I’d told myself that I’d take a few days at home to just chill and recover from Vegas. Still, I found myself driving across the river toward downtown and The Wicked Kiss. Since I was already in the city, I might as well make sure the building was still standing. Leaving Kale in charge in his current mental state was chancy. Seeing him wasn’t something I’d been planning to do so soon. As long as we weren’t alone together, nothing should come of it. Besides, during the flight home, I’d done some thinking and made some decisions regarding the nightclub Kale and I shared. We had work to do.
By the time I reached the club, I was convinced I should have gone back home to bed. Still, it didn’t stop me from getting out of the car. Kale’s classic Camaro was in the parking lot. Crap. So much for the hope that he wasn’t here. It made me sad, the realization that, every time I came to the Kiss now, I held out hope that it would be at a time when Kale was elsewhere. We had been such close friends once.
It was still early. The place wouldn’t be crowded for a few hours yet; the parking lot was especially empty. Suspicious. The guys working the door greeted me as I passed through the lobby. Was it just me or were they stiffer than usual? When I stepped into the heart of the club, I saw why.
The place was a total disaster. Worse than I’d ever seen it, and I’d seen it in pretty rough shape. Tables were not just overturned but smashed. Chairs littered the floor as if they’d been tossed around by a tornado. Broken glass crunched under my feet. The aroma of liquor and blood dominated the air while violence colored the atmosphere.
In the middle of it all stood Kale and Willow. They each looked up at my appearance in jaw-dropped surprise. I’d interrupted their clean up attempt. I stood frozen, staring at them, unable to form words just yet. They exchanged a look with one another.
“Do I even want to know?” I swept through the room, stepping over fragments of table and other miscellaneous debris. Was that a burn mark on the ceiling?
“No,” they said in unison before dissolving into nervous laughter. They had definitely not been expecting me.
“You’re home sooner than I expected,” Kale remarked with a secretive smile. “Glad to see you’re relatively unscathed. How was Vegas?”
I stared at the trashed stage, biting back the stream of curses that threatened to spill forth. “It was a f**king gong show. Apparently, I missed something while I was gone. Want to fill me in?”
Willow turned away, hiding what I think was another laugh. He disappeared behind the bar, leaving Kale to answer my questions.
“Not particularly,” Kale said with a shrug. “Had a little trouble is all. I took care of it. Nothing for you to concern yourself with.”
“Is that so?” I eyed him skeptically. “Looks to me like I was right about leaving you in charge here. Another day or two, and there probably wouldn’t even be a building left to trash.”
Kale didn’t say anything for a moment. He continued to throw pieces of wood and glass into a large pile in the center of the room. The muscles in his arms and back rippled as he did so. He seldom dressed so casually in jeans and a t-shirt, so I allowed myself a moment to enjoy the view.
“Gee, thanks; glad to see you too,” he said. His tone dripped sarcasm. “Actually, I’m the reason this place is still standing, among other things. Though I don’t expect you to believe that.”
Willow emerged from the bar with a tequila in one hand and the Dragon Claw in the other. He passed me the dagger, which I happily accepted. It was so good to have it back in my hands.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help when you ran into trouble,” he said. “Kale knew you were in trouble, but without a location I couldn’t jump to you.”
My gaze lingered on Kale who had turned his back on me as he continued to clean up. “No worries. Shya sent Falon, who was a total ass**le like usual, but he helped. I’m here now, so it’s all good.”
“Is it?” Willow questioned, his gold-flecked green eyes intense upon me. “Then why are you back early?”
He walked along beside me as I perused the perimeter, surveying the extent of the damage. I gave him the quick version, aware that Kale’s keen ears heard my every word. I wasn’t ready to share with anyone what had happened with Jenner.
“You’re taking over Las Vegas?” Concern glimmered in Willow’s eyes. “Might I suggest you wait until Shya’s been dealt with?”
“That’s the plan. Vegas is a f**king mess of vampire chaos. I’m not prepared to handle that right now. Someone else will be taking care of it until Arys and I can get back there.”
As Willow and I talked, Kale kept working in silence. I wondered what he was thinking. My curiosity was dying to know why Willow was here with him, but I didn’t dare ask just yet. Kale was trying to keep something from me, and after the trip I’d just had, I was ok with that.
As I walked through the mess that had been a fully functioning nightclub just days before, I put together a mental list. Jenner’s club had intimidated me. It had also made mine look like a sleazy joint compared to his high-class style. I wanted to renovate.