Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Before
Amirah
I sink farther into the warm water of the bath, attempting to let it drown out the heaviness of my thoughts.
I haven’t gotten anywhere with Jewel or the other women yet.
I tried to go back to the docks today, but Gage has had the house on lockdown since the explosion two days ago.
I want to be pissed at him for keeping me caged, but I get it.
He’s trying to keep me safe. Even if I could go to the docks, what would I do?
Bill’s Freight isn’t there. And when I googled their headquarters, they’re in New York—five hundred miles from here.
I just hope Jewel isn’t miles from here too.
Maybe when things calm down, I can fly out and visit Manhattan just in case.
The bubbles have long gone, and my skin is pruney, but I don’t have the energy to get out just yet. When my phone vibrates against the tiles of the bathroom floor, I reach over the tub and grab it.
There’s a text from an unknown number. I frown, opening it.
Amirah Ledger. There’s a woman tied up in a ribbon. Start looking at Magick.
I sit up straight, gripping the edge of the tub. Water splashes all over the tiles.
Who is this? I reply.
Three dots appear. My heart races as I wait for them to reply.
I helped Freya find her brother’s killer, and now I want to help you find your friend.
I frown. WTF? Is this really the same person who’s been sending Freya those messages? I have no idea. Should I trust them? No. But Freya followed every lead they sent her, and it helped her get answers about her brother. What if this is the information I need to help get Jewel back?
I have to try. Placing my phone back on the tiles, I step out of the bath and dry off. I know where Magick is—I’ve been there plenty of times but never noticed anything going on.
I should call Freya and ask her to come, but she’s in no state after the explosion. She’s supposed to be resting, and I don’t want to burden her with this—she’s been through enough. I have to go alone and find out if this leads to any information about Jewel.
Thirty minutes later, I’m dressed in a tight black sequin dress. I fasten my trench coat around my waist and grab my purse from my walk-in closet, pulling the strap over my head. My hair falls in carefully styled curls down my back.
I’ve racked my brain to figure out how I’m going to get out of here. I can’t exactly exit through the front door. Gage would have a fit—I’m not supposed to leave. The next best bet is scaling down from my balcony. I flick the lock on my bedroom door and turn down my light so it’s only a soft glow.
My high heels sink into the carpet as I make my way over to the door that leads out to my balcony. I grab the sheets from my bed that I’ve tied together into a rope to help me get down to the first level.
After twisting the lock, I step out into the cool night air, then shut the door behind me and lean back against the window. My heart pounds loudly inside my chest. I’m twenty-two, and I’m sneaking out so my big bad brother doesn’t catch me.
I push off the window toward the railing.
Placing my hand on the cool concrete, I peer over, and my stomach lurches.
It’s a two-story fall, and there’s no way in hell I’m going to jump.
I’ll break a leg—or worse, one of my nails.
I’m not like Freya; she loves the feeling of this thrill. I can’t do this.
Yes, you can. Think of Jewel, who needs you. Who can’t escape.
I tie the sheet around one of the balcony poles in a double knot, pulling tight to make sure it’s fastened—the last thing I want is to fall to my death. I throw the sheet rope over the railing, and it drops with a quiet woosh. It doesn’t quite reach the ground, but it’s enough.
Movement catches my eye from the driveway.
Headlights beam over my balcony, and I drop to the ground, peering through the railing.
Gage’s red Range Rover flies down the driveway and pulls to a stop outside the garage.
Fuck. Please don’t look up. Don’t look up and see this sheet dangling in the moonlight.
He drives inside, and the sound of the garage door closing fills the air.
I wait for a couple of seconds, but I need to move—now. If he did see me, he’ll be coming up here any second. It’s now or never. I push back up and hoist myself over the railing. Then I kick my heels off, and they fall to the grass below.
I grab the rope between my thighs for support, hold on for dear life, and start moving down. My hair blows in the wind, wrapping around my face. My heart thumps loudly. Just keep going. You’re nearly there.
After what feels like minutes, I reach the end of the line. My legs dangle in the air. Before I can talk myself out of this, I let go. My feet hit the ground, the impact sending pain up my shins.
After collecting my heels and holding them.
I hurry around the side of the house and pull out my wig from my bag, then stash the bag under a section of low hedging.
If they see Amirah Ledger walking into the club, Gage is going to be notified right away, and that will ruin everything.
I have to pretend to be someone else tonight.
Keeping to the tree line and out of the patrol’s line of sight, I run barefoot toward the security gate. I grab my phone and press call on the number for the security box.
“Hello, George speaking,” the guard answers.
“It’s Amirah. I can see someone trying to break in from the backyard. You need to go check it out,” I say, and I’m met with silence. Shit. Will he listen?
“On it,” he says, and I hang up. The gate opens, and George runs through, speaking into his walkie-talkie.
Once he’s far enough away, I run straight through the gate. My e-bike is exactly where I left it in the bushes up against the fence to our property. I quickly jam my feet into my high heels, jump on, and ride down the road.
Security opens the second gate to our compound for me, and I’m off, flying down the hill toward the main street.
My chest rises and falls heavily against my coat the closer I get to Magick. The streetlights illuminate my path on one side, and cars drive past slowly on the other, music blaring from their speakers.
I’ve been here many times over the years.
It’s practically run by The Brotherhood, with members Callan and Zeke managing everything.
I thought the strip club was all above board, but maybe it isn’t.
Is this where Jewel is? But why would Zeke or Callan kidnap her?
Oh God, what if they’re using her? What if she’s one of the strippers, and they’ve got her trapped?
I have so many questions—ones I intend on getting the answers to tonight.
I walk past the line that’s all the way around the block. Men in suits and women dressed up in tiny dresses wait to get in. I don’t want to stand in line all night. Any moment now, Gage or one of the guards will see my sheet rope and come looking for me.
I need to get in there now.
Closer to the front, there’s a group of girls chatting, laughing, and taking photos together. While they’re distracted, I slip under the rope and stand in front of them. None of them even notice me.
I adjust my blonde wig, one that Freya left at my place from when she used to sneak into our parties. At least it’s coming in handy tonight to help conceal my identity. I wish I had my best friend with me.
Five minutes later, I’m let in, and they’ve got my fake ID in the system. Penelope Walter. It’s amazing what you can buy when you have an unlimited amount of money, and this identity means I can be somebody else for the night.
Stepping through the curtains into the main large, open room, I blend into the crowd. The bass of the music vibrates around me. I sidle up to the bar and order an Old Fashioned. Sitting on the barstool, I watch people move around me. Talking, drinking, dancing. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.
The bartender passes me my drink and I give him a fifty.
An older guy and a young girl who looks young enough to be his daughter come up beside me. He’s running his hand down her arm, and her mouth turns inward, like she’s repelled by him, but then she smiles, batting her eyelashes at him.
Should I help her? Is she okay? They walk off together, through the crowd of people, past the empty stage, and through a curtain. I need to follow them. What if that’s what’s happening here? Maybe Magick isn’t just a strip club; maybe women are being forced into prostitution?
What if Jewel is somewhere back there right now?
I push off the bar, drink forgotten, and force my way through the center of the dance floor. Reaching the curtain, I glance over my shoulder, but no one is stopping me. I disappear into a long corridor, red LED lights illuminating the path.
A door opens and slams shut. Two figures move toward me. Fuck. I keep moving, my head cast down. I need to find out what’s happening here—if Jewel is back here somewhere in one of the rooms.
“You lost?” the voice belonging to the guy says, and it sounds so familiar.
I look up and almost run straight into Callan and a young woman behind him. Shit. I keep my eyes down.
“Just looking for someone,” I say.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” he asks, and all the blood drains from my face. Run.
Turning around, I bolt straight through the curtain, onto the dance floor, and back out the front entrance and around the corner of the building, not stopping until I’m halfway down the alley.
I lean back against the brick wall opposite the back door, hands braced on my knees as I catch my breath.
That was close. Too close. Callan is one of the Brothers, one of Gage’s men.
If Callan recognizes me, he’ll call Gage.
But I don’t have much time left, and I’m not leaving here until I have answers.
I need to get back inside and find out what’s happening behind those curtains.