Chapter 19
Kat
Ten minutes later, I descended the stairs, feeling more confident but still nervous. Rory waited at the bottom talking to Declan and Connor, his back to me. Gone were the clothes he was wearing when he came to my door, and instead he was wearing a perfectly tailored black sports jacket, which emphasized his broad shoulders along with a pair of black jeans and cowboy boots. His dark hair was styled neatly, but still brushed his collar in that sexy way it always did.
When he turned, his eyes widened again. “Are you ready for this?” he asked, his playful smirk fading into a more serious expression.
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Let’s go take that scumbag down.”
“Do you have the wire on?” Declan asked.
“Of course she does, I helped her put it on myself,” Wren said.
Connor gave me a once-over and asked, “How did you manage that? Not to sound like a creep or anything, but that dress is... rather snug on you, in all the right places of course.”
Rory glared at him, silently warning him not to say another word.
Wren took a deep breath and exclaimed, “I’ll show you! I cleverly hid the box on her bandaged leg with the wire seamlessly blending into the side seam of her dress.”
As she crouched down, her hand reached for the hem and a chorus of male voices erupted in objection.
“It’s fine Wren, we believe you,” Declan laughed, grabbing his wife’s hand. “You two be careful tonight. I was told that Marcus always has a weapon at the ready.”
We said our goodnight’s and walked towards the front door; Rory’s hand ghosted over my right ass cheek, and I felt myself shiver as he murmured, “Just remember, I’ve got your back in there. If anything feels off, just say where do the fish swim.”
I stopped walking to look at him. “Fish?”
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “It’s just so out of there I won’t need to guess.”
I nodded, grateful for his reassurance despite feeling like I was going to vomit. Put me in a ring with hundreds of screaming fans, and I’m good. But this? This was not my idea of fun. But I’d be damned if I let Declan and Rory think I couldn’t handle it.
A sleek black Caddy was parked waiting for us as we exited the house. “Your new ride?” I asked, as he opened the door for me.
He chuckled and shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips as he took my hand and helped me onto the seat. “I wish it were. Unfortunately, as you know, mine is in the repair shop. This is Declan’s.”
“Right.” I frowned. “I never apologized for hitting your car.”
“Don’t worry about it. It had a few dings in the hood from a hailstorm I drove through. This was a perfect reason to get it fixed.”
He closed my door and went around to the driver side and got in.
“Are you nervous?” he asked, looking at me.
For once I let my guard down and nodded. “A little bit.”
His hand reached across the console and landed on my knee, his grip tight and reassuring. “You will do fine. You certainly look the part.”
I shifted under his touch, how was I to respond to that? “What do you mean? ”
He hesitated before continuing. “I don’t mean anything...just that high paid escorts are always gorgeous. And you…you are the most stunning woman I have ever had the privilege to lay eyes on.” His words hung heavy in the air between us, and I felt a flutter in my stomach at his words.
As if he was embarrassed, he quickly pulled his hand away and started the car, then drove like he was in a trance.
As the city lights grew brighter and we got closer to our destination, I turned to face him.
“So, what’s the plan when we enter the club?” I asked, studying his features.
He met my gaze. “We’ll pretend that I am introducing you as a new employee. Ask to see the back area to see if it’s somewhere you’d like to work. Can you handle that?”
I swallowed hard, trying to push down the nerves that were threatening to overwhelm me. “Yeah, I can. Just... don’t leave me alone, okay?”
Rory’s eyes softened as he glanced at me. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Kat.”
As we pulled up to the club, the neon signs cast an eerie glow on the sidewalk. I took a deep breath and wondered if I would have this same reaction if I were actually looking for a job like the women who worked here .
“Ready?” Rory asked, his hand on the door handle.
I nodded, steeling myself.
We stepped out of the car, and he was immediately by my side, his arm snaking around my waist. The touch sent a jolt through me, but I tried to stay focused on our mission.
“Remember,” he whispered in my ear as we approached the entrance, “you are confident, you’re experienced, and you’re here to check out a potential new workplace. You’ve got this.”
I plastered on my best sultry smile as we reached the bouncer. Rory nodded to him, and he waved us through without question. The music hit us like a wall as we entered, and I could feel the thumping of the bass through my body.
Rory’s lips brushed my ear again. “Follow my lead.”
He guided me through the crowd, his hand never leaving the small of my back. As we made our way to the bar, I couldn’t help but notice the admiring glances thrown our way. It made me feel powerful, desirable... and terrified.
“Hey, Tony,” Rory called out to the bartender. “Got a new girl here interested in working the back rooms. Where is Marcus?”
The bartender, a burly man with more tattoos than visible skin, gave me a once-over before nodding. “Sure thing, Rory. He’s out back. You know the way.”
As we moved towards a door marked ‘Employees Only’, I felt his grip on me tighten slightly. “Here we go,” he murmured.
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as we approached the door. This was it. He psyched me up for this moment, but now that it was here, I felt like my legs might give out.
He must have sensed my hesitation. He leaned in close, his breath warm on my neck. “You’ve got this, Kat. Just remember I’m right here.”
Right. I was Katrina George. Former kickboxing champion. Owner of a biker bar. I’d faced down drunk bikers twice my size without breaking a sweat. I could handle this.
We pushed through the door into a dimly lit hallway. The music was muffled here, replaced by the low murmur of voices. Rory led me down the corridor, past closed doors where God only knows what was happening. I tried not to think about it.
At the end of the hall, a large man in an expensive suit stood guard outside a door. He eyed us suspiciously as we approached.
“We’re here to see Marcus,” Rory said smoothly. “Got a new girl for him to check out. ”
The guard’s gaze raked over me, and I fought the urge to squirm. Instead, I met his eyes with a cool stare of my own.
After a long moment, he nodded and knocked on the door. “Boss, Rory’s here with a new girl.”
There was a pause, then a gruff voice called out, “Send them in.”
The guard opened the door, and Rory guided me inside. The office was plush, all dark wood and leather. And there, behind a massive desk, sat Marcus - the man we’d come to see. The man who, if our intel was correct, was responsible for beating defenseless women. A fat balding man, who reminded me of a penguin, and I had to resist the urge to throw up.
He looked up as we entered, his eyes gleaming with interest as they landed on me. I felt my skin crawl, but I kept my face neutral.
“Well, well,” Marcus said, leaning back in his chair. “What have we here?”
Rory’s hand tightened on my waist. “This is Kitty. She’s looking for work, and I thought you might be interested.”
I bit back a retort at the ridiculous name. Instead, I gave Marcus my best smile. “I’ve heard you run quite the operation here. I’d love to be a part of it. ”
Marcus’s lips curled into a predatory grin. “Is that so? And what makes you think you’re qualified for this kind of work?”
I took a deep breath.
“Why don’t you let me show you?” I purred, taking a step towards his desk.
Marcus’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as I approached. I could feel Rory tense behind me, but I ignored him. This was my show now.
“Well, aren’t you a bold little thing,” Marcus chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “I like that in a woman.”
I perched on the edge of his desk, letting my skirt ride up just enough for him to get a good look at my thigh. “I’m full of surprises,” I murmured, trailing my fingers along the polished wood.
Marcus reached out to touch my knee, and it took every ounce of willpower not to recoil. Instead, I forced myself to lean into his touch, my skin crawling beneath his fingers.
“I bet you are,” he growled. “Why don’t you give me a little preview of what you have?”
As he pushed my knee to the side, thinking he was going to get a free peep show, I heard Rory move closer to the desk. But he needn’t worry or let the green-eyed monster take over his feelings because I had it under control .
“Ah…Kat!” Rory growled out my name, but I ignored him once again.
I slid off the desk and straddled Marcus’s lap, bracing my hands on his shoulders. His hands immediately went to my hips, gripping tightly.
“I’ll give you a preview, with pleasure,” I purred.
In one fluid motion, I dropped my fist hard between his legs and could feel his balls crushing under my hand. As he doubled over in pain, I muttered barely above a whisper, “This is what happens when you beat your employees you sick fuck!”
I grabbed his head and slammed it into the desk. He crumpled to the floor, out cold.
I spun around to see Rory already in action, taking out the guard who had burst through the door at the commotion. Within seconds, the room was secure.
“What the fuck was that all about?!” Rory spun around tossing me a zip tie for Marcus’s hands. “I didn’t hear you say one word about the damn fish!!”
I panted as I bound the asshole's hands. “I’m sorry! I can’t stand it when men think they can treat women like a piece of meat!”
Rory’s eyes flashed with a mix of anger and admiration. “Jesus Christ Kat! You were supposed to get him talking, then go out back to the dressing room, not knock him out cold!”
I shrugged, still riding the adrenaline high. “He’ll talk when he wakes up. Besides, did you see the way he was looking at me? Like I was a damn steak dinner.”
Rory ran a hand through his hair, clearly annoyed. “That was kinda the point, love. We needed him distracted.”
“Did you just call me love?”
He stopped for a moment and stroked the stubble on his chin. “I suppose I did.” He waved a hand in the air, brushing off his faux pas. “A slip of the tongue I assure you.”
“Right.” I stood up, smoothing down my dress. “Well, he’s plenty distracted now, isn’t he?”
Just then, we heard footsteps approaching rapidly down the hallway. Rory and I exchanged a quick glance before springing into action. He dragged Marcus’s limp form behind the desk while I positioned myself by the door, ready to take out whoever came through.
The door burst open, and I swung, my fist connecting with a solid jaw. The man stumbled backward, cursing loudly.
“Fuck me! Kat, it’s me, Connor!”
I froze, recognizing the voice. “Shit! Connor?! I’m so sorry!”
He rubbed his jaw, glaring at me. “Christ girl. Remind me never to sneak up on you in a dark alley.”
Rory appeared beside me, smirking. “Nice right hook, Kat. But save it for the bad guy’s next time, yeah?”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. “Hey, in my defense, you all look the same in this dim lighting. Big, muscular, tattooed men.”
Connor snorted. “Aye, we’re a handsome bunch. Now, do you want to tell me why our mark is passed out behind the desk?”
“Kat got carried away,” Rory said as I rifled through Marcus’s pockets.
“Look what I found!” I said triumphantly, pulling out a small black notebook. “Looks like our friend Marcus here keeps a record of the girls and what he did to them when they didn’t comply. Oh my God! He is trafficking them!”
I kicked the piece of shit, then looked to see Rory’s eyes widened as he snatched the book from my hands. “What? No one said anything about trafficking.”
“Declan isn’t going to like that,” Connor shook his head .
I eyed Connor as a thought came to me. “Why are you here?”
Rory squinted at him. “Yeah, why are you?”
Connor’s expression darkened as he glanced at the unconscious Marcus. “Declan sent me to check on you two. Said he had a bad feeling.” He paused, eyeing the notebook in my hand. “Did Marcus throw a switch at any time?”
We both shook our heads, “Not that we know of, why?”
“Well, shortly after you two left the house, he sent me to park out front of the club. Said he would call me if things went south.”
“And?” Rory asked.
“And he did,” Connor shrugged. “He got a call from inside the club saying that the plan was to take you out Rory and send Kat on a plane.”
I snorted, looking at the notebook. “Like that would ever happen.”
“I swear he never moved!” Rory muttered. “Must be a code word he used to the goon waiting outside the door, the fucker.”
“Never mind that,” I said, flipping through the pages, my stomach churning at the detailed accounts. “This is worse than we thought. There are hundreds of names here. ”
Rory peered over my shoulder, his jaw clenching. “Bastard’s been busy. We need to get this to Declan now.”
“Agreed,” Connor said, already moving towards Marcus. “I’ll take care of our friend here. You two head back to the estate.”
I hesitated, torn between wanting to stay and help Connor and knowing we needed to get the evidence to safety. Rory sensed my indecision and placed a hand on my lower back, gently guiding me towards the door.
I shook my head. “No, this is too dangerous, we aren’t leaving without you Connor.”
“She’s right.” Rory reached beneath his jacket and produced a gun. “Take her out into the hallway, and call the cleanup crew,” he said to Connor as he twisted a silencer onto the end of his pistol.
Connor reached for my arm, but I shook him off and held out my hand to Rory. “Give me the gun.”
Rory hesitated, his eyes darting between me and it. “Kat, I don’t think—”
“Give me the damn gun, Rory,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. “I’m not some delicate flower you need to protect. I’ve dealt with worse than this piece of shit.”
Connor chuckled, earning a glare from both of us. “She’s got a point, mate. I watched the warehouse video.”
“Shooting a person is not the same as shooting a target on a bale of straw,” Rory sighed, his eyes almost pleading with me. Finally, when he saw that I wasn’t backing down he reluctantly handed it to me. “Fine but be careful. Declan will have my head if anything happens to you.”
I rolled my eyes, checking the gun’s clip. “Declan can kiss my ass. I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.”
As I approached Marcus’s unconscious form, a surge of anger rushed through me. This scumbag had hurt so many innocent girls, and for what? Power? Money? The sick thrill of it? He reminded me of Xavier.
“You two, out,” I ordered, my voice steady despite the rage bubbling inside me.
Rory opened his mouth to protest, but Connor grabbed his arm, shaking his head. They left quietly, closing the door behind them.
I stood over Marcus, gun trained on his head. It would be so easy to pull the trigger, to end his miserable existence right here and now. But that would be too quick, too merciful for the likes of him.
Instead, I grabbed what little hair he had on his head and yanked it back. His eyes fluttered open, confusion quickly giving way to fear as he recognized me.
“There you are, sunshine,” I growled. “You and I are going to have a little chat about that notebook of yours.”
Suddenly, Connor burst into the room, his voice low and urgent. “Kat, wait. We might need him alive.”
“For what?” I spat, letting go of his hair and was satisfied to hear his head thud on the floor.
“There is more to that notebook than meets the eye. It’s a code for something that Rory and I can’t figure out.”
“Where is Rory?” I asked.
Connor jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “On the phone with Declan. He said to bring him in.”
I sighed and looked at the piece of shit at my feet. “Well, this is your lucky night Marcus,” I said, knocking him out again.