The low, steady beat of seductive music thumped through Timber Lounge, and I sat back in my comfortable chair to sip on my sparkling mineral water. I had to hand it to the Timberwolves, they knew how to present a classy as fuck bar. Even if it was just a pretty front for prostitution and money laundering.
Still, not all criminals were bad, and I was in no position to judge.
On the main stage, a gorgeous woman with honey-blonde hair moved with the music, holding the attention of every man—and most of the women—in the bar. She was down to her black, crystal-studded lingerie and crawling seductively across the floor, her eyes locked on one of the customers.
She made a good show of dragging her eyes away, giving attention to everyone in those front rows, but she kept returning to that one table. I bet I knew who was sitting there.
Her bra came off, her tits bouncing enticingly, but it did nothing for me. She was the wrong shade of blonde to stir my dick. Her eyes were too soft and vulnerable, and her smile too coy.
As she finished her set, she swept up all the money that’d been tossed onto the stage, murmuring sweet thanks to the customers sitting closest. Then as she glanced around the crowd one last time, she spotted me.
Her sexy strut faltered, her ankle wobbling in those platform heels that strippers loved so much, and I just raised my drink in a silent greeting. The smile slipped from her lips immediately, and she hurried out of sight and into the dressing rooms.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out to check the message while I waited.
Instantly, I smiled. It was like my girl knew I was missing her.
3982: Marx, call me when you can.
Thank fuck. She was still safe. It was killing me that I needed to leave her to her own devices, especially knowing Blanchet had her in his crosshairs. But I needed to do this part alone, and it was too important to wait.
“Leon,” a rough voice interrupted my wandering thoughts. “The fuck are you doing here?”
I peered up at my visitor and offered a smile, slipping back into friendly hacker Leon. “Cass, hey man, it’s been ages.”
The big tattoo-covered man—one of the Timber lounge owners—just scowled and folded his arms over his chest. “You here on business?”
I laughed. “Aw, you know I couldn’t tell you if I was. How’s the family doing?”
He was in no mood to make small talk, which suited me just fine. This fake version of me was already grating on my own nerves. “De Rosa called the other day about the hit out on you, right?”
“Sure did,” I confirmed. “Thanks for the heads-up on that. I figure I’m safe here in a Copper Wolf venue, though?” I tipped my head to the side in question. Copper Wolf venues were all owned by the Timberwolves and were supposedly neutral territories for gangs and criminals. Fights and disputes within a Copper Wolf bar were punished swiftly and without mercy, meaning most shady characters followed the rules.
Cass jerked a nod. “You should be safe anywhere in our territory. The boss doesn’t want anything to do with Guild business, so won’t allow any of our people to accept the hit.”
“Phew.” I laughed, pretending to wipe my brow. “That’s a relief.”
The blonde from the stage reappeared from the dressing rooms, outfitted in a scarlet-colored lingerie set, and started heading over toward me with a frown etched on her brow, and I gave her an appraising look. Like I was here to pay for her body.
“Uh, if you don’t mind,” I said to Cass, giving him a pointed look, “I’m actually here for the entertainment.”
He flicked a glance over his shoulder at the approaching stripper, then gave a grunt. “Good choice. Enjoy your night, Leon.”
My answering smile was pure bullshit. “Thanks man, I’m sure I will.” The wink I forced out made my teeth grind. But it got rid of my company so I could get on with my real reason for visiting Timber Lounge.
“Care for a dance?” the sultry blonde offered, swaying closer on her tall heels. She didn’t wait for me to accept, just pushed me back in my seat and straddled my lap. She rolled her hips and body with the music, but it was having zero impact on me. My dick already had an owner and would no longer respond to anyone else.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed in my ear as she jiggled her tits in my face. “Is Danny with you?”
I smirked. “Oh, she told you about our relationship, did she?” I knew Sabine had flown over to Edinburgh for a girls night with Danny and Jude, but had been all kinds of curious whether my girl had told them about me.
Sabine scoffed. “Of course she did, we’re best friends. We don’t keep secrets.”
“Except when it comes to work,” I corrected her, and her eyes flashed with a fleeting moment of panic. “Or… are we still calling this work for you? Because as far as I can see, your contract could have been completed two years ago. Yet you’re still here, playing the role of ditzy stripper.” I flipped a lock of her honey-blonde hair over her shoulder and tipped my head to the side. “Why is that?”
Her nostrils flared as her eyes widened slightly, then she did a sexy little spin so her ass was in my face. No doubt buying herself time to rehearse whatever bullshit excuse she’d been feeding to her superiors to justify this hugely extended contract.
“None of your fucking business,” she hissed from an upside down splits thing with her waxed crotch right in my face, barely covered by the tiny thong she wore. “Unless you’re here to kill me? But I doubt you’d have come for the show if you were.”
I smiled, but it wasn’t a friendly smile. “I do like to play with my victims a little before I end it. Keeps the work from getting monotonous.”
To my surprise, Sabine snickered a genuine laugh. “You and Danny are fucking made for each other. So am I dying tonight? Because if so, I need to tell someone to feed my cat.”
What? “You have a cat? That’s not…” Wow, she’d defected from the Guild even worse than I had realized. If her superiors found out, I really would be here with a kill order for her. “That’s not why I’m here. I want to know why you’re lingering here instead of closing your contract.”
She grabbed onto the back of my neck with her ankles and did an impressively acrobatic twisty maneuver to seat herself upright back in my lap. “And I told you, it’s none of your fucking business, Leon.”
My eyes narrowed. “It is if you’re putting Danny in danger.”
Her nails dug into the back of my neck, showing the anger that she couldn’t display on her face if she wanted to maintain the illusion she was just giving me a lap dance. “Fuck you for even suggesting it, Leon Marx,” she hissed with venom. “I would never put her in danger. My work here is just that. Mine. I check in with my handler once a month as required, and that’s the only contact I have with the Guild.”
For a moment, I weighed the sincerity of her words. I’d told Danny that no one associated with the Guild could be trusted, and I’d meant it. Myself included. I’d like to think I was being overly cautious, but it was better than being careless and getting her killed.
“I’ve asked her not to contact you,” I said, not really caring if it offended her. “Until the Circle member who wants her dead can be dealt with. It’s for her safety.”
Sabine gave me a pitying look. “And you think she needs your protection? Clearly you have no clue who you’re talking about.”
That comment made me feel violent, but I had a sneaking suspicion Danny would blame me if I strangled her friend to death. So instead, I gritted my teeth and kept my hands to myself. Harder than it sounded.
“Have you had this little chat with Jude, too?” Sabine challenged me, her hazel eyes flashing with irritation. “Did you track her down in the archives and demand she prove that she’s not faking her disability?”
“Totally unnecessary,” I drawled. “Judith’s injury was one of the first things I confirmed when I started taking an interest in DeLuna.”
“You mean stalking,” she corrected, and I just shrugged.
“And yes, I’ll be stopping by to visit her soon, too. Because my beautiful Valkyrie trusts you both, and that seems both reckless and dangerous to me. It’s also fascinating, for a Guild-raised asset to still have the capability to form such emotional attachments to people who provide her with nothing of value.”
Sabine practically crackled with indignation as she slid out of my lap. “We’re not all as broken as you, Leon. Some of us retained our humanity despite the trainers’ best efforts to stamp it out. We’re done here.”
She pivoted on her high heels, but I snatched her wrist in an iron grip, jerking her back to me. “We’re not nearly done, Sabine,” I told her in a harsh whisper. “If I even get the slightest feeling you’ve betrayed DeLuna, I’ll slit your throat and dump your body right on your lover’s doorstep. Am I perfectly fucking clear?”