I didn’t think anything of it. I’d talk to him later or more than likely, Lassiter would find me to follow up on whatever he was concerned about.
Later, I was leaving the locker room at the end of my shift and called out to the rest still inside, “Have a good night, everyone.”
“Bye, Blake!”
“See you.”
“Have a good one.” A few called back.
I enjoyed working here so far. The boss had remained away except for tonight. My coworkers were all friendly. For knowing the place had Mafia ties, it didn’t seem like it. The whole nightclub felt like any other nightclub. It was run deftly. A good place. I always felt safe, knowing their security was active and involved.
Yeah. I liked it here. I was glad I’d applied.
I pushed out the back door. Creighton’s watcher would be waiting for me in the front, where he’d trail me to the subway and take a seat a few back from me. It was our routine, so I went through the alley that would take me to the street.
Hearing voices that came from the alley, I didn’t think anything of it. They were low, almost hushed. No one was stressed or upset. There was no reason to set off an alarm with me, but I’d only gotten three steps before I saw who was speaking.
Two men were talking, tucked against the wall of the building across from Octavia. One had his back to the alley, but I could see him from the side. The other was facing the alley, his face in shadow. There was a door behind him.
Both were businessmen. Both wore custom tailored suits, reeking of money.
I didn’t think much of the exchange until one guy reached inside his suit jacket, lifting it to reveal a gun that was holstered against his hip.
I still didn’t think anything of it. Guns were common in my life, but then the guy pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to the man, who took it, tucking it away instantly. He turned to leave, saw me, and stopped short. “Fuck.”
I didn’t know this guy, but he was looking at me as if I were an inconvenience to him. Like a gnat.
I started to say something, probably a retort because it was late at night and I didn’t care one iota who this guy was, but the other one, the guy who’d handed him the envelope, stepped out from the shadows.
I stopped in my tracks, swallowing thickly. Him, I did know. Though I wished I didn’t.
It was Ashton Walden, and his gaze was pinned right smack on me. Yep. He fully knew who I was too.
The bottom of my gut fell to my feet. This was so veryverynot good.
Walden’s mouth flattened, and he took a step toward me. “Well, Miss Green. You are not supposed to be here. Of all the little girls to walk down this alley on this night, at this hour, it had to be you. You must have some bad luck.”
I almost snorted because he had no idea.
A scrape sounded from behind me, and before I could respond or react, something was shoved over my head. The world went dark. I felt a prick as a needle was jammed into my neck.
I gasped, my legs shifting into a fighting stance automatically. But I was too late because the world began to tilt, and I was going down.
Strong arms caught me right as I realized what was happening.
Shit. I’m being kidnapped.
Chapter Seventeen
Blake
The covering was whisked away, and there, as my hands had been tied behind my chair, two fuckheads stared down at me. Tristian West and Ashton Walden.
I growled because no fucking way was this happening to me again. No way in hell. I began working, trying to get one of my hands free right away. I probably should’ve been scared. I knew this, but right now, I waspissed.
These two assholes.
Walden’s face was bruised. I got a better look at him since there was light in the room, and he looked as if he went three rounds with a heavyweight champion, and lost. West wasn’t too much better. Both were heavily bruised, and both were scowling at me. They were livid and looking at me as if I was the cause of whoever pissed in their cereal.
