But waiting to be caught wasn’t exactly Dorian’s style. No, he was an offense kind of player.
“Thank you,” Dorian said, raising his gun.
“Wait—I thou–”
The man’s words were cut off as Dorian sent a bullet straight into his skull. His outstretched hand flopping as the gun claimed his life.
“You good?” T.B.’s voice was tentative.
“Fucking great,” Dorian said.
T.B. exhaled and rubbed at his chest. “Well, I’m glad you are, because I’m not. How the fuck are we meant to find someone who’s hiding now?”
“Every inch of this city is covered in cameras. Have someone start searching the footage for anything suspicious. We’ll find the fucker eventually.”
T.B.’s bloodthirsty mood had all but dried up by the look of him. Dorian’s had, too. The weight of reality settling into his spine.
“But I’m not waiting any longer. I want to fish this asshole out,” Dorian said, beginning to pace in his anger. “Starting with the people whodoknow something.”
T.B. cocked his head in confusion. “Who are?”
Dorian just smiled.
* * *
The bell jingled when Adam entered his bar. Mercedes was already seated at the bar surrounded by empty shot glasses. She called him there before she left the mansion, and arrived first even though he lived just around the corner. How fast did she have to drive to get there that quick, and already be half into her drinks?
He took the bar stool beside her and kept his voice gentle. “What are you doing, baby?”
“Just needed to drink,” she said.
She waved for another round. Adam sat silently while the bartender poured eight shots. From either end, they each plucked at one shot and clinked their glasses before swallowing the fiery liquid in one gulp. Adam kept his gaze fixated on her as he downed the next three shots along with her.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she huffed. Though the light lines of mascara running down her cheeks said otherwise. “Dorian found some idiot he thought had the name of the fifth in your crew.” She slapped another shot down her throat.
“Did he?” Adam’s voice hardened.
“No,” she said with a shake of her head.
That was lucky, but… His brows pinched as he watched her. She relished the sight of blood and the smell of rotting bodies. Usually the most horrific things in the world did little to scare her. So, what was it then?
“If Dorian knew what I was capable of–”
Slowly nodding, Adam mirrored her each time she slammed another shot.
She sniffed and wiped her mouth with her bare arm, slamming her glass back onto the bar so hard it nearly shattered.
When she finally looked at him, she rolled her eyes, so he imagined he must’ve had a really pitying look on his face.
“He had this guy tied up on the back terrace just by the water, blood everywhere, practically washing the floors with it,” she said.
“Oh,” he said, realization sweeping over him like a tidal wave.
They were going to need more shots. He signaled the bartender. “Make them tequila.”
“I had to leave him there,” she said, looking more disgusted with herself than anything. The tequila arrived and they each took one. Licking the salt, downing the shot, and then sucking the lemon.
