Series: Penny Dee
Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
“Okay, well, take it and go on vacation.” I push it toward her, and she looks at it.
“Thanks,” she says and finally takes it. “I’m finishing up. Come back to mine with me?”
I should tell her no, that I’ve hardly slept for the past week, but I’m not in my head as I nod. She jumps up from the chair and tells me to wait as she goes backstage. I drink my water as I watch the other dancer on stage and throw her a few hundred-dollar bills before Nessa finally comes back out. Here’s the thing: the money I receive is blood money to some, but I know how much it can change a woman’s life. Especially since I know how it feels building from the ground up alone. Sometimes we all just need a little help.
When I got to town six years ago, Nessa and I shared an apartment. It was only one bedroom, so we got used to sleeping in the same bed, and we came to appreciate having someone there. Even though it was odd for me, I knew that Nessa enjoyed it, so I never complained. We needed one another then, and I’ll always be grateful to her for being the only person who was there for me. And I will always have her back in return.
6
SILAS
Ican’t say I’m used to women turning down my invitations, because I’m definitely not. Valen stands opposite me as he stares at me.
“She said she kindly declines,” he tells me.
I hide my smile.
The balls on this woman.
I’m sure there was no kindness in her decline.
No matter. “Did you follow her?”
“I did…” he says, and something passes through his eyes at his answer.
“What is it?”
His hand lifts, and he scratches the back of his head.
“She went to a strip club,” he says, confused.
“Did she take the money?” I ask him.
“Yes.”
“Interesting,” I say, using the tip of the blade to scratch under my chin. A thought flickers through my mind that maybe she is interested in women, but I saw the flicker in her eyes and I know she finds me attractive. For the past week, I’ve been in the shadows hunting, trying to find any information about the disappearance of my uncle’s body. A week later, I still haven’t gotten any closer. Well, not yet.
I look through the camera in our warehouse. On the other side of this door, a man is tied to a chair. But I’ve grown impatient. I promised my sister and men I would get his body back no matter what so we can mourn him respectfully.
Yet every person I torture and confront knows nothing about the incident. So much so that they’ve all died for it, sticking to the same story.
So I’ve circled back to the only lead I have. Leonore. Who, with the money I’ve given her, is going to strip clubs instead of accepting my invitations. It would appear I have to deal with my little raven personally.
She wanted me to stay away, but saying “no” is certainly sure to draw my attention again.
“Keep an eye on her.”
“Do you think she’s in on it? Rumor has it she’s always been unbiased to the crews. Do you think she’s giving someone else special treatment?”
My jaw tightens. “If she is, she’s going to learn a very dangerous lesson.” Though in my gut, I’m certain she’s not behind it. Not even a part of it. I always trust my instinct.
My instinct draws me toward the Nero crew, just like the member I have tied to a chair now. They also own all of the strip joints in town. Like the very same one Leonore walked into last night. Is she working for them? Is she in some kind of debt? Or is it just a coincidence?
The man in the warehouse falls to the side, screaming through the rag strapped around his mouth as he tries to wriggle free. Either way, I have something else to work on right now.
“You’re dismissed,” I tell Valen, who watches me carefully reach for the door.
“Boss, when was the last time you slept?” I look over my shoulder, glaring at him for asking such a ridiculous question. He’s not my caretaker. He might be my friend, but he also knows there’s a line not to be crossed.
That once I’m determined, I’ll smoke out every fucking snake and burn the world to the ground to get my objective. “I’ll sleep when it’s dealt with,” I say cryptically and walk out into the warehouse.
The man’s eyes widen when he sees me stalking out of the room. Maybe he thought he was finally alone. I can tell in the way his face twists, already looking like he’s in pain, that he knows it’s going to be a long night.
Because if I don’t find answers, each slice of my blade will be deeper than the next until I have something tangible. I grab the corner of his chair and yank him upright.