Shades of Resolution (Distortion #3)

by Aimee McNeil

  “I want to do this, Jacks,” Lexie insisted.

  Jackson grabbed her hand and turned around to look her in the eye. “You keep that microphone on. If you feel threatened at all, you just say the trigger word and I’ll pull you out of there.”

  Lexie nodded. “I’m ready,” Lexie said, looking up at Dane.

  Dane opened his door and stepped onto the sidewalk. “See you soon.”

  “You sure this girl is gonna cooperate?”

  “It’ll work. Don’t worry.” Dane shut the door, grabbed his bag from the trunk, and led Lexie into the apartment building. Crystal may have been a prostitute, but she knew how to work the system to build a very comfortable life for herself. Dane had known her for years and their relationship extended beyond the typical client would have. She trusted Dane and he knew how hard that was to accomplish. The apartment building was in an upscale area of the city, which spoke of her success.

  “How well do you know her?” Lexie whispered when the elevator doors closed.

  Dane looked at her with a raised brow. “Are you asking if I paid her for sex?”

  “Just curious what we’re walking into,” Lexie responded with a hint of red staining her cheeks.

  “The answer is yes,” Dane admitted casually. “Trust me when I tell you this is the easy part of the evening.”

  Lexie sighed as the doors opened. “Here we go.”

  Dane smiled and led her down the hallway toward Crystal’s door. He pulled out his phone.

  Dane: Outside your door.

  “Why don’t you just knock?” Lexie asked with a frown. “We’re standing right here.” Lexie waved toward the dark stained wooden door.

  “When you work in her industry, you don’t just open doors without knowing who’s behind them,” Dane explained as he tucked his phone away. He knew just how troublesome things had been for Crystal before she had earned respect. They were two people with twisted pasts that found comfort knowing they were not alone. “Trust me, if I didn’t text her, she wouldn’t come to the door.”

  Dane heard footsteps approach the door before he heard the chain lock release. The door swung open and Crystal stood before them in a pink silk robe and curlers in her hair. Her bright red lipstick was already applied and glitter surrounded her dark, painted eyes.

  “Dane, come in.” She waved them both in and closed the door, sliding the lock in place. “I was surprised to hear from you today.” Crystal led them into her posh apartment that was tailored to her lavish taste. One would never know standing in her place that she was homeless five years ago.

  Crystal was good at reading people and she used this to her advantage. Her clients were wealthy business men who didn’t have time to date or had lost interest in their wives. She gave them what they wanted, and in return she was able to obtain a substantial fortune. Dane didn’t fall into her requirements, but she had developed a soft spot for him along the way. Maybe because he was the only one who knew who she really was behind the fancy clothes.

  “I knew how much you were missing me,” Dane said, straight-faced.

  Crystal shook her head and her red lips turned up into a full grin. “Of course I missed you.” She leaned up on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek.

  Dane immediately wiped his face. “Did you get that red shit on me?”

  “You love it.” Crystal laughed. “And who might you be?” Crystal held out her hand.

  “I’m―” Lexie began but Dane cut her off.

  “She’s going to be you for the rest of the evening,” Dane didn’t even try to break the news kindly. He thought it was best to jump right into the thick of it. Time was not a luxury they had.

  Crystal’s hand fell to her side “What the fuck?” She raised her eyebrows at Dane, looking for an explanation. “Please don’t tell me you’re dragging me into one of your insane schemes?”

  “Trust me, you’ll thank me later,” Dane insisted. “And I’m not dragging you into it because you’re not going.”

  “I’m getting paid a lot of money to go to that opening.” Crystal narrowed her eyes.

  “Considering we’re planning to kill the man that’s gonna sign your paycheck, it’s safe to say you’re never going to receive it.” Dane watched Crystal’s eyes widen.

  “Well, this is fucking great. I just had one of my biggest clients tell me he can no longer do business with me because he’s gonna work on his shit marriage, and now this,” Crystal said dramatically. “I need a drink, and if you’re going to be me, then you need one too.” Crystal grabbed Lexie by the arm and led her into the kitchen.

  “A drink sounds really good right now. I’m Lexie, by the way.”

  “Nice to meet you, Lexie,” Crystal said.

  Dane followed the girls into the kitchen, where Crystal poured two glasses of red wine from her impressive collection.

  “So how is this gonna happen?” Crystal eyed Dane and Lexie over the rim of her glass.

  “I’m assuming you received a costume for tonight’s masked theme?” Dane asked as he leaned against the counter.

  “Oh, that I did, I was actually looking forward to slipping that little number on. What a pity.” Crystal frowned.

  Dane dropped his bag on the counter and clapped his hands together. “Well, considering what time it is, I need you to make Lexie look like you so we can get this show on the road.”

  “What’s that?” Crystal asked, eyeing the bag.

  “Toys that Teddy gave us to pull this off.”

  An unamused expression crossed Crystal’s face. “You are gonna owe me big time,” she warned Dane. She drained her glass and set it down on the counter.

  “I’ve heard that before,” Dane said, unconcerned.

  “At least you keep my life interesting.” Crystal turned toward Lexie. “He’s really something, isn’t he?”

  “I haven’t quite figured him out yet.” Lexie tilted her head. “Dane’s a bit of a mystery.”

  Crystal threw her head back and laughed. “Honey, you’ve figured out as much as I have and I’ve known him for a long time. Let’s get you ready. I was planning on leaving in an hour.” Crystal ushered Lexie out of the kitchen. She turned back around before disappearing down the hall. “You better not get me in trouble, Dane. I know who Stodden is, and if you don’t succeed in this little plan, I want to make sure he doesn’t come after me.”

  “You’ll be safe, I promise.”

  Crystal shook her head with a sigh before continuing down the hall.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-Five

  Lexie

  “Take a deep breath, Lexie. In and out,” Teddy’s voice soothed her from the tiny communicator that was tucked in her ear. Lexie squeezed the steering wheel so tight her hands began to hurt as she looked through the windshield at the large black building that filled her entire windshield. She was parked in the back, where Crystal informed her she was instructed to when she arrived for the evening. She didn’t realize how nervous she was until she dropped off Dane.

  Lexie was terrified she would be recognized despite the mask that covered the majority of her face. She angled the rear view mirror so she could see her reflection. When she confirmed everything was as it should be, she pulled a deep breath into her tight chest. “I can’t believe you guys do this for a living. I feel like my heart is about to explode.”

  “Well, we don’t actually do what you’re about to do. Although, I’m sure Dane would look hilarious in sparkly lingerie,” Teddy joked.

  “You know what I mean,” Lexie said with a small semblance of a laugh.

  “We won’t be far behind you. Once you get a location on Stodden, we’ll move in. Just look like you know what you’re doing and you should be able to buy enough time.”

  “I don’t see you guys.” Lexie looked around the parking lot.

  “That’s the point. The important thing is that we can see you, and you really need to move that pretty butt before you start to look suspicious,” Teddy said calmly.

&nb
sp; “Yeah, yeah.” Lexie took another deep breath. “Please, god, let the thin straps of this ridiculously small outfit hold.”

  Teddy laughter erupted in the earpiece. “I think everyone will be praying for the opposite. Shit. Jackson…I was fucking joking…give that back.” Teddy sounded like he was struggling. “That hurt.”

  “Don’t listen to that piece of fuck. Be safe, baby. I’ll be in there before you know it,” Jackson said reassuringly. Just the sound of his voice instantly calmed her down. “Do you have the piece for the door?”

  “Yeah.” Lexie reached into the cup holder and pulled out the small device that she was instructed to fit onto the door latch. She wrapped her fingers around it tightly.

  “Yep, I’m heading in. I’ll see you soon,” Lexie said, opening her door, knowing from here on in she couldn’t talk anymore but listening to him would help keep her focused. The distraction from her racing heart and sweating palms was much needed.

  “Be with you soon,” Jackson replied. “Keep the target in mind.”

  Lexie looked around as she walked toward the back door.

  “Relax, you don’t want to look guilty, babe,” Jackson suggested.

  Lexie grabbed hold of the railing and walked up the steps. She knocked like she was instructed to do and the door immediately swung open. A bald-headed man that Lexie recognized from when Stodden held her captive stood before her, and for a moment she forgot she was wearing a mask.

  “Well, get the fuck in here. You’re late,” the man barked at her.

  “Sorry…” Lexie began.

  “Don’t apologize. Just tell him to fuck off,” Jackson said in her ear.

  “…but I’m here now.” Lexie tried to force arrogance in her voice.

  He clenched his jaw and waved impatiently for her to enter. Lexie grabbed the edge of the door and pulled it out of his grasp, making sure she kept his eyes distracted as she tried to pull off a dramatic display. “You try to fit into this little outfit and be on time,” Lexie said, pulling open the tie of her jacket. His eyes wandered down the length of her body as Lexie shoved the device over the door latch. She hoped she placed it correctly, because she couldn’t watch what she was doing without drawing his attention. She knew it was how they were planning on getting into the building. This step was important and she couldn’t mess it up.

  She stepped inside the hallway and tried to focus on what she needed to do. She ran through the checklist Crystal had drilled into her head before leaving. She needed to check in with Ronnie, who had initially interviewed all the women who were entertaining this evening.

  Lexie walked up to the third door down the hallway, pretending she was familiar with the building and knew exactly where she was going. Luckily, most of the bodies that were passing her seemed preoccupied.

  Lexie knocked on the wooden door while placing her other hand against the wall. She needed to feel a solid wall against her shaking hand.

  “Come in,” a male voice called out from the other side.

  Lexie opened the door. A man was sitting behind the desk with papers spread out in a cluttered mess. He looked up at her and shook his head. “The masks make it impossible to know who I’m fucking talking to all evening.”

  “Crystal Corr,” Lexie offered. She placed her hands on her hips and tried to exude the same confidence she noted in Crystal.

  He gave her outfit a once over before his eyes came back to hers. “I was starting to wonder about you. You’re late.” Ronnie raised an unamused brow. Ronnie held up a key for her and waved toward the hallway. “Head to the dressing room with the other girls while I deal with this last minute shit. This key is for your locker. The guests should start arriving soon. I’ll be there in a few minutes to give everyone the low down.”

  Lexie nodded and headed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She had no idea where the dressing room was. She started down the hall, glancing in the different rooms along the way.

  “Last on the left,” Jackson whispered. “Just head straight there.”

  She picked up her pace and passed the shady looking characters standing in the hall having a hushed conversation. They paused and glared at her as she passed. She tried not to look affected as she continued at her pace, averting her eyes. She wanted to pull her coat closer around her but she knew that would make her look nervous.

  “Just keep going,” Jackson encouraged. “Ignore them.” The interior of the building still smelled of fresh paint and Lexie was impressed by the art displayed on the walls. A lot of thought was put into the décor. It was definitely not the typical strip bar from what Lexie could tell. This reminded her of an old world building with ornate moldings and rich colors.

  She was relieved when she stepped into the dressing room. It was filled with women all in different outfits, all just as flashy and tiny as the others. Lexie placed her hand against her chest. Her heart was refusing to slow down.

  “Be careful of the camera, Lex,” Jackson said quietly.

  She pulled her hand away and looked down at the flowers that were covering the cup of her bra-like top. She had forgotten for a moment about the little trinket that was so small it could be concealed on her clothes.

  Lexie slipped her jacket off and opened the locker that was marked with the same number as her key. Tucking it inside, she turned around and looked down at her outfit, wondering where the hell she was going to stick the key.

  “There’s a small, concealed pocket inside your bra to put your key,” one of the girls mentioned when she noticed Lexie’s dilemma.

  Lexie looked up to see the girl sitting on a chair beside her. She had a friendly smile that was painted with magenta lipstick. Her bleached blonde hair was curled and piled on the top of her head. She had a very relaxed demeanour as she sipped a glass of wine.

  “Oh, thank you. I didn’t notice it when I got dressed.” Lexie tried to delicately look for it without disrupting the camera.

  “You have to take it off to find it. I’ll show you,” she offered as she set her wine glass down. She reached behind her and unsnapped her top, sliding it off her shoulders.

  “Yesss…” She could hear Teddy’s voice in the background. “This is fucking awesome.”

  Lexie tried to ignore him as she placed her hand over where she knew the camera was. They did not need to spy on the women to do their job.

  “Oh come on,” Teddy complained. She ignored Teddy’s pleas as she watched the girl show her the small pocket tucked inside the bottom of the cup. This woman was completely unfazed by being nude in public as she stood in front of Lexie without returning her shirt.

  “Just don’t throw your bra when you take if off or you might lose it. I’m Sarah,” she introduced herself.

  “Hi Sarah. I’m Crystal.” Lexie smiled warmly.

  “Crystal Corr?” Sarah asked with a twist of her mouth.

  “Yeah.” Lexie’s heartbeat starting thrumming again. Crystal didn’t say she knew any of the girls here.

  “I’ve heard about you. I thought you’d be a bitch, no offense,” Sarah said.

  “None taken,” Lexie assured her. Sarah’s eyes raked Lexie’s entire body. Lexie resisted the urge to narrow her eyes as this woman’s judging eyes sized her up.

  Sarah sat back down in her seat and grabbed her glass of wine. She was in no hurry to put her top back on. “Help yourself to the wine. It’s good shit.”

  “Thanks, I will,” Lexie said as she headed toward the serving cart that held rows of wine glasses and several bottles of wine. She discreetly tucked her key under her bra. She was comfortable taking off her clothes in the comfort of her home and delightfully in front of Jackson, but she had no plans to reveal anything more than she already was in this place.

  Lexie hoped she looked confident as she strutted around half-naked, because many eyes followed her around the room. Suddenly Lexie felt like she was in some competition. Lexie didn’t have the head space for the mind games. These were all beautiful women that swallowed a whole lot of ug
ly. It dripped from their painted lips and she couldn’t stand the energy of the room as they whispered and glared.

  The heels were already beginning to hurt her feet. The wine was something she would not pass on because she needed to forget about her throbbing feet. She poured a glass and downed the entire contents just as Ronnie walked into the room.

  “Okay ladies, let’s get this show started. Some of you have been assigned certain guests for the evening, while others will be on stage. Just line up in front of me and I will direct you. Dancers first please, and then we’ll figure out where the rest of you need to be.” Ronnie looked down at his clipboard as the girls all filed in line. Lexie set her glass down reluctantly and headed toward the back of the line.

  The dancers were taken to another room to get ready for their performance, leaving a little more than half to be assigned. Lexie was glad she was in the back of the line because it meant she had more time to mentally prepare herself.

  “You’re doing great, Lex.” Lexie resisted touching her ear in an effort to feel closer to Jackson. Instead she grasped her hands in front of her. She stepped up to Ronnie as the girl in front of her headed out of the room.

  Ronnie looked up from his list and smiled. “Ah, yes, Miss Corr,” Ronnie said with a creepy smile. “You, my dear, can come with me.” Ronnie smiled as he held out an arm for her and tucked the clipboard under the other.

  “May I ask what my assignment is?” Lexie asked curiously. All the other women were told before they were whisked away, while she was left to look at Ronnie’s big smile that was hiding the information she wanted. Lexie slid her arm through his.

  “There’s a reason why John is paying you the big money. You’re the star of the show tonight,” Ronnie announced.

  “What the fuck does that mean, Dane?” she heard Jackson ask.