“Yes. That’s who I saw.”
The face of the man I can remember so vividly but here it’s grainy.
Tank scoffs. “Dude, how can you have this expensive fucking club, but your cameras suck dick?”
We all gape at Tank, him shrugging off his insult.
Alexander glares at him. “It’s the angle. Not. My. Equipment.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
Bullet crosses his arms over his chest, looking just as annoyed. “You don’t have cameras shooting in from the other direction? What about outside? Danika said she saw him going out the back.”
“IthoughtI saw. But I could have been imagining things.”
Alexander wears a sheepish expression. “No, but I’m considering it now. Listen. I’m a lot of things, but keeping my club safe from any nonconsensual happenings is my top priority.” He glances at me. “I was informed about what happened and I’m sorry you were in danger here. But you don’t need to fear me or this club. I’ll do what I can to make sure this doesn’t happen again. In the meantime, I’ll do everything I can to find your guy.”
And that’s what I’m afraid of.
THIRTY
Hush
“I messed up your club’s thing tonight, didn’t I?”
Her question takes me aback and I narrow my eyes. “You shouldn’t have been there.” I lift her chin when her face falls toward the ground, ashamed. “But it’s my fault. Not yours.”
“I fucked up any chance of you guys finding your lead.”
I shake my head, her not understanding. “No. Because of you, we now know who to look for.”
She fidgets with the end of her top, nibbling at her bottom lip. “You think I’m crazy, don’t you? I’m seeing him but he’s not really there.” Her eyes lock with mine and I swallow the sharp pain.
“If you say it was him, I believe you.” I step closer, and her eyes flutter closed. “I will always believe you, Danika. Never forget that.”
And if I ever see him…
“Thank you for trusting me. It means a lot.”
Without letting her go, I peer over her shoulder and into her apartment as we stand in her doorway. I hate that she’s here. Alone. And even when she’s not alone, I hate her roommate, despise her fucking boyfriend. Little peep squeak. I’ll squash him like the insect he is.
“Hey. No one is here. You already swept over the entire place. I’ll be fine. Besides, if it was him, he wasn’t there for me.”
He wasn’t there for her.
There’s truth in that. Never thought we’d see him again, and he was clearly at the club for business. I know if he had seen her, he wouldn’t have let her leave. I can guarantee that. She’d be histarget. His priority. Sick fucks like him are never done with their play toys.
“Hey. Come back to me.” Her warm palm brushes against my cheek and I welcome it.
“I need to check in at the club, but I’ll be back tonight.”
She shifts in place. “Liem. I have an early shift at the diner. I’ll already be asleep. I promise you everything is okay.” She stands on the tips of her shoes, laying a kiss on the same cheek. Her lips are soft as they brush my skin, and it takes everything in me not to hum from the feel of her. She’s a temptation I never thought I’d hunger for again.
But I’m going to walk away. For now.
I sweep a piece of hair from her beautiful face, and she leans into my touch. The softness of her skin brushing my fingertips. The harsh swallow allows me to move back without taking my eyes off hers. “Be safe, butterfly.” And I turn, leaving her behind and vulnerable. It kills me slowly with every step.
With added distance, my chest tightens. Not being with her, even for a brief time, doesn’t sit well like before. Now it physically hurts.
