Chapter 9
Isa
Isa watched Locke move a few feet away and take a seemingly casual position as he watched the crowd.
“Girl, where did you find that?”
Locke’s drink paused halfway to his mouth, and behind the flimsy cover of the glass, his lips twitched before the bourbon continued on its journey. Isa decided to ignore the fact that he was listening in on her conversation.
She turned back to Nova. “He walked into my bar.”
“Lucky you.”
Sure, if luck is a cosmic cat and I’m the idiot mouse. She picked up her drink, wondering if the result would be indigestion. Or better yet, heartburn.
Before Isa could spin further down that rabbit hole, Nova continued. “Though if I were you, I’d convince him to check out another hot spot tonight.”
The warning struck like lightning, freezing her in place and squashing her momentary levity. “He’s here?” She was proud the question came out sharp instead of shaky.
Nova shrugged, her gaze shifting beyond Isa before coming back.
“Your guess is as good as mine, but considering the amount of muscle being flexed…” She paused as one of the bouncer types strode by, his attention on the floor below.
Once he was out of earshot, Nova studied Isa, twisting her glass of water absently, and continued.
“What I can confirm is he’s got eyes and ears all over this place. ”
That news wasn’t unexpected. Neither was the prospect that Isa might already be in trouble.
She figured the minute Carter had caught sight of her, he’d told the powers that be about her presence, which meant she was on the clock, especially if Angel was in house.
It also meant Nova would be her only chance at useful information.
“Then I’ll make this quick. I heard some things and figured since I’m here, I might as well ask.”
Interest sharpened Nova’s attention as her fingers curled around her glass, holding it still. “Might not have your answers, but you’re free to ask.”
“There was this guy who popped up on the scene a few months back and hooked up with someone I know. I don’t have much on him, but he made it sound like he had connections, big ones, and lately, he’s been flashing this new product around.
He tried to get her to try it, swearing it would rock her world, but since that’s not her thing, she declined.
The other night, he tried again, but this time he decided to show instead of tell, and it did not go well for him.
Whatever he took messed him up.” She held Nova’s gaze, leaned in, and waited until the woman did the same before adding in a quieter tone, “And by that, I mean messed him up, Nova.”
Nova studied Isa for a long moment, lines creasing her forehead and bracketing her mouth as she played with the straw in her glass. Finally, she murmured, “That sucks, but in this scene, that shit happens on the regular.”
“True, but not like this.” Isa sat back without losing eye contact. “This girl, she was freaked right the fuck out because whatever he took changed him.”
Nova seemed to think it through. “What do you mean, ‘changed him’?”
Sharing might not be wise, but she couldn’t see another way to get the information without giving more away. If Locke didn’t like it, she had no doubt he’d shut things down, but until he did…
“He was throwing around power that wasn’t his to play with.”
Even with the candle’s muted lighting, there was no missing the way Nova’s face blanched. “That’s impossible.”
Isa raised her brows. “I’m just sharing what she told me, and she’s not one to lie.
” She gave Nova a minute to process before adding, “She also said he was sharing this pill with others, and, girl, if this does to them what she said it did to him, unwanted attention is going to be beating down our doors.”
Nova’s attention shifted to the crowd as she picked up her glass and took a healthy swallow.
Unwilling to let her wiggle off the hook, Isa dug in a little deeper. “I have to know, Nova.”
Nova flicked her a glance. “Know what?”
“If this is a one-off. If so, then I can relax, but if not, I need to be prepared because I’m not willing to lose my business over someone’s Frankensteined party favors. So, from one friend to another, do I have reason to be concerned?”
Nova set her glass back on the table and met Isa’s gaze. “You know I stay out of that shit, Isa.”
Something in Nova’s voice made Isa’s pulse tick up. “I know, but that doesn’t make you deaf or blind.”
Nova’s lips tightened as she drummed her fingers against the table.
“Haven’t seen anything, but I might have heard a couple rumblings about something new,” she said, her voice tight.
“But you know how it goes.” She gave an uncomfortable shrug.
“Some stray comes in looking to make a name by showing off a juicy new bone—it doesn’t take the big dogs long to catch a scent. And once they do, they’re all over it.”
At Nova’s roundabout confirmation that Leo had been playing well above his level, the knots in Isa’s gut tightened. “And the strays?”
Nova’s fingers stilled as she stared at Isa intently. “You know how territorial he can be.”
Isa fought her flinch and swallowed down the resulting nausea. “Yeah, I know.”
Nova folded her arms on the table’s top and leaned in, her grim gaze searching Isa’s face. “So, again, chica, may I suggest, highly, you grab your treat and beat feet before he catches wind of your scent and latches on?”
Gods, I want to. Unfortunately, the reason she couldn’t was counting on her for some answers. “I intend to, but whatever this product is, it’s dangerous. I don’t want it in my bar, especially if he’s got anything to do with it.”
“You can’t take him on, Isa. You tried that, remember?” Nova snapped, fear and frustration breaking through her thin layer of callousness.
Through sheer will, Isa held her casual pose even as a little voice in the back of her head urged her to run fast and hard. “You know me—I can’t exactly stand aside and do nothing. Not if he’s setting something loose on these kids.”
Sympathy flickered through Nova’s face. “They aren’t your responsibility.”
“They belong to someone.”
“Then let someone deal with it.”
Isa winced.
Sighing, Nova reached across the table and squeezed Isa’s fist. “Girl, your heart is in the right place, but be smart. You barely got free last time. I’m not so sure your luck will hold a second time around.”
Neither am I.
Nova held Isa’s gaze. “Let it go.” She paused for a heartbeat. “Don’t make the mistake of walking back into his web.”
The problem was, Isa wasn’t sure she’d ever really escaped Angel—not when those sticky ties kept dragging her back in. But Nova was waiting.
“I’m not planning on it,” Isa said.
Relief swept through Nova’s face, easing the worried lines. “Good.” She let Isa go and moved back, preparing to leave. “Now, as much as I loved seeing you, I gotta get back to work before Mandi comes looking for me.”
Isa dredged up a smile. “Thanks for making time.”
Nova’s smile turned surprisingly sweet as she picked up her glass. “It really was good to see you, Isa. Maybe next time, I’ll take a seat at your bar.”
“Looking forward to it.”
With that, Nova lifted her chin at Locke then turned and headed back to the bar.
Heat hit Isa’s back as Locke moved in, crowding close as he reached around to set his now empty glass on the table. He braced his hands on the table on either side of her as he bent his head close. “Get ready, sweetheart,” his voice rumbled against her ear.
Caught between him and the table, the only thing she could do was turn her head toward him, which put her lips temptingly near his jaw. “For what?”
He dipped his head closer until mere inches separated them, and she could see the light of sardonic amusement burning deep in his eyes. “We’re about to have company.”
She didn’t have time to do much more than blink before one of the bouncers took Nova’s place. Slowly, Isa turned toward their unwanted visitor. Big and broad, dressed from head to toe in black, he was focused on Isa, stupidly dismissing Locke.
“Ms. Serrano, Mr. Herrera would like to invite you and your friend to his table for a drink.”
There was no way to get out of the invitation, but she still tried. “Appreciate the offer, but we’re good.”
The bouncer’s attention went to Locke then back to her. “He insists.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but Locke got there first, his hand drifting down her spine and setting off a shiver. “I could use another drink.”
She pushed her drink away as resentment curled through her. She wanted to rail at him for dragging her here, even though it had been her decision. It wasn’t fair, but then, none of this was.
So instead, she crammed all the messy emotions into a familiar box and locked that bitch down tight. “Fine.”
Leaving her half-finished drink on the table, Isa followed the bouncer across the walkway and up the stairs to the third floor.
Locke stayed at her side, close enough that their bodies brushed but not so close that she felt crowded.
They hit the third level, and the club noise took a step back, adding to the ambience of importance.
As they walked by the shadowed alcoves, the brush of invisible eyes was nearly physical.
Her skin crawled with each step as the weight of unwanted curiosity joined the sticky strands coiling around her, pulling her deeper into the darkness.
It was as if Angel’s presence crawled through the club, slipping along the emotional threads emanating from those gathered and tightened around her until breathing was difficult.
Unsettled, she played with the Zemi charm bracelet at her wrist, and the constricting bands eased enough for her to rediscover her balance.
She snuck a look at Locke. In between the dance of shadows, she could make out the tight line of his jaw and the feral intensity as he scanned their surroundings, his body coiled and ready.
She caught his hand and laced their fingers together. He looked down at her, and she mouthed, “You good?”
Locke angled his head to her, his lips curving not in humor but in predatory delight. He brought her hand up and brushed his lips across her knuckles.
Right, okay. So the unseen threat she’d felt was just her freaking out. Something she couldn’t afford to do because her emotions would only feed the monster lying in wait.
She pulled in a breath discreetly and refocused, herding her apprehension over to the box she’d shoved her other emotions into and coaxing it inside.
Once it joined the others, she proceeded to bury it deep.
By the time the bouncer came to a stop outside one of the larger alcoves, she was comfortably numb.
“Ma’am.” The bouncer turned sideways and waved her toward the recessed booth, where a petite blonde in a sparkly sheath snuggled up to a man in all black and, to their right, another couple lounged.
Anchored by the weight of Locke’s palm at the base of her spine, Isa glided up the two steps and into the web.