Chapter 1 #2
“Did you see him?” I ask as we get into the elevator.
“No. There was no need. Before he even crossed the club door, I got the info from security. You think he might know something?”
“No idea.” I rub my face with my hands. “He was one of my father’s closest people. We don’t have many leads to follow either.”
The elevator doors slide open quietly, and we get out on the lower floor.
“Which room?”
“Red.” Eli laughs.
“Of course.” I murmur.
The rooms have color-based names. For instance, the white room caters to people desiring purity; the gold room tempts those who need royal decor and treatment. But red... The red room is something special for clients who enjoy BDSM.
In a few steps, we find ourselves at the door of this room. I nod in greeting to the guard standing next to it. When Eli snaps his fingers, the guard pulls back the burgundy curtain for us.
The menacing-looking bouncer has the boring job of keeping order, although from time to time, one customer provides my people with entertainment as kicking someone’s ass. It happens.
We enter, and Eli stands right next to me. He folds his arms and assesses the situation.
On a small stage, a blonde is dancing on a pole. Wearing only modest red panties, she bends her body to the rhythm. A matching red bra lies at her feet. Next to it is a black whip.
Timothy is sprawled out in the middle of the sofa, a few steps away from the stage.
With confidence, I approach, give Timothy a quick glance, and sit down. My eyes are fixed on the blonde, whose butt is now higher than her head. Bent in half, she slowly runs her hands up her calves and higher.
Even though I’m looking at her, I’m completely focused on Timothy.
He has changed over the years. It’s obvious he has gained weight, as his stomach is now larger than his dick. Once dark hair is now sprinkled with gray. His light skin has a yellow color.
As far as I know, he’s terminally ill, and who knows if these aren’t his last pleasant moments in life.
Regardless, he’s dressed in a suit for the visit today. When I was a kid, he used to wore a similar one.
“Ryker,” Timothy says in a low voice, staring ahead.
“Timothy.”
“It’s good to see you, boy. You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you. How long has it been? Fifteen years?”
“More or less. But you’re right. I have little in common with that boy now.”
“I see. To what do I owe the honor of being invited to the Pact’s place of revelry? I thought your father had banned me not only financially, but here you are...”
“My father doesn’t control this place. You’re not here because of him.”
At my words, Timothy laughs with scorn and shakes his head. After a moment, however, he adds, “Don’t think for a second that James has no idea what’s going on here. He knows and controls everything.”
“You’re lucky he let you live back then, and only because of your long-standing friendship did he punish you only with restrictions on your influence and freedom.”
“Is that really luck on my end?”
It’s no secret what he means. The image of Timothy kneeling, crying, and begging my father for forgiveness is vivid in my memory. The betrayal was plain in my mother’s gaze. Heartbroken, she knelt next to her lover.
Compared to my mother, Timothy was undoubtedly more fortunate. As I stood beside my father, I had no idea he would soon draw a gun and shoot her in the heart.
Bam!
The sound of the shot echoes in my head. Timothy’s scream is completely lost. And I don’t even have time to blink before my mom’s lifeless body falls backward.
The sight of that traitor makes me want to rip his heart out.
For a second, I’m back in that cursed place.
“I should’ve killed you back then,” I hiss as I return to the present.
“I know, but you have to understand she was the only woman I ever loved. No one before or after her meant anything to me. I was madly in love with her.”
“Not enough to save her. Right?”
Closing my eyes for a second, I sigh. I would prefer not to consider that right now. I can’t. Not when there’s another life I have to save.
“Where is she? Where could she be?” The warning in my voice is clear. Suppressed emotions bubble up inside me.
“Are you talking about... My God, you haven’t found her?”
“Would you be here now if I’d found my sister? What use would you be to me?”
“How do you know she’s still alive?” Timothy asks, but I decide to ignore him.
At first, I grit my teeth, but then I explode, “You were his best friend when I was a child. You saw each other every day; you were business partners. Together, you stole, killed, raped. Don’t tell me he didn’t tell you this one thing!”
Timothy shifts and turns to face me.
“Ryker, understand that your father isn’t just a regular madman. It’s no accident that he’s at the top of the Pact and the food chain. I don’t have to explain to you how powerful he is and what he can do.”
“Are you afraid he’ll kill you? Or that I’ll kill you? As far as I know, your days are numbered anyway.”
“You have no idea how happy that makes me, but that’s beside the point. The point is that your father is a master of this game, a master of the plan. She was a means to an end for him. She was a means of controlling you and your mom, your weakness...”
“That’s how I know she’s alive,” I growl, baring my teeth.
After these words, despite the rising nausea, I look him straight in the eye.
“He still controls you, doesn’t he? Boy, I really don’t know where she could be. I’d like to help you, but I’m at a dead end. All I know is that General Matthews helped him back then, but none of them ever said a word about it.”
I don’t let on, even though his words hit me like a tsunami. The news that Matthews has his hand in this is valuable. I’ve paid private detectives a fortune to find even the slightest trace of my sister, and his name has never come up.
Pain throbs in my temple.
With a nimble movement, I get up from the couch and head for the exit. But before I reach the door, I stop. Without turning my head, I say loud enough for my words to cut through the music, “Tell my mother to take a front-row seat when I kill her husband.”
I want to add a lot more, but I think she knows it herself.
“I’ll tell her. You can be sure of that,” Timothy promises, clearly aware of his limited time in this world.
My fingers curl into a fist. “If I find out you lied to me, you’ll be praying that bullet was meant for you and not my mom.”
In the blink of an eye, I find myself outside the red room.
I have one more important thing to do tonight.
“Do you think he’s telling the truth?” Eli reappears at my side. “After all, he was your father’s friend for a reason. It’s difficult to trust him.”
“You’re right, except he wasn’t lying. He doesn’t know where she might be. Still, put him under surveillance, and tail him. I want someone watching him twenty-four/seven.”
“You think he might try to curry favor with James?” Eli guesses.
“I’m not ruling it out. Besides, put the bill for today on the house.”
Eli shrugs and chuckles. “You got it. I’ve already taken care of it.”
It doesn’t sit well with me that he can predict exactly what I’ll decide. Am I falling into a rut? Am I that predictable? If it were anyone other than Eli and Theo, I would chew them out.
We get back in the elevator, but this time we go down to the basement. Eli fills me in on the details. “The target is in place. His blind faith in the Pact has just led to his downfall, though he doesn’t know it yet. He’s tied the noose around his own neck.”
A sinister smirk appears on Eli’s face. In his eyes, there's amusement, but also the psychopathic spark that’s in all three of us. It piques my curiosity.
“What did he do?”
“Patience, Ryker. Our target brought a guest with him. You’ll see for yourself soon. I just don’t know how, for so many years, no one dug up this skeleton from his closet.”
I run my hand through my hair, feeling the excitement buzz under my skin.
“Another mistress? A high-profile person? There’s no scandal he can’t cover up with his team of lawyers.” I try to read something on Eli’s face, but he just smiles.
“Patience has never been your strong suit. I’ll answer your question before you ask it: the cameras record everything. Within an hour, a copy will be on a flash drive on your desk.”
We walk along the auction room now. The marble floor reflects the glow cast by the crystal chandeliers.
A man is pressing a woman against the wall.
Her makeup is running down her tear-stained face, but she still looks pretty.
Her short, blond hair is messy. Her blue satin dress is rolled up at her waist, exposing her small breasts.
The man stands as close to her as he can, between her thighs. One of his hands is on the wall, trapping his friend, while the other is gripping her ass in a possessive way.
When we pass them, the man turns his head toward us, and he bows his head with respect.
We reach a room with a black-and-gold door. Behind it, there’s a room in a comparable style, which is filled with black, gold, and glamour. This room alone cost a small fortune.
The energy permeates every part of me. My hands are restless, as is the rest of me, so without further ado, I place a hand on the fingerprint reader. This way, I don’t need a key, and all the locks in the club are open to me. I grab the doorknob and go inside.
After just one step, I freeze in my tracks.
A rumpled black satin sheet lies on the bed against the wall. In the middle of a young boy, who looks to be in his teens but definitely not of age. Protruding ribs are visible on his pale body. He has tousled dark hair, lips swollen from kissing, and eyes wide in terror.
Did I mention the boy is naked? Oh yes, I forgot. So, he’s naked, his legs spread, his hard dick ready for action. Or rather, in the middle of the action.
But he’s not the target here. I shift my gaze to the other man, who’s kneeling naked between the boy’s legs.
“Leave us,” I say to the boy, my voice leaves no room for objection.
The boy jumps up from the bed immediately. With trembling hands, he pulls on his boxers, black jeans, and throws a T-shirt over his head. A minute later, he slips out the door.
I take two steps, keeping my eyes on the guy still kneeling on the bed. “Good evening, Mr. Vice President.” My low voice is like a steel.
“What the fuck is this?” he attacks, voice raised.
Winston Cartwright, Vice President of the United States, is kneeling naked as Mother Nature created him. It’s no secret he dates many women, even though he has a loving wife at home. But this... This is a whole different league.
Eli’s right. He tied the noose around his own thick neck.
Winston runs his fingers through his black hair in frustration.
“I hope your evening has been as enjoyable as mine,” I sneer.
“Don’t fuck with me, boy! Who are you and what is all this about?”
“I’m not a boy, and I’m certainly not one you can fuck.” Eli’s snort echoes around the room. “My name’s Ryker... and you’re a guest at my club.”
Understanding dawns on his face as he realizes whom he’s dealing with. “You’re James’s son? I’ll make sure he finds out about everything that happened tonight.”
“That won’t be necessary... Allow me to tell you what will happen tomorrow, Mr. Vice President. Tomorrow, you’ll go to the president and submit your immediate resignation from office, in writing. I don’t care what happens to you after that. Do we understand each other?”
Cartwright’s anger gives way to terror, followed by disbelief. Slowly, all the pieces of the puzzle fit together and form an obvious whole for him. “It’s about the Pact,” he moans.
My confirmation or denial is unnecessary.
He asks the stupidest question possible. “What if I don’t?”
Eli chuckles, and I’m sure he’s shaking his head in disapproval. How this man ended up in such a position is beyond me.
With a sigh, I express my disappointment as if at a naughty child.
“The truth is, Mr. Vice President, that a person cannot deceive their true nature for their entire life. Let me illustrate this with your example. You’re a wealthy man, with connections and opportunities.
But that means so little. Your wife will be disgusted with you the moment she sees the footage from this room.
You have children who will disown you and won’t want to look at you when they see the photos.
After today, your friends will no longer support you.
You have wealth that will simply go poof.
.. and disappear tomorrow evening. And then you’ll disappear too. Isn’t that a sad picture?”
“I’ve never... I swear! I love them. I would never...” The first tears roll down his round face, his lower lip trembles, and immediately afterward, sobs shake his whole body.
“Shhh...” I whisper, putting my finger to my lips. “This can be our secret. No one needs to know. You already aware what you have to do tomorrow.”
There’s a moment of silence. I’m generous enough to give him something precious. “Think it over. Sleep on it, ironically. I expect you to make the right decision and tomorrow, when I’m drinking my morning coffee and watching the news, I’ll find confirmation of that.”
With that, I turn on my heel. I don’t want to look at this tearful, snotty moron who brought this on himself.
Before I open the door, I turn and say, “Oh, and one more thing. It’s nothing personal, Mr. Vice President. I wouldn’t want to come back to haunt you if you don’t keep your mouth shut.”