Chapter 8
EIGHT
As soon as I was outside the gates to Poppy's neighborhood, I shot off a text, then sped down the road, headed towards downtown Las Vegas. Rook had been unexpectedly invited out of town—a summons he couldn’t turn down, and so I only had a short window of time to take care of this.
He’d instructed me to wait until he returned, but I needed something that I hadn’t told him about.
I was doing that more and more lately: keeping secrets from him. I didn’t like it, but it was necessary.
Rook didn’t need to know the things I kept hidden inside, even things I didn’t want to admit to myself.
Besides, after Knight’s revelations in the shower, Rook was keeping his own secrets.
I blew down the freeway, receiving the confirmation text as soon as I got off and headed towards the west part of the town.
The streets were jam packed, the city alive in the middle of the night. I crept along until I arrived at the Elite Majesty Resort. It was right over the border into cartel territory, and one of their busiest hotel and casinos.
I pulled up to the valet and handed my keys to Julius with a fifty dollar tip, a kiss on the cheek, and instructions to keep it safe.
As I walked towards the entrance, I felt eyes on me as I made my way through the lobby. I was used to the sensation; men watched me everywhere I went. But tonight, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled with awareness—something was off.
Teresa, dressed in a black corset, a short, tight leather skirt, and fishnet stockings—her work uniform—passed by me, a tray of empty glasses in her hand, headed towards the bar.
She met my gaze, winking, and I nodded, indicating that I would find her later, then stepped onto the casino floor. The sounds and smells flooded my senses and I inhaled a deep breath, taking it all in.
When Rook first brought me here, I’d been bedazzled by all the flashing lights and chaos of these places. They were much more fancy and glitzy than what I'd been used to back in Cuba. But now, the bright lights didn't faze me.
After procuring chips, I leisurely made my way to the blackjack tables, wading through them until I found the dealer I was looking for. A jack of spades was tattooed on his left hand and his name tag revealed ‘El Brujo’.
I sat down, and immediately his eyes went to me. They were sharp, taking only seconds to assess me before they moved back to the man sitting next to me, then the three girls after that.
I was immediately offered a drink. Glancing upwards, I smiled at Teresa, glancing at her hands. She had three fingers wrapped around the edge of the glass, and I nodded, taking the glass she offered me. I would rely on her for the rest of the night to offer me drinks with the least amount of alcohol.
“Thanks,” I took a sip.
“I see she didn’t have to pay for that.” The man next to me grumbled.
“That’s because she’s beautiful,” Teresa gave him a cool look, “she’ll keep you here, spending at the table.”
The man smirked, glancing towards me. He did a double take, his gaze burning into me as he took in my face. Then he gave me a lazy smile, speaking to Teresa. “I’ll take what she’s having.” Dirty blond, ruffled hair, with white, straight teeth, the man was handsome. He was wearing an expensive suit, showcasing an athlete’s body.
He also looked to be about twenty years old.
“I thought so,” Teresa responded, taking his payment upfront, then gave me a secret smile before turning to the rest of the table.
After ordering more drinks, everyone played for a moment before the guy spoke to me. “My name’s Aaron.”
I nodded at him politely, noting that El Brujo was watching us carefully, and took another sip of my drink that tasted like club soda and mint.
“Do you have a name?” He studied his cards, not looking at me.
“Sure. You can call me Red.”
He looked up then, meeting my eyes for a brief moment before glancing down at my red dress. He flashed me another smile. “Okay, Red .”
I had to give him points for not staring at my boobs but the guy was way too young for me.
We continued chatting, with most of the conversation on his part, while they finished up their game. When they were done, Aaron collected his winnings, and the three girls mostly talked and giggled instead of paying attention to the fact that they’d lost. I couldn’t help but be a bit envious of their seemingly easy life.
“You playing or just watching?” El Brujo asked me, and I nodded to join. When I had my cards, I tapped the top of my stack in three short strikes.
El Brujo paused, his eyes meeting mine, then looked beyond me at Teresa, who had returned with more drinks. She nodded, and the dealer continued to pass out cards.
I suddenly felt a deep sense of foreboding. I’d been playing a dangerous game with the cartel for months but was still uneasy about it. I was so close to getting what I wanted, I couldn't back out now. But that didn't mean it wasn’t risky. If I wasn’t careful, I could end up as meat in one of their dog food factories.
Seconds later, the dealer turned back, assessing me. I met his gaze with a hardened one of my own. His eyes flicked downward, towards my cleavage, and I knew I would get what I wanted.
It was true, weak men thought with their dicks.
It was what got them killed.
He nodded, then played out the hand. I won the first one, then deliberately lost the next three. I waited one last turn, tucking the note the dealer slipped me into the front of my dress, then bowed out.
Sighing in defeat, I stood.
"You're not leaving so soon?” Aaron asked.
I shook my head. "Looks like luck isn't with me tonight."
He gave me a crooked, drunken smile. "I could change that for you."
I pat his cheek. "Thanks, but you’re too young for me.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m doing.”
I shook my head. “No thanks.”
He shrugged, his attention going back to the table. "Your loss."
“Guess so," I mused, though I really wanted to tell him it was his fucking loss. I certainly wasn't missing out on anything.
I made my way through the maze of people and bleeping machines until finally I made it to the bathroom. There was a long line for the women, of course, so I jumped into the men's restroom. It smelled as disgusting as I imagined it would--did men know how to actually piss in the toilet these days?
Two men were at the row of latrines, and they both looked at me in surprise.
"Hey! You're in the wrong restroom." A chubby faced, middle aged man complained. The other one, younger and a little bit more handsome, gave me a slow look over. His stream of piss became a slow trickle.
"But she's more than welcome."
“Sorry.” I gave them a sheepish smile. "I have to piss and there's a long line for the women’s."
I rushed to the stall like I was in a hurry and locked the door behind me.
I waited to make sure they'd gone back to their business before pulling out the note: parking lot B. 2am.
I frowned. You never knew when these guys would meet with you, if they did at all, but it looked like I was going to have to wait a couple more hours. I peed, flushing the note, then, after washing my hands, made my way back to the floor.
I found a quiet spot next to the kitchen and pulled out my phone, deciding to work while I waited.
Most people only knew I worked at the King's clubs, but in reality, that job was only a great way to make connections.
On paper, I lived the flashy life of a dancer, spending almost all the money I made in the clubs on my apartment, car, and expensive clothing.
Only one person knew my real income: Rook.
I’d met him at the lowest point ever, my hands and clothes stained with fresh blood. He helped me escape from the worst night of my life, and its consequences, and brought me here.
Rook took me under his wing, teaching me the ins and outs of not only the Vegas life, but about how the banking systems worked, how to hide my money, and how to set up a networking system that would feed me exactly what we needed.
Together, we built a network of elite escorts that traded the secrets they learned for a life of wealth and protection.
I was the Key, the person the girls trusted with the information. And Rook was the Secret Keeper, the mastermind who determined what we did with it. He was part of a larger order, a secret society, headquartered in the South, but had chapters all over the world.
He started out my mentor, but eventually it grew into more.
We loved each other, but not romantically. Essentially, we were best friends who fucked, nothing more.
A movement caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. A man sitting at the bar was eyeing me.
I took a moment to assess him.
He was drinking top shelf vodka, and was wearing an expensive suit. His blue eyes were intelligent, his face handsome, and he gave off a mature and regal air.
He was normally the kind of man I would let seduce me.
If it was any other night, I would sit down and order a drink, but I couldn't take the chance of missing my appointment.
So I slipped my cell back in my purse and pushed opened the doors to the kitchen, looking for Teresa.
Forty-five minutes later, I made my way towards the parking lot, one of Rook’s expensive envelopes clutched in my fingers. The sound of my heels clicking against the concrete was lost in the noise from the still busy streets. I checked my phone one last time, noting I had two minutes before they were supposed to arrive.
I made my way down the row of cars, scanning it, in case they were early.
When I saw that it was empty, I sighed. Knowing Antonio and Carlos, they'd be a few minutes late, if anything.
"Hey there, darlin."
Plastering a smile on my face, I turned around to meet the voice. A man with brown hair, speckled with grey, and a face overtaken by a bulbous, crimson nose made his way towards me, booze and lust glinting in his eyes. He swaggered as he walked, dressed in a sharp, custom suit, but had matched it with an arrowhead bolo tie and green and tan alligator boots. Cowboy, probably from Texas, and had a big, expensive truck.
I shook my head. "Not interested."
"I didn't even tell you what I wanted, baby girl." His large belt buckle caught my attention and I chuckled.
"Overcompensating much?" I nodded towards it.
He scowled, glancing down to see what I was looking at. "Excuse me?"
Aww. The man was confused.
"Nothing." I shook him off, staring over his shoulder towards a large flashing neon sign that said, Girls, Girls, Girls and nodded towards it. “You’d have better luck in there.”
“Yeah, but no girl in there’s going to look like you.”
I pursed my lips. “I’m meeting my boyfriend in a few minutes, so please leave me alone." Why I felt the need to mention another man for this asshole to get the point was beyond me, but usually it was just easier.
Apparently, not with him.
He didn't stop but reached into the inner pocket of his suit coat. "You don't even know what you're turning down."
I tensed as his hand came out, then shook my head when he pulled out a wad of cash.
"I'm flush with cash baby doll, and I don't mind sharing with your boyfriend.”
"You're an idiot." I nodded towards the rest of the parking deck. "You really shouldn't flash your money like that."
He began to count through the fifties. "How much?"
"First off," my voice was so harsh that he stopped counting to look up at me, “I'm not your baby girl. Secondly, I'm not for sale, and you're not safe. Get the hell out of here before you get hurt."
The corner of his lips lifted. "What? A little thing like you gonna hurt me?"
"Maybe." I shrugged a shoulder. "Or they will."
I nodded behind him, and he stilled as Antonio dug a knife to the man’s back. “Give me all your fucking money, or I'll gut you like a fish."
The cowboy's cheeks flushed red, and he looked at me for help. I shook my head. "I warned you."
He stuttered, then cried out as Antonio dug his knife in deeper. "Okay, okay," He said, handing over his cash. "No need to get your panties in a twist."
Carlos, standing next to Antonio, grabbed it, counting the money. Antonio demanded next, “I'm also going to need your wallet, watch, and phone, perra .”
The man hissed out, protesting, but quickly rifled through his suit, passing over everything Antonio asked for. In the meantime, Carlos stood back, watching, then he looked the cowboy over, licking his lip. He nodded his head at the man’s waist. “Give me your buckle."
"No can do." The cowboy tried to twist away. "I won that myself. Number one in state tournament.”
Carlos grabbed the cowboy’s arrowhead bolo tie, twisting it until he was strangling the man. "I don't fucking care, ese . I want it."
"Fine," the cowboy choked out, undoing his belt to slide off the buckle.
Carlos grabbed it, grinning as he stared at it. "That's real pretty. Number one in state?”
The man, whose face had grown red, nodded.
“I'm real proud of you.” Carlos let him go, and the cowboy tried to run way, but in an instant, Antonio had stuck him in the side with his knife.
“What the hell?” Cowboy squealed out, grasping at his wound, staggering to the side and yelling. "I gave everything you asked."
"That's for trying to buy Tatiana," Antonio sneered, “You’re lucky you’re even alive. Now get the fuck out of here before I change my mind and decide I wanna eat Texas for dinner tonight.”
Cowboy stumbled away, crying about his wound, and we waited until he'd gotten into his shiny red truck with wheels as tall as his chest, peeling out of the lot. When he was gone, I raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "Was that necessary?"
"No." Antonio shrugged. “But he shouldn’t be fucking with you. Now he knows better.”
I sighed, shaking my head. Well, I had tried to warn the man. It was his fault he was an idiot.
"He'll live.” Carlos was still staring at the belt buckle.
Antonio was all business, jerking his head at me. "What d’you have for us?”
“Benny,” I answered. “Benny Clark. The Kings are looking for him.”
Carlos snorted a chuckle and Antonio’s lip curled. "Of course they want Benny. We all want Benny. You think you’re giving us something new?”
“Except, I know where Benny is.”
They both stilled, Carlos suddenly losing his interest in the buckle, and their sharp eyes were on me. “Where?”
I shook my head. “I tell you what I want first, then you tell me if it’s worth Benny’s location.”
Antonio’s eyes darkened. “That’s not how this works.” Carlos, all serious now, stepped closer, closing in on me, and I knew that things had suddenly became serious. We may have a friendly relationship but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t gut me.
“Okay,” I tried to maintain some kind of control. “He’s in Nogales. He’s staying in the market where all the tourists go.” Nogales was a city right over the Texas border. Benny thought he’d be able to wait out the transition in rank, then return to weasel his way back into Bourbon’s good graces.
Yeah, good luck. The guy had no idea how much the new leadership hated him.
I’d gotten this information from Rook, but Poppy had confirmed it. I handed Antonio the envelope. “The address is in there.”
He took it without opening it, and slipped it in the back pocket of his jeans. “Gracias, sexy.”
“Now,” I said, my heart pounding, this was the whole reason I was here instead of waiting for Rook to return, “for what I need.”
Antonio raised an eyebrow.
I held my ground. "This information doesn't come for free," I hissed.
Antonio grabbed my hand and, instead of hurting me like I expected, he threaded his fingers through mine and pulled me flush against him. His eyes wandered over my face. "You sayin you ready to switch sides, Mami?”
“I'm saying, I need information, too.”
“And what kind of information would the Knight's new mujer need from us?”
My eyes flashed. “I'm not his new woman .”
He gave me a lazy smile. Probably, in his eyes, I’d just confirmed it. Too bad I didn’t give a shit what he thought about me and Knight. “But,” I tried to figure out how to play this. “I do need information about him. He disappears every day , into a house in your side of the city. I need to know where he goes.” I’d gotten this information from my girls and hadn’t shared it with Rook.
Again, the secrets were going to sever our relationship. I hated that I was putting this between us but I couldn’t gather the courage to tell him why it was so important to me. I swallowed down the suffocating knot in my throat. “Tell me what it is. What is there?”
“It’s Knight’s property?” Antonio gave me a skeptical look.
Knight had property all over the state due to his family history, history that preceded any current mafia territory lines. He was the only one who could go in and out of cartel land without repercussions.
I was ballsy enough to go into cartel territory but I couldn’t directly follow him—he would catch me. And I couldn’t send any of my girls there. Not only were things too dangerous right now, but the address was “protected”.
Meaning, no one could touch it, except Knight.
What was so important to him? I had to know.
“Yes.” I nodded. “A house. I think people live there, but I’m not sure.”
Carlos made a dismissive noise.
“He’s going to see a la otra ?” Antonio’s grin grew bigger. “Another woman.”
“Does it matter to you? Just find out and tell me.”
“What’s the address?” Antonio stared at my lips, still keeping me pressed against him.
“183 Sunrise Road.”
Antonio chuckled. “I know that area.” He held up the envelope I’d given him. “This information isn't worth that.”
“With that address, you can get enough information from Benny to take down the Kings.”
“Yeah, but,” Antonio shook his head, “Knight has a standing deal with my Jefe . We don’t mess with him, and he doesn’t mess with us. No way a guy like me is going to fuck that shit up. My boss would scoop out my balls.”
"It's worth something," I gritted out.
His grip on my wrist tightened but he reached up, caressing my cheek with the back of his other hand. "Not as much as having you in my bed. Your tight, wet cunt wrapped around my dick."
Shit . He wasn’t going to do it. I should’ve known.
Plastering a smile on, I leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, trying to lessen the tension between us. "You know as well as I do that Alejandra would cut your dick off."
“True that.” He laughed, the sound cold, but he shook his head. “Look, if your information is good, the Jefe will consider your offer. In the meantime, I'm sorry to have to do this.”
“Wha—“ I managed to get out before I felt a pinprick in my neck, Carlos’ breath moving over my shoulder.
“Be still, Princessa . You’ll be fine. It’s just a short nap, then you’re in for a good time.”
I went for the knife sewn into my dress but I couldn’t move. All my senses were muted, shocked into stillness from whatever was in that needle, and I fell into nothingness.