says shortly. “Can we go now? Jessica will be managing tonight. If we go now, we’ll get there before it gets too busy.”
“Now’s as good a time as any,” I say, straightening. “The others will meet us there.”
I turn away as Kyra leans down to hug Emma, telling her she’ll be back again soon. Then I sigh. When I woke up this morning, this is not the way I thought the day would go. It would be fine for now. After all, I just need to get Chains, and then life can, hopefully, go back to normal.
Chapter Nine: Reaper
The club is pretty quiet when we arrive, though there are several cars out the front. The lights flash, drawing in anyone who might be looking this way—pinks, reds, and oranges glowing and casting long shadows as the sun begins to set. I stare at the place. I’ve heard of it, of course, since I’ve been back, but it wasn’t somewhere that I was interested in. Yet, now I’m here, and it turns out that I should have been far more interested than I was.
“Ready to go in?” I ask Kyra as she slides off the bike.
I’m more surprised than I should be that she took so easily to the bike, especially considering her initial reluctance. Now she seems to loathe getting off, and I hear her sigh as she unbuckles the helmet and hands it over.
“Yeah,” she says. She jerks her head sideways. “There’s probably nothing there, but that’s where I got taken the other night.”
“In the parking lot?” I asked, unable to hide how appalled I am.
“Everyone else was in the club,” she says with a nod. “No one was around to see. They’re obviously good at what they do.”
There’s a note of bitterness in her voice, and I look down to see her staring at the club with a hard look on her face, drawing her coat tighter around herself. I haven’t yet questioned her about her time in the mansion or asked if she saw anything in there that might be useful, but maybe I should.
“Have any other staff members gone missing recently?” I ask.
Kyra chuckles, but it’s a hollow sound. “A few,” she says. “Come on. Jessica can tell you more about it.”
She strides off before I can reply, leaving me to hurry to catch up to her. As soon as we step inside, I’m assaulted by heavy music and strobing lights that make me blink a few times as I try to get used to the atmosphere.
When my vision clears, I glance around. There are only a few people here so far. Two guys are at the bar, and three are hanging around the stages, which are currently empty.
“Shows don’t start until after six,” Kyra murmurs to me. “The girls will be in the back, getting ready.”
Not wanting to attract attention, we make our way to the bar. Kyra hides in my shadow, avoiding anyone who might be looking in our direction.
“Can I help you?” the bartender asks in a bored voice.
“Yeah,” Kyra says, popping up and startling him. “We have some questions.”
“Kyra!” the bartender exclaims. Then he looks around hurriedly and leans forward, hissing, “You need to get out of here!”
“Why?” Kyra demands with eyes narrowed. “Stuff is going on here, Rick. We all know it. You need to tell us what’s happening.”
“Fine, but later,” Rick says tersely. His voice shakes ever so slightly, putting me on alert. “Before…”
“Kyra? Is that you, hun?”
Rick’s eyes widen, but Kyra turns with a smile.
“Jessica!” she says, quiet but pleased.
“You’re late, hun,” Jessica says with a smile through her heavy makeup. Her blonde hair is in curls and pinned into an intricate twist. “The others are almost ready!”
“Sorry, I’m not working tonight,” Kyra says, shaking her head. “Listen, Jessica…”
“Don’t give me that,” Jessica scolds, cutting across her. “You don’t get to waltz in here and cancel your shift. Come on.”
She latches onto a surprised Kyra’s arm, clutching her with long, red nails, and drags her with surprising strength toward the back curtains. I’m so stunned by the suddenness of it that I blink as the two of them disappear. Well, maybe it’s for the best. That way, Kyra is out of view, and she might be able to get some information from the other workers.
“Fucking hell,” Rick groans behind me.
Yeah, that worries me. I turn and face the young bartender, who is rubbing his eyes.
“What?” I ask warily.
“Look, you’ll do good to grab Kyra and get out of here,” Rick says flatly, glaring at me. “You shouldn’t have brought her back here.”
“She said Jessica might be able to answer some questions,” I say, though I can feel dread starting to stir in my gut.
“She could probably answer them all, but she won’t,” Rick says. He’s looking at me intently. “Do you understand?”
I go cold. I hear what Rick is telling me. Kyra came here, trusting that Jessica would be on her side and willing to talk, but it seems like Jessica doesn’t have the employees’ best interests at heart.
“What the fuck are you doing just sitting here, then?” I hiss out at him, furious. “Why haven’t you gone to the police?”
“Like you have?” Rick asks pointedly. He warily glances around. “You have no idea what they’re doing to hold our silence. At least, if I’m here, sometimes I can help them get away.”
He’s been trying to help the girls before they get kidnapped. I lean back, looking over him. I can see the truth of it in the grief in his eyes.
“Right. Okay,” I say, drawing a deep breath. “Where has Jessica taken Kyra?”
“You’d best wait until she comes out onto the stage,” Rick advises with a sigh. “If you try to go backstage, security will be on you.”
Damn. I drum my fingers on the counter impatiently. This wasn’t going the way I expected it to.
“Fine,” I grit out. “Can you answer some questions?”
“It depends,” Rick says, picking up a glass to dry. “I’m not going to risk my position here.”
“I understand,” I say with a nod. “But if things go well, you might not have a position here for much longer.”
“Thank fuck for that,” Rick mutters.
“What is Chains up to?” I ask, going right for the throat.
“Making money,” Rick says bluntly. “That’s all he’s ever cared about. He chooses the girls that he thinks will make him the most in the long run.”
I shoot him a glance. “Are you talking about the business he’s got going with Richard Griffin?” I ask.
Rick’s mouth closes, and he looks away. alright, then. That’s not something he can answer.
“Do you know Griffin?” I persist.
For a moment, I don’t think he’s going to answer that one either. Then he slowly opens his mouth. “He has an interest in the va
lue of the property,” he says vaguely. “He’s here every week, at least.”
A few more people trickle in, and Rick starts to look jumpy. I order a drink, not wanting to look suspicious.
“Were Griffin and Chains here last night?” I murmur as Rick brings it to me.
He pauses, his head down. “Yes,” he says shortly, and then hurries toward another guy flagging him down.
It’s less than I’d hoped to get, but at least it’s something. The fact that Griffin has been here so frequently worries me, especially if he is definitely behind the kidnappings. I wonder how many girls Rick has managed to help get away and if Chains and Griffin know about it.
I shake my head. No doubt, Chains knows what Rick is doing and is simply allowing it while the young man keeps his mouth closed. He’s probably only managing to help a few of them, but to him, that would be better than none.
The music changes. It falls away, leaving the club in utter silence for a split second, making several of the men sit up in anticipation. Then the curtains are flung open, admitting five girls on the different stages.
As much as I hate to praise anything Chains has done, I have to admit that the club is clearly doing well. The crowd has already grown in the last half an hour while I was talking to Rick and wondering what Kyra was doing. Rick is now dashing around, getting drinks, and two more bartenders have joined him.
Three women emerge from the back in skimpy outfits, carrying trays that they use to ferry drinks as they’re called for. It’s a smooth operation and very well done by the people working. If it wasn’t for the fact that this place is being used as a front for an underground sex trafficking ring, I would even say it’s not a bad place.
As the girls on stage dance to the heavy music, making crowds gather around them, more girls begin spilling from the back. I straighten and casually make my way to a small, empty table, scanning those coming from the back for Kyra’s face.
Finally, I see her, and I stare.
When I found Kyra, she was an absolute mess. Her clothes were dirty and tugged out of place, her hair was a wild tangle, and her makeup was running badly. She hadn’t stopped since she woke up to fix anything, too busy with what had happened to her and what we were going to do next.
