Hudson locked the break room door too, just in case the guy started wandering and found his way through the back rooms. At least that way he’d be confined to the entrance, cloakroom, and break room.
It would probably all be fine, Hudson told himself.
CHAPTER
TWO
Hudson turnedaround to lead the procession up to Finch D’Amato's office. This was the ritual they went through every night. Once the money was counted out by two staff members, Hudson would take the locked box and key, and escort everyone upstairs to the office, usually with Dino in the rear. Dino was the real muscle in the scenario, but because Hudson was Finch’s personal assistant, he liked to make sure that the cashbox got from the counting room to the upstairs office without incident.
Once they reached the office, Finch would double-check the numbers and pay all the remaining staff members their cash bonuses for the year, plus any cut of the night’s tips. Tonight he’d already paid the bar and floor staff, so the only ones left were Hudson, Dino, Brady, and Ziggy, plus Art the cleaner.
And Gio, if Gio counted. But he wasn’t a nightclub employee. He was there to act as protection for Finch—or as a weapon if necessary. Finch had suggested several times that Hudson carry a gun of his own, but Hudson had refused. He’d had a few lessons in shooting from others in the Family, but he wasn’t exactly a natural.
They ascended the stairs to the office, where Hudson knocked on the door and waited respectfully to be admitted. The door opened, and there in the doorway stood Gio Carlucci, leaning up against the doorframe.
He gave Hudson an insolent up and down look that made Hudson's face burn.
“We have the cashbox,” Hudson said after a second, almost defensively.
Gio gave a twisted smile. “Happy New Year to you, too. Come in.” He stood aside to let Hudson pass, but Hudson ushered through Ziggy and Brady first, hoping Gio would go with them.
Gio didn’t. And when Hudson followed them into the room, he stepped too close to Gio, who didn't move back as much as he should have. Hudson bumped against him, and stammered, “S-sorry.”
Gio leaned in and murmured, “I was hoping to catch you for a midnight kiss.”
Hudson pulled back sharply. He hated that kind of teasing. “Listen, it's been a long night. I just want to get home.”
Gio studied his face for a moment and then shrugged. “Message received, loud and clear.”
At least no one else had seen the awkward exchange. Hudson hurriedly checked to make sure, but Finch was busy offering drinks to anyone who wanted one. “We've had a great quarter,” he said. “And that's down to you guys. Well, to most of you.”
“Thanks, Chief!” Brady said. He elbowed Ziggy aside to take the drink that Finch was offering.
“Read the room, buddy,” Gio said under his breath, but Hudson was still close enough to hear it. He couldn't stop his little snuffle of laughter.
“Where’s Dino?” Finch asked, but as Hudson opened his mouth to explain, frantic footsteps pounded up the stairs outside. The door burst open and Dino leaned in.
“Downstairs,” he gasped. “That dumbass fool’s overdosing in the bathroom.”
“What thefuck?” Finch snapped.
Dino shook his head as he tried to catch his breath. “Come now.Now.”
Finch yanked open his desk drawer and grabbed a naloxone injector. Drugs were banned in Kismet, but they always kept naloxone on hand just in case. “It better be a fucking opioid,” he muttered, and then looked up. “But this could be a distraction. Hudson, lock the office door. Dino, stay up here with him and stand guard. Everyone else, with me.”
“But Mr. D—” began Ziggy, looking at the cashbox.
“Move,” Finch snarled, and everyone moved.
This was the Finch that Hudson found so terrifying. He ran past them all, heading downstairs with Gio on his heels, close as a shadow. Hudson came out last and locked the door, calling to Dino, who was already running heavily down the stairs. “Hang on, you’re supposed to…”
But Dino didn’t even glance back and the protest died on Hudson’s lips. What if thiswasa distraction, like Finch had suggested?
Too late—he was alone.
With a sigh, he locked the door with the key from Finch’s desk, then folded his arms and waited outside, leaning up against the door. His job seemed to involve a lot of waiting at doors.
He wondered whether he should arm himself with Finch’s gun that he kept in the desk drawer, just in case. But he didn’t want to go back into the office now that he’d locked it. Plus, if he got nervous, he didn’t trust himself not to shoot someone he shouldn’t.
