Chapter 7
We were almost free of the building.
We’d taken the back way, through the dressing rooms and hallway with cleaning supplies and extra stock. Knight was in front, Kyan just before me, and Zed was at my back, never more than a step away.
We were on the main floor now, and my heart raced uncomfortably, both from the tenseness of the situation and the adrenaline from the kiss. Knight’s lips against mine had been electric. For a flash, we were both one, scents tangling, and my heart was open like I was letting him in.
Of the three, he had always been the pillar. Kyan was a firecracker, Zed hot-headed, but Knight was their grounding, with a sense of honour and loyalty I’d never seen matched. And this man, closed off to so much of the world, had opened up to me.
It’s why I knew he carried more hatred than the others. But for those few seconds, when our lips had touched, it was like everything after my rejection had vanished.
I was the one he’d let in, and we’d found, in each other, a mirror we’d never expected. We were both raised to fit in a box, to become the perfect image our parents wanted to see painted.
I really needed to get my head on straight. We weren’t even close to out of the woods. Tallow had been right, at least. A lot of security had been diverted to Spades, which meant it was easier to spot Ace’s men.
I couldn’t allow myself to consider what might happen if we were all caught.
If I ended up on my knees before Ace with my mates at my side.
Don’t think about it.
My knife was in my hand and tucked beneath the sheer robe, even if Knight had my gun right now. Kyan had also produced a gun, and I had no idea how he’d snuck that in.
If we had two guns between us, the men after me couldn’t have more than that—not if they were inside the club.
Travis would never put the Betas, Omegas, and Alphas working in this club in danger, not for any amount.
“Front doors,” I hissed as Knight tried to take a turn to the back exit. Knight scowled, but tucked his gun out of sight as he took the door toward the main room.
My mind was racing with terror of the consequences of what would happen if we got caught, but I didn’t have time to lose it now.
At the back of the club was an exit with a keypad and security cameras, but I’d seen another thug with a flash of a wrist tattoo loitering at the door that led down to the basement—and my home. The front doors were public—but if there were more people waiting for me, they’d expect me to run to the quieter exit.
The good news was that they still weren’t desperate enough to make a scene.
I was momentarily so relieved for the High Roller. Of all the places to make my home, it was safe. A safer place than I’d ever had.
Even Ace’s thugs weren’t having an easy time staking it out, and I knew for a fact there wasn’t anything they could do to bring hell down on their own heads, more than trying to get down to the Omega’s rooms below.
“Glade?” I could hear the surprise in Roger’s voice as we reached the front door. He was squinting at me, but he knew everyone here well enough to know it was me behind the mask. If we were going the main route out, that included passing the massive doorman who was always looking out for us.
“Oh…” Well, this was awkward. I looked down at the golden sheer gown wrapped around my waist.
“Are you sure you want to leave?” Roger was eyeing Zed, Knight, and Kyan suspiciously.
“It’s not—Tallow kicked me off the clock for the evening.” I nodded to the others meaningfully, hoping that would be all I needed.
“If you take them off-premise, well, it’s not as…” He glanced at them again. “Regulated.”
“I want to go to the Painted Dragon. Feeling Chinese.”
“Like a date?” he asked, surprised.
Wow. Okay, so my Ice Queen reputation was more widespread than I thought.
I swallowed, glancing back at them, knowing I had to get out of this fast, before one of Ace’s guys spotted us. We were exposed. “We, uh… scent matched,” I said, stepping back into Kyan’s arms.
Roger’s eyes almost bulged out of his head. “Oh… Well…” He looked a little lost for words, then he nodded, gaze less damning as he glanced back at the others. “I guess… go have a good night.” He stepped back.
Kyan’s fingers wound into mine as he tugged me through the great doors and onto the golden statues and broad steps beyond. The familiar Las Vegas air was dry in my lungs, a faint, cool wind enough to make me shiver in the thin fabric I wore.
“You’re taking the masks?” Roger asked as we reached the steps.
“They’re fun.” I grinned, glancing back, fingers still curled in Kyan’s. I waved at Roger. “Travis can bill me.”
Past him, I saw another patron within. He was tall, with salt and pepper hair, hands clasped as he stared at me. Our eyes locked, and my instincts went haywire. I was wearing a mask; he didn’t know it was me. Only, his cuff was covering his wrist, and I couldn’t tell if there was a rose there. Yet, as I turned back, hurrying down the steps, my stomach twisted uncomfortably.
I didn’t dare look back. If I did, and he wasn’t sure, he would be then.
The High Roller was located on The Strip and we needed to get far away. I needed a way to get out of sight, and off the main roads. As we stepped into the evening crowds and bright lights, I noticed Knight had his hand beneath his jacket where I was sure my gun was gripped tight. I wasn’t much different, with my hand firmly closed around my knife beneath the robe.
The Strip lights were bright, huge buildings towering above us, and enough crowds we should be able to disappear, but my anxiety didn’t wane.
Finally, after a good ten minutes of walking in awkward quiet, trying not to be too obvious about throwing my gaze over my shoulder, Kyan tugged me around the corner of an alley.
“Why here?” I asked. We’d been walking in the direction of the quieter part of the strip, and the world here had suddenly become far too quiet.
It was late, and between the two buildings it was dim enough we could barely make out the shadows stretching ahead. No one was stupid enough to pull out their phone for light, and I cursed my heeled boots for being too loud upon the concrete.
Had that man from beyond the doors come out after us, or were we clear?
I cursed as I almost stumbled into the gutter. They were thigh high boots with obscenely thin heels, but the gaps in metal grates were persistent enemies. Zed was the one who steadied me, though he let go all too fast, a scowl on his face.
“I have to keep moving,” I said. I didn’t know what their plan was. None were showing signs of leaving.
“You know we’re not going anywhere until you’re clear of them,” Kyan said as I tugged my hand from his.
“I asked you to get me out of the building. I’m out. You’re free.”
I’d have to leave for good, but I wasn’t focusing on that. Or the fact that I might have just seen my last night in the High Roller.
And my friends.
I would go back for Lucy, but I think we were safe for now. For a second I reached for my purse, knowing I might be able to text Elana or Jade to get her out of my room.
I stopped, mind flashing to the black ace in my deck.
How much did Ace’s men know? How long had they been watching me?
I couldn’t put anyone in danger. Even tipping off Ace’s men to who at the High Roller I was friendly with could be a death sentence.
I would get Lucy. Later tonight—I couldn’t risk waiting long, just enough that they’d think I was long gone.
“We are not alone,” Knight murmured. “Two at the end. One behind.”
My blood chilled.
How far had they been following us? The Strip traffic wasn’t easy to navigate, but if they had some on foot, they could have been directing their friends on where to turn.
“And…” Kyan’s fingers tangled in mine again as if we were on a date, but I saw him nod his head upward. I didn’t look straight away, but scanned the building’s lower levels. There were metal railings all the way up.
Shit.
We’d been in this alley mere minutes, and we might already be surrounded.
“This drug dealer of yours, he isn’t messing around is he?” Knight asked. He didn’t look at me, but his tone was heavy with scepticism.
“How about you give me my gun and fuck off?” I asked.
Knight ignored me entirely, turning his back to me. Kyan grinned at my expression.
Did I feel confident taking on a bunch of Ace’s guys at once? I might be good with a gun, but my odds weren’t great. And still, I’d rather take my chances than end up in the mess that was barrelling full steam toward me with no brakes.
I needed them gone, and that meant I needed my goddamn gun.
“I could use a spare blade.” Zed’s eyes flicked to me as I walked.
I glared at him as Kyan shifted closer to my side.
Fuck.
They weren’t going anywhere. Stubborn fucking Alphas.
But I didn’t have time to argue, so I slipped him the blade and tugged out the one fixed to the inside of my purse. Not really a big enough blade for a fight like this, but it would have to do.
Knight, at least, was tricky with a gun, better than I’d ever been able to match even if he’d never come close to Kyan.
If things hadn’t changed too much…
Three years…
Kyan dropped my hand, instead sliding his arm around my waist, pulling me close.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stifling the shot of warmth coiling in my tummy at his touch.
“Do you think they know, yet?” he breathed. “Pretend we’re just a pack in love. Throw them off.”
I don’t think Kyan was stupid enough to believe we weren’t way past that, but he didn’t seem to care. Again, I fought the comfort his scent brought. Fought the desperate creature deep within me who wondered if, after so many years of taking care of myself, I was finally complete.
Mafia princess, I might be, but I was still an Omega. A pack creature—shattered beneath years of loneliness as much as I pretended otherwise. And that creature was so touch-starved, she was making it hard to focus on the brink of a literal gun fight.
We were nearly at the end of the alley. On the other side were a few mini back-end parking lots and an abandoned building.
“Still four?” Zed asked.
“Yup.” Kyan sounded so fucking confident, even though he’d barely turned. Even in the dim light, and through the golden mask, I could see his jade eyes burning with pure thrill.
“The car’s up ahead. Put four down and we’re out.”
“Wait—you parked down there?” I hissed.
An old lot in the back end of fucking nowhere? How goddamned easy would it be for someone to hide a body in this place?
Cheap fucks.
Zed turned on me. “Do you have any idea how much that club of yours charges for parking?” he demanded. “You’d think locals would be able to catch a fucking break.”
“How much did you pay for Bluff?” I asked. That room they’d waited in for me was expensive.
“Would you lot shut the fuck up.” Knight spun on us. “There’s still a chance we can deal with this without too much attention.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I want my gun back,” I hissed. I needed them gone, and wouldn’t blame them for ditching me, but if they did, I’d need the gun.
Knight sneered. “Too bad, Princess?—”
Bang!
The gunshot blew my eardrums, setting every sense on high alert.
I drew to a halt, looking around wildly, all my training kicking in only to see Kyan had spun, gun over forearm, one eye shut as he raised it to the dark metal above us.
There was a creak as a shadow of a body slumped in the metal siding I could only just make out.
“You fucking idiot,” Zed spat.
“Eh.” Kyan shrugged. “They knew the whole time. The old prick through the doors called in our location the moment we left.”
“You saw—?” I was cut off by another gunshot aimed our way followed by a shout.
Knight was covering the front end, but Kyan, grinning like the maniac he was, held out his hand at a clatter of metal on metal over our heads. With barely a flicker of his eyes, he caught a gun that tumbled from the dead man above.
Zed and I both flinched as he almost fumbled the catch with no idea if the safety was on. But then Kyan flipped it in his grip and held it out to me, looking maniacally proud of himself—an image that was bolstered by a huge glob of blood that chose that moment to splatter across his mask from above.
“She wanted a gun.” He shrugged. “Plus, we got the best spot in the alley.”
I snatched the weapon before Zed could, side-stepping him to get a glimpse past the wooden pallets that were giving us cover. Kyan wasn’t wrong. A stack of pallets and a dumpster were the best we were getting. I ducked back at another bang.
“Three there,” I said. “More coming.”
“Two in front,” Knight muttered.
How many more could they pull in?
I checked it and was relieved to find it was loaded. “They want me alive,” I added. That was good information for them to have. Changed everything.
“Pissed ex, then.” Knight grunted, as if that explained everything.
Technically, not untrue.
I tried to find a good angle through the wooden pallets. They were closing in on us, but they were being careful about it. I jumped as I felt a warm hand at my waist and the dry air and rank smell of the dumpster behind vanished for a lightning storm. Kyan rested his free hand with the gun between a gap in pallets with a far more casual motion than he was actually ready for.
My Kyan.
We were going to be fine. I was safe with them. I’d forgotten how easy that was to believe when their scents were so close.
“This is not a date,” Zed ground out from my other side. I could see the edge of fury as his ice-blue gaze jumped between our weapons. He wasn’t the kind of Alpha who dealt well with being the useless one.
“Go fuck yourself,” Kyan sung, drawing me closer and brushing teeth along my neck.
I shivered, trying to focus on the figures ahead.
Through the dimness, I spotted a flicker of light, like a phone screen coming to life. Kyan pulled his trigger before I could move. I heard a grunt and the muffled sound of a dropping body, then silence.
“Sweet Oasis, you’re losing.” His voice was playful.
Fuck that.
I caught the shift of a shadow behind what I thought was a broken wood pallet. An easy squeeze of a lilac nail upon a trigger and another bang.
Then another, but that one I missed.
The world was a blur of action, and adrenaline burned my veins. It was a feeling I hadn’t had in forever. For far too long, enemies had been so much more than villains lurking in alley shadows, ended by the right aim of a gun.
This was simple. Thrilling, even, with my pack at my side.
I shoved that thought away in shock.
Not yours.
Never yours.
Behind us, Knight took another down. I didn’t realise more men had arrived on his side until I heard a struggle. I turned to see Zed past the dumpster. He had a figure in a headlock while Knight aimed for another who was backing up now. A gun tumbled from the man’s wrist, going off in a wild direction. To my horror, the man managed to get an elbow in Zed’s face, knocking his mask straight off.There was a nasty gurgle as knife found flesh, then the man went limp. Zed grabbed the weapon as my terror dialled to an eleven. His mask…
It was dark.
No one would see him.
Kyan cursed at my side. “Aw, shit.”
I turned back around to see him aiming, but the last guy in the alley turned the corner before Kyan could get a clear shot.
Gone.
Quiet descended on the alley, broken only by the faint hum of traffic and occasional shout in the Las Vegas night.
Had we done it?
That felt too quick. Why had they left?
Was it, perhaps, because he’d seen Zed and known he had to get back to Ace?
“Time to go. Police won’t be long.”
Right… if these men hadn’t warned them off.
There was a strange tightness in my chest, a fear I couldn’t shake.
Zed’s mask…
But then the body Kyan had shot first finally slid from the metal railing above. It landed with a sickening crunch in a heap on the wooden pallets before us. It was twisted at a horrible angle, leaving his arm sticking out. Even in the darkness, the thin rose tattoo across his wrist was stark.
Oh shit.
An eerie silence fell as all gazes landed on it. I shut my eyes.
“Well.” Knight was the first to speak. “Fuck.”