It was a big risk for a couple of different reasons, one it could back fire she could see through my game and out me, Olivia could catch on or the worst one Vinnie would come in and see me not doing my job on Club Risk’s busiest night.
Olivia, Ty and Mason were out on the floor dancing and Darcy was with Cole −who I’d pulled into my scheme− doing shots at the bar.
Sipping on my drink I watched Darcy walk back to the booth giving me a tight smile as she sat down, at least she’d lost the glare in the last hour. Bordering on being drunk I think so.
“Tell me Darcy, how come you’re friends with Olivia and Ty, you don’t really seem their type?”
“Haven’t you ever heard opposites attract, I mean that would explain you and Olivia.”
“You’re kind of a bitch Darcy.”
“And you’re kind of a dickhead.” She shot back.
“You don’t like me Darcy, why?”
“Because I know people like you Jonah and you’re all bad news.” She hissed.
“People like Alex Rees?”
Her eyes flashed and her hand went to the necklace around her neck. “Yeah I knew Alex,” she said looking me straight in the eyes, “Now knowing that, is it so hard to believe I would do anything to stop his baby sister from making the same mistake he made?”
Holy fuck was she following a deathbed wish from Alex? If so that didn’t explain the phone call.
Shaking her head at me Darcy scooted out of the booth, “Tell Olivia I went home with some guy, she’ll believe it.”
What the hell had just happened I went from thinking Darcy was an evil little bitch out to get my girl to kind of feeling bad I’d called her a bitch. In the weeks since the phone call from Alex, Mason had found nothing and everyone Denny had talked to had never heard of the girl, we were back where we started with nothing to go on except knowing the call came from their apartment.
Finding Olivia quickly on the crowded dance floor as I hadn’t really taken my eyes off her all night I leaned my chest into her back and slide my hands up her bare thighs pushing her short dress higher.
Olivia spun around fast her little fists ready to hit whoever had touched her.
Giving me that cute scrunched up face of hers she slapped me on the chest making me laugh, “Not funny Jonah I almost hit you.”
“You did.” I said rubbing my chest.
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“I am it’s my job to make sure the party goers are utterly satisfied with their experience at Club Risk and I know this party goer would not be satisfied with her Club Risk experience if a sexy co-manger didn’t show her some attention.”
“You think Denny is sexy?” She asked lips twitching.
“Ah, funny girl tonight! Well funny girl I was going to wait till tomorrow morning but I think I want my answer now.”
“Yes I will move in with you but I’m keeping my room at the apartment just for now.”
I could live with that answer for now. “Want to seal our deal with a kiss?”
“I would love to.” Olivia whispered.
My lips were an inch from hers when Denny pulled me back, “Vinnie’s here and he’s more pissed than I’ve ever seen him before.”
A quick look at Vinnie storming into the offices I could see the rage rolling off of him from all the way across the club.
Without a word I took Olivia’s hand and went in search of Mason, I was not about to let Olivia stay in the club with a pissed off Vinnie around.
Finding Mason dancing with a girl that was thankfully not his type I whispered quickly in his ear, “Vinnie’s here and he’s in a really bad mood I need you and Olivia out, now.”
Nodding Mason quickly apologized to the girl and walked off the floor with Olivia and I.
“Jonah what’s going on?” Olivia snapped pulling me to a stop.
“Baby something’s going on Vinnie’s here, I can’t really explain right now. I need you to go home with Mason.” Olivia got an unreadable expression on her face but nodded her head.
“Thank you.” I said giving her a light kiss on the mouth that she didn’t return. Sighing heavy, I shook my head, “I’ll let you out the back way.”
At the back door Olivia looked at me with disappointment all over her face, “I feel like I should tell you to be careful.”
“I will baby.” I said kissing her hand, “Go.”
Once Olivia and Mason were out of sight I went to the office.
Vinnie was sitting behind Denny’s desk staring at a shiny sliver gun in the middle of the desk.
Not just any gun my gun. I’d been keeping it in the glove compartment of my car since Olivia started staying at the house. So how the hell had Vinnie got it?
“Before I get to the real reason I’m here, Jonah why don’t you tell me why your gun is in your car and not on you?” Vinnie asked his voice as cold as ice and his midnight eyes sending fear straight to my veins.
“I must have forgotten it in the car.”
“You want out so it’s ok for you to lie to me is that it?” Fuck. “Keep lying to me Jonah and I’ll make it so you never get out. Your father made the mistake to lie to me once, the lesson I taught him made sure he never did it again.”
Anger replaced the fear and only Denny’s hand on my shoulder kept me from saying something that would have got me killed.
“What’s going on Vinnie?” Denny asked shooting me a look that said shut up and calm down.
Standing Vinnie straighten his light grey suit “Max’s boys were supposed to pick up a shipment at the ranch.” Max’s boys were the dealers and the ranch was a ranch style house that sat on a hundred acres of land outside of town where drugs were delivered and stored. Vinnie didn’t like us mixing. Max and his dealers were meant to take care of any problems with the drugs just like we were meant to take care of any money problems. If Vinnie was asking us to help with a drug problem that meant it was bad. “The shipment never made it to the ranch. I want the shipment back or I want the heads of whoever took it and I want it now.”
Denny and I started to leave the office ready to go on a blind treasure hunt when Vinnie banged on the desk.
That effing gun was going to get me killed.
Turning back I grabbed the gun, lifting it up Vinnie’s hand bone crushingly gripped around my wrist, “I advise you to remember you still work for me.”
Staring at me with cold dead eyes, the line was clear Vinnie was going to make me pay.
Chapter 15
It was the first day of the New Year and I was starting off my new year as pissed as all hell.
I was sent home like a child last night well before midnight, I was angry but Jonah’s body language and the way he was acting told me something was going on and he didn’t need to worry about me while he did whatever the hell he had to do. However Jonah rushed me out so fast I forgot to tell Ty and Darcy I was leaving, thankfully Darcy had left with some guy but Ty had been left alone and he was now beyond pissed at me.
When midnight finally came I didn’t even get a call or text from Jonah, he was probably busy so my anger level was left on low.
But then this morning when I woke up alone with a note left on his pillow saying that he had work that needed his attention, he didn’t know when he would be home and I was not to leave the house. No please stay in today or could you stay at home for whatever stupid reason he had. No I got a do not leave the house like I was a small child.
Now my anger level was hitting the roof.
What kind of club work required this much time?
Picking up Miss Daisy I snuggled her close while I walked down to the kitchen to let her outside.
In the kitchen I found a note from Mason saying he got called into work, he wouldn’t be home for a while and to please listen to Jonah and stay in.
At least he said please.
Still, I hadn’t decided yet if I was going to go out just to make a point, there was something about someone telling you not to do some
thing that made you want to do it that much more.
The day crawled by at a snail’s pace, I cleaned every room removing all the decorations, watched hours of mind numbingly stupid TV and taught Miss Daisy how to sit and stay, ok taught wasn’t the right word, we were working on it.
Around dinnertime my cell rang and thankfully, for his sake, it was Jonah.
“Jonah.” I said hoping I sounded as mad as I was.
“Baby I know you’re pissed and I’m sorry but I have to finish this work for Vinnie.”
“Jonah I’m not mad that you have to work, I’m mad that I was left a note telling me not to leave the house, like a child. I’m not a child Jonah and I don’t like be told what I can and can’t do.”
“I’m sorry baby.”
“Why do I have to stay at home what is so bad that I can’t leave the house?”
“I can’t explain right now baby I have to go but I love you and we will talk about it as soon as I get home.”
“Fine, love you too.” I whined −not helping my point of not being a child− and hung up.
Looking at Miss Daisy who was eating the living hell out of a pair of Denny’s shoes, I decided I would put on the sexiest outfit I could find and pay Jonah a little visit at the club.
It was a risk but a risk I was willing to take.
It had been a while since I last dressed up so I had a little too much fun and might have gone overboard. My hair was hanging down in loose curls, dark smoky eye make-up was bringing out the blue in my eyes making them pop and a white lace dress that fit my body like a glove was the icing on the cake.
Let’s see Jonah yell at me looking like this.
At the door I slipped on white ankle boots, wearing heels in the snow was asking for trouble but I had a point to make and flats just wouldn’t’ do.
Pulling on my white trench coat the doorbell rang causing my heart to jump out of my chest. Breathing again and picking up a barking Miss Daisy I opened the door to a man that had the same midnight blue eyes as Denny, salt and pepper hair, a suit that screamed money and a body that promised pain if provoked.
“Olivia aren’t you a beautiful sight?”
“Vinnie, right?” I asked although I was sure this guy was related to Denny.
“Yes, it’s nice to finally meet you in person. My boys are always talking about you.”
Smiling at him I opened the door a little wider. “Jonah and Denny aren’t here but you’re welcome to come in and wait.”
“Actually I’m here to get you. My boys had to work last night so they really didn’t get to celebrate the New Year. I’ve sent them to a bar thinking they are going there for business but really we’re going to surprise them with a party.”
I wasn’t really in the mood to party but I had a feeling Vinnie was the type of person you didn’t say no too. “Let me just sort Miss Daisy out real quick then we can go.”
Nodding once Vinnie watched me silently while I locked Miss Daisy away in the kitchen and while I locked the front door. The way he was watching me had my skin crawling, a calculating smile played on his lips and his eyes I decided were nothing like Denny’s. Denny’s eyes were dark and mysterious; Vinnie’s were dark and pure evil.
I was about to make an excuse that I left something inside so I could go back in and call Jonah when a driver got out opening the back door of the SUV for me. Pushing the uneasy feeling back I took comfort in knowing that I wasn’t going to be alone with Vinnie.
As I got in the car, Vinnie’s phone rang. Stepping away from the car Vinnie talked for several minutes before coming back.
“I’m sorry to do this but something has come up I have to run to my office. My driver will take you to the party.”
“That’s fine, I can just drive myself.” I said getting out of the car. “Plus how are you going to get to your office if I take your car?”
Clicking his fingers headlights flashed on the car park across the street.
What kind of person traveled with two cars?
“Get back in the car Olivia, I’ll meet you there shortly.” His words were harmless but the tone was frightening.
Getting back in the car the door slammed shut and the car was speeding down the road before Vinnie even walked towards his other car.
The night wasn’t very cold but my hands were shaking and my body felt chilled to the bone. Something wasn’t right and it was way past the time to call Jonah. Looking around the back seat my purse was nowhere to be found.
Oh shit, the purse I could live without, the cell in the purse not so much.
Fifteen minutes later and still trying to figure out what I should do the car pulled up to a shady looking bar.
The driver couldn’t have possible taken me to the right stop.
Oh sweet Lord Jesus this was the stuff horror movies were made of.
Getting out of the car the driver opened my door stepping aside for me to get out I couldn’t help I had to ask. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
“I’ll wait here until you’re ready to go home.” He said as he pointed to an alley that I guessed led to the door.
Shaking my head and cursing myself for leaving the damn house I walked down the poorly lit alley, I saw the door, I was only steps away from it but a voice I recognized drifted down the alley. Looking closer I saw the back of both Jonah and Denny. What where they doing? Stepping closer I saw what they were doing and I really hoped I was seeing it wrong. Jonah and Denny had two guys pushed up against the metal fence. Denny was holding the first guy by his throat and Jonah was pulling the other guys arm behind his back pushing his face into the fence.
“Where’s Vinnie’s shipment Shark?” Jonah asked in a hard cold voice that had me pulling in a sharp breath.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about J.”
“Bullshit.” Denny growled.
“Fine, I heard about it but I don’t know nothing expect that it sure as hell wasn’t us. I’m not stupid enough to fuck with Vinnie.”
“That’s debatable.” Denny said barking out a short laugh.
Jonah pushed the guys face back into the fence, “You hear about the black car following my girl?”
“Yeah man everyone heard you shook down half of Denver. But that’s all I know.”
“Alright Shark I got one more question then you can go back to doing whatever the fuck it is that you do. Know anything about Alex Rees?”
Jonah’s question hit me right in the heart and had me stumbling on my heels. Knocking into the trashcans behind me I sent them falling to the ground with a loud bang. Before I could do anything four guns were pointing at me.
“Olivia!” Jonah shouted lowering his gun. “Put your guns down, now.” He snapped to the others.
Breathing heavily I clutched on to the material over my heart hoping that this could somehow stop my heart from breaking into a million pieces.
“Put your gun down now Shark.” Jonah barked at the only person pointing a gun at me now.
“Fuck no. I don’t know this chick.” The man with shaggy blonde hair yelled.
As fast as lightening Denny moved in front of the guy pointing his gun at the blonde guy’s head “Put it down now Shark.”
“I’m guessing we’re done here so me and my boy are just going to be going before someone gets shot.”
“Go.” Jonah yelled not taking his eyes off me, “But Shark you and your boy never saw Olivia.”
“I got you J.” The guy said as him and his friend disappeared behind the back of the building.
Putting his gun God knows where, Jonah put his hands out in front of him, “I’m going to come closer Olivia.” He spoke at me like I was a frighten animal.
By the way I jumped when he spoke I guess I was.
Backing up for every step he took closer Jonah growled in frustration. “Olivia I’m not going to hurt you baby.”
Shaking my head without really knowing what I was shaking my head at, I clutched at my heart harder feeling my nails digging into m
y skin.
“Baby, let me explain.” Jonah begged.
“No.” I cried as I turned and ran for Vinnie’s stupid driver.
Thankfully the driver was waiting by the back door, seeing me running with Jonah and Denny right behind me the driver quickly opened the door and helped me in.
“Olivia do not go with him.” Jonah screamed as the driver shut the door.
Jonah started to run towards the car but Denny caught him.
Looking at Jonah’s face I started to cry harder, the haunted look that I hated to see was back but this time it was ten times worse, his face was an off white, his mouth hung open and his eye sparkled with unshed tears.
What the hell had I just walked into? Guns, shipments and asking about my brother what did all that even mean?
Like one of those guns had gone off, the hole I felt in my heart when the answer came to me had me doubling over trying to hold myself together. Drugs it was all about fucking drugs.
****
The car must have stopped because the driver was opening my door and pulling me out. Looking up through blurry eyes I realized I was not at my apartment. Where the hell had Vinnie’s driver taken me?
Pulling me by my arm I found myself in a very expensive living room, “Where am I?” I finally asked moving aside some of my grief to care what actually happened to me.
“Vinnie wanted to see you.” The diver answered pushing me down on to a couch and moving to stand behind me as Vinnie and five other men came into the room.
Vinnie poured himself a drink while the other men spanned out, standing around the room. Sipping his drink Vinnie took a seat on the couch opposite me.
Saying nothing he sat drinking his drink staring at me with that evil smile.
A loud bang followed by yelling sounded in the hall as Jonah and Denny burst into the room. Jonah ran straight to me sinking to his knees in front of me, his hands running over my body looking for injury.
Once Jonah was satisfied that I wasn’t injured he turned on Vinnie.
Jonah flung himself at Vinnie and I finally figured out that all those men were Vinnie’s bodyguards as they pointed their guns at Jonah and Denny who was just barely holding Jonah back.
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