OtherSide Of Fear (Outside The Ropes #3) (12 page)

A tall, skinny brunette was smoking a cigarette outside the back door in skintight jeans and a mid-drift showing Giant’s jersey.

“Not open yet.” Her accent was thick, but words were clear.

She pushed off the wall and tossed her cigarette, stepping in front of the door when she saw I wasn’t stopping. “I said—”

“I heard you.” I looked directly into her light green eyes but stopped myself from pushing her out of the way. Not for fear, but because I didn’t want to cause any more drama for Gage. “I’m here to see my husband.”

She scanned over me and her red lips curled. “Oh, Mrs. Lawson? I didn’t recognize.” She opened the door, pushing it for me to catch as she walked through the backroom to the open club area, long dark hair swaying behind her. “He’s in his office. I get him for you,” she said over her shoulder.

“No, That’s all right. I’ll get him.” I didn’t need a go between.

She paused, turning to me with folded arms. “I’m Katya. Good to meet you. Finally.” Her sweet smile was fake, the dig clear in her tone.

“Katy? I’m Regan—”

“Kah— tee— ya.” She shrugged off the correction. “Everyone calls me Cherry though.”

“Cherry?” I had to look at her skinny frame with new respect since she fought off a guy with a knife.

Her teeth bit into her bottom lip as she smiled knowingly. “You hear of me. From who? Ian or Lawson?”

“Regan.” Gage leaned out of his office on the opposite side of the room, signaling for me to come over.

“Kegs delivered. No liquor yet,” Cherry yelled to him.

He glanced towards her, tone changing to business. “If it’s not here in the next hour, we’ll call.” He nodded for me and opened the door wider in invitation.

And I didn’t look back or give another thought to the girl standing in the club. She could be as smug as she wanted to be about her role here, my man needed me.

I stepped into his office, a clean space of blacks and greys with simple, but strong, furniture.

He enveloped me in his arms the moment the door clicked shut, filling my senses. His strong warmth surrounded me, his natural clean scent just under the slightly sweet smoky scent of the club. His stiff muscles relaxed in my arms, and then his lips covered mine, hands gripping my waist. His kiss was cool and sweet like he just had a drink, but it quickly warmed as he sucked my bottom lip between his.

His hands moved over the edge of my jeans, circling around me, when they reached my back he pulled away. “Where’s your gun?”

I took a breath, recovering from the greeting. I patted the top of my boot where my Sig was strapped to my calf, hidden under the leather of my riding boots. “Here.”

“What have I told you? Keep it at your waist, so you can get to it quick. You waist time getting it from your boot or if someone grabs you—”

“If they grab me, they’ll probably get to my gun at my waist before I can.” I felt the need to defend my choice. “I can’t walk around campus strapped like that, someone will see.”

Stepping back from me, he gripped his head and growled, “When will you stop fighting everything I tell you?”

“What’s going on? You didn’t call me here over my gun.” I took a tentative step towards him and he melted, starting with his eyes, anger evaporating.

He stepped back to his sofa and lowered himself down. “They found her.”

“Her? The missing girl.”

His face was blank when he lifted his head.

Sitting next to him, I grabbed his hands, not sure if it was to calm him or me. “Is she…Where did they find her?”

He looked over at me with a strange expression, an emptiness I couldn’t place. But when he shook his head, my heart dropped with the weight of the admission.

“Stop.” He pushed my hands off of him and stood up. “That girl was killed and dropped at one of Viktor’s warehouses. And I did nothing.” He stalked across the room, spinning back around. “Nothing.”

He was close to erupting, so I sat still, not wanting to be a trigger.

He looked around the office, his strained breathing reaching me. “Viktor. I haven’t been able to get a hold of him yet. I have to talk to him and find out more.”

His talking seemed to help release some of the pressure so I questioned him, “When do you think that will happen?”

His eyes snapped to mine, like my voice surprised him. “Maybe this weekend. He’s in DC for some political shit. But when he gets back, I’ll meet with him. Until then…” he took a deep breath and stepped towards me. “I don’t want you going anywhere. Stay at the condo until I can figure out if this is in retaliation for what I’ve done or if it’s really towards Viktor.”

I was just about to respond when a knock echoed around the room.

Gage pulled open the door and Cherry leaned into the frame. “Liquor delivered, but Sam’s a no shown. I need help to open.”

“Ian’s out there right?” He quickly slipped into business mode, like nothing else bothered him. “Have you called Tyson?”

“Ian’s here. Tyson will be here at five.”

He nodded, gripping the door edge. “All right. I’ll be out soon.”

When she walked away he closed the door and turned to me.

I jumped up before he could speak. “I can help.” I stepped towards him. “I get that you’re worried, but I can’t just sit at home. I can help out—”

“You’re not working out there,” He cut me off.

“I won’t, but I can do other stuff, stock, clean, handle phones. Whatever. Anything. But I can’t sit at home.”

He watched me wearily, and I saw the cracks in his decision and pressed on them.

Stepping closer, I slid my fingers lightly over his shirt. “Plus, then I’ll be here, you’ll know I’m okay.”

The phone on his desk started ringing and he groaned. “For tonight. Only.”

ONE NIGHT TURNED INTO SEVERAL, AND BY Sunday I had found a good groove. I managed the stock room and deliveries, staying out of the main club mostly. But I was close enough to see everything, and I absorbed whatever information I could, taking on a new task each day. Tonight, I moved in on the money.

I counted the set amount of twenties to keep in the register and slid the rest into a zipper pouch to count later. I did the same thing with the tens, unable to quit the old habit of straightening them by lining up the heads to face the same way.

The place was packed for a Sunday evening. All three stages were going and lights crossed the darkness to highlight the girls performing. Bass vibrated my bones as the sultry sound filled the air. The pressure was heightened since a large business group from Tokyo had rented a private room for themselves, and they were a demanding crowd.

Cherry came behind the bar and grabbed two more bottles of Fortaleza for the private group, they were drinking it like water. At this rate, I’d have to send Kane, the smallest of the bouncers, on a liquor store run. Cherry zipped from one end of the bar to the other, setting up their tray. She managed to keep her quick movements seductive, an art all the girls had down pat when the light’s dimmed and doors opened.

I froze while counting when Alessandra Rusnak walked out of Gage’s office. Her eyes swept up and met mine as she closed the door behind her. Placing the bills into the bag, I zipped it up and slid it into the side of my jeans, pulling my shirt over it.

She was at the bar’s edge, meeting me as I tried to exit. She placed a hand on her hip, hugged in a pencil skirt and form-fitting blouse that showed the top of her cleavage.

“Ivan told me you’d been here recently.” Her hair was pulled back, showing the angles of her face as she smiled at me like a cat that caught her mouse.

Her lackey, Ivan, was typically the one to come and pick up the night’s bank drop off.

I nodded and tried to walk past but she sidestepped, blocking me.

“Can I help you with something?” I faced her completely, not dropping my eyes from her dark stare.

“Maybe, we’ll see.” She took a breath, tension dropping from her shoulders as she sat on the stool to her side. “Let’s start with a drink. Vodka lime.”

My heart sped up. I’d talk with her, but I wasn’t serving her.

“Cherry, get Mrs. Rusnak a Vodka lime,” I spoke loud enough for her to hear me down the bar.

Cherry straightened. Closing the freezer under the bar, her sweet smile faltered as she looked towards me. She picked up her tray filled with ice buckets, liquor, and garnishes with ease, and then walked past us.

“Mercedes,” She called another server who was at a nearby table. “Get them a Vodka Lime.”

Alessandra’s brow quirked up and she smirked at me. “That one there, you need to get a hold of.”

“We’re busy. Now was there something more?” Anger simmered my blood. Cherry had undermined whatever strength I was trying to portray, but erupting now would only highlight that.

“Just wanted to talk, woman to woman.” She slid a twenty to Mercedes after she received her drink. “Keep the change.”

I leaned on the bar between us to hear her better over the heavy beat and the rowdy crowd as the dancer on the main stage climbed the pole.

“I wondered what type of woman you were. I wasn’t sure how you’d react to this life.” She gestured to the main stage. “But your getting involved now, so…” She sipped her drink before continuing, “The question is, do you have any say, or do you only do as your husband tells you?”

“We do things together.”

“No.” She lifted her hand, interrupting me. “I didn’t need an answer. I’ll see soon enough.”

“What does that mean? What’s going to happen?”

She laughed as if we really were two friends talking. “Nothing. You’re here now, I’ll see how you do, what you do. That will tell me what I need to know.” She shook her head, chest still vibrating with amusement. “These girls, all men see is pussy. Even you and me. All women. It’s important to show them otherwise. Show them you have a big dick and can fuck harder than them. The sooner the better.”

She sized me up as she took a sip of her drink. “I made the mistake of not stepping up soon enough, letting my husband take control at first. It made it that much harder when I finally took on a role. It’s still early for you, step up.” She stood up from her stool, surprising me by sliding her hand to my shoulder. “If you need anything, let me know.”

I pulled away from her grip. “All right.”

“Oh and another thing.” She tapped her polished nail on the bar. “These girls, you don’t need to worry about them. They are all on short visas, only here for about a month. But that one,” she pointed to where Cherry was walking through the club, “She’s staying a bit longer, has a different visa.” She cocked her head to the side, watching her bend over a man, whispering in his ear. “Gage helped her get it.” Alessandra’s eyes flicked back to mine. “Don’t let girls interfere with what you want to do though. Sometimes you have to turn a blind eye to things, focus on the business instead.”

Gage came out of his office on a direct path to us, and Alessandra waved to him but leaned in closer to me. “One last thing, I know Gage is trying to expand and open a night club. Talk with him about it. Our umbrella of protection and support can’t cover that right now. He’d do best to keep his focus on this club for now.” She winked, turning to leave. “Do svidaniya!”

I walked around the bar and through the lounge area of the club, meeting Gage in his path to me.

He grabbed my elbow and leaned in close. “You okay? What was she saying? And what the hell are you doing behind the bar anyways?”

I rolled my eyes and kept walking to his office. He followed my lead, not dropping my arm, shielding me needlessly. I was fully clothed in jeans and long sleeve shirt; no one was looking at me when there were boobs bouncing everywhere.

When the office door slammed closed, I pulled the money pouch out from under my shirt and shoved it into his chest. “I was taking inventory, the cash drawer was filled so I reset it.” I dropped my arm, stepping back as he clutched the bag. “We need more Fortaleza for the party.” I took a deep breath, my mind shuffled through everything Alessandra said, and I wondered where to start. “What did she meet with you about? She was in your office first.”

I took a couple more steps back, to prop myself on his desk, muscles vibrating.

He eyed me for a moment, sizing up my mood as he walked around his desk and slid the money pouch into a drawer. “She was scheduling the switch of some girls and giving me details of when I could meet with Viktor.” His voice was slow and cautious as he lowered himself onto his desk next to me, placing his hand on my thigh. “I didn’t know she was coming, or I would have warned you. She surprised me too.”

“When are you meeting with Viktor?” I released some of the tension in my shoulders, exhaling as I tried to wipe out her voice from playing in my head, stirring my insecurities and fears.

“Wednesday. They’ll call me about the time and place.”

“No other news about that.” I kept my emotions sealed and focused on the blinds drawn, blocking the view of the club.

“Nothing. I haven’t found out anything else about her.”

I wanted to say something, ask something, but I wasn’t sure what. I needed time to think about what Alessandra had been saying. I needed distance from her hints and the suspicion they caused. “I’m going to the store for the liquor. I’ll be back.”

He grabbed my hand, pulling me to face him as I tried to walk away. “Hey, are you okay? What was she talking to you about?”

That you arranged for Cherry to stay.

“I’m fine. She acted like she wanted to help me, said I could call her for anything.” I shook my head with a light laugh, trying to brush off everything else, not wanting her words to get to me. “But I think she was mostly trying to get me to convince you not to expand the club.”

Gage’s lips tugged up into a smile, softening and brightening his features as he pulled me close so I stood in front of him, between his legs. “Of course. She’ll try anything to protect her spot. Or Rusnak’s spot. What’d she say was wrong with the idea?”

“She said it was too soon. They can’t protect the new business yet.”

“What do you think?” He dipped his head to catch my eyes with his clear blue ones. Clearer than I’d seen in a while.