“That’s Vegas,” I said. “See? It’s not all bad out here. So you never did tell me where you were from.”
“I know,” she said with a playful grin. “And it looks like our time together is just about over. It was a pleasure to meet you, Nate.”
“Wait!” I called after her. “Listen, Anna, I don’t normally do this, but do you think I could get your number? You intrigue me. I promise, no funny business. I might even come to the show, if you’re going to be on stage.”
“Oh, I will be there,” she said passionately. “Here.”
She quickly jotted her number down on a napkin and handed it to me. I was far more excited about it than I had been in the past. Something about her was pulling me in, and that was a dangerous game for a man like me to play. I couldn’t afford to like someone, only to play them the same way that Blake would be doing. If I ever wanted to get out of this town and the lifestyle that came with it, I needed to keep my head level and on a swivel.
“Thanks. Mind if I give you a call tonight?”
Anna shrugged. “You can try. I don’t know if I will answer though.”
“Now you’re playing hard to get?” I asked.
“Nope, I was never playing. I just am hard to get. I’ll overlook the creepy comments because, well, you are pretty. But I won’t be so forgiving next time. I’ll talk to you later.”
She left the bar without another word, leaving me sitting there with my mouth hanging open like a fool. I waited for her to leave before flagging over the bartender and paying for her meal plus my own drink. When I’d stopped in to enjoy the scotch, I never expected to run into one of Blake’s girls. Most of my morning had been spent watching them file in and out of the event location. Some would come out fuming and others overjoyed, but the clear majority came out crying or worse, stumbling around like they were drunk.
“She is out of your league, mate,” muttered the bartender.
I dropped some cash on the counter and grinned. “I know she is. Hopefully she is out of his league too though. A girl like that doesn’t deserve to be played by Michael Blake.”
He snorted. “I could tell you stories about that bloke. You don’t want to know how he got the hotel to put up all his girls for that event he’s holding. Let’s just say the boss’s daughter isn’t so innocent now.”
“Poor girl,” I muttered. “Having your name attached to a man like that is never good news.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t warn your girlfriend a little more. She is walking right into his trap.”
“Naw,” I said confidently. “That one isn’t like the rest. She’s got some spit and vinegar in her. I think she’ll hold her own against an old creeper like him.”
“Sure hope so, mate,” he said as he walked away.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “Me too.”
It didn’t matter that she was strong and smart. What was important was that I had her number. I’d spent the last week meeting up with girls as they fled Blake’s office, but this was the first one that showed any potential. Right away I could see what Blake liked about her, and I hadn’t even heard her sing yet. If she was any good at all, she would be headlining his show in a few days. What she saw as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was nothing more than a dirty trick.
I knew all about Blake. For the past two months, he’d cleaned up his act. He was volunteering his time and money to help other causes, until this event finally came into play. It was all for show though, and I knew it. He was going to try and pull off the biggest con in Vegas history, and without a booming starlet to bring in the donations, the show would flat line and he would be screwed. If he knew what he was doing, the show would go off flawlessly, and by the time it ended, he would be long gone.
Of course, he wasn’t planning on someone else getting the jump on him. I didn’t care about the risks. All I needed was a girl to get me into the front gate. Then I would take Blake for everything he had and pay off my own debts before skipping town. Blake would be left here to pay for what he’d done, and I would be sitting on the beach in a non-extradition country. It was all coming together perfectly, and Anna had just given me the final piece of the puzzle. Thinking about the stumbling girls, I pulled out my phone and typed in her number to send a text.
One more thing. Don’t take any drinks from him. He likes to drug his girls and claim they wanted it later. Be safe, outsider.
I sent the message and waited a few minutes for a reply. When it was obvious none was coming, I started to wonder if she had given me a fake number. I quickly jogged from the bar and out to my car, burning rubber as I headed to the event pavilion just a few miles away. She had been in a hurry, so I knew I wasn’t going to catch her before she went in. Still, this way I could watch and see what state she left in. As I parked my car, my phone started to ring and the number I dreaded popped up.
Begrudgingly, I answered. “Hey Joey, how’s life treating you?”
“It would be going a lot better if you’d made the payment that was due last night. Do I need to send a few of my boys out to find you?”
I cleared my throat. “No man, of course not. I’m working on a big score now. It will settle my debt with you.”
“Did I ask you to settle, or did I ask for a payment? You have three days to make it before I’m sinking you to the bottom of the ocean, just like you did to my precious Pepper.”
“You got it, man,” I muttered. “I will make sure you have your money, okay?”
“Whatever,” he hissed before slamming down the phone.
That damn boat, Pepper. I would never be free from Big Joey unless this score paid off. And I knew he wasn’t kidding. If I missed the payment deadline, I’d end up wearing a pair of cement boots at the bottom of the ocean right next to the boathouse I burned to the ground two years ago.
Chapter Three
Anna
The building was less foreboding since I’d been there once before. I noticed the woman coming out of the back door for the first time though. Before, I’d been so focused on getting inside and meeting with the event director that nothing else seemed to matter. Now I was more cautious as I approached, not wanting to run into the man from before. There were just a few minutes left before the interview was supposed to start.
I walked through the maze of doors before they opened into the auditorium. It was breathtaking. Thousands of seats all pointed toward the main stage. My heart started to race as I made my way down to the front. Soon I would be standing up there, singing my heart out as fans clapped and cheered for me. Either that or I would get booed off the stage. Neither of those visions was reassuring.
“First time?” asked a thin brunette with an elaborate headpiece.
I nodded. “Yeah, is it that obvious?”
“Nah, you look a little worried is all. If you made it this far, though, I’m sure you’ve got a little talent. Now it’s just a matter of getting it to come out under the spotlight.”
“I still can’t believe this is really happening,” I whispered. “So, do I go down there?”
“Yes, ma’am. Go up on stage and let them know who you are, what time your appointment is, and what song you’re singing. Then just let it rip. You’ll either come out smiling or crying.”
“Yeah, I noticed not everyone was thrilled after their performance.”
“In this world, it’s all about placement. If you can make it into one of the top three spots, you are golden. Anything else and you are basically a backup dancer with no screen time and zero recognition. Hope you didn’t quit a day job to be here.”
“No,” I muttered. “I don’t really have a day job.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Well now, you really are a pup! I’m sure you’re going to do fine. The stage is empty. I bet they’re waiting on you.”
She gave me a little shove, and I stumbled a few feet forward before walking the rest of the way down. I saw another crying girl in the corner and realized that my jeans and faded shirt were not the normal attire for the stag
e. I should have glammed things up a bit, but I didn’t have anything at home to wear. Showing skin wasn’t something I liked to do, even though I knew it was going to be required if I made it onto the stage.
I practically tripped over my own feet as I took the stage. The light was so blinding that I couldn’t see the few people in the seats. The first time I spoke into the microphone, it let out a high-pitched whistling sound that made everyone groan.
“Name?” a woman said from somewhere in the darkness.
“Anna Lufton.”
“Song?”
“Into the darkness, by—”
“We know who it’s by,” the woman interjected. “Not a very original choice, but let’s hear it anyway.”
I nodded and closed my eyes, listening to the song as it came over the speakers. The first few beats passed and my heart started to race. I took a deep breath, letting the passion of the music course through my body. In the split second before I started to sing, the fear and worries that surrounded me faded away. The only thing left in the world for me to hang onto was the music, and I clung to it for dear life. Like magic, the lyrics carried me away to a distant place where there was nothing but peace.
When the song came to an end, I opened my eyes, and the light beating down on me dimmed. The unseen faces in the darkness came into focus. There were three of them. Two women and one man.
I recognized Blake from television, and at once, my blood ran cold. If evil had a face, it would take its marks from Michael Blake. His dark, beady eyes locked onto my breasts and didn’t move until the pale rail of a woman next to him started to speak. Her sleek, bleach blond hair was done up in a sharp bun. Stage makeup covered her face, and her tanned skin reminded me of leather.
“That was very good, Anna,” she said sharply. “If we can get you to do that in front of ten thousand people, we will have a show. Tell me, what inspired you to come dressed like that?”
The other woman cleared her throat. “You’ll have to forgive Miss Calment. She is still trying to live out her long dead glory days by attacking the youth of today. You did absolutely wonderful. What do you think, Mr. Blake?”
He looked from her and back to me, licking his crackled lips and smiling. His white teeth seemed out of place on his face. I had almost expected him to be toothless, with the head of a snake, instead of the balding old man in front of me. I had no doubt that his money charmed some of the other girls, but beyond that point, I couldn’t think of any reason a woman would go near him.
“Ladies, I think we have found the star of our little production. Tell me, are you from the area?”
I shook my head. “No, sir. I live a few hours east of the city.”
“Ah, so you are a virgin of the show business then? They always seem to shine the brightest.”
I blushed. “I’ve done a few local productions, just never anything this big. I wouldn’t call myself a virgin.”
“I was speaking of your career, of course. Your personal life is no concern of ours. As long as it doesn’t affect how you practice and when you are here.”
I tried not to show any emotional response to his words. Blake just wanted a reason to think about me alongside the word “virgin.” It was upsetting and disgusting, but there was nothing I could do about it, unless I wanted to toss away the one shot I had at stardom.
Silence hung in the air, and I realized they were waiting for me to say something.
“I, um, my personal life won’t affect the show. I don’t have a personal life actually. It’s just my music and me.”
“Oh,” said the pale woman. “How rich. You sure do know how to pick them, Michael. Oh well, if she is your frontrunner, then you have no use for me until tomorrow. I will leave you two to sort out the details. And you, virgin,” she hissed at me. “Be here at six, in something you can move in. Not jeans, for the love of god.”
She stormed away, losing some of her steam as she reached the end of the seats and shoved herself through the main door. I looked at the remaining two people. The woman at Blake’s side I could only assume was Maria Tanner. She seemed to twitch every time a door moved or a light shifted, making me wonder if she was on drugs.
Blake waved for me to come down, and I carefully descended the stage and sat two rows in front of him, safely out of his reach but close enough to hear.
He looked irritated that I didn’t sit closer to him. “So, tell us about yourself. Have you been here long?”
I shook my head. “No. I arrived a few hours ago. I’ve been to Vegas before but never to this hall. It’s very nice, just like the hotel.”
“And are you finding the accommodations to your liking?” he asked.
“Everything is wonderful. I’ve never stayed at a place so luxurious before.”
“Did you know I have a suit there also? It would be nothing for us to get together later and work out all the details then, if you would prefer. That performance was so breathtaking, you must be tired.”
“No, sir,” I said quickly. “I don’t mind working everything out now. I’d like to get a fresh start in the morning.”
“That’s a shame, but I can respect your dedication. Maybe later, when things have died down, we can find some time to spend alone together.”
“Sure,” I muttered.
He glanced at the woman next to him before getting up. “I will be back after the financials are worked out. I don’t like to deal with the money. I have to handle stuff like that all day.”
He walked away, and I hoped he would forget all about me and let the show go on the way it was planned. I was elated that I would be headlining the show, but it did little to mask my fear of him. The more he gave me, even if I earned it, the more he had to take away if I didn’t play by his rules. I looked at the woman nervously.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered once he was out of earshot. “Once you sign the contract, he can’t get rid of you. He isn’t used to girls brushing him aside. You are just what we need to headline this charity. It’s nice to have you on board.”
I smiled and shook her hand, feeling like I was a human for the first time since the ordeal had started. Maria wasn’t that bad at all. With her around, I could tolerate Blake.
“All right, we’ll see you in the morning,” she said after a grueling hour of signing paperwork and negotiating a rate.
She packed up her things and left, but I didn’t move. Leaning back against the seat, I let out a deep breath, knowing it was all real. It was right there in the contract I had a copy of. I was the headliner for a whole show. I was going to make more money in one night than my father did in six months. I would be able to start my own career and finally take care of him. He could retire and live out his days in peace and quiet.
“I was starting to worry about you. You must drive a hard bargain,” came a voice from behind me.
I didn’t need to open my eyes to know it was Blake. The chill that ran down my spine was all the confirmation I needed. Swallowing, I plastered a smile on my face and opened my eyes as I stood to face him.
“Well, it was mostly just reading through things. My father told me never to sign anything before you read it.”
“He sounds like a smart man.” He stepped closer to me, and I had the urge to back away. “We haven’t gotten to know each other yet. I like to spend a little time with all the girls in my show. Professionally, of course.”
“Of course,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
“Wonderful. Why don’t we go to my back office and have a celebratory drink?”
I smiled and did my best to be polite. “I’m only nineteen. I can’t drink yet.”
“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. It can be our little secret.”
“Oh, wow,” I said. “I would love to, but I need to go get some shopping done before practice tomorrow. Maybe another time?”
His eyes scanned my body as I stepped away from him. “Oh, you can count on it.”
Turning, I walked aw
ay as quickly as I could without looking suspicious.
I wouldn’t let myself get stuck alone with Blake ever again.
Chapter Four
Nate
I was still fuming after the conversation with Joey. He wasn’t just a snake, he was my ex’s father, which accounted for a bit chunk of his disdain for me. I never would have thought the cute little Hispanic woman I’d shacked up with on the ocean could be so deceptive. Yet there I was over a hundred grand in the hole because of her. She’d cried wolf and left me to take the fall for the burning of Pepper. I’d met a lot of shady people in my day, but she would always take first place.
Joey’s story was a classic Vegas tale, though we weren’t all dirt bags like him. His mother had been a stripper with no room in her life for a son, so when Joey came along, she wasn’t happy. It was hard enough to find a John who wanted used goods, but having a brat to feed made it nearly impossible to do business. She’d cut her losses with Joey, sending him out onto the streets as soon as he was old enough to beg for his own keep. That was how it all started.
Joey quickly found himself working with the local hotheads to keep food in his belly, working his way up through the ranks and busting heads when it was obvious he was going to be a large man. He was the worst kind of bully there was, one with a brain. He quietly started to build a following, until he had enough dogs to challenge the reigning alpha and win.
Three years ago, I’d been young and somewhat naive to the ways of the local kingpin.
“How do you not know who Big Joey is?” my ex had said the day we met, staring at me in shock with her wide, hazel eyes.
“I just got into town a few weeks ago,” I replied with a sly grin. “You are the first friendly face I’ve come across. So he’s some kind of big shot?”
She shrugged her exposed shoulders. “I don’t know if I’d say that, but he runs this part of town. You need cash, girls, drugs, anything like that, and he’s the man to go to.”
Triple Threat: A Dark Romance (Deadly Passion Series Book 3) Page 2
