They grumbled under their breath.
Drew pushed it. “It’s a bathroom, not a portal to freedom. You’d still have to drag me past the dance floor, up two flights, and out the door while half the club watches. If I could make a run for it, don’t you think I would’ve done it already?”
The taller of the two guards swore under his breath. “Fine. But she doesn’t go alone.”
“I’ll take her,” Dunlop offered quickly. “You two can guard the exits. She’s not getting anywhere with me there.”
They hesitated, but eventually nodded. “Make it quick.”
A moment later, Dunlop guided her down a narrow hall to a staff bathroom; a dingy single-stall thing with flickering lights and no windows. The mirror was cracked, and the sink leaked into a rusted bucket beneath the pipes. The door clicked shut behind them, and she slumped against the wall as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.
“Relax,” he muttered. “I’m just cutting the zip ties. Keep your voice low.”
She stared at him in surprise as the plastic restraints fell away.
“I thought you were with them.”
“I was told to show up and ‘watch the back rooms.’ No one said shit about you being here.” He frowned. “What the hell did you do?”
Drew rubbed her sore wrists. “Apparently, I pissed off a cartel. Long story.”
“Is this because of that Morgan thing, the two hundred and fifty K?” Dunlop asked, his voice quieter now. Concern flickered beneath the surface.
Drew hesitated. “Did you hear me say it’s a long story? More importantly, what the hell are you doing here? Why didn’t you stay with Billy?”
Dunlop looked at the floor guiltily. “Well… uh, you see, your lawyer friend got me off the charges. He tripped up my friend and got him to confess to the whole thing. So…” he continued as he rubbed the back of his neck. “There was no real point in running anymore. I mean, Rodriguez wasn’t going to find out about the charges since they were dropped, and well… I had nowhere to go and no money.”
Drew stared at him. “So you came back here?”
Dunlop shrugged but looked defensive. “It’s not like I had a lot of choice.”
“Fine,” Drew said through gritted teeth. “What can you tell me about what’s going on?”
“With what?” Dunlop asked with a puzzled look on his face.
Drew closed her eyes and counted to ten. “With your cousin. Who are all those guys with him? What’s the story with his missing girlfriend?”
“Oh, that. Yeah, those guys are scary, right?” He shook his head. “I’ve been staying well out of their way for sure.”
“Dunlop.” It was half a plea and half an order.
“Right. Sorry. They’re cartel guys. It turns out Tessa, the girlfriend, was a crooked cop, and she stole one of Rodriguez’s major shipments. He has to get it back pronto because the cartel guys are super pissed about it. If he doesn’t come up with the drugs, Rodriguez is a dead man.”
Drew wanted to smack Dunlop like she would swat an annoying mosquito. Why the hell was he back where his cousin could get him killed? She blew out a breath. Not her primary concern right now. “What’s he planning?”
“Rodriguez?” Dunlop asked.
“No, the Easter Bunny. Yes, Rodriguez!”
Dunlop shrugged. “No clue. He hasn’t been talking much with those other guys around, so I don’t know.” Drew narrowed her eyes at him. “But I can find out,” he continued quickly.
There was banging on the door. “What the fuck are you two doing in there?”
Dunlop jumped, and Drew rolled her eyes. “Making fucking brownies,” she snarled back. Then she pushed Dunlop out of the way and washed her hands. At her nod, he yanked open the door. She walked into the hallway, where the taller bodyguard put zip ties back on her wrists and led her back to the office.
Rodriguez entered the office less than two minutes later, flanked by two of his usual muscle and three others Drew didn’t immediately recognize. They were taller, leaner, wearing crispsuits that didn’t fit the sweaty, neon pulse of the Miami club. These were cartel men, and their presence electrified the room with an unspoken threat.
Drew frowned. The tallest one looked familiar. She didn’t know him, but she was pretty sure she knewofhim. He was one of the head of the cartel’s, Hector Belasco, henchmen. He’d been up on a murder charge but had gotten off when the only witness mysteriously disappeared. No wonder the tension in the room had skyrocketed. These were not men to be messed with.
