CHAPTER EIGHT
CLOVER
Havoc did a good job following the man without getting too close. He kept other vehicles between us, using them to blend in and go unseen. With every passing moment, Raina grew more excited.
I envied her ability to immerse herself in danger and draw strength from it. I hated everything about this. Next to me Daire sat silently, his gaze on the car ahead. That didn’t stop him from clutching my hand, holding it tight in his.
His possessive nature had once frightened me, making me want to run fast and run far. Now it made me feel safe. He’d proven that he’d go to any lengths for me, even at risk to himself.
“Better hurry up.” Raina pointed at the traffic lights on the next block. “That light is going to turn red. We’ll lose him.”
Havoc did a quick shoulder check before changing lanes. Hitting the gas, he made sure the changing light didn’t force us to stop. We raced through as it turned amber, making it just in time.
“No worries, wife. He’s not getting away.” Havoc reached over, sliding a hand onto Raina’s thigh. She giggled and playfully slapped his hand away.
They were so chill about this. So used to chasing down danger at every turn. Maybe I should be getting used to it by now too. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t had my share of fucked up situations that could have killed me.
Daire glanced over at me and did a double take. “Are you okay, Angel? You look like you’re going to pass out. If this is too much for you, we can tell the Sinners we’re done. I’ll handle the repercussions.”
Doing my best to school my face into something less apprehensive, I forced a smile. “No, don’t do that. We’ve already come this far. I’m fine. Really.”
Taking my chin in his hand, Daire studied my face. “Don’t lie to me, Clover. Nothing else matters if you’re not okay. You come first.”
I felt Raina sneaking peeks at us. I wondered what she was thinking.
“I want to do this,” I insisted. “Someone has to stop what’s happening. Innocent people are dying for someone’s sick desires. I can’t turn my back on that.”
Daire stroked my bottom lip with his thumb. “Only if you’re sure.”
“I am. I’m sure.”
“Wow,” Raina remarked. “You guys are pretty cute together. Never thought the day would come when I thought Daire might actually be good enough for you. No offense, Daire.”
He didn’t even look at her when he said, “None taken. I don’t really care what you think.”
I winced and slapped his arm. “Be nice.”
“Yes, Daire, be nice,” Havoc added, eyeing Daire through the rearview mirror. “I wouldn’t want to have to kick your ass for disrespecting Raina. You’re lucky to be alive right now after what you did to her.”
“Havoc, don’t,” Raina admonished, her tone sharp. “Leave it alone.”
The tension that filled the car made it hard to breathe. Maybe that was just me. I offered Raina an apologetic shrug. My worst fears had just been confirmed. We would never all coexist with one another without Daire’s assault on Raina hanging over us.
We drove in strained silence for another ten minutes. Raina tried to start up conversation but her efforts fell flat. I appreciated her commitment to keeping the peace with Daire. She was a good friend.
“Interesting,” Daire said softly when the man we followed turned into a shady neighborhood. “I wonder what he’s doing down here. Not really the kind of place a Mercedes driving jackass would live.”
This part of town was known as a great place to score drugs of any kind. Hell, I’d even heard that one could buy black market goods, like organs, down here. I’d never have ventured into this area on my own.
The man continued on several blocks before suddenly slowing down. He pulled over next to a woman standing on the corner. She approached his car, leaning in through the open passenger window.
“He’s here to pick up a prostitute?” Raina stated the obvious. “I guess nobody at the club wanted to fuck him.”
The woman jerked a thumb toward a nearby alley before sauntering away. Our guy pulled into the alley, his car disappearing from sight.
“I’m going to be pissed if anyone fucks with my car.” A frown creasing his brow, Havoc pulled over, parking along the street. “We’ll walk from here. If he doesn’t hear us coming, it will be easier to take him by surprise.”
Havoc pulled a handgun from the glove box before getting out of the car. We all clambered out after him. Daire seemed especially eager to get his hands on this man. He led the way with Havoc bringing up the rear. Neither of us had a weapon on us. We weren’t able to bring anything like that into the club. I doubted that would be a problem. Havoc was prepared to use his gun.
The alley was dark, lit by a few streetlights with flickering bulbs. We heard them before we saw them. The sound of his grunts and her phony encouragement drew us right to them.
They were in the shadows, leaning against a building. He stood between her legs, pumping vigorously. Her head was back against the brick as she let out loud, and most likely fake, moans.
Before we drew close enough to interrupt, the man wrapped both hands around the woman’s throat. He squeezed tight, cutting off her moans. When she began to claw wildly at his hands, I knew this was no sexy choking. This was the real deal.
“He’s going to kill her,” Raina murmured, shock stealing over her face.
That had been his plan. To come here and get his kicks with an unsuspecting woman who thought he was a typical client.
Daire moved first. He rushed the guy, bodychecking him away from the woman. The man hit the ground hard, rolling with his pants down and his dick out.
The woman coughed and gasped as she sucked air into her lungs. Havoc told her to run, and she didn’t hesitate. Pulling her dress back into place, she took off down the alley.
Daire grabbed the man’s shirt, jerking him to his feet. “Put your dick away before we cut it the fuck off. We have a few questions for you.”
The man fumbled to do his pants up, his eyes widening when Havoc helped Daire pin him against the building. The two of them easily held him in place despite his efforts to fight them off.
“What the hell do you want?” the guy shouted. “You followed me here? What the fuck?”
Daire punched him in the face, slamming his skull into the brick building behind him. “We’ll ask the questions, asshole. Who’s running the VIP area at Paradise?”
The guy yelped in pain, his hand going to his bleeding nose. “I don’t know. Nobody does. Nobody uses real names there anyway. I can’t tell you anything.”
“Tell us who JD is. You have to know something.” Grabbing the man’s hand, Havoc bent his fingers backwards one by one.
“Nobody knows for sure who he is. I think he’s more of a behind the scenes guy. Really, I don’t know anything else. Please, let me go. I can’t help you.” He stank of desperation.
“You go back there to participate,” Daire pointed out. “Why would we let you go?”
There was nothing he could say to that. He didn’t even try. Instead, he reached into the pocket of his black leather pants and withdrew a switchblade. He flicked it open, swinging at both Havoc and Daire.
The blade caught Daire on the arm. As the blood welled up, Daire lost his mind.
He slapped the knife out of the man’s hand. Grabbing him by the throat, Daire slammed his head into the brick over and over. Havoc’s gun wasn’t needed. Daire didn’t stop until the man hung limp in his grasp. Blood and brain matter smeared on the brick wall.
I covered my mouth with a hand, unable to look away. Raina stood next to me, nodding in approval.
“I’ve gotta give Daire credit,” she said. “He gets the job done.”
“Search him for the swipe card,” Havoc said, helping Daire dig through the dead man’s pockets.
“Nothing.” Daire glanced over at the Mercedes. “It must be in the car.”
Before anyone could search the car, sirens rang out, telling us it was time to go. Someone must have called the cops. Why would they do that? Shit.
“Fuck, let’s move.” Havoc grabbed Raina’s hand, pulling her along with him.
We hurried back to where his car was parked, leaving the scene as the sirens grew louder. I checked the knife wound on Daire’s arm as we sped away. Nothing too detrimental. When I suggested stiches, he promptly shot me down. Stubborn as a mule.
“So that was a bust.” Raina slumped in her seat, pulling off the wig she wore.
“At least he can’t hurt anyone else,” I said, staring out the window.
We were no closer to getting this job done for the Sinners than we had been to begin with. I watched the streets pass as we headed back to Paradise for Daire’s car. I was starting to think we’d never succeed. Maybe the Sinners had known that from the start.