5. Haze
HAZE
“Damn, she must really have your ass whipped if you actually agreed to this.” I looked over at Spider’s smug face.
He was smoking a blunt while leaning against the back door of The Cosmic Oxen.
The fucker grinned like the cocky little prick he was, enjoying how pissed I was at the situation.
“Oh, ease up, tiger. Ain’t nothing to be ashamed of.
A good fuck can knock some sense into anyone.
Trust me.” He reached out to playfully smack my arm, but I rotated my shoulder, making him miss.
I can’t wait to beat this fucker’s face in.
I reached up and adjusted the collar of my dress shirt, fucking with the tie.
“Indi might’ve fucked some sense into me, but I’m not here cause I’m whipped.
” I shot him a glare. “I’m here ‘cause I need to be. Someone’s gotta keep a fucking eye on her.
Especially in a place like this.” I crossed my arms, the sleeves of my suit tight as hell around my muscles.
“Besides, everyone knows I’d be more of a problem anywhere else.
Where Indi goes, I go. And I don’t give a fuck if Charlotte’s Web likes it or not. They don’t have a fucking choice.”
No one does.
Spider nodded. “I noticed.” He took another drag before offering the blunt to me. “I gotta say, you Osvaldo siblings sure are loyal as fuck.”
“Yeah.” I scoffed, taking the blunt as I raised it to my lips. “Loyal.”
Definitely not what I would call it. More like a possessive protectiveness. And while I might be standing out here, freezing my ass off, I still don’t fucking want Indi here. Especially considering she’s currently strutting around pretending to be a god damn stripper named Venus.
I shook my head, blowing a mouthful of smoke into the night air. “How much longer do we need to sit out here?”
Spider checked his phone. “Give it another minute or so for shift change, then we should be clear to head inside.” He looked me up and down.
“What’s wrong? Don’t like the cold?” I didn’t answer.
“Hmm. Well, I gotta say, you actually clean real nice. But come on…a tie? You should lose it. Makes you look like a fucking politician.” He plucked at his own dress shirt, half unbuttoned and laying loosely along his chest. His leather holster and handgun remained on full display as if he had no care if anyone saw it.
“You should be more careful.” I pointed to the holster as his eyes followed.
He adjusted his suit jacket. “You do realize half the men inside are armed, right?”
“Not me. I don’t really like guns.”
Spider took another drag, coughing as he spoke. “Yeah…what’s the deal with that?” he asked. “I mean, Felix can’t take a piss without a gun at his side. But you—”
“Simple.” I opened my suit jacket to show a different sheath; only this one didn’t have a gun, but a large, pitch-black KA-BAR. “Unlike my brother, I actually don’t mind getting my hands dirty.”
He oohed. “Impressive. Though, everyone knows you don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.” I shot him a look. He seemed completely unbothered, just leaning against the exterior wall.
How the fuck is this little prick in charge of the entire Web?
I eyed the notorious spider tattoo along his neck. The one that gave him his name. It branched further along his chest and wove through numerous others across his torso. And the longer I looked at him, the more I realized he was right.
“Fuck it.” I ripped the tie from my neck and ran my fingers through my hair. I pulled a thick pair of glasses from my jacket and slid them onto my face. “I guess you’re right. Even if we are acting as security, no one likes to wear a fucking tie.”
He chuckled to himself. “Facts, bro.”
Yeah, I really can’t wait to beat this fucker’s ass.
The back door of the business shot open as a couple of actual security guards exited. They were dressed just like us, and completely unaware of the fact that we were standing there.
Amateurs.
Spider tossed the roach onto the pavement and coughed. “Alright. You ready?” I didn’t speak and simply brushed past him. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Spider followed behind like my shadow. “Remember, even with those creepy contacts and fake glasses, you still look very much like yourself.”
No shit.
“So do us all a favor, and stay far away from Kief. He’ll clock your ass before you can say your last prayer.”
Buzz.
I stopped and checked my phone, reading the text from Felix.
She’s getting ready to go on stage now. Behave yourself, baby bro.
I shoved the phone back into my jacket pocket.
Fucking Felix.
“Don’t worry.” I turned to look back at Spider. “I know how to stay unseen. Just ask Indi.” I grinned at the peasant memory of stalking her.
Too bad I don't have my mask.
“Besides, I wouldn’t say a prayer even if I was standing on death’s door. I’m not fucking religious.”
He scoffed. “What about your soul? I mean, I’m not exactly religious myself, but are you good with burning in hell for your sins?”
I tried not to laugh at his words. “You speak of sins as if they’re bad, but last I checked, lying, stealing, and committing murder were nothing more than foreplay.
And I personally love the hard-on I get when I take a life.
” We moved deeper into the strip club and neared the main floor.
“Fuck religion. If I die and go to hell, then so be it. I would happily burn in hell for all eternity. I don’t fucking care. As long as Indi is with me.”
“Damn. Your day fucked you three up real good, didn’t he?”
I laughed at his words.
Yeah, he really did.
Music throbbed through The Cosmic Oxen and my eardrums ached. We walked a bit further and finally approached the thick velvet curtains that led onto the main floor. I stopped, looking back at Spider. He nodded and ushered me forward.
Don't worry, Indi. I’m right here.
I stepped into the strip club, shadowed by Spider.
The two of us clung to the wall, acting casual as we scanned the main floor.
The Cosmic Oxen was exactly how I remembered it, dripping with luxury and the ambience that made every man in here feel as if he’d actually had a chance of getting lucky.
It reeked of rich desperation, a feeling I once knew all too well.
Where is she?
As I looked up, I noticed the large crystal chandelier hanging down from the center of the ceiling, glowing a dull red color.
Branching out from it were long strips of fabric that draped from the center of the ceiling and out towards the walls, which were covered in a deep tufted velvet material and mirrors.
The room was large and spacious, filled with countless round tables where practically every chair was filled with a drunken fucker.
The bar on the opposite side of the joint was also packed, flowing with drinks.
And front and center of the entire strip club was a decent sized stage.
Behind it were large LED screens that strobed and flashed behind the dancers as they swung on the gold poles under spotlights, bathing in dollar bills.
There were a few other poles perched throughout the room, surrounded by more tables, but the center stage was where the real action was.
I bet that’s where Indi will be. But where is Kief?
I gave the room another scan. Nearly every seat was filled with men; half of the fuckers were doped up and smoking, throwing cash at half-naked women as if it were nothing more than offering spare change to a vagrant.
A handful of servers dressed in lingerie pranced around as some of the customers drunkenly tried to cop a feel, shoving tips in their tiny straps and slapping their asses as they pretended to be unbothered.
I shook my head.
This place is exactly how I fucking remembered it.
Just then, every light in The Cosmic Oxen shifted, rolling around the room as it faded from deep blood red color to a vibrant jade green. The music changed, and various hot pink lasers and spotlights strobed through the entire room as smoke began to seep from a trap door on the main stage.
Still just as over the top as ever.
And through the smoke rose a large pink cage with a woman inside.
Spider smacked my arm, pointing, but I already knew who was inside. But what I didn’t know was what she would be wearing…in front of all these people.
God damn it, Indi.
My jaw tightened as I struggled to keep calm. Seeing her in that pink cage, wearing a classic black playboy-like bodysuit which had silver links extending from her waist that connected to the cage, keeping her in place.
Good…now, keep your fucking clothes on.
Indi played with the little bow collar around her neck and wore a solid black bunny mask which kept most of her face hidden. Thank god she chose to wear the brown-colored eye contacts, or else she’d have already given herself away.
A voice shot through the room as it carried over the speakers with a hint of static.
“Good evening, gentlemen! Tonight we have a very special guest to wet your whistles!” The room cheered, pissing me off some more.
“So pull out those bills and direct your eyes to the main stage as we welcome…Venus!”
Fucking Venus.
Music blared from the speakers as the patrons of the strip club hooted and hollered, overly excited at the sight of her.
She swung her long, natural black hair around and moved her hips, dancing in a way that had even me convinced she might be a stripper.
I didn’t like the way everyone was looking at her, ogling over her body…
but what bothered me most was the way she was beaming.
That smile on her face and the look in her eyes told me she was having the time of her life. And I fucking hated it.
Maybe I should consider religion…’cause this might as well be fucking hell.
Spider leaned in, whispering loudly into my ear. “I know I’m not exactly up to date on things around here, but why a bunny mask?”