Page 36 of Silk and Sirens

“Over by the dancefloor,” Tony, one of my men, said when I spotted him in the corner, looking less than pleased to be here. He stood out dressed in black, with only the white of his fake teeth glowing.

“She talk to anyone?” I asked, scanning the dancefloor.

“A few men as she danced, but nothing obvious. She came straight from Atlantis.”

I spotted Aeris in the centre, head tipped back as her hips moved to music. Her hair was loose, wavy as it clung to her sweaty skin. A man curled his arm around her waist, her back tight against his chest. Aeris continued to dance, body swaying, pressing herself back as if encouraging it.

“She spot you?” I asked, keeping my tone even.

“No, I swapped cars with Raj.”

“Good.” I’d had men tailing her for the better part of a week, giving me continuous updates of her whereabouts and meetings. So far it’d been a waste of time, and yet I couldn’t get her out of my fucking head.

“You’re dismissed,” I said, continuing to watch her. She finally twisted, her palms flat to the man’s chest as she looked up at him with a smirk.

I forced myself to unclench my jaw.

“Watch out for the skinhead in the far corner dressed in black. He hasn’t taken his freaky eyes off her for the last hour.”

I followed Tony’s line of sight. The man stood in the shadows, leaning against the wall, his attention fixed solely on Aeris as she danced.

“I’ve noticed him a few times,” he continued.

“Yeah, he’s a bouncer in Atlantis.”

“This is outside. Raj mentioned he followed her home and sat outside her place the other night. He doesn’t think she’s aware of it.” I nodded to Tony briefly before I returned my attention to Aeris, who’d moved to the edge of the dancefloor. The man who she was dancing with was long gone, but now I had a different problem.

Bradley-motherfucking-Bently stood over her, his body rigid and his movements exaggerated.

What the fuck was the head of the Peckham Crowns doing talking to Aeris?

I stilled when Bradley grabbed her upper arm, but I held back, wanting to see how it played out. The club was a sensory overload of flashing lights, clashing colour, and heavy bass. But still, Aeris held my focus. The way she stood while Bradley continued to shout, his head dipped low towards hers. There was no visible tension or sign of fear. If anything, she looked … annoyed. Like Bradley was an inconvenience that had interrupted her night.

My attention sharpened on her reaction, narrowing in on her like everything else in the room had dulled around the edges. I wanted to see what she would do. How she would react.

A weight slammed into my right, the man stumbling hard enough to force me a step sideways, dragging my attention to him for half a second.

“Sorry about that.” The guy drunkenly grinned as I shoved him off, already turning back to find Aeris was gone. The space where they’d been swallowed by bodies and shifting light.

I scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of her, or Bradley.

Fuck.

Pushing through the dancers, I headed for where I’d last seen them, finally spotting Bradley cutting towards the exit.

I caught up to him quickly, grabbing his arm and slamming him back against the wall.

His eyes snapped wide as it registered, his fight or flight kicking in too late. He jerked in my grip, but there was no strength behind it.

“You alright mate,” I said calmly. “I’ve been looking for you.” The prick had been in hiding since I’d started taking out his guys.

“Shit man.” He swallowed hard, tongue darting out to wet his lips, pupils blown wide. “I didn’t know it was Beast’s stuff. You know I wouldn’t have touched it if I knew.”

His gaze kept slipping past me, darting over my shoulder like he was searching for help that wouldn’t be coming.

“I swear, man, I didn’t—” He cut himself off, fingers twitching where they pressed uselessly against my arm. “She told me it was a starter, you know? An easy hit.”

“She?”