Jason
Iwalk into the Kitty Cat Club with my chest out and my head high.
Since the necklace heist, I’ve done three additional jobs for Tobias.
Each time, I get better; I’m operating like a well-oiled machine, incorporating everything I learned during training and cataloging details I absorb from the jobs along the way.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong.
Mac greets me the way he usually does, brusquely, and I glide upstairs, passing sex workers and other HellCats.
“Well, well, well,” Angelique sings when she sees me.
“Hey,” I reply, kissing her cheek.
“How’s my favorite HellCat?” Angelique has become an actual friend. Every time I’m here, she makes a point to check on me. It’s nice—a warm feeling blooms in my chest when I see her, but it isn’t lust or something like that. It just feels nice that she gives a damn.
“I’m here to see Tobias,” I say in a whisper.
“Another job?” she asks.
I shrug, having no idea why he called me in. “When the boss calls, you don’t ask questions.”
Angelique smiles, then her expression shifts, becoming more serious, and she leans in and whispers, “Come to my room. I have to talk to you.”
The way she says it leaves no room for debate. We walk in, and she closes the door. “You’re in a lot of danger, sugar.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
Angelique takes a drag of her cigarette. “There were millions of dollars in Rhett's vault, but Tobias left with a necklace. That’s it. Why do you think that is?”
I never really thought about that until now. I’m sure there was a lot of shit we could have stolen in that thing.
“Well, I guess…”
Before I can finish, Angelique says, “Tobias wanted Rhett to know he took it. Tobias broke into his home, where his three adult sons live, killed his men, and stole his brother’s necklace. He was sending a message to Rhett. Fuck with me, and I’ll fuck with you.”
I say nothing while I take all of this in.
“Rhett knows it was Tobias, and he wants revenge. He might go after everyone involved with the heist to send Tobias his own message…”
“That could start a war.”
“And maybe that’s what Rhett wants,” she adds.
A cold chill washes over me. “How do you know all of this?” I ask.
“I know everything, baby,” she replies, releasing a plume of smoke from her mouth.
“Got it.”
“I’m telling you this because Rhett will find out who helped Tobias that night. He’s got men all over—maybe even within the HellCats. He’s been doing this longer than Tobias, and he’s got the infrastructure to prove it. You need to watch your ass.”
She says all of this with a severe expression that has my gut churning. “Thank you,” I reply.
Angelique kisses my cheek. “I don’t want to see you get hurt. You’re too young to end up like some of the guys I’ve seen pass through here.”
The room feels too small for the news she just shared. I rub the sweat from my brow and nod. “Thank you. I’ll be careful.”
She sees me off, and I try to regain composure.
Sure, Rhett’s mad. Does he want revenge? Naturally.
It’s a dangerous job! I knew that going in.
Okay, I’m freaking out.
Cool it. Take a breath and be strong.
My knock on Tobias’s door is met with his deep voice welcoming me in.
“Jason,” he says, lounging in his chair with his feet up on the desk.
I nod. “Tobias. It’s good to see you.”
“Have a seat,” he motions to the chair across the desk.
Once I’m seated, he stares at me with an intense smile.
I try to school my features, but it’s weird.
He looks…happy…but also scary. “You’ve done great work so far.
A lot of my men came to me when you won that fight and told me to cut you loose—that you wouldn’t hack it. They were wrong.”
“Sure were.” Assholes.
“I’d like to reward you for your hard work.” Tobias unlocks a drawer and pulls out a wad of cash. I’m expecting him to separate some money from the stack, but instead he slides the whole thing across the table. “For you,” he says.
My eyes widen as I see that they’re hundred-dollar bills. “How much—”
“Twenty thousand,” Tobias answers like it’s nothing before I can even ask the question.
Holy fuck! “Tobias, I don’t know what to say—”“Don’t say anything. Just keep doing good work. I have another job for you this week, and I expect the level of professionalism you’ve been showing thus far.”
“Absolutely! I won’t let you down.” I look at the money…I haven’t touched it yet.
“Jason,” Tobias says, and I look at him. “Take what you deserve. You earned it.”
My hand rests on the stack, and a rush washes over me. Holding this much cash is a wild dopamine hit.
“Don’t let anyone see it on your way home,” Tobias says.
I quickly shove it in my pocket, afraid it’ll evaporate if I don’t.
“And get yourself a ride,” Tobias adds. “You’re a HellCat now. You need to look the part.”
“You mean like…”
Tobias nods. “That’s right. Get yourself a hog and some leather.”
Holy shit, a motorcycle.
“Thank you so much,” I say, trying to be chill while also wanting to scream and do cartwheels.
“There’s more where that came from. Just keep making me proud.”
Aw, man, don’t make me get weird and emotional, dude.
“Will do.” And I hurry the fuck out of there to keep my shit together.