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The opening of the beer bottle hit my lips, and I chugged down the liquid patience. Most referred to alcohol as liquid courage. I didn’t need courage. I needed patience so I didn’t decide to start shooting shit.

Lolli continued to pet me like I was a damn dog. “Heard you have a new alliance, babe. Must be stressful. Need to let off some steam?”

My eyebrows raised at her statement. That was not information she should know. She mistook my reaction as interest in her offer and snaked her hands down to the zipper on my jeans. My rough hand clasped hers before they made it to their intended destination.

“Who the fuck told you that, Lolli? Club bunnies aren’t supposed to know club business, so how the hell do you know about it?” I growled out.

Liquid patience was not kicking in fast enough.

Her face paled at my statement.

“I…I just overheard somewhere,” she stammered.

“You better run off, Lolli. Gunner here has that ragey look he gets before he starts shooting people,” Dex said, looking completely at ease while I was approaching attempted-murderer status. “Unless you want another hole in your body,” he added.

Before I could question her further, she made herself scarce. Dex cleared his throat. “So, we’re goin’ to a seedy strip club run by a cartel. Think they make their dancers wear sombreros? Or maybe those luchador masks…” He paused to take a sip of his beer. “That last one might be kinda hot.”

I looked over at Dex, worried about how serious he sounded. There was no indication he was joking, and I couldn’t hold in my question any longer.

“You want a lap dance from a chick wearing a Mexican wrestling mask?” I asked incredulously.

Dex’s face scrunched up as he considered it. “I’d be down.” His response made me laugh aloud, causing some brothers to turn to look at us.

“You’re a strange fucker, Dex.”

He smirked at my comment before making one of his own.

“Oh, don’t even talk about my sexual appetite, Gunner. I see how the women leave wrecked after being with you. Bitches can’t wait to get another opportunity to be shoved up against a wall and fucked. Maybe we can get a good lay while we’re there. I need a little variety from the club bunnies.”

I nodded in agreement, but I had no plans on getting distracted by Los Muertos’s pussy.

I had a job to do.

Ryan

Lotería, my home away from home.

My fingertips brushed the smooth plastered walls of the club’s exterior. In just a few hours, a line of bodies would wrap around this building, all waiting to get it.

Most days, Lotería felt more like home than my apartment with Nikki. I poured blood, sweat, and tears into it—the blood poured usually wasn’t mine, but the point was that I busted my ass for this place. Ironically, the club had been a gift from Mario. Sergio handed over the strip club for me to manage at his request. I’d begged for a role in Los Muertos, and Mario wouldn’t allow me to strip. Not that I wanted to, but I was annoyed he’d kept me up on a shelf like a doll.

My gaze caught on the main stage, reminding me of what a shit hole this place used to be.

The moment my happy ass walked in all those years ago, I knew the reason Mario had insisted on this particular club. He didn’t think I could actually do anything with it and would run back to him. When I’d taken over, it was a dilapidated strip club in the ghetto of Tucson. The girls were turning tricks and selling drugs. None of them felt an ounce of loyalty to Los Muertos. I didn’t think they even knew the cartel owned the club.

So I cleaned house. Anyone not willing to fall in line found their ass out on the curb. My big dreams for the place, and the need to be noticed for what I could bring to Los Muertos, kept me motivated.

Now we were the fucking Studio 54 of Tucson, and I cleaned a shit ton of dirty money for Los Muertos because of that popularity.

The sight of my office door pulled me out of my nostalgic state. I strode through, only to find Nikki sitting in one of the chairs facing my desk rather than downstairs working like she should be.

My voice cut through the silence of the room. “Honestly, do you do any work while you’re here?”

She didn’t bother looking away from the screen of her phone when she flipped me off.

I rolled my eyes. We both knew I wouldn’t kick her out. “Also, I’m pretty sure I’m a nocturnal creature at this point. I probably should be taking some vitamin D supplement for the lack of sun I get.” I didn’t know if Nikki was listening or if I was saying shit to the universe at this point.

My ass hit the chair, pulling a groan from my lips. I’d slept like shit thanks to Mario’s texts replaying in my brain all night—they had me acting like my day job was as a cryptographer.