Black Obsession

by C. J. Thomas

  She turned her head toward the crowd of people. “It’s about Nash, isn’t it?” She turned back to face me. “Shit. You just won’t let it go, will you ?”

  “Alex, you weren’t supposed to be here .”

  “What? Why? I’m here. Now live with it .”

  “I don’t care that you’re here at Mint .”

  She rolled her eyes like she didn’t believe me .

  “Look, I’m here, too.” My eyes gleamed. “Think about it, Alex. I’m here, too.” My words rolled off my tongue slow as a snail, wanting her to hear what it was I was saying .

  When her gaze fell to my wrists I knew she caught my unspoken meaning. Twisting the bottom of my wrists around to face her, I said, “Kelly did this to me. I didn’t do it.” Then I pulled on my collar. “I asked him to do this to me .”

  “But why ?”

  “The same reason you’re here .”

  She shook her head. “No. You were asking about Nash. We’re not here for the same reasons .”

  “Is he here with you? Did you come with him?” My questions came faster than I intended but we didn’t have time .

  “Why do you care so damn much?” Her voice cracked .

  “Because you being here with Nash means—” I sighed, thinking about Kelly’s theory of how Alex was following in the same footsteps as Maria. “Your life is in danger and you’re next on his list .”

  41

  Kelly

  H alfway up the steps leading to the VIP section, I stopped and turned to look toward where Kendra had been .

  Seeing her face when watching the show left me hard. I was confident I had made the right choice when pursuing her. She had what it took to be a leading figure in my very complicated world. And now that I had her at Mint, anything was possible .

  Scanning the crowd for her bright red dress, I couldn’t find her anywhere .

  The last thing I wanted was to leave her side. In my mind, I could still see her nipples poking through her dress, her pulse ticking in her neck behind the collar. I wanted to reach out and touch her, slide my hand between her legs just to feel how wet she was. Desire glimmered in her eyes. I could see it, smell it. But then we were interrupted by the reason we’d come here tonight .

  My eyes scanned the walls, my chest filling with hope that I could get just one more glimpse of her before she disappeared into the women’s room .

  Leaving her alone was the last thing I wanted. I knew the feeling of vulnerability this place put on someone unfamiliar with the culture, customs, and environment that hid around each corner. Mint was a different world with unspoken rules that, if not followed, could prove to be troubling .

  My lips tugged into a wide grin the moment I spotted her .

  Wes’s hand settled on my shoulder .

  Kendra never saw me keeping an eye out for her. She kept her gaze down, unsure where to focus her attention and I couldn’t deny how proud I was of her for listening to my warning .

  “Kelly, don’t worry about her.” Wes squeezed my shoulder. “See that man there?” He pointed across the room to a man ten feet away from Kendra. “He’s security and will make sure that she sees her way back as soon as she’s finished .”

  “She’ll be fine,” I agreed. Kendra was the strongest woman I knew. But I still didn’t want her wandering too far without me knowing exactly where she was. There were already too many hungry eyes on the lookout for fresh meat, for an opportunity that proved too good to be true in a place like this .

  “C’mon.” Wes turned around and continued up the stairs .

  I followed two steps behind. At the top, Wes stopped at another security detail and I overheard him say to have Kendra guided back to us once she was finished. Wes’s extra attention to detail slightly settled my frayed nerves but, again, no one cared more about her than I did .

  “What can I get you to drink?” Wes asked .

  “Sparkling water. Lemon .”

  Wes sauntered up the bar and put in our orders. Not a minute went by before he had a bourbon in his hand and was handing me my fizzy water. Clicking our glasses, he turned to Kami and pulled her close. I watched them tongue-kiss like teenagers before he turned back to me, leading us to a private table .

  Overlooking the entire club, this was Wes’s table and he had the vantage point to not miss anything. We sat quietly for a minute just taking in the scene. I watched people come and go, couples laughing near the bar, others dancing to the left of the stage. It was all amazing and a part of me wondered why I ever left .

  “You don’t look so good, Kelly .”

  I turned and fixed my eyes on Wes .

  “Stress will age a man fast .”

  Nodding, I cast my gaze into my glass of water, wrapping my lips around the rim. The week had caused more stress than I had hoped .

  “I saw the look on Kendra’s face during the show .”

  I turned my head, keeping an eye out for Kendra, anxious for her return. “She’s never seen anything like it .”

  An appetizer of oysters on the half-shell was served. Wes insisted that I take the first one, which I happily did, sprinkling it with hot sauce before eating it .

  “That’s because there’s no place like Mint.” Wes’s eyes sparkled with pride .

  My legs were restless under the table, my anxiety to get back to Kendra growing each minute that she was away. Diving my hand inside my suit, I pulled out the glossy images Madam had given to me and slid them over to Wes .

  His smile faded and his lips flat-lined .

  Wes took a minute to study each of them. “Where did you get these ?”

  “Madam.” My gaze was unwavering .

  Wes dropped his eyes back to the images of Parker and the girl. “Does he know you have these ?”

  I shook my head, turning again to look for Kendra. “Not yet .”

  Wes arched a brow, lifting his gaze up to mine. “And you intend to use them ?”

  Nodding, I said, “I need him to drop the charges against me. I can’t have the added distraction looming over me when I’m working to free Mario and get Stone convicted .”

  “This should do it.” Wes stacked the photos and set them on the table in front of him. “Parker depends on his reputation and this would certainly devalue his stock prices .”

  “There’s video, too .”

  Wes’s eyes flickered up at me just as he was preparing an oyster to eat .

  “And get a load of this .”

  Wes raised his brows .

  “Oscar was the one to pressure Parker to go after me .”

  Wes dropped his oyster and leaned back in his chair. Turning his head to the crowd below, I could see his mind churning .

  “And he nearly was able to rid me from the equation.” Extending my arm, I reached over to pull the images back to me. Picking them up, I looked at them again. “But not now. Not after I blackmail Timothy Parker with taking these public .”

  “I always knew Oscar was corrupt,” Wes said. The lines on his face twisted. “This has Madam’s name written all over it .”

  My thoughts exactly .

  Bringing my elbows to the table, I stared down at the silver platter laid out in front of us. “He was at Madam’s .”

  Wes lifted his glass to his lips and swallowed down a healthy gulp of bourbon as I told him about what I saw. “If Oscar has Mario at Madam’s, she has Oscar in her back pocket .”

  “Which is also how she was able to get Parker to come after me with assault charges,” I added .

  Finishing his drink, Wes dabbed at the corners of his mouth with his napkin. “Kelly, we might have a bigger problem than we initially thought if Oscar is in on the market Madam is carving out for herself .”

  Rubbing a hand over my face, I leaned back, once again searching for Kendra. “Sylvia says her publisher wants her to write a story about Parker and me .”

  Wes prepared himself an oyster, mulling over the implications of what a story like that would do to me—to us. “Not much of
a story, if you ask me .”

  “No, maybe not. But this is.” I jabbed the photos with my finger .

  “Though she’s not the best one to tell it .”

  My brows flickered. “Sylvia also said something to me that I can’t stop thinking about .”

  Wes’s brows raised .

  Turning to face Wes, I said in a low voice, “She said Kendra is in trouble .”

  A member of Wes’s security detail arrived to whisper something in Wes’s ear. Nodding, Wes thanked the man in the black suit before turning back to me. “I can personally assure you that Kendra is safe and on her way up now .”

  Suddenly, my muscles relaxed and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders .

  “And about Ms. Neil,” Wes said, finishing his drink. “I have about a dozen different reasons for you not to trust a word Sylvia tells you .”

  “Then let’s hear it.” I gripped the edge of the table. “That’s why you invited me here tonight, isn’t it ?”

  Wes motioned for me to stand. I glanced one last time to the floor, looking for Kendra, before following Wes to the bar. I listened as he told Kami to stay and wait until Kendra arrived. As she nodded, he turned back to me and said, “I have something in the office I need you to see .”

  I followed Wes as we meandered through a couple dark hallways and passing through a secure door before finally arriving into his office. It was quiet and free from the activities outside .

  “Have a seat.” Wes motioned to the leather chairs facing his desk .

  He poured himself a drink before falling into his chair behind his mahogany desk .

  “Kelly,” he sighed. “I know you would like to think you can trust Sylvia, but I’m afraid she is only creating a distraction so the truth can go undetected .”

  My brow arched and I clenched a fist on top of my thigh. “What are you saying ?”

  “I had Julia Mabel do some digging into the matter. Over the last week, she’s come to me with evidence that will make you see Maria Greer’s case in a whole new light .”

  The door behind me creaked .

  Wes’s eyes drifted over my shoulder .

  I turned to see who it was. Immediately, I stood and pointed at Nash. “What the fuck is he doing here ?”

  Wes threaded his fingers together on his chest and remained silent .

  Nash showed me his palms .

  But I rushed him anyway .

  “Is Alex here with you?” I spat, grabbing him by his collar. “Huh? Where is she ?”

  “Kelly, relax.” Wes raised his voice .

  Nash’s eyes danced with mine. “Did you ever stop attending Mint, or was that just a lie, too ?”

  Nash cocked his head to the side. “Just like you, I took a break .”

  Slamming his back into the door, I let go of him. Turning on a heel I shoved a hand through my hair, feeling my heart race. “If you killed Maria, is Alex next ?”

  “Kelly, sit down.” Wes’s voice grew louder .

  Staring at Nash, I said with a rising chest, “You never did provide the facts to make me believe otherwise .”

  “He didn’t have to,” Wes said. “That’s why I called both of you in tonight .”

  Flipping my head around to Wes, fire raged in my veins as my nostrils flared. “You invited him here?” I asked with pinched brows .

  Opening his desk drawer, Wes pulled out a folder and threw it down on his desk. “A history of when Nash Brooks logged in and out of my club .”

  Leaping to his desk, I dove into the details .

  “In case you’re wondering, Kelly, Nash left before Maria died.” Wes stuffed his hands inside his pant pockets. “And I’ve included photos, too. Just so you could see what everyone else saw when they were together .”

  Nash looked happy. Maria looked happy. These pictures were a nice change from her autopsy photos I had been looking at too much of lately. There was life in her eyes. A shine that only made my sorrow expand, filling me with renewed inspiration to find who killed her .

  Nash stepped forward. “Kelly, if that isn’t enough to convince you I didn’t kill Maria—” He choked on his own words. “There is something else Wes and I discovered .”

  I sighed but refused to look at Nash .

  “Sylvia was supposed to be at a Blake Stone movie premiere the night Maria died.” He stepped even closer. “But she wasn’t there .”

  My eyes closed. Pain strangled my aching heart. Loyalty went a long way in this town, and Sylvia was someone who was not only loyal, but an individual I could trust. But now I feared that she had led me astray .

  My ears perked when I heard paper crinkling behind me. Opening my eyes, I glanced to the side and found Nash holding out a piece of paper .

  “You can see Sylvia’s name listed on the guest sheet here.” Nash pointed to the center of the page .

  “And Julia was able to get pictures from the night.” Wes stepped forward with more images pinched between his fingers. “Tell me, Kelly. Does that look like Sylvia to you ?”

  I took the photo and couldn’t believe my eyes. That was Sylvia’s nametag but it wasn’t her .

  “You know her, don’t you?” Nash glanced between Wes and me .

  “I do,” I said. “That’s Angelina Davis .”

  42

  Kendra

  A lex’s round eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “Danger? Maybe I like what Nash is doing to me .”

  She wasn’t listening. I wanted to shake some sense into her and I grabbed her shoulders .

  “You have it all wrong.” She pushed my hands away. “You don’t know what you’ve done. You know nothing about my relationship with Nash. I’ve been coming here far longer than you would believe, and if he were to see you here now — ”

  “We can’t let that happen.” I reached for her arm again .

  “Why, Kendra?” Her brows drew together. “Because he’s dangerous?” She shook her head .

  Stepping closer, I lowered my voice. “There is a lot you don’t know about him .”

  “And you do?” She pressed her hands into my shoulders and pushed me back .

  A couple neared and I ducked my head, keeping my voice just above a whisper. “We hoped we wouldn’t find you here .”

  “You shouldn’t have come.” She folded her arms over her chest and angled her body away. “Because, guess what? I’m here. And I like it .”

  The music grew louder as silence hung between us. I didn’t know what I could say to get Alex to listen, to take my warning more seriously than she was. The fact that we were even having this conversation out in the open was risky enough .

  “Kelly has uncovered the truth about him,” I said as soon as the murmur of the crowd filled the room, drowning out our own conversation .

  “Let me guess.” She cocked a hip out to the side. “It’s about that dead girl ?”

  Stepping in front of her, I put my face in front of hers and grinded my teeth. “Listen, Alex. This isn’t a game.” I glared. “Your relationship is following the same pattern as Maria’s. And now she’s dead .”

  Alex tucked her chin into her neck, hiding a glimmer of doubt in her eye .

  “Dead.” My foot stomped. “Gone. Never coming back.” I slapped my thigh. “You get that? She’s gone forever and it looks like you could be next .”

  I raised my voice much louder than I’d intended. But I needed to drill my point home. And as I did, I had forgotten my place, the role I was supposed to fulfill tonight—acting as an obedient submissive .

  But finding Alex had changed everything. I didn’t care what the rules of the club were. Her survival was my priority—my mission—and as the room spun around us I could see her rigid posture and bulging eyes take in the bigger picture .

  Slowly, I nodded. “We need to get you out of here .”

  She blinked for the first time in what seemed like forever. She glanced over my shoulder as if suddenly remembering where we were. The next horn that blared on stage lifted her heels
off the ground. I watched as she raised her shaking hand over her mouth before turning to face the wall .

  “Let’s go. We can’t stand here any longer,” I said, pressing my palm between her shoulder blades. She was cold to the touch .

  Alex was bent over with her head in her hands. “And how do you expect to just leave ?”

  Taking her by the hand, I murmured close to her ear, “Kelly .”

  Kendra turned to look at me like I was crazy .

  “He’s waiting upstairs.” Hope filled my eyes. “He’ll know what to do .”

  Taking a deep breath in, Alex pulled herself upright, fixed her mask and pinched her lips together. “That’s not how this place works. There are eyes everywhere.” Her head swiveled on her shoulders as if looking for something—or someone. First to the right, then to the left, before fixing her gaze back on me. “You think it’s hard to get inside, just wait until you try to leave .”

  My eyes darted over her face as I felt my legs go weak. “Alex, Kelly will be our saving grace .”

  “No.” Her voice raised high enough to draw attention. “Kelly is the reason I hated you this week .”

  My mouth fell open .

  “He’s the reason our friendship isn’t what it was. Fuck, Kendra.” She paused to let the muscle in her jaw tick. “Kelly is the reason Nash’s homecoming hasn’t been as great as it should have been. And it’s partially your fault.” She stomped her foot hard enough to shake the floorboards we stood on .

  “I’m sorry.” I choked on my apology .

  “If I’m wrong about Nash and he isn’t the great guy I know he is,” she leaned her shoulder in, “then you’re most certainly wrong about Kelly .”

  Blinking back tears, my eyes watered. Alex’s words left me feeling strangled. And just as I started to hyperventilate, Alex huffed something unrecognizable and skirted around me .

  “You can’t just leave,” I said, hooking my arm through the crook of hers .

  “If you really do care about me, you’ll let me go.” She cast her gaze down to my white-knuckle grip. Refusing to let go, Alex added, “I can’t just leave him, Kendra. He’s expecting me back .”