Jessica made quick introductions. Elsa and Gordon were enthusiastic about being able to dance the night away in to the famous Lexicon Club. After a very brief discussion, where Reece formally invited them to the club, they all were headed out the door. He drove, since he could get premium parking. The four of them walked past the very long line of people on the way to the corner door.
“Are you sure it’s okay that we’re passing all these people by?”
Was Jessica expecting booing and hissing from the crowd? She had both hands wrapped around one of his biceps as they made their way to the door.
“Don’t worry. This is just the way it works,” he told her. In fact, many of the people waiting recognized Reece and waved at him. Reece glanced down at her sexy outfit again. If he hadn’t already met her, he would have certainly allowed her access to the club. He nodded to several well-dressed patrons as he passed by them in line before making it to where Hector stood guard. The bouncer gave Jessica a subtle once over as they approached. Hector must have approved, since he gave them a rare smile.
Tonight was a weeknight, but at this club it didn’t seem to matter. Every night was busy. Reece leaned in and said in a low voice that his girl had unexpected out-of-town guests and they’d wanted to come along. Hector only nodded and gave him a knowing look. Lots of people wanted to get inside. Few had automatic access like he did.
Hector unhooked the velvet rope and allowed all four of them entrance without further question or conversation. Reece was relieved, even though he knew he’d be allowed inside regardless of the number of folks he brought along. Not to mention that Arthur had invited him and his new FBI girlfriend specifically.
The moment he opened the door to the club, loud music poured past them and into the street. The three entered the song-filled fray and he followed them inside. The host, Sam, who handled the premium seating in the club, saw Reece and waved him over to the booth to the right of the entry.
“Reece. I heard you had a special guest tonight, bro, so I reserved a table in the exclusive area for you.”
“Really? Thanks. Will it seat four? My date had surprise guests this evening so we brought them along.”
“Of course. Nothing but the best for you. As a matter of fact, I’ve got you center court.”
Center court meant the best table in the house. Arthur had gone all out. They’d even have a private waiter taking care of their complimentary food and drink orders. It also meant that Reece wouldn’t have to find Arthur, he’d find them now that he’d put them center court in the club. Everyone in attendance would see them. That could be good or bad.
Reece pretended everything was going to be good.
“Thanks, Sam.”
“Need an escort?”
“Nope. I can do it.” Reece guided Jessica and her friends to the premium area, hoping tonight would go as smooth as his Jessica’s lovely hair.
The best seat in the place was half a story up in the middle of the club with a private entrance to the dance floor. They walked up an exclusive wide ramp that wound upward along the edge of the vast dance floor to the oversized, horseshoe-shaped table on its own platform.
A decorative cascade of wide steps on the other side of the platform offered direct access to the dance floor. If one walked further along the ramp, they’d come to several more premium tables situated facing the dancers, also with access to the private bar servicing them. However, any needs of this premium table were met first and foremost by the exclusive bartender.
“Order whatever you want tonight, my treat. It isn’t often I get to use this perk, so enjoy.”
Elsa and Gordon oohed and ahhed, suitably impressed with the club in general and especially the premium table and open bar, thanking Reece repeatedly for allowing them to come along tonight.
They’d barely gotten seated before the waiter asked for their drink orders. Jessica’s friends ordered top-shelf stuff and then folded into each other, soon dancing their way to the edge of the main dance floor.
It wasn’t long before the owner made his way over, with his ever-present bodyguard in tow. Arthur didn’t have much patience when he had an agenda. He did make a big show of it, though, strolling up to the table with arms open wide like they were long-lost relatives reunited once again. His personal assistant and bodyguard, Dixon, stood back a couple of paces to let his boss work. “Reece, it’s so good to see you here on your night off.”
Reece stood and shook hands with Arthur to add credence to the show, hoping he wouldn’t have to give him hugs and kisses, as well. One big happy crime family was on the menu for this evening’s entertainment, but it didn’t mean they had to get fake physical, in his opinion.
“Who do you have with you tonight?” Arthur leaned down to Jessica, raising his voice to be heard over the thumping beat of the music.
Reece played his part. “Arthur, this is my good friend, Jessica. She’s the one I told you about. Jessica, this is the Lexicon Club’s owner and my boss, Travis Arthur.”
Arthur looked genuinely happy when he extended a hand to her. “So good to meet you, Jessica. It’s exceedingly rare that Reece brings anyone to our club. In fact, I don’t remember the last time. You must be very special.”
Jessica smiled and shook his hand. “Thank you. I’m pleased to meet you, as well. Your club is beautiful.”
Arthur nodded, glancing over one shoulder with utter pride coating his expression. He was very proud of himself and his stellar place of business. “It is my favorite of them all. Have a wonderful time here tonight.”
“I will.”
Reece breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid she’d be given twenty questions regarding her profession. Then again, his boss wasn’t foolish. He played along. He never made anyone feel uncomfortable. That was likely why he had so many important contacts. Arthur knew how to cultivate and keep them. Reece just wished he knew the method used.
Jessica would be categorized as his government girlfriend, filed away, and then trotted out for use at some future date when Arthur needed a favor. Reece hoped he’d be out of this business well before Jessica was ever brought up again. However, it might be wishful thinking on his part.
Arthur started to walk away. Reece was about sit and get down to serious canoodling when Arthur’s bodyguard, Dixon, suddenly put his hand up to his ear as if someone was speaking or directing him. And it wasn’t Arthur. Dixon glanced around the room as if by reflex, but apparently didn’t see anything out of line.
The entire staff always had earpieces in place during work hours in case extra hands were needed to get rid of an unruly customer. Sometimes all they’d hear was a location repeated. Like trauma workers headed to a code for a patient in distress, workers not otherwise engaged would migrate to the troubled area.
Reece wasn’t wearing his earpiece right now because it was his night off, although he’d certainly help out if needed.
It was one big happy crime family, after all.
Jessica caught his attention when she leaned back in her chair, looking out at the dance floor where her friends danced wildly in the crowd. They were also sliding erotically all over each other. She still seemed worried about them coming along. Meanwhile, Reece was grateful.
The raucous song filled with not so subtle innuendo came to an end and they stopped dancing a few moments later. Elsa and Gordon kissed enthusiastically as a new song began, but started making their way back to the booth. Perhaps they needed refreshments. Or a private room.
Dixon whispered something in Arthur’s ear. Reece could have sworn he heard, “FBI agent.” Was Dixon talking about Jessica? Arthur turned toward the front of the club, as did his bodyguard. Dixon put himself half a step ahead of Arthur.
Reece looked at the front door. Jessica’s nemesis, Agent Neil Wiley, stood just inside the doorway. He wore a determined expression as he searched the room with a disdain-filled stare.
Chapter Nine
“What in the ever-loving fuck is Wiley doing at the Lexicon Club?�
�� Jessica heard Pierce’s question blaze in her tiny earpiece, but managed to remain calm. She deserved an award for not acknowledging the voice or leaping out of the booth in shock when she heard Neil’s name.
She’d managed to get through the difficult chore of meeting Travis Arthur, the club’s owner and Reece’s boss, only to hear that Neil was outside the club. Nothing like sneaking in to plant bugs and trying to maintain a nonchalant attitude when vocal alarms were going off in her head predicting impending doom, all while pretending she was only here on a date.
Pierce, currently stationed in the mobile surveillance van somewhere nearby with Seth, was the first to see Neil approach the bouncer on duty. He gave a play-by-play of the events outside the club.
In a low, tight voice that could not be mistaken for anything but seething anger, Pierce said, “Did that dumbass prick just flash his badge to get inside this club? I am going to hurt him. I will tear him limb from limb.”
Apparently, Hector the bouncer wasn’t happy, but let Neil in all the same. This made Pierce’s voice rise to an even higher octave, making clear his further disapproval over her wide-open communication line when Neil was ushered through the front entrance.
“Fuck. Why are you letting him in, Other Bouncer Guy? It’s your job is to keep out the riffraff, isn’t it?” Pierce asked those last questions before apparently realizing he’d been shouting over the open channel.
From the dance floor, Gordon said, “Looks like they’ve notified the bodyguard standing with the owner. Everyone at the target table is looking over at the front door where he’s standing.”
Elsa asked, “What do you want us to do? Intercept him?”
“No,” Pierce said. “Go back to the table. Do what you need to do. Maybe if he sees the three of you together he’ll get a clue and back the fuck off.”
Jessica disagreed. I wouldn’t be so sure. Neil isn’t known for having a clue. She didn’t think it was a sound plan, but she was unable to comment on the current conversation playing out in her ear.
“I’ll send Seth in,” Pierce said in a more normal tone. “He will shove Neil outside again before that idiot sees anyone, makes a big stink about it, and fucks this mission up any more than he already has.”
“What?” Seth asked in a loud tone. She’d be deaf by the end of the night if this drama kept up.
Pierce whispered instructions to Seth and then it sounded like he fairly kicked him out of the surveillance van with a loose plan for getting Neil out of the club. Meanwhile, Jessica watched Elsa and Gordon kiss exuberantly after their wild erotic dance ended.
Were they a couple? She hadn’t gotten that vibe at all until they’d exited her bedroom when Reece arrived. Maybe it was all for show. But if they weren’t together, they were amazing at undercover work.
Jessica was a foolish novice by comparison. Pierce hadn’t directed her to do anything, so she tried to just stay in the moment of I’m at an exclusive club with my new awesome guy. But with Neil about to cause mayhem with his unwanted presence, it was difficult to concentrate on anything but being found out or embarrassed or both.
She almost startled again when Reece said to his boss, “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this.” He put his hand gently on Jessica’s shoulder and said, “Do you think he followed us here because of what happened earlier today?”
She opened her mouth to say no, because she knew very well how Neil knew about this place. It had been in the briefing before the moron had gotten himself thrown out for being inappropriate with her.
She thought better of it and shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past him, but I don’t know that for certain. I’ve only dealt with him at work. He did see you today, though, and unfortunately he does have access to the same information I do as far as looking people up.”
“Okay.” Reece winked and her heart skipped a beat. “I’m going to go get rid of him. If he doesn’t have a warrant, I’ll ask him to wait outside.”
Pierce said, “Is it ironic to anyone else that one of the guys we’ve got under surveillance is about to save our collective asses from one of our own fucking agents?”
Jessica ignored Pierce’s remark, smiled at Reece and said, “Fine. Just don’t punch him in the throat.”
In her earpiece, Pierce muttered, “No. Please punch him hard. Put him out of my misery.”
“No promises,” Reece said, dropping a kiss on her knuckles.
Arthur, Reece and the bodyguard had a brief discussion before Reece nodded once and strode away to take care of business. Jessica had a direct line of sight as Reece approached the entrance. She wanted to hide under the table and hope Neil didn’t see her. She worried that if he saw her, he’d be an even bigger prick and more difficult to get rid of.
Jessica wished she could listen in on their conversation. Her wish was granted. As Reece got within six feet of Neil, Seth—and his earpiece—came through the front entrance.
Seth, looking extremely uncomfortable, said, “Neil, buddy, we aren’t meeting at this club. Come on. Let’s go. I’ve got a car waiting outside.”
Neil the Idiot looked totally surprised to see Seth. He said loudly, “What are you doing here?” Jessica was amazed he didn’t call out Seth’s full title and name, then identify him as an undercover FBI agent currently on an operation.
Reece joined the two seconds later. “Sorry, dude. Unless you have a warrant, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. You’ll have to go.”
“I have every right to be here.” Neil puffed his chest out and glared at Reece.
“Not if you used your badge to gain entrance,” Reece said in a calmer tone than she would have used. “Badge plus warrant equals entrance. Nothing else works in this situation. You should know that.”
“He’s right,” Pierce remarked tersely. “Seth, grab that moronic asshole and haul him outside right now. I’ve got a government vehicle on its way to you at the front door. Get him inside it, pronto.”
Seth did as he was told. He grabbed Neil’s arm and pulled him toward the door. Neil yanked his arm away. Straightening his clothes, he tried to head back into the club. Reece body-blocked him, shoved him toward the door and all three men went to the front entrance together. Seth pulled, Reece pushed, and Neil fought all the way out the front door, swearing a blue streak that would make a biker blush.
Elsa and Gordon sat down at the table with Jessica. Arthur stood only a few paces away, his bodyguard stationed beside him. They picked up their drinks and sipped, talking animatedly about how great the place was and how glad they were that Jessica had invited them, seemingly oblivious to the drama happening at the front door.
Arthur and his bodyguard moved away. Reece was obviously trusted to take care of this issue even though it was his night off. Jessica looked hard at Dixon’s face before he retreated, feeling like she’d seen him before. He seemed vaguely familiar but she couldn’t place him.
She was usually good at identifying people. Some people were good at numbers. Others were good at remembering names. She was good at facial recognition but blamed the stress of the evening on her inability in this moment. Eventually it would come to her.
Jessica tried not to look nervous as Elsa and Gordon implemented their plan to place bugs at the premium table. It was some luck they got seated here instead of trying to find a way to crash this table as drunk, loud dance revelers. Elsa opened her purse, extracted a pocket mirror and her lip-gloss, and made a show of putting a new coat on, all the while keeping up a happy conversation with Gordon and Jessica. Her date was busy fastening state of the art listening devices beneath the table.
Outside, the battle continued as Jessica listened through Seth’s mic. Neil was affronted. “You may be the head bouncer here, but you aren’t such hot shit. I could bring you down if I wanted—”
There was happy chatter in one ear and idiotic chatter in her other. It was enough to give her a blinding headache.
Elsa and Gordon looked at her, rolling their eyes, presumably at Neil�
��s bad behavior. Elsa whispered, “I almost feel sorry for him.” I don’t. Karma was a bitch, and in Neil’s case it was long overdue in coming around to bite him in the ass.
Jessica heard tires squeal in the background noise of her earpiece.
Seth said, “Come on, Neil. Here’s our ride. Let’s go.”
“I’m not ready to leave.”
Reece said, “You are not getting back into the club, dude. Say goodnight.”
Gaining a bit of bravado, possibly because he was out of the club and Pierce continued to bark in all their ears, Seth said, “Neil, get in this vehicle right now! I mean it!”
There were sounds of a scuffle, like Seth was getting physical with Neil. Jessica wished she had a visual of it. Reece said to Seth, “Thanks, man. I appreciate the help.”
“No problem.” A door slammed. There was another squeal of tires.
Neil was yelling something, but his words weren’t distinguishable.
Seth finally said, “You prick, you almost blew our whole operation.”
“Operation? Was something going on inside there tonight?”
Pierce said, “Don’t give him any more information, Seth. The vehicle is on the way to my location. Gordon. Elsa. Do what we planned. Don’t forget the bathrooms.”
Jessica watched the front door as Pierce gave his instructions. Reece came through a couple of seconds later and headed in their direction. Jessica said, “Reece is on his way back to our table.”
Pierce said, “Let’s just go with the idea that Neil got illegal info on where your boyfriend worked and came in because of what happened in the lobby earlier today.”
“Got it,” Jessica said in a low tone, and smiled as Reece slid into the booth beside her.
“Disaster averted,” he said, picking up his drink and taking a healthy slug.
“Is his throat region intact?” she asked, putting her hand on his thigh beneath the table.
Bouncer (Bad Boys in Big Trouble Book 2) Page 10
