Retribution (13 page)

“The Goldschlager is rotting your brain,” Hal murmured.

Sasha ignored her. “Oh, yeah, and we have to determine what I win when you fail to complete your current mission, young Skywalker. Hmmm, let’s see…” She snapped her fingers, yawned, and pinned Hal with a look before she finished. “You have to—oh damn this is so good—you have to strip down to bra and panties next Friday night, right here at Ray’s, all while dancing to, yep, you guessed it, ‘I Want Your Sex’ by the great one, George Michael. I know, I know, I’m stuck on his fabulous ass, and I know there isn’t room for me there anymore, but I can hope he turns hetero right? I feel this need to pay him tribute—or make you pay him tribute. He’s not going to appreciate the T & A, but I’m sure everybody else here will.” She threw her hands wide to encompass the entire crowd of Ray’s.

Sasha stared directly into her sister’s eyes, daring her to back down from this challenge.

She giggled. Maybe directly wasn’t the right word because there were presently two of Hal. “You’ve got like, four eyes,” she mumbled.

Hal coughed. “Nope, I’ve only got two. And no room on George’s ass? What the hell?” She choked out grinning. “Well, what happens if I win, Obi Wan?”

Her sister’s evil grin stilled Sasha’s drunken heart. She laughed to cover her nervousness. Or maybe her nervousness covered her laughter? Sasha rubbed her head and corralled her spinning thoughts. “I’ll pay you a hundred dollars. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m not saying you have to be ‘brought over’ with full-on sex here, you hussy. And you can’t fake it; there must be some part of his body touching yours intimately so that you can achieve full ‘bring overage’.” Sasha motioned with air quotes

“
No!
” Kara and Devyn shouted at the same time.

“This is kind of a crap bet, Sasha,” Hal whined, ignoring Kara and Devyn. “One hundred dollars? I get abject humiliation plus one hundred dollars if I
win
? On the other hand I
do
get an orgasm. But still, that’s not a bet—that’s a rollover. And what’s with the whole George Michael bit anyway? Couldn’t you have given me some Rhianna or Usher, or something, I don’t know, a little more modern to work with? Just give me a minute here.”

Hal tapped her lips with a carefully manicured nail and contemplated a minute before holding up her fist to knuckle bump Sasha’s. For some strange reason, elation scurried through Sasha at Hal’s capitulation.

“You’ve got yourself a bet, you little Heidi Fleiss you. Since you’re okay with pimping out your little sister for your own enjoyment
, I’ll
enjoy taking your one hundred dollars
and
I’ll enjoy my own, what did you call it? ‘Bring overage’.” She snorted.

“I’m going back out there to dance. I’d rather be mangled by Brian than listen to y’all act like children,” Devyn told them and headed back onto the floor.

“You are both bat-shit crazy. I’m telling Mama,” Kara threatened.

“No, you are not, you little tattletale,” Hal scolded as she punctuated each word by tapping the tip of Kara’s nose. “This is between me and Sasha, and you can either support this little bet and participate with your full wits involved in picking my ‘bring over-er,’ or you can traipse your little ass out there with Dev while we get the ball rolling. No pun intended. Get it? The ball rolling?” She shook her head. “Anyway, the choice of my knight-in-unknowing-armor must be made ladies. Let’s divert our attention to the entrance, shall we?”

They all turned to stare at the doorway.

“You are shitting me,” Hal’s astounded voice rang out thirty seconds later.

Sasha’s tone was as astonished as her sister’s when she yelled out, “This is oh-so-much-better than I thought it could be.” She burst out laughing. “Look Hal, it’s Surrey!”

*

Surrey’s hands clenched. He was pissed and having to fight to hold onto his temper as he walked into Ray’s. He absolutely could not believe what Hal and Sasha had conspired to come up with in the form of their crazy bet, but he’d be damned if he let another man walk into Ray’s before he did and get the pleasure of bringing Hal over. Whatever the hell that meant.

He and Con had outfitted each of the women’s purses with devices that functioned as bugs and trackers. They’d needed to keep an eye on the women without being seen, and they had no other alternative but the bugs. Of course, they’d gotten way more than they bargained for.

His chest tightened as urgency sang through his bloodstream. He knew Hal was only trying to get Sasha’s mind off of Dray, but damn, now Sasha was thoroughly intoxicated, and outrageous bets were flying all over the place. Did Hal have to go hell-bent-for-leather all the time? Who agreed to messed up shit like the bet they had going on now? And how much liquor had Sasha consumed? She’d completely lost her mind.

Dray was going to have his hands way full when he got here. Con was probably still laughing his ass off in the truck outside of the club. With Dray on the way up from Columbus, Surrey knew Con would relay all the juicy details of this episode.

Still it didn’t matter. There was no way anyone else was touching Hal while he was around to witness it. So let her make what she would of his presence now. He was dying to see if she kept her end of the bet and approached him.

Surrey had been the first man through the door. He’d made sure of it.

Would she simply forfeit to her sister?

Her big, blue eyes rounded, and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. As he headed over to the far end of the bar, he realized he
wanted
her take the bet. He
wanted
the opportunity to touch her under the guise of simply helping her win her wager. He could never let her know what it would mean to him, but if he played his cards right, he’d have a memory to last him a lifetime. Shit was going to get very interesting for all of them tonight.

* * * *

Dray had flown up the highway from Columbus to Gainesville, setting speed records in his efforts to get to Ray’s. Sasha had laid down the ultimatum that he either came to her or she would find a way to get to him. He couldn’t afford for her to come looking for him, thus tipping off Dempsey, so when he’d spoken with the general earlier and found out Dempsey was still in Washington, Dray had taken a chance and driven up here to speak with her.

His hands tightened on the wheel, and joy speared his midsection. He’d get to see her again. Just as quickly as he had the thought, he sobered. Uneasiness slinked through his gut. He had no idea what to say to her, so he’d asked a longtime friend and now a member of Presidio Security, Dawn Ryles, to ride up with him.

It was probably not the wisest course of action on his part, but maybe if he could make her believe he was interested in someone else, she would finally move on from him and the danger he represented. Man that he was, he was focused only on the need to make sure she remained safe and off Dempsey’s radar.

Dawn had agreed she’d help him if he was absolutely determined to do this but hadn’t shied away from letting him know she thought he was dumbass for attempting it. It was a moot point for Dray. If Sasha persisted in her attempts to gather information on him or seek him out, she would make herself wide open to Dempsey. That he couldn’t allow.

He hurt a little more every day he knew she was well, knowing if she were safe, they could start this,
them
, over. He’d be devastated if she became a victim of Peter Dempsey. Dray didn’t doubt his ability to protect Sasha. But it was damn hard to prepare for crazy, and that’s what Dempsey was. It was hard to predict an insane man’s next move. Better she was safe and moving past him than dead and unable to.

He’d used the three-hour drive to gird himself and push deep any desires for something other than what he had to accomplish tonight. He was not looking forward to this, and if what Con had told him a few minutes ago was any indication, Dray was walking into one of the toughest situations of his life.

He pulled into the parking lot of Ray’s nightclub and located Con and Surrey’s vehicle. Itchy and Bleak were positioned in the woods surrounding the club, and Surrey was already inside. He parked and glanced at Dawn, pulling in a deep breath before he spoke.

“I’m not going to lie and say this will be a cake walk for you. The Bennoit sisters have proven a formidable front for anyone attacking a member of their family. After this, you’ll rank as public enemy number two, behind my number one status, and it will be difficult if you meet them in the future. Hell, Dawn, you’ve been on ops that are less stressful than this is going to be, and I just want to say how much I appreciate it before we get in there.” Apprehension shot through his abdomen. He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them.

Shit, it was like he was about to go to war.

Her face was blank, but her eyes were bright as she looked back at him.

“I’ve got your back, hoss. I just want to make sure, one last time before we do this, that you’re sure this is the way to handle it. This could make it impossible for you to have a relationship with her later on. In fact, if what the boys say is true, this might prevent her from having any relationships with anybody for a while. She’s vulnerable right now. Do you want to reconsider?” Dawn asked him.

“No,” Dray said emphatically and kept talking before he could change his mind. “I’ve briefed you on Dempsey. He’s a monster. He cannot be allowed to touch her life any more than he already has. This is the way it has to be. You know your role, right?”

“Yes, I’m the adoring, former high school girlfriend. That’ll be a tough role to play, won’t it?” she laughed. “At least I’ve got some experience. So, I’ve just re-entered your life, and since we were already together tonight, you decided to bring me with you. I work with you now, plus I’m a little jealous of another woman demanding to see you, so there’s no reason I shouldn’t be around.” She turned to look him in the eye as she asked, “Her sisters don’t know about the real reason you stay away, do they?”

Dray grimaced as he responded, “I don’t think so. They may have an idea based on snippets of conversations they’ve overheard between Surrey and the guys, but as far as I know, Sasha has no idea why I’ve stayed away. She doesn’t know about the discs either, so don’t let any information drop. Hal is quick, and I can only thank God Sadie isn’t in the country right now. I’d never be able to pull this off if she was here. She’s way too damn perceptive.” He took a much-needed breath and released it slowly. “Now from what Con told me a little while ago, Kara, Devyn, Hal, and Sasha are in there right now, drinking, dancing, and placing outrageous bets with one another. Apparently Sasha is on her way to total inebriation, and we have to make an impression on both her and her sisters,” he sighed but continued as he got out of the car. “Oh, and no fighting with Hal. She’s tough-talking, mouth like a sailor, and all about getting in your face when it comes to her sisters. Do not take her bait, understand?”

“So you’re sending me into the lion’s den with that tiny bit of information? That’s fabulous. Nothing like helping out a friend at great risk to your own personal safety. Let’s just get it done and over with.”

He looked at her clinically. She hadn’t exactly dressed the part of alluring siren, and her hair was in a bun. She caught him staring and rolled her eyes, shaking out her long, blonde hair as she walked around the front of the car to grab Dray’s hand. She batted her eyelashes and smiled up at him sunnily. “Let’s go, baby.”

He winced. Ah, fuck that, he wanted to vomit. This was a bad idea.

You have no choice.

Con met them at the entrance of Ray’s. What appeared to be a small, one-story shed was actually a three-level club with the majority of the structure below ground. Ray Dole had built his hidey-hole at the beginning of the cold war, and since he was richer than Midas, he had spared no expense in setting up a completely functional underground domicile.

Over the years the dwelling had become more meeting place than any type of safety facility, and finally in the late eighties he’d officially begun Ray’s Nightclub. Ray Dole was a good friend of Coleman Bennoit, and Dray knew this was going to be another hole he eventually had to dig himself out of. Angering Sasha’s father was not going to help any future case he put forth for her hand.

It said something that his eye didn’t twitch when he had that thought.
Marriage? Really?
You haven’t even taken her on a date, dumbass.

Con stared at Dray hard as he and Dawn walked up. He crossed his arms over his chest and lowered his brows. “What the hell are you doing, Dray?”

“What does it look like, Con? I’m coming to talk to Sasha,” Dray bit out.

“Then why is she here? No offense, Dawn, you’re good people, but I’m not sure I understand why you’re
here
?” Con’s angry voice was slightly drowned out as the door opened and two couples filed out of the club. His eyes went wide as enlightenment dawned, and he spat out, “No man, you are not going to do that to her. She doesn’t deserve this. No! I will not support you in this.” Turning to Dawn, he asked, “What the hell are you thinking? Haven’t you listened to the stories of what this woman has endured? And don’t tell me, because I can see that you’re going to try it. You don’t give two shits who Dray is with.”

Con ran a hand through his short hair and walked away a few steps. The door to the club opened back up and Surrey spilled out. Dray prepared for his friend’s anger.

“What the fuck, Dray? This will devastate her. She’s in there getting slap drunk so she doesn’t have to think about what happened today, and you’re thinking about hurting her more?” Surrey got in Dray’s face.

Dray tensed, readying himself. “Back off, Surrey. That’s an order,” he barked.

“I don’t take orders from you anymore, Dray. We have a partnership now. That was a good try, though. I’m starting to think you have no faith in our ability to protect her and that’s why you’re trying so hard to turn her away. That’s not it, though, is it Dray?” Surrey continued in a hard voice. “You’re scared of her and what she makes you feel, aren’t you? Mr. I-can’t-lose-control-for-one-second Bonner is scared,” he sneered. “Tell me something, are you actually sleeping at night? Because dumb shit like this makes me think you’ve lost your mind and your conscience. She calls out your name in her sleep, Dray. She needs you to make it right, not fuck it up worse!”