Another text comes through from a paranoid Frankie during the ride between Layla’s and Lush. The smell of smoke hangs in the air, mixed with cheap perfume, as Layla and I make our way into the old restored warehouse. It’s plain black brick from the outside with a pink sign above the door. It’s packed tonight, and a soft neon glow lights the large open room. A stage reaches from one end to the other, curving out into the space. There are stools around it, and tables litter the floor with comfortable leather chairs flanking them. Layla’s eyes are wide as sultry music plays, and she takes it all in with open curiosity. Three girls dance at their respective places on the stage, all of them in various forms of undress.
I look down at Layla and wonder what exactly is going through her head, wishing I could climb inside for even a second, because if I didn’t know any better, I’d think this place was almost turning her on.
There are two low-ranking Disciples members at the bar—guard dogs. One of them I actually know, so I tell him we’re just here to give Layla an adventure. He chuckles as he looks her over appreciatively, and it takes everything in me not to punch his teeth in, but Kai steps in and puts his arm around me.
“Easy, Lover Boy. Another time.” He pats my shoulder witha huge grin. He’s in his fucking element. “I’ll find Trina and Ellie. We’ll make it quick.”
I grunt at him as he chuckles.
I haven’t been in the club for more than two fucking seconds before Frankie’s in front of me. I feel Layla stiffen the moment she sees our deputy sheriff. He looks at her for a moment before his face softens.
“Miss Monroe,” he greets her. It hits me thenwhyhe knows Layla, and my stone-cold heart sinks in my chest for her. As deputy he was probably the one who had to come and tell her about her parents. I wonder if she’s seen him since.
I grip her hand tighter, feeling her body relax a little. “Deputy Steadman.” She offers him a curt smile as Kai squeezes Layla’s shoulder with a smile. Always Mr. Right Place At The Right Time, I’ll give him that.
“Come on, pretty girl, let’s get us a drink and a place to sit.”
Layla smiles, excitement in her eyes. Christ, she’s gorgeous.
“Sure.” She looks up at me.
“Go ahead. I’ll come find you when I’m done.” I kiss her lightly and then watch as she and Kai head to the bar. I know she’s safe with him.
I look back at Frankie. I see the questions he won’t dare ask: about why I’m looking for this information, and what I’m going to do with it.
“Don’t ever fucking cut me off at the door like that again,” I bite out the second Layla is out of earshot. I nod toward a dark corner and he follows me. “When I’m ready to talk to you, I’ll findyou,” I reiterate.
“Sorry. Fuck.” He rubs a hand across his jaw. “It makes me nervous to be here meeting you, man.”
“Relax. This isn’t even your jurisdiction. You got what I need?” I ask, straight to the point. Frankie reaches into his jacketpocket. He’s off duty and in civilian clothes but I can see why he’d be nervous waiting around here. Even in civvies he can never know if he’s gonna run into someone that he arrested from the next county over.
He pulls out a folded piece of paper and presses it into my palm. I don’t look down at it yet. “Christ. Paper? What is this, 1999?”
“You know I can’t leave a digital trail, Ax.” He fills me in on what he found in the file.
“They think Layla’s mother was an afterthought. Security cameras didn’t work but the clerk who survived said it didn’t seem like the gunman wanted to kill her …”
We talk for a few more minutes about everything else he thinks might be related to the case, but as another group of men pass by us to head to the restrooms, I can tell Frankie is antsy as fuck about being here.
I clap him on the shoulder.
“Okay, get the fuck outta here before you have an aneurysm.”
He nods and scurries through the crowd faster than I can even get the words out. There’s no one around me now, so I turn and pull out the sketch. I’ve never seen this man. He’s maybe late forties, has a beard and black hair. He’s got a wide jaw and deep-set eyes, looks solid. But the most standout feature is the tattoo of a joker playing card on the side of his neck. I memorize every feature on this prick’s face, then I stuff the paper in my cut and head over to find Kai and Layla.
My eyes search the heavy crowd for my girl. There are probably a hundred people in here but my eyes land on Layla right away. She’s sipping on a margarita, watching the dancer in front of her with fascination. Kai turns and gives me a double thumbs up with a grin. I shake my head and turn to the bar to grab a drink, watching her some more while I wait. There’s a smile on her pretty face and her copper waves trail down the curve of hershoulders. She lifts the heavy curtain of her thick fiery hair off her back because it’s hot as fuck in here, and as if she can feel my eyes on her, she turns to look at me over her shoulder. Her cheeks are flushed and she’s got a glow about her under the pink neon lights.
All I want to do is hike that fucking dress up over those luscious hips and slam into her right in the middle of the bar—
“Hey Ax.” I’m pulled from the vision of fucking Layla by a blonde I’ve seen around the clubhouse before.
“Trina.” She offers her name, even though I didn’t ask for it.
“Hey,” I say, looking back over at Layla. She’s watching me intently right now but it’s obvious she’s trying to pretend that she isn’t.
“Um … I just wanted to let you know, that if you have some time, I have some time.” Trina shrugs and looks up at me with a seductive smile on her face. That smile might have worked for me in another life. I know she has a reputation, and I might be the only one who hasn’t “spent some time” with her.
I lean down so she can hear me a little better, just so I’m nice and clear.
