Chapter 27
NASH
Georgie was a ball of nervous tension beside me.
We were sitting in the back of one of Bastian’s black Range Rovers, heading to Red Neon.
Bastian was in the front seat with the driver. Cole and Alessio were in the very back seat behind us. Landon couldn’t get away because the clinic was swamped.
Learning as much as possible about our target was vital.
I just hadn’t wanted Georgie to come. But she’d given me that stubborn look.
At least she was wearing a wig, and didn’t look anything like her usual self.
She’d told me that she’d been into the club in disguise a few times, and no one had recognized her.
Still, I didn’t like it, but I knew that if I left her behind, she would just turn up anyway.
Bastian’s driver pulled up across from the club.
“Thanks, Mitch.” Bastian exited, tugging on the hem of his jacket.
He was wearing a dark navy suit that screamed “I’m rich.
” Alessio was in a suit as well—his was black.
Cole was wearing a black button-down shirt and dark jeans.
I had on dark pants and a gray button-down shirt that I’d left open at the collar.
I held the door open for Georgie.
She was wearing a long coat in deference to the cool night, but once she exited the car, she slipped it off. I hissed in a breath.
The dress was gold. And there wasn’t much to it.
It was short, shiny like liquid gold, and crisscrossed around her neck in complicated straps.
The wig she wore was black, but it was a different one than the first one I’d seen her in.
This one was longer, with curls that brushed her shoulders.
She’d gone bold with the makeup again. Glittering gold covered her eyelids, her lashes were thick and dark, and her lips were pink.
She looked gorgeous.
“Where did you get that?” I asked.
“The stores at the Avernus. I needed something new to wear.”
I grabbed her hand. “You could stay in the SUV and wait for us.”
“No.” She sank enough strength into the word that I knew it wasn’t worthwhile arguing.
Keeping her hand in mine, we strode across the street toward the entrance. Bastian ignored the long line and headed straight for the bouncers. His stride was loose-limbed and confident.
As they saw us coming, the pair of bouncers straightened. I knew they had a radar for money and power.
“We heard this place was good.” Bastian pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills. He discreetly handed some over.
“You’re absolutely right,” Thug One said. “Best club in Las Vegas. Come in, come in.”
Georgie held my arm as we breezed inside.
I found the interior dark and obvious, but there was a large crowd. A redheaded hostess in a slim, black dress appeared. “Hello, welcome to Red Neon. We have a VIP couch arranged for you.”
Bastian dazzled her with a smile. “Excellent. And we’re going to need your best bourbon. The entire bottle.”
Her eyes gleamed, no doubt calculating her tip. “Of course, Mr.…?”
“Thorne.”
“Mr. Thorne.” She inclined her head. “This way.”
She led us to a cordoned-off semicircular couch in vibrant red. Dancers were gyrating to the music on the dance floor. The bars were busy.
Georgie leaned in close. “His office is through there.” She nodded her head at one wall behind us.
A door was marked Private.
“I’ll take a look around,” Alessio murmured.
“I’ll join you.” Colt followed him and they melted into the crowd.
Bastian sat on the couch, crossing his legs, looking like a king. Nearby, I saw several women eyeing him. A server in a tiny red skirt and strapless top brought the bottle of bourbon and glasses over.
I sat as well and pulled Georgie down beside me.
“The place is popular.”
She nodded. “Viv was so excited to sing here.” She sighed. “I wish I could go back and keep her away somehow.”
I slid my arm around her. “Could haves never help. They just drive you crazy.” I knew that. I’d lost fellow SEALs and agents who’d been good friends. I’d always questioned what I could’ve done differently. It didn’t change anything.
Georgie nodded.
“There are definitely drug deals going on,” Bastian murmured, as he sipped his drink.
Georgie jolted and looked around. “You can see that?”
He shook his head. “No, my team hacked the CCTV system. He’s letting it happen.”
My jaw tightened. Yeah, the more I learned around Snyder, the happier I was to put him down.
Alessio and Cole reappeared. Cole was holding a beer and Alessio held a glass of something clear, that I knew was soda water. The man rarely drank.
“Nine o’clock,” Alessio murmured.
I swiveled and spotted Shandy the singer. Snyder was with her. He was practically dragging her toward the stage.
She tried to say something to him, but he shook his head, and shoved her.
Shandy took the stage, a forced smile on her face. The music died down, and the lights gleamed off the blue sequins of her long, slinky dress.
“Good evening.” She cleared her throat. “We’re all here for a special event, raising money for an excellent charity that helps the disadvantaged here in Las Vegas.”
There was a smattering of applause and a few whistles.
“Now, I have a few songs for you.”
The music swelled and the crowd whistled.
She started to sing. She had a hell of a voice. Soon, she was clutching the microphone and was lost in the song.
Snyder watched her with a smile. Bruno appeared at his side.
“I want to drag her off there,” Georgie whispered fiercely.
“We’ll get her free. Soon.”
Georgie twisted her hands together. “How much damage will Snyder inflict in the meantime?”
I hugged her closer. “Stay strong. She’ll be alive. That’s what counts.”
Georgie grabbed my hand and nodded.
Soon, Shandy had finished her set, to fervent applause. I watched Snyder hustle her into his office, along with a heavyset guy in a suit, and Bruno. Bruno was staring at Shandy’s ass.
“The big guy is one of Snyder’s business partners,” Bastian murmured.
Georgie’s devastated face said what we all knew. That Shandy would suffer behind that door.
The music from the DJ was pumping again. There wasn’t a spare inch on the dance floor.
I caught Alessio’s gaze. “Can you find a way to help the singer without tipping Snyder off?”
Alessio nodded. “I’m on it.”
“I’ll try and talk with a few bartenders,” Cole said.
Bastian nodded. “I’ll talk with the hostess.”
I stood. “Come on.” I pulled Georgie up. She needed a distraction, or she’d just sit there and worry.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To dance.”
Her eyes widened. “You dance?”
“No, but I will for you.”
Now her face softened.
The crowd parted for me as I pulled her into the throng. I found a space and pulled Georgie close, flush against my chest.
She was tense, but she slid her arms around my neck and pressed into me.
I pressed my mouth to her ear. “Just listen to the music.”
Holding her close, I swayed to the music. I didn’t dance, but holding her was no hardship. She started to move, her face pressed to my chest.
“Just feel,” I told her.
Damn, I felt every inch of her against me. Every move, every brush, sent sensation through me. She slowly relaxed, and I pressed my face to her hair and wished she wasn’t wearing that damn wig. My hands drifted down and cupped her ass.
She shivered against me and tipped her head back. Those pink lips beckoned, and I lowered my head. I took my time, kissing her, exploring every inch of her mouth. Desire kept growing, arcing between us.
These days with her…it felt like she’d brought me back to life. Being with her had injected energy and emotion into everything.
I slid a thigh between her legs and although I couldn’t hear it over the music, I knew a breathy sound escaped her lips.
She tugged my head down. “Nash…”
“Mmm?”
“Don’t stop kissing me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sliding my hands up her body, I cupped her cheeks, looking deep into her eyes. She stared at me, hunger reflected back. I lowered my mouth to hers again, the hot kiss hardening my cock. Her fingernails bit into my arms, her body rocking against mine.
“I love that you’re so hard,” she breathed between kisses.
“And I love that you’re soft and sweet.” All I could feel was her: her heat, her taste, the way she pressed into me.
A sudden blaring noise ripped through the club. I froze, and she jolted.
It was a fire alarm.
I pulled her close, mouth to her ear. “Alessio found a way to help Shandy.”
She bit her lip, relief shining in her eyes.
The crowd started to push toward the exits.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and kept her close. “Let’s get out of here.”