Part 9 (2/2)
She paused, turning to me with folded arms. ”Im Katya. Good to meet you. Finally.” Her sweet smile was fake, the dig clear in her tone.
”Katy? Im Regan-”
”Kah- tee- ya.” She shrugged off the correction. ”Everyone calls me Cherry though.”
”Cherry?” I had to look at her skinny frame with new respect since she fought off a guy with a knife.
Her teeth bit into her bottom lip as she smiled knowingly. ”You hear of me. From who? Ian or Lawson?”
”Regan.” Gage leaned out of his office on the opposite side of the room, signaling for me to come over.
”Kegs delivered. No liquor yet,” Cherry yelled to him.
He glanced towards her, tone changing to business. ”If its not here in the next hour, well call.” He nodded for me and opened the door wider in invitation.
And I didnt look back or give another thought to the girl standing in the club. She could be as smug as she wanted to be about her role here, my man needed me.
I stepped into his office, a clean s.p.a.ce of blacks and greys with simple, but strong, furniture.
He enveloped me in his arms the moment the door clicked shut, filling my senses. His strong warmth surrounded me, his natural clean scent just under the slightly sweet smoky scent of the club. His stiff muscles relaxed in my arms, and then his lips covered mine, hands gripping my waist. His kiss was cool and sweet like he just had a drink, but it quickly warmed as he sucked my bottom lip between his.
His hands moved over the edge of my jeans, circling around me, when they reached my back he pulled away. ”Wheres your gun?”
I took a breath, recovering from the greeting. I patted the top of my boot where my Sig was strapped to my calf, hidden under the leather of my riding boots. ”Here.”
”What have I told you? Keep it at your waist, so you can get to it quick. You waist time getting it from your boot or if someone grabs you-”
”If they grab me, theyll probably get to my gun at my waist before I can.” I felt the need to defend my choice. ”I cant walk around campus strapped like that, someone will see.”
Stepping back from me, he gripped his head and growled, ”When will you stop fighting everything I tell you?”
”Whats going on? You didnt call me here over my gun.” I took a tentative step towards him and he melted, starting with his eyes, anger evaporating.
He stepped back to his sofa and lowered himself down. ”They found her.”
”Her? The missing girl.”
His face was blank when he lifted his head.
Sitting next to him, I grabbed his hands, not sure if it was to calm him or me. ”Is she...Where did they find her?”
He looked over at me with a strange expression, an emptiness I couldnt place. But when he shook his head, my heart dropped with the weight of the admission.
”Stop.” He pushed my hands off of him and stood up. ”That girl was killed and dropped at one of Viktors warehouses. And I did nothing.” He stalked across the room, spinning back around. ”Nothing.”
He was close to erupting, so I sat still, not wanting to be a trigger.
He looked around the office, his strained breathing reaching me. ”Viktor. I havent been able to get a hold of him yet. I have to talk to him and find out more.”
His talking seemed to help release some of the pressure so I questioned him, ”When do you think that will happen?”
His eyes snapped to mine, like my voice surprised him. ”Maybe this weekend. Hes in DC for some political s.h.i.+t. But when he gets back, Ill meet with him. Until then...” he took a deep breath and stepped towards me. ”I dont want you going anywhere. Stay at the condo until I can figure out if this is in retaliation for what Ive done or if its really towards Viktor.”
I was just about to respond when a knock echoed around the room.
Gage pulled open the door and Cherry leaned into the frame. ”Liquor delivered, but Sams a no shown. I need help to open.”
”Ians out there right?” He quickly slipped into business mode, like nothing else bothered him. ”Have you called Tyson?”
”Ians here. Tyson will be here at five.”
He nodded, gripping the door edge. ”All right. Ill be out soon.”
When she walked away he closed the door and turned to me.
I jumped up before he could speak. ”I can help.” I stepped towards him. ”I get that youre worried, but I cant just sit at home. I can help out-”
”Youre not working out there,” He cut me off.
”I wont, but I can do other stuff, stock, clean, handle phones. Whatever. Anything. But I cant sit at home.”
He watched me wearily, and I saw the cracks in his decision and pressed on them.
Stepping closer, I slid my fingers lightly over his s.h.i.+rt. ”Plus, then Ill be here, youll know Im okay.”
The phone on his desk started ringing and he groaned. ”For tonight. Only.”
11: Off Limits.
ONE NIGHT TURNED INTO SEVERAL, AND BY Sunday I had found a good groove. I managed the stock room and deliveries, staying out of the main club mostly. But I was close enough to see everything, and I absorbed whatever information I could, taking on a new task each day. Tonight, I moved in on the money.
I counted the set amount of twenties to keep in the register and slid the rest into a zipper pouch to count later. I did the same thing with the tens, unable to quit the old habit of straightening them by lining up the heads to face the same way.
The place was packed for a Sunday evening. All three stages were going and lights crossed the darkness to highlight the girls performing. Ba.s.s vibrated my bones as the sultry sound filled the air. The pressure was heightened since a large business group from Tokyo had rented a private room for themselves, and they were a demanding crowd.
Cherry came behind the bar and grabbed two more bottles of Fortaleza for the private group, they were drinking it like water. At this rate, Id have to send Kane, the smallest of the bouncers, on a liquor store run. Cherry zipped from one end of the bar to the other, setting up their tray. She managed to keep her quick movements seductive, an art all the girls had down pat when the lights dimmed and doors opened.
I froze while counting when Alessandra Rusnak walked out of Gages office. Her eyes swept up and met mine as she closed the door behind her. Placing the bills into the bag, I zipped it up and slid it into the side of my jeans, pulling my s.h.i.+rt over it.
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