21. Lili
LILI
“This is a really bad idea.”
Lark ignored me and nudged me forward. “No, it’s an excellent idea. The men don’t get to decide to keep us tucked up at home like good little girls. We can help, and I know that it’s important for you to help get your friend back.”
She grabbed my hand and towed me forward.
“I made Nash let me help him when I wanted to take down Snyder. I needed to do that, for my sister.”
We were walking across the grand lobby of the Aurora Casino. The lobby had a glass roof, and the space was filled with enormous chandeliers that refracted the light. I knew the casino was also known for the stunning glass roof over its main casino.
I trotted along behind Lark. For such a small woman, she was surprisingly strong. I guess being an assassin kept you fit.
I was wearing another little dress. This one was green and glittery. Lark and Georgie were in dresses too—a long, black dress with two wicked slits up to mid-thigh for Lark, and a classy silver dress with a cowl neck for Georgie.
The women had come to stay with me, but then sprung their plan on me.
We were going to dress up and high tail it to the Aurora Casino to assist the men.
I was pretty sure Cole was going to lose his mind.
“Look, Cole said he’d have to split his focus if I was there—”
Lark pulled me into an elevator. When someone else tried to get in, she waved them off.
“Sorry, this one’s taken.” She turned to the control panel, blocked the camera with her body, and pulled a small device out.
“The private floor needs a keycard. Give me a second.” The device blinked and made a small humming sound.
Then, the panel beeped and the elevator started upward.
“Lili, don’t worry. Cole has more than enough focus to go around.
That man is a legend at staying on the hunt. ”
I swallowed. “I do want to help, and when they find Ava-Jane, she’ll need me. But Cole was worried I wouldn’t be safe.”
Georgie nodded. “But he also said this party is in a public place, with lots of guests. They can’t take Goodyear down, but he can’t do anything to them, or us, either.”
“True.”
The elevator slowed and spilled us out in a corridor with wildly colored carpet and dark walls. There were more chandeliers in modern, abstract shapes. Two suited guards stood, hands crossed in front of them, guarding a door.
“Allow me.” Lark sauntered forward. She put some swing in her hips and I saw both guards take notice.
She just oozed confidence. I was a little jealous.
“Hi, we’re a little late for the party.” She fluffed her dark hair. “I hope we haven’t missed all the fun.”
One guard frowned. “I didn’t know more guests were coming.”
“We got held up.” Lark smiled a sultry smile at the other guard, whose gaze dropped to her cleavage.
“I bet.” He glanced at his friend. “I’m sure it’s fine for these ladies to join the party.”
The stricter guard’s frown deepened, until Lark ran a fingernail down the center of his shirt. “Maybe I’ll catch you around later.”
His frown softened. “All right. Go on in.”
Then, we were inside.
There was a decent crowd. People were drinking and chatting. There were several poker tables set up, several guests trying their luck, and servers with trays of food weaved through the guests. I scanned around, my gaze stopping on every blonde woman.
I didn’t see Ava-Jane. My heart did a weird squeeze. Please let her still be here.
Georgie squeezed my arm. “Breathe, Lili.”
I managed to get some air into my lungs.
“Let’s do a little circle of the room,” Lark murmured.
I followed the women, doing another scan. No Ava-Jane. No Cole either.
Lark nabbed a flute of champagne, but I noted she didn’t sip it. She was doing a good impression of a bombshell out for a good time, but I didn’t miss that she kept her eye on the room. She was focused on the job.
Then suddenly, the crowd parted.
Across the room, I saw Chadwick Goodyear.
He was guffawing at something one of his cronies had said. He was wearing an expensive suit, the lights gleaming off his hair. I glared at him. God, the hatred I felt for the man was so big it almost choked me.
Then the crowd shifted and blocked my view of him.
I’d make him pay. My hands curled into fists, my nails biting into my skin. Somehow, someway, I would stop this man’s path of destruction of hurting those less fortunate than him.
“This way,” Lark said.
We kept moving.
Then I felt something. A prickle on the back of my neck. It intensified, until it felt like a burn. I swiveled. Oh no. I choked on a gasp.
Cole was striding toward me.
His face was set in hard lines, his eyes dark.
He was pissed.
“Uh-oh,” Georgie murmured.
I stayed there as his scorching gaze raked my body. God, he looked so fine in his dark suit and white shirt. He reached me and gripped my arms.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he growled.
The other men joined us. Nash was scowling at Georgie. Bastian was actually smiling at Lark. He didn’t look surprised. Landon looked like he was fighting a smile.
“This is Lili’s fight,” Lark said. “And we can help.”
Cole growled.
“Look, big guy, I know you’re protective instincts are in overdrive.” Lark tapped Cole’s chest. “But she needs to be a part of this. And we all know Goodyear can’t do squat to her here with so many witnesses.”
A muscle worked in Cole’s jaw. He scanned the room, then looked back at me.
“Please,” I said quietly.
That muscle ticked again. “You stay at my side. Don’t move. Do exactly what I say.”
I nodded. “Have you found Ava-Jane?” A look crossed his face and despair hit me hard. “She’s not here.”
“Not now, but she was. Looks like we missed her by thirty minutes.”
I pressed my face to his chest, and he wrapped an arm around me.
“I think we should ask Goodyear where she is now,” Lark said silkily.
Nash shifted closer, his voice a murmur. “He just took a phone call and ducked into an adjoining private room.”
Cole nodded. “Let’s do this. I’m sick of dealing with this fucker. It’s time to end this.”
My hands gripped his shirt. “You can’t kill him, Cole. Not until we know where Ava-Jane and the other women are.”
He cupped my jaw.
“Promise me,” I insisted.
“I promise, sunshine.”
“Let’s move,” Bastian murmured. “Without attracting any attention.”
I stuck to Cole, and saw Nash keeping Georgie behind him.
“Down that corridor,” Bastian said. “I see a guard.” He swept Lark into his arms. “Ready, little bird.”
She shot him a dazzling smile, then she cupped his handsome face and started nibbling on his jaw. “Baby.” She raised her voice. “We need somewhere more private.” She then kissed the hell out of him.
My eyes popped wide, especially when Bastian growled and his hand cupped Lark’s ass through her dress.
The guard straightened. “Hey, no guests back here.”
Lark dragged her mouth off Bastian’s. “We need a little privacy, honey.”
The guard’s brow creased. “Not here, it’s—”
Lark stepped closer to him, smiling. “Come on, you must know a place. You could come with us.”
The guard blinked at her, but I noted his gaze drinking up Lark’s body. “I have—”
Then Lark moved. Fast.
She swung an arm around the guard’s neck, then tugged him down.
Her dress swished as she leaped up, her legs clamping on the man’s neck.
He tried to grab her, but she jerked and they went crashing to the floor.
Lark held tight and squeezed, her legs tightening around his neck.
The guard’s eyes bulged, his legs hammering on the floor.
Then his body went lax. With a graceful move, Lark rose and smoothed her dress down.
“Did you have to wrap your thighs around his head?” Bastian asked, clearly put out.
“I didn’t want to make too much noise.” She went up on her toes and kissed her man. “We can recreate the move later.”
“Except you aren’t choking me out, I’m eating you until you come.”
She smiled. “Promises, promises.”
Nash moved to the door. “Ready?”
Cole, Landon, and Bastian nodded.
Cole shoved the door open.
When I followed him into the room, I heard Goodyear’s blustering voice. “Any time, Randall. Sorry you missed the party. It was a good one.” A smug chuckle. “You know I only provide the very best of entertainment.”
I ground my teeth together.
That’s when the man realized he wasn’t alone. He turned to face us, his face twisting with annoyance.
Bastian and Lark circled left, Landon to the right. Nash and Georgie stood just ahead of us. Cole strode forward.
“I’ve got to go, Randall. Talk soon.” He shoved the phone away. “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing in here?”
Suddenly, I couldn’t hold everything inside me. I strode forward. “Where is she?”
Goodyear’s gaze narrowed on me, then he cocked a brow. “Armstrong’s girl. You caused me a lot of fucking trouble.” His gaze flicked to Cole. “And you’re the Wolf.”
I tried to take another step, but Cole’s arm snaked around me and held me in place.
“Where is Ava-Jane?” I demanded.
“Who?”
“Ava-Jane! One of the women you’re trafficking and abusing.”
“My word, those are some accusations.” He smiled, and it made me want to smack him. “I have hundreds of employees, all very happy to do my bidding.”
“I know exactly what you are. Now, where is Ava-Jane?”
“I don’t know any Ava-Jane.” He turned to the walnut cabinet beside him and lifted the stopper off a decanter of what I guessed was some expensive liquor.
“I guess you don’t need to know the name of the women you sexually abuse,” Cole said darkly.
Goodyear scoffed and sipped.
Anger exploded inside me. I tore free of Cole and slapped Goodyear. He spilled the whiskey on his shirt and cursed. Then he drew a hand back—
I braced.
Cole reached past me and caught Goodyear’s wrist. “Try it. Touch her and see what I’ll do.”
Goosebumps prickled up the back of my neck.
Goodyear’s face twisted. “You all better get out of here before I call my security.”
I sucked in air, glaring at him.
“If you know what’s good for you, Ms. Armstrong, you’ll get far away from Las Vegas.”
“Don’t threaten her,” Cole said.
“I do whatever the hell I want. When I want. I’m Chadwick Goodyear. I could buy and sell all of you, make you disappear—”
“Like you did Bronco and his woman,” Cole said. “Like when you sold out Delta Team.”
Goodyear stiffened, staring at Cole. “How do you know about Delta Team?”
“I know what you are.”
“You. You’re the one who’s been fucking with me.” He spat out a curse. “You got a problem with me, Black, then come at me like a man not a coward.”
Cole scoffed. “You were a coward when you gave the order for my team to get ambushed.”
“Your team?” Goodyear stared at Cole like he was seeing a ghost. “Quinn. Fuck, you look like your old man,”
I could see Cole getting lost in the darkness. His face was so distant, his eyes blank.
I knew with very little provocation, he could end Goodyear.
I grabbed his hand.
He gave the smallest jolt and glanced down at me. I implored him with my eyes.
Cole shook his head. “Where are the women, Goodyear?”
“Get the fuck out. I’ve had enough of this.” He grabbed his phone and started tapping. “There are no women, now get the fuck out of here.”
He wasn’t going to tell us.
Disappointment tasted like dust. I gripped Cole’s hand.
“Let’s go,” Nash murmured.
“Yes, get gone.” Goodyear sounded smug now.
I felt Cole quiver and knew he was holding himself back.
As we left the room, Goodyear raised his voice. “You’ll all pay for this. No one fucks with Chadwick Goodyear. You hear me? You’ll pay.”
I closed my eyes against his horrible voice. I was more worried about Ava-Jane and those women paying.