4. Indi #3
Felix nodded. “Indeed he is.” He looked back at me. “What happened when he heard the card declined?”
I took a deep breath. “Well…he definitely seemed shaken. Which makes sense knowing the card was a clone of Kief’s. But…” I stopped. “He left the VIP booth in a hurry. I tried to follow him when I got stuck in the crowd on the dance floor." I turned to look at Haze. “That’s when you found me.”
“Yeah, I noticed him rushing past the bar. He seemed really fucked up.” Haze kissed me softly.
Felix cleared his throat. “Right…well, he should be. Blowing all that money on drugs and drinks in such a short time span is sure to get Kief’s attention.”
“Not to mention the private VIP rooms for him and his little group,” I stated. Everyone looked at me in shock. I scoffed. “Not with me!”
Haze gripped me tight. “Good,” he growled.
Felix pondered for a moment. “I wonder where he went…after he left the booth.”
Spider finally spoke up. “He went outside.” We all turned to look at him. “You see, I was out front for a little smoke break—”
“Why am I not surprised?” Haze interrupted.
Spider shot him a look. “As I was saying,” he snapped. “I noticed Ray step out for some air, sweating profusely. I tried to get close to the little fucker, but another man met him, and they both rushed back inside the club before I could get close.”
“And how is any of that fucking helpful?” Haze asked.
Spider leaned his head back over the edge of the chair.
“If you’d just let me speak,” he groaned.
“As I was saying, on my way back into the club, while trying to keep up with our friendly neighborhood drug dealer, I just so happened to bump into someone else. Someone much more important.” He lifted his head and grinned.
“You know, seeing your cousin up close and personal like that really puts into perspective how much you guys look nothing alike.” He looked across the room at all of us.
“I mean, there’s no family resemblance.”
“Wait. You ran into Kief?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yup. And he was in quite a hurry, talking on the phone and completely ignoring any kind of manners or decorum. Rude ass. But I guess it’s a good thing he doesn’t know my face, or we’d be so fucked right now.”
Felix took another sip, finishing off his drink. “I’m surprised he had the nerve to even leave The Burnout, considering he’s been holed up there for so long, knowing we’d be coming for him.”
Spider shrugged again. “He was probably returning from a meeting with Toro.”
My eyes widened. “You know Toro?” I asked.
My ex-boyfriend looked at me in surprise, as did everyone else. “Uhh, yeah. Kind of an important name to know. But the real question is how the fuck do you know that name?”
I looked at all their faces. “Well…as I was waiting for you two to come back, in the VIP room…I heard Ray mention it.” Everyone listened. “He was on the phone with Kief. He didn’t say much, but from what I did hear, it sounded like he was meeting him tonight.”
“Meeting Kief? Where?” Felix asked.
It took me a few seconds to remember. “The Cosmic Oxen.”
Spider blew a raspberry. “Wow. Classy.”
“What—what is it? Is it another club? Or a bar within Kief’s organization?” The men all exchanged a look.
Why is no one answering me?
Spider cleared his throat. “Back to the main point. You said Ray is meeting Kief at The Cosmic Oxen? Tonight?” I nodded. He looked over at Felix. “Well, now we know our next move. But.” He returned his warm gaze to me. “That still doesn’t explain how you heard the name, Toro.”
“Oh! Well, Ray said it, after—” I stopped, knowing if I told them about how men were looking for me, Haze would fucking lose it. Or worse. But even still, it was a risk I was willing to take. So…I kept that bit of information to myself.
I’m sure Ray only wanted to find me to berate me about the charges. Nothing serious.
I cleared my throat. “After the call with Kief, Ray made another. That’s when I heard him mention that name. Toro. But I didn’t get a chance to hear anything else ‘cause he walked away.”
Spider blinked, looking back at my older brother. Felix looked sick to his stomach. “Well, we knew Ray had some kind of ties to Toro, but I didn’t expect him to contact him in a situation like this.” He looked at me with such a serious expression. “And there was nothing else he said?”
Yes.
“No.” I lied. “That was it.”
Haze rubbed his temple, frustrated. “How the hell are we supposed to infiltrate a meeting at The Cosmic Oxen? I mean…midnight tonight? It’s nearly ten. It’s too short notice to contact other Web members, and I don’t think any of us are exactly the right fit to blend into that crowd.”
“What kind of a crowd is it?” I asked. Haze quickly shut his mouth, refusing to answer me. “Haze.”
Spider let out an exasperated groan. “Ugh, fine! I’ll fucking tell her.
” He tilted his head at me. “The Cosmic Oxen is a luxury strip club. Only high-paying customers and the elite can even afford to access it. It’s one of Northern Light’s known businesses that funds a portion of Kief’s network.
And one which thankfully practices full nudity in its dancers. ” He smiled.
“Easy,” Haze growled.
“Why? We all know it.” He laughed, looking at both my brothers. “Especially you, big boy.” He winked at Haze.
I pushed back from Haze’s grip and shot him a look. “Oh?” I asked, raising a brow. “You do, do you?”
Truthfully, it doesn’t show me to hear. Haze has always been one to prefer luxury things. Even strip clubs.
He glared at Spider, the muscles in his body completely tight and wound as he struggled with his temper. “You know, one of these days, I’m going to fucking beat your ass.”
Spider raised a brow and winked. “Looking forward to it.”
“Excuse me.” Everyone looked over at Dream at the sound of her gentle voice as it broke the tension.
“But…if this meeting is being held at a strip club, why not let Indi go undercover?” My blood ran cold, and all eyes fell on me.
“I mean…she’s got plenty of experience caming and working in the sex work industry.
Not to mention her familiarity with club culture.
” Her hazel eyes met mine. “I take it you have some experience with dancing, too?”
I nodded. “I mean, a-a little, I guess.”
Her face lit up, and she clasped her hands together. “Then it’s settled! Indi should go undercover as a stripper! Oh! I can even show you a few moves.” She paused, noticing that we were all looking at her in shock. “What?”
She never ceases to amaze me.
Felix looked at Haze, who was already shaking his head. “No. And I say this with respect, hermano, but fuck you for even considering it.”
“Haze…Indi is all we have.”
“I fucking said no,” he growled. “I already had to break some drunk fucker’s hands tonight just for touching her! I’m not letting her set foot in a fucking strip club! End of discussion.” Haze shot to his feet and left the dining room, fuming.
He….broke that man’s hands? For touching me?
The rest of us sat there, half hoping he’d return. But he didn’t.
“Pfft! Typical Taurus.” Spider stood and stretched. “Stubborn as fuck.” He turned to look at Felix, who was rubbing his temples. “I’m going to take a nap on the couch.” He looked at me. “Holler if anything changes.” I nodded.
Dream blinked, looking from my brother to me. “Was it something I said?”
Felix grabbed her hand and comforted her. “No…my brother is just a fucking asshole.” His eyes shot to me. “Indi, I wouldn’t ask if we had another option. But—”
“I’ll do it.”
He seemed surprised by my quick decision. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “We don’t exactly have a choice, do we?”
His face dropped. “No, we don’t. But if Haze doesn’t agree, I can’t—”
“Leave Haze to me. I can handle him.” He nodded, and I turned to leave the dining room, heading towards our bedroom.
Alright Indi, time to put this outfit to good use.