"I don't have my phone, Andrew."
Where would I hide it?
Andrew grabbed my hand with a surprisingly steady grasp and moved it to the small oblong bulge in his suit jacket. I reached inside until I found the phone and pulled it out. I kept it lowered between us and quickly looked through the contact list until I came to the name Knox.
"Andrew drugged,"I typed out."Need help."
I kept the phone pressed between us as I began dancing against Andrew. Not only was there the possibility that Kirk might peek in at any moment but the private lap dance cubicles were all monitored. Brasov said it was for our safety, but I knew for a fact he recorded a lot of sessions.
They made great blackmail material.
I suspected that was how he had gained a lot of his power. People with money and social status would be willing to do almost anything not to have their dirty business sold to media outlets. A lot of our clientele didn't want the world knowing they lusted after exotic dancers, especially male exotic dancers.
I jumped when the phone sandwiched between me and Andrew vibrated. After quickly looking over my shoulder to make sure Kirk wasn't watching and glanced down at the screen.
"Incoming."
"Incoming?" I whispered to myself. "What in the hell does that mean?"
A whisper of noise beyond the curtain caught my attention. It was followed almost instantly by Kirk's loud shout. I slid the phone back into Andrew's pocket and then climbed off his lap before walking over to lift the edge of the curtain back.
It took me a moment to figure out what was going on, and then my jaw dropped. I was spellbound by the drama unfolding in the VIP lounge. One of the men Andrew had arrived with was standing toe to toe with a brown-haired man much shorter than him.
And the brown-haired man was screeching for all he was worth, his arms flailing about as he pointed to the dancer cowering behind the taller man, who was shouting back just as loudly.
Kirk and Brasov were quickly making their way toward the shouting couple, which made this the perfect time to try and get Andrew out the backdoor. I turned and hurried back to Andrew and tried to pull him to his feet.
"Come on, Andrew. We need to get out of here."
I got him standing after a few moments and his arm around my shoulders, but getting him walking was a whole different story. Andrew was really unsteady on his feet and stumbled every couple of steps.
When we reached the curtain, I parted it again and peeked out. Kirk and Brasov were now standing next to the couple arguing. They seemed to be trying to calm everyone down.
I started to slip through the curtain but noticed a black-haired man staring at me. I probably wouldn't have noticed except he was staring rather intently. The slight jut of his chin as he glanced toward the back of the room was telling...and confusing.
It was also the direction I had intended to go. If I could get Andrew to the dancer's dressing room, I could take him out the backdoor. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with him then, but I'd figure it out.
And then I'd need to figure out how to come back for Cam. I couldn't leave him behind, not when I knew he was being sold just like I was. I just needed to get Andrew to safety first, and then I could come back for Cam.
"Hey, Clark," I called out when I spotted one of the dancers standing there trying to see what was going on. "Can you help me? This guy has had a little too much to drink. He said he'd pay me a hundred bucks to get him to his car without anyone seeing him, so I'm taking him out the back. I'll split it with you."
I knew those last words would get Clark moving, and they did. He stepped to the far side of Andrew and grabbed him around the waist. Together, we got Andrew to the dancers' entrance and then down the hallway to the back door.
"I'll hold him," I said when we reached the back door. "You get the door."
I grunted when Andrew's entire body leaned against me. It was all I could do to keep us both standing. When Clark opened the door and then screamed as he jumped back, I lost my grip on Andrew, and we both started to go down.
The dark form that filled the doorway rushed forward and grabbed Andrew before he hit the floor. I wasn't so lucky. I hit the floor with a solid thump.
"Andrew, Andrew." The dark form became a man, a very large man, with muscles that went on for miles. He held Andrew steady with one arm and grabbed Andrew's chin with the other one. "Andrew, wake up."
"He's been drugged," I whispered as I pushed myself to my feet and then took a step back. "You need to get him out of here."
The dark man's eyes snapped to me. "Dalton?"
I nodded even as I edged farther down the hallway.
"Sergei." The man patted his wide chest. "I'm here to get you."
