Badge of Honor [The Town of Pearl 9] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  She got a look from one of the female cops and when she turned to look where her eyes landed to she saw Aces and Miklos. They appeared so pompous and acted like she would melt from their appreciative stare so she gave them the once-over and turned away as if she weren’t impressed. She wanted to keep an air of arrogance, confidence, and classiness that separated her from the normal women these men seemed to choose. As one of the women pretended to spill her drink, one of the others got up and started to head toward the stairs to take position near the private balcony or as close as she could get so maybe she would be chosen to sit with the men. And then Lauren heard the deep voice, the Latin accent, as her friends looked away.

  “Such a beautiful dress for such a lovely woman,” Aces said as he took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed the top of it. She held his gaze and then slowly pulled her hand away.

  “Thank you,” she said and then looked away.

  “I haven’t seen you here before. I know if I did I would remember, and you would have, too.”

  She looked him up and down. “How often does that line work for you?” she asked. He raised one of his eyebrows, an expression of surprise flashing quickly on his face, and then he smirked.

  “Every time.”

  She lifted the martini toward her lips, looking at him over the rim. “Apparently not every time.” Then she looked toward the bar.

  “Do you know who I am?” he asked her as he saw his brother Miklos about to say something.

  “No, I don’t.”

  “My friends call me Aces.”

  “That explains the tattoo on your neck. You like to gamble?” she asked.

  He looked over her cleavage and then back toward her face

  He stepped closer, licking his lower lip as he stared at her face as if memorizing every detail. It made her feel very exposed and vulnerable. She didn’t like that.

  He reached up and brushed his knuckles along her cheek and jaw.

  “I love to gamble. I’m betting that this is your first time in my club, and you don’t know all the rules.”

  “Your club?” she replied.

  He nodded.

  She looked at her glass, took out the toothpick with the olive on it, and held his gaze before she whispered, “What rules?” in a seductive tone. Then she ate the olive, letting the toothpick slowly glide from her lips. He watched her intently.

  “I’ll explain them to you, personally.”

  “You think I need such intimate instruction?” she asked, holding his gaze.

  He licked his lower lip and replied softly, very close to her ear, “Oh, I’m thinking you’ll need lots of instruction. Step by step along the way.”

  He let his lips graze her ear, and she shivered but held firm.

  “What’s your name, beautiful?” he asked.

  “Lana.”

  He smiled. “Well, Lana, why don’t we go someplace more comfortable, and less noisy?” he suggested as he eased his hand along her arm to her elbow. She looked at the other women.

  “I’m here with friends. Besides, I don’t know you, and I wouldn’t just walk away with some guy who just approached me at the bar.”

  She felt the hand on her shoulder and then a warm breath against her ear. The other guy, Miklos, pressed up against her.

  “He’s the boss, honey. You’re safest with him. Besides, what he says goes. That’s one of the first rules of Phaze.”

  She slowly turned toward Miklos and looked into his dark, evil eyes.

  “I’ve never been a rule follower,” she said and Miklos grabbed her arm.

  She gasped.

  “Miklos, release her,” Aces stated sternly. Miklos gave her the evil eye but released her upper arm.

  Aces took her hand.

  “Come have a drink with me. Let’s get to know one another.” She slid down off the stool and even in the high heels, Aces towered over her. His black button-down shirt, the ace of spades tattooed on his neck, and the dark expression made him appear so intense and scary. She had a job to do and apparently her angle was working.

  “Do you need your bodyguard to explain your rules, Aces?” she asked and then gave Miklos the evil eye before she looked back at Aces. He gave a small smirk.

  “He’s blood, and always looking out for me. He’ll look out for you, too. Maybe make sure you’re as sweet as you appear to be.”

  “Sweet?”

  He leaned closer and brushed a thumb along her lower lip then whispered against her ear, letting his lips touch her intimately. “I hope to find out just how sweet you are, tonight. Come on.”

  As she walked along with Aces, and Miklos right behind him, she felt Aces’s hand on her lower back, and then his thumb grazed along her skin and right where her tattoo peeked out. She shivered, trying to resist the urge to pull away when every inch of her warned her to do just that.

  She wondered if she played her part too well. But one glance toward an undercover trooper as they made their way toward the staircase told her she was doing exactly what was needed to get the job done. Her confidence kicked up a notch.

  They climbed the stairs, people moving out of the way as they approached the hallway and then a door. Miklos punched in a code as Aces pressed his body against her back. He whispered against her ear and neck. Something he sure seemed to like to do a lot.

  “You smell very good, Lana.”

  She went to step away and stop before they entered the large balcony area, but he wouldn’t allow it. He gripped her hips and ushered her forward toward the set of red couches in a semicircle. There was a low cocktail table and a great view of the dance floor and bar below. She could see the other undercover agents and female cops she arrived with.

  Aces watched her line of sight, and she waved at one of the women who shyly waved back.

  “This is so cool up here. I’ve never seen anything like this. I guess owning the place has its perks, huh?” she asked.

  She didn’t get a response and when she turned around, Aces was sitting on the couch, his one leg crossed wide over the other and his arms stretched out on the top part of the couch. Miklos sat a few seats away as a guy in a suit came in with a bottle of champagne and glasses.

  “Come here,” Aces told her.

  She hesitated and Aces raised one of his eyebrows at her. Miklos sat forward in his seat. She understood the look and slowly approached where Aces sat. She was going to turn around to sit, but Aces made her stop.

  “Stand right there, and turn around,” he said. She felt annoyed, angry at this guy’s nerve. But she had to play this role, so she turned so her back and ass faced him. She felt the hand on her hip and then his finger glide along her bare back where the tattoo was.

  “What is this a tattoo of?” he asked her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Miklos licking his lips and staring at her back, and Aces was looking up at her.

  “It’s a vine of tiny white flowers,” she whispered and he moved his thumb over the material, pushing it to the side. The cork popped from the champagne. She turned around and sat down, then crossed her legs.

  He looked surprised but also kind of pleased. She thought perhaps coming off less easy was different for him and he liked it.

  He leaned forward and accepted the two glasses from the guy in the suit who’d just popped the cork and poured the glasses from the bottle.

  She accepted it as Aces ran the palm of his hand along her knee and thigh. He held her gaze. “To a memorable night, and meeting you, Lana.” He tapped his glass to hers and they both took a sip.

  He leaned back and then the guy in the suit walked toward the door. She saw him open it a crack and then close it.

  “They’re here. Would you like me to have them meet you in the office?”

  “No. Here is fine,” Aces stated firmly.

  He glided his hand along Lauren’s thigh and held her gaze.

  “Aces, she should go back downstairs. I’ll have someone keep her company,” Miklos said.

  “She stays,” Aces
said and held Lauren’s gaze.

  “If you have business I could leave. You’ve probably already realized I’m kind of shy. I think maybe the kind of women you’re interested in are nothing like me. I should go, Aces.” She placed her glass down and began to rise when Aces stopped her.

  She felt his fingers move under her chin and tilted her face up toward him. He held her gaze.

  “You intrigue me, Lana. I know you’re not like the others, and I expect you to learn fast about the rules. You stay. Just remember, whatever you might hear doesn’t get repeated. I’ll know it was you, and I’ll hunt you down. You won’t like that. Understand?” he asked.

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “I don’t think I should be here. I think it’s best I leave.”

  Before she could stand up, he pulled her close, pressed his hand under her hair to the base of her head, and brought his lips down upon hers.

  It was the most difficult thing she had to ever do. Allowing a murderer, a monster, to kiss her so deeply and touch her like this. But she had no choice, so she kissed him back until they were both breathless.

  He gripped her face between his hands and held her tight as she held on to his wrists. “You’re fucking incredible. You stay right next to me.”

  She nodded her head in acquiescence. He released her and then nodded toward the guy in the suit and an angry looking Miklos.

  She looked down at the table, hoping the room was bugged as it should have been, but knowing that was impossible to do. But the undercover agents could see clearly where they were on the balcony and she would give the sign when she was in trouble. The other men joined them in the room, looking her over and asking if she was for them.

  She felt an instant ache to her gut but pretended she didn’t understand their language.

  They eyed her over and she snuggled closer to Aces, who seemed to eat it right up.

  “Everything is set,” the one man said and Miklos stood up.

  “Aces. I don’t think she should be here.”

  Aces looked at Miklos and then at Lana.

  He said something to her in Spanish.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you just said,” she told him.

  “Do you speak or understand Spanish?” he asked.

  “No,” she lied and he smiled then turned to the men and began speaking. They spoke of the entire operation, including locations of manufacturing facilities and shipment locations. It was like waking up on Christmas morning as a little kid. They were carrying on a mile a minute, the pompous bastards, and she was getting all of it.

  By the time they were done confessing and securing their fate, she gave the signal. Now she wondered when the agents would make their move to cause a disturbance so she could sneak the hell out of here.

  * * * *

  “They’re done and he’s all over her. We need to move on the distraction to get her out of there, now. She gave the signal,” Frankie told Agent Burk.

  “A few more minutes. Those guys Aces just met with are lingering. We want to be able to follow them,” Burk told Frankie.

  “That wasn’t part of the plan. You got more than you were hoping for, thanks to Lauren. Now get her the fuck out of there before Aces hurts her.”

  “She’s holding her own,” Burk said but Frankie heard the other undercover officers inside describing how Aces was kissing Lauren, trying to seduce her with his hands. He could see her pushing her hands against Aces and telling him to slow down. He could imagine the man’s hands on her body, cupping her breasts, trying to take control. Lauren wouldn’t last much longer. She wasn’t used to playing such roles. She was a very private woman. She had a shell around her that wasn’t easy to crack open. He’d been her partner for the last several years, and he was just making some progress in breaking down those walls. He trusted her with his life and she trusted him with hers. He needed to get her out of there.

  He looked at Burk. “You fucking say the word now or I’m doing it on my end.” He brought the radio to his lips and was about to press the button when Agent Burk nodded his head toward another agent. That agent made the call.

  * * * *

  “What the fuck is going on?” Aces asked as he pulled Lauren up and against his side. Her lips were sore from his brutal kisses and now he held her like she was his possession or something. It pissed her off so much. Playing this weak, vulnerable female who was all gaga over the wealthy drug-dealing club owner really got her blood boiling. She had to maintain her anger, and her need to tell him to go screw himself. The Feds were making their move and causing a distraction. She needed to get out of here now.

  “Aces? Aces, I need to use the ladies’ room,” she told him as his men exited the room and Miklos stood by the door. He looked her over with suspicious eyes. He was onto her. The guy was a creep and very dangerous. She hoped the Feds locked him up, too.

  Aces wrapped his arm around her waist and held her against his chest. Her breasts collided with his muscular body and then his hand scooped under her hair to the base of her head. He towered over her as he stared down into her eyes.

  “You’re safe with me, baby. You and I are going to get to know one another really well tonight. In fact, if you’re as good as I’m hoping you are, I may just keep you around.” Her eyes widened.

  “Keep me around?” she asked. The anger in her voice was apparent. She couldn’t stop herself from snapping at that insane, chauvinistic, asshole comment. The nerve of the piece of shit to think he had the power to control, own, and manipulate any woman or person for that matter that he wanted to.

  But before she lost it entirely, he gripped her tighter, tilting her head back as Miklos pressed up against her back. Miklos gripped her hips and pressed his body and his erection against her ass. She gasped and tried pulling away but couldn’t.

  “I think the bitch needs major training, Aces. I’ll help you out. She’ll be begging for mercy in no time.”

  Her heart raced. It pounded against her chest and made her gulp and caused her mouth to go dry in a flash. She shook her head.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered holding the madman’s gaze. Aces licked his lips and stared at her mouth and her breasts. Miklos thrust against her ass as he used one hand to move along her waist to cup her breast.

  “She has a lot to offer. Plenty to share, Miklos.” Aces leaned forward and licked along her neck, against her chin, then to her lips. As she felt Miklos’s hand glide from her breast to her belly then over her mound, she panicked, only for them to hold her tighter.

  She thought she was a goner. Thought she would get raped by two men right there when the door to the balcony shoved open.

  “We’ve got trouble. There’s a fight on the dance floor and it’s out of control. There are police coming into the club everywhere. It’s total chaos,” the guy in the suit told them.

  “What the fuck is going on tonight?” Aces yelled then looked at Lauren and Miklos.

  “Miklos, go take care of this shit. Break up the fight, and get things under control. I’ll deal with the cops,” Aces told Miklos as they started walking from the room. Aces gripped her by her hand and before they exited the room he pressed her up against the doorway trim. The wood pressed into her spine hard. He gripped her hip with one hand and her face and head with the other.

  “I’m going to need a little time to clean up this fucking mess. Then you, Miklos, and I are going to have some fun. I really hope you pass the test, Lana. I think fucking you is going to be life altering.” He kissed her hard on the mouth and she pretended to swoon over his words. Miklos ran his hand along her ass and squeezed it while he held her gaze and pulled his lower lip between his teeth.

  As they released her and were about to make her follow them, she stopped Aces.

  “Can I use the ladies’ room while you take care of business?” She saw his eyes grow darker and an expression of pure evil take over his face. She knew if he had his way she wouldn’t make it tonight. They would force
themselves on her and she would die fighting them off. She had to play the role to give her the opportunity to escape. She ran her palms up his chest and then pressed closer.

  “I’ll wait here for you. If you really do want me.”

  He stared at her and she wondered if she overdid it. Christ, she’d never done anything so intense like this before. She was flying by the seat of her pants.

  They heard screaming and then Aces brushed his thumb along her lip. “Don’t you disappear. If you do, I’ll hunt you down, and you’ll regret crossing me,” he warned her and she nodded her head then lowered it in a submissive manner. He chuckled. The fucking control freak bastard. God she would like nothing more than to kill him. Remove his evil self from this earth to harm and kill no more. She thought about the reputation he had with women. About how often he raped, beat, and tossed away young, impressionable women he manipulated. It made her sick. Never mind the way he ran his illegal businesses and tortured and killed people who double-crossed him. Then she thought about the agents, the undercover cops who’d died trying to help bring this asshole and his corral of shit down. She had to maintain her role and contain her anger.

  “You, keep an eye on her. Don’t let her out of your sight and when she’s finished you bring her to the car out back,” Aces said and him and Miklos walked away, leaving her with the six-foot monster man in the suit.

  “Ladies’ room?” she asked and smiled. His face was that of a cold-hearted killer. No emotion, no feelings of anything but hurt and pain.

  He directed her down the hallway. There was a door with no sign and then another door with the exit sign.

  As he told her to open the door she saw an office behind it and then another room.