“Okay,” she replies, pulling her ponytail holder out of her hair and redoing it.
Claire sits on a barstool in the kitchen. “I’ll keep your bed and dresser in there until the baby is born,” she says to K.
Kat smiles at her, but she doesn’t say anything.
She won’t need that bed or dresser, but whatever makes Claire feel better about the situation. Austin walks in from the hall. “It’s all loaded.”
“Except for this one,” I say, hitting the bottom step.
He nods. “I’ll take it,” he says, holding his hands out. I look at him for a moment before I turn back to Kat and Claire.
“I got it.” I walk past him and out the door.
Fuck, the three act like we’re moving across the country.
I shake my head as I walk down the stairs, thinking who am I to judge. They have something that I don’t understand, because I’ve never had it.
A close bond. Friendship that runs deeper than the word means.
Ten years they’ve been by each other every day, through everything. Am I a little jealous of their closeness?
Yeah. I’ve been since the day I met them, but at the same time it brings me comfort to know K has had them in her life after she went through what she did growing up.
I place the box down in the truck bed and adjust my snapback. Georgia decided to skip spring and go straight to summer. It’s hot as hell already. After a few moments K comes out squinting at the evening sunshine.
“Ready?” I ask.
“Yep,” she says. Claire and Austin stand in the lobby doorway. I open the passenger side door for Kat to climb in. I rented a truck for the weekend so we could get her things over to my place. I can’t say I hate driving the thing. It’s pretty nice.
I smack her ass as she gets in, earning a scowl from her. I laugh and lift my hand to her friends.
They wave bye, and after I climb in my side, I look over at my baby and say, “Let’s go home.”
__________
“So, we’re meeting them there?” K asks as she opens a box in our bedroom floor and takes out a pair of strappy wedges.
“Yep.” I slide a tie around my neck.
K is wearing an all-black dress. The shoes she just grabbed are sparkly, and she wears light makeup like always.
Her skin is glowing from lying out in the sun earlier today, and her toes are painted black. We got all her shit in as soon as we got home, but she hasn’t unpacked anything.
“Are you going to organize all of this tomorrow?” I ask, stepping over a box so I can get to the closet.
“Depends on how hungover I am,” she replies.
I chuckle.
“It’s going to be weird going out without Claire. She’s been my wingman for so long.” She sighs dramatically.
I look around the closet door at her with a lift of my brow. “You don’t need a fucking wingman.”
She laughs. “I knew you were going to say that.” She stands up with the shoes on her feet. I slide my black blazer on, deciding I’ll match her.
With a splash of cologne, I walk out of my closet.
“You look nice,” she says, looking over my blazer, tie, and white shirt.
“You look pretty,” I reply, giving her a kiss. “You ready to see all of Red?”
She sighs. “Is it weird that I’m actually excited?”
I chuckle again. “No.”
She shrugs. “All right then, let’s go.”
_____________
We take a Town Car because K doesn’t have any of her things at the loft above Red, and I don’t feel like getting a DUI tonight. Traffic is busy, and the sidewalks are full of people.
We pass by the big Ferris wheel, and I look up at the building across from it, remembering how I used to go up there and sit to get away from all the shit down here. I recall the time I took K there. It was just after Mary called me because she’d gotten beaten up.
She was at my house, about to go through some insane withdrawals. I didn’t tell Kathrine everything that night, but deep inside I wanted to. I didn’t understand my feelings for her. I’d never felt that way before, and it freaked me out.
I’ve always been scared to become my parents. I look away from the building and grab her hand that rests beside her thigh. She smiles at me before turning back to look out the window.
I’m not scared anymore.
I’ve got what I want, and I’m never letting her go. Tonight, she will see Club Red for all that it is. She’s accepted me for who I am. I thought for sure she would have demanded I shut it down. I thought she would have walked away from us, but she didn’t.
I exhale the breath of air I didn’t know I was holding as we pull up to Red. The line to get in is long like always. My club is number one in town. All the people in line will go in, have some drinks, dance, and maybe meet someone new.
The ones who are passing the line, looking like money, they will head straight to the back and go through the secret door.
They’ll climb down the staircase that looks over the well-organized casino, and they will spend money like they’ve got an everlasting supply.
They’ve had background checks run on them. We know everything there is to know about the ones who hold secret pass cards. We’ve been very careful.
The driver opens the door for us once we come to a stop, and I climb out. Turning around, I grab K’s hand and help her out also. She adjusts the bottom of her dress, and we head to the door. We walk through the dark hallway, and the all-black doors slide open, revealing Red in all its glory.
The place is enormous, with a lit-up bar going down the whole left side. The booths on the opposite wall are full of thirsty patrons, ready for bottle girls to serve them. But we aren’t going to join the rest of the party just yet. I clasp her hand and lead her toward the back of the club.
We near the brick wall where Ben stands. “Boss,” he greets. I called him earlier today and told him everything, so he knows K isn’t in the dark anymore.
“Hey, Ben,” Kat says.
He nods at her and then looks back at me. “Jace is down there.”
I narrow my eyes. “Alone?’ I question.
“No. He insisted on taking his new girlfriend.”
“What?” I ask. “And you let him?”
“I tried to stop him, but he started to get pretty pissed. I didn’t want a scene right here at the entrance.”
I exhale, frustrated with my brother. Why can’t that motherfucker act right, ever?
Running a hand through my hair, I step forward and K gasps as we turn down a small hallway.
“Oh my God! I never knew this was a door!” she says. I look over at her. She’s taller in her shoes, but still not my height.
“This is cool.” She smirks in approval as we turn again and enter into the kitchen. Antonio greets us.
“Mr. Bryce!” he says with a smile. “How are you?”
“Doing well,” I reply. “I hope you are as well.”
“Everything is going well here. We have a full house tonight.”
“Business is as good as always then?” I question.
He smiles big. “Yes.”
“Antonio, this is my girlfriend, Kathrine.”
“How lovely to meet you,” he says to her.
“You, too,” she replies, looking a little overwhelmed. I nod a goodbye to him, and we walk to the closet. Opening the door, I shut it behind us after we step inside.
“He’s the owner of the restaurant. He’s also the head chef. Always trying to feed me. I’m surprised he didn’t just then.”
She laughs, sounding a little nervous. “You okay?” I ask. She nods in the dark, and I lift my hand to knock on the wall in front of us. The doors slide open and Josh, the man who checks everyone before they walk in here, greets us.
“Sir, your brother…” He starts.
I hold up my hand. “I know. Where is he?”
“Down at the roulette table.”
He looks at my
guest. “This is Kathrine,” I tell him. “She’s my girlfriend and allowed in here anytime she likes.”
He nods. “Noted, sir.”
I look over at K as she takes in the place for the first time. Like the club, the basement is also massive. Plush red carpet is below our feet, descending the centered positioned staircase. Her eyes are wild, looking at everything below us.
Poker tables and slot machines. Televisions line the walls, displaying every game going on right now. Men who could make you disappear with the snap of their fingers sit with expensive cigars and bourbon-filled glasses. Servers walk around with filled trays, and at the mahogany bar sits Simon, the man who oversees everything down here.
Security guards line the walls, watching carefully, and I’ve even got a few playing themselves to keep an eye on the tables.
“Wanna play?” I ask K.
She shrugs. “Maybe some slots?”
I laugh. “Okay, but first, let’s go talk to Jace.”
She nods, and we head down the stairs, moving past tables and servers to get to the roulette table where I see him sitting alone.
“Hey,” he says, looking a little drunk.
“Hey, yourself.” I look around. “Where’s your date?”
He brings his smoke to his lips. “She went to the restroom.”
“Jace, what the fuck were you thinking bringing her in here?”
He looks at Kat. “You’ve got Harrison.”
I lift my chin, pissed that he would even say that. “You know that’s different.”
A loud commotion sounds from upstairs, and I whip my head back. My eyes narrow, and my heart beats out of my chest. K’s hand tightens in mine.
What the fuck?
My eyes quickly go to Simon, who’s now standing up. His face shows the slightest bit of concern. Everyone stops what they’re doing, and my ears start to ring.
Everything happens at once as the armed men approach the bottom of the steps. One of them walks straight up to me as people’s hands go in the air. Guns are pointed at my guests, and I look over at Kat whose face is paler than I’ve ever seen.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
“Bryson Grant?” the man asks.
I lift my chin.
“FBI. You’re under arrest for the operation of an illegal gambling business.”
My world starts to spin. I see Ben at the top of the stairs in handcuffs, and my eyes land back on Simon, who’s getting cuffed, too. He shakes his head at me, a sign for me not to worry.
This is going to be a bitch.
My arms are jerked behind me as the man reads me my rights. Jace says something, and Kat’s hand is over her mouth in shock as tears swim in her eyes.
“It’s going to be okay,” I tell her. “Don’t worry, baby.” I look at Jace, hoping he knows to take care of her. He nods in understanding.
“Don’t worry,” I repeat as they push me up the staircase, and when I get to the top, my eyes land on her.
With a badge around her neck, Michelle crosses her arms and casts her eyes to the floor.
I realize why I had such an uneasy feeling about this woman. My brother’s new girl is an undercover FBI agent, and she’s just busted the most successful illegal gambling organization in the Southeast.
Fuck me.
To be continued…
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Give Me Perfect Love (Give Me Series Book 2) Page 22
