45. Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Three
Zane
Everything is exactly where it should be. I've run through the security positions a dozen times in my head, checked every camera feed, and confirmed everyone’s placement. Still, I can't shake this feeling in my gut. All my experience in security has taught me to trust my instincts, and right now they're screaming that we're missing something.
From my spot at the main bar, I have clear sightlines to both exits. Chase's voice comes through my earpiece, confirming the van's position out back and that the camera’s are up and running. Wolf's team is scattered throughout the crowd—Rex at a corner table with a clear view of the emergency exit, Ty playing pool near the main entrance, all the others blending perfectly with the usual Thursday night crowd.
The club pulses with energy. Music throbs through the speakers, forcing everyone to have to focus on what comes through their comms. It's exactly how Benny runs it every night. Without him none of this would be possible. Sunny is lucky she's had someone like him looking out for her all these years.
Colt lounges in Jade's section, playing his part flawlessly. To anyone watching, he's just another customer captivated by her. But I know his eyes never stop scanning the room, cataloging every face, every movement. He's already flagged three customers who seem off.
And then there's Angel.
She moves behind the bar with practiced grace, all professional smiles and efficient movements. It's jarring to see this version of her after watching the way she curled up on Levi's lap this afternoon. The contrast between who she has to be here and who she is with us is stark. Every time she passes close to me, I catch the faint tremor in her hands that betrays her nerves. But her smile never wavers, her act never slips.
Levi catches my eye from his spot at the corner of the bar. He's been there for an hour, nursing the same whiskey, watching Angel like he can't quite believe she's real. I get it. Seven years is a long time to think someone's dead. The muscle in his jaw ticks every time another customer calls for her attention, but he maintains his composure. Barely.
"Another club soda?" Angel asks, appearing in front of me with that carefully crafted smile. But there's something different in her eyes now, a depth of emotion that wasn't there before. It makes this whole plan feel even more dangerous.
"Please." I keep my voice neutral, professional. We're working. This isn't the time to think about how she looked at me from Levi's lap this afternoon, or what that look meant. Not when we know Garrett's watching. Waiting for his opportunity.
Jake's voice crackles in my earpiece. "All clear out front. Third sweep complete."
Eddie confirms the same from his position by the back entrance. "Loading dock secure. No unusual activity."
Angel drifts back toward Levi, and I watch him lean in to whisper something that makes her smile. She runs her fingers through his hair, and then trails them down his arm. He cups her cheek in his hand and kisses her forehead before she disappears behind the bar again.
She smiles at him over her shoulder. It's genuine—not the practiced one she gives customers. The sight stirs something I can't let myself get distracted by right now.
"Anything unusual on the cameras?" I ask Chase, needing the distraction.
"Nothing yet, boss. Seems pretty normal. Though that guy at table seven keeps checking his phone."
I spot the man Chase mentions. Mid-fifties, expensive watch, nervous energy. I make note but don't signal the others. We can't jump at every shadow. We have to remember, we might be in this for the long haul. There are no guarantees Garrett will show up tonight. Or any night.
I take another sip of club soda, ice clinking against my teeth. Everything is in position. We've planned for every contingency we could think of. We know that we've made Sunny as safe as she can be. There's no way Garrett would be dumb enough to try anything inside. But watching Angel move between Levi and me, seeing how naturally she fits in this space while staying alert for danger, I can't help but wonder if we've missed something obvious. Garrett's had years to study her routine, her habits. He's patient, calculating. The kind of man who waits for the perfect moment.
"You're thinking too loud," Jade says as she passes behind me with a tray of drinks. She's right. I need to focus on the job, not on the way Angel's eyes keep finding both Levi and me across the bar. Not on how vulnerable we've made her.
It's going to be a long night. Every minute that passes ratchets up the tension another notch. Angel serves drinks, laughs at jokes, plays her part perfectly. Levi watches her like a man dying of thirst. I monitor every movement, every shadow, trying to predict where the strike will come from.
All we can do now is wait. And hope that when Garrett makes his move, we're ready. Because if we're not—if we've miscalculated even slightly—I'll never forgive myself for putting her in harm's way. None of us will.