by C. J. Thomas
“Have you found Oscar?” I asked, hoping to avoid having to tell Giselle that Jerome shot at me.
Giselle shook her head and handed me the coffee. Then she reached inside her bag and dropped a bagel sandwich on my desk. “You look like hell.”
I flicked my eyes up to her, feeling the heavy bags under my eyes. My hair was as disheveled as my wrinkled clothes, but there was no time for me to change.
Gathering the paperwork on my desk, I said, “It’s going to get ugly. We’re being surrounded, and soon Madam will strike right where it counts.”
“Kelly—”
I lifted my gaze to Giselle’s.
“We’ll find her.” She patted the backside of my hand.
I nodded. “Have you thought over what investigation Sylvia might be referring to?” Giselle shrugged and looked on with her game face ready. “I need you to find out if what she said is true or was just an excuse to keep the money for herself.”
Giselle set her coffee down on my desk and took the files I handed her. “Is she a witness?”
“At this point, it could go either way. But Sylvia has reason to seek revenge against Madam as much as we do, and she has nothing left to lose by sacrificing herself as long as it guarantees to bring Madam down with her.”
“Then we need to find a way to speak with her.”
“More importantly, we need to prove Oscar killed Mario and get Madam on conspiracy murder one.” I stood, running my fingers through my hair. “Work on that and, in the meantime, I’m off to meet with Stone.”
Both our eyes darted to my cell phone when it chirped with a message.
My heart raced with anticipation of it being Kendra responding to my earlier text. I opened it quickly and a picture of Kendra’s naked body wrapped in white sheets populated the screen. My heart stopped when I looked into her scared doe eyes. The one-word message stopped my heart.
Angel.
Flicking my gaze to Giselle, I turned the screen around so that she could see.
Her face paled. “Who do you think took that?”
I turned the screen back to me, looking for any clues it could provide. There wasn’t much to go on, but at least I knew she was still alive. “I don’t know, but we need to find out.”
Giselle held her stomach. “This is going to get dangerous.”
“It already has.”
10
Kendra
What I thought was a dress turned out to be the shortest skirt I’d ever worn.
Jerome stared at me the entire drive.
No matter how many times I pulled it down my thighs, it kept riding back up, sending breezy reminders of my encounter with Oscar.
It didn’t take me long to realize where Madam was taking me. And when the limo pulled into the back entrance I felt my heart slow to a crawl as if wanting to give up now.
“Why are you bringing me here?” I asked, peering out the window and staring at the heavy double doors that led into the nightclub, Echo.
Madam gave me a look, but I couldn’t read her mind.
Did she know that I knew where Maria was killed? And if she didn’t, then this was her way of instilling fear in me. Except there wasn’t any room left. Because whether or not Maria was originally killed here, her body had been dumped here for a reason. Same with Tonya’s. And it was the mystery of this place that kept my arms tucked tight into my belly, terrified to know I, too, could have my life ended here.
When the wheels came to a full stop, Jerome opened the back door and helped Madam to her feet. Then he reached his big arm back inside and did the same for me. I squinted into the bright flash of sunlight as Jerome nudged me forward.
My spine curled and my feet were heavy bricks as I followed Madam inside.
The dank smells of after-party hit my face with bleak reminders of the time I met Kelly here.
I could have heard a pin drop, the place was so quiet. It had to be closed. The further we walked into the bowels of the nightclub, the more my thoughts got away from me. They soon drifted to reporter Rob Jones and the images he made sure Kelly and I knew he held.
Madam rounded a corner and I swallowed down the stone lodged in my throat.
She stopped, turned, and looked at me with thin lips sealed shut.
From the look she was giving me, I knew she knew I had been here before.
Jerome nudged me closer. He sidestepped around me, pulled out a set of keys, and opened the locked door. Madam thanked him and said, “Welcome home, Kendra.”
My bones began shaking.
Jerome flicked the lights on behind me and I instantly recognized the room, knowing exactly why Madam brought me here.
Reaching above her head, Madam yanked the chain from the spool off the ceiling. “Both Maria and Tonya were once as innocent as you were. They came to me lost and confused, trying to figure out a path to success in a city as vicious as Los Angeles.” She flicked her eyes over to me. “Sound familiar?”
Hugging myself, I stroked the intense pulse in my wrist.
Madam let go of the chain and strode to the dark corner of the room. She leaned forward and wheeled the padded sawhorse across the floor, meticulously placing it directly beneath the chain.
My eyes caught the glint of the metal as they traveled over the length of it.
“Each were willing to do anything to lift their lives up and out of poverty.” Madam stepped in front of me and took my hair in her hand. Letting the strands fall between her fingers, she continued, “They had nothing to lose, and perhaps that was the reason they were so easy to break.”
My breath hitched as my eyes danced with hers.
Madam looked to Jerome before stepping away. “I didn’t kill Tonya, Kendra.”
I felt Jerome moving behind me and my muscles tensed as I waited to be grabbed by him.
“I profit too much from this club to have those women take their last breath of air on my front doorstep.” Madam held up a finger. “Except, Maria wasn’t killed here.” She flipped around and smirked. “Oh, but you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Pain spread up my chest when I asked, “What do you want from me? I agreed to work off Alex’s debt, not my uncle’s. If he doesn’t pay you back, you can kill him. It would be a huge favor to me.”
Madam cackled as she raked her nails over the leather cushion of the sawhorse. “You would love that, wouldn’t you?”
My eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “If you were me, you would too.”
Madam turned to the wall and opened a double hatched door. A light inside illuminated the toys, tools, and scarves among other paraphernalia that lay inside. “Your uncle isn’t the only one who deserves to die before I get back to concentrating on getting my business back under control.”
Her threat rang in my ears at a cringing high-pitch that proved to be unbearable. Madam stepped back, fiddling with a ball gag between her fingers.
I swallowed my heart, hoping to not faint under the pressure like I did with Oscar last night. Instantly, my skin stung and my taut nipples reminded me of Kelly pinching them with a clamp as he rocked his tight waist hard against my entrance. My cheeks burned with sudden feelings of shame for not knowing the truth of what Oscar may, or may not, have done to me last night. I was walking like I had sex, and my backside felt raw as if it had been repeatedly spanked. It could be that my mind refused to believe it was real because living in denial had always been my best survival tactic to get me through the tough times. Then again, it could just be because I didn’t want to let Kelly down any more than I already had.
“Let me ask you something,” Madam said. “Did you really think that Kelly would ever love you?”
Madam was staring directly into my eyes but I retreated inside my head, swimming in thoughts of Nora. I blinked and snapped out of it when her shrill voice suddenly snapped through the stale air again.
“Naïve young child,” she cooed, stepping in front of me. “That’s not how your chosen profession works.” She patted my cheek with her han
d.
Jerome snickered behind me.
Madam stepped away, pacing the room. “Kelly works for me because of my access to women.” She lifted her eyes to mine. “Women he can fuck and forget. Move on to the next when he gets bored with one. It may seem like he was fighting for you, but did you ever stop and consider if it wasn’t all for show?”
Despite holding my head up high, I felt my shoulders droop. I wondered how many other women Kelly might have made sign similar NDAs. How many he may have brought here to Echo, or his penthouse fuck-pad.
Except I had seen the look he gave me. The look that spoke volumes of how he felt about me.
“Stop with the lies,” I snapped.
“My dear, Kelly made you sign an NDA.”
“And so did you.”
“As your employer, it’s within my right. What right did he have?” She raised her brows. “So you can never publicly discuss your relationship?” Madam lowered her brows and came back to me. Resting one hand on my shoulder, she said, “Why would he do that, darling, unless he has something to hide?”
“It’s not going to work. You can say what you want, but you’re not going to break me.”
“If you ask me, this was just part of his plan.” Madam’s eyes sparkled. “And you, well, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. A no-name coming off the streets just as my personal criminal defense lawyer was working on your uncle’s debt collection. Until I met you, I wasn’t sure he was going to survive the grave he had dug himself.” Madam grinned. “But then the clouds parted in my favor and suddenly your uncle became much more valuable to me.” Her eyes drifted down my cleavage. “The perfect body and damaged spirit that I could work like a dog and break like a horse.”
“I’m through.” I turned and slammed into Jerome’s thick chest.
“You’re finished when I say you’re finished,” Madam said behind me.
My eyes left the whites of Jerome’s as I turned to face Madam. “Kelly is a good man. You made him do bad things, just like you made us all do bad things.”
“Then tell me, why did Kelly plant evidence inside Sylvia’s apartment? Would an honest lawyer break the law? Or did I do that, too?” Madam’s words got Jerome to snicker.
I watched her turn her back on me and continue to play with the mouth restraint I knew she was preparing for me. It was to shut me up but, more importantly, it was to get me to submit to her every demand. “That’s not true,” I said.
Madam turned around. “Because Sylvia is on your side?” Jerome chuckled again. “I told you two to bring her in and you didn’t. But don’t think for one second that I haven’t sent my dogs out on the hunt.” She marched up and pinched my cheeks between her claws. “It’s only a matter of time before the detectives close in and the DA files charges against Sylvia. And when that happens, you know the first thing she’ll want to do?” A dark storm swirled in her eyes. “Make a plea deal.”
My breaths were raspy between the clamp hold she had on me. “You’re fucking delusional if you think Sylvia would turn on Kelly.”
Madam squeezed harder. “I will get Sylvia, but if you want to save Kelly from future prosecution, if you really love the man,” she leaned closer to my face and stared me in the eye, “then you’ll do what I say and get me what Kelly illegally took from Sylvia’s apartment and let her go down for Tonya’s death.”
Chopping her elbow, I thrashed my mouth out of her grasp. “You can kill me before I ever betray Kelly. And you killed Tonya. Not Sylvia. You.”
Suddenly, I was caged inside Jerome’s large arms. Lifting me off the floor, I kicked and screamed, “Everyone knows you killed Tonya!”
“You can save him, Kendra,” Madam said above my screams.
“Kill me already,” I cried. “I know that’s why you brought me here. End my misery. I’ll be better off and so will you.” I hit Jerome’s arms as hard as I could but they didn’t budge.
Throwing me down on the sawhorse, Jerome twisted my arms above my head and bound them together. Pushing my face into the leather, Madam lowered her mouth close to my ear and whispered, “I instructed Kelly to make you submit. I know he warmed you up to the idea, but he clearly didn’t finish the job.”
My heart ticked hard and fast as Jerome moved to bind my ankles. “Fuck you both!”
Taking a step back, Madam stared. “And this is why you need to be properly punished.”
Jerome hoisted me to my feet and pulled the chain down to my bound wrists. Draping them through the hook, he pulled the chain tight.
“My darling, Kendra.” Madam’s voice softened. “You should have listened to my warnings about Kelly. You’ll see I was right about him. Men are dangerous when they have nothing left to lose.”
Unexpectedly, a cloth bag was thrown over my head and my world went black.
11
Kendra
The pins and needles in my arms had since given way to complete numbness.
My legs had stopped shaking, finally giving up.
I couldn’t tell how long I’d been hanging here, but it was long enough to feel the sharp pains of hunger squeeze my empty stomach in hopes of nourishment.
Each breath of air wheezed through the mouth restraint. My throat was dry as sandpaper, and though I could open my eyes, the blindfold kept me from seeing any sort of light.
I wiggled.
I thrashed.
And the restraints binding my wrists and ankles barely gave.
It was impossible to ignore the pulsing wounds created from the chaffing of trying to free myself, the only reminder that my heart still beat.
As I hung there, waiting for Madam to return, I thought about Kelly. I had let him down. Should have been more obedient. Followed his instruction. But before I dwelled on all the things I should have done to prevent my current predicament, I thought about Sylvia Neil.
We’d agreed to be on the same side. Sylvia told me how Madam lied to her. Played her. Made her believe Nash Brooks was the only one for her. She and I walked a similar path thanks to Madam’s games. But there was one clear difference between Sylvia and me: I hadn’t killed anyone. Yet.
The tips of my toes dragged over the floor as my sagging body spun around in circles.
Suddenly, my ears perked at the sound of the lock clicking over.
A breeze passed over my aching body.
I picked up my head and felt my chest rise and fall faster in anticipation of what was coming for me. Feeling eyes travel over my lethargic body, the hair on my nape stood on end. My heart raced and my palms grew sweaty.
Shoes clacked over the hardwood floor but I couldn’t tell if the person was male or female.
Madam? Jerome? Someone else? I didn’t know.
Perking my ears, I held my breath every few seconds to listen for clues. The body got closer and my nerves jumped. Then, the backside of what was clearly a male’s hand raked down one of my arms, sending my body fleeing.
“Easy, young Kendra.” His familiar voice sent my heart racing. “It’s me.” His lips brushed over my ear as he unclasped the gag, removing it from my skull. “Your date from last night.”
“You asshole,” I spat, sucking back lungfuls of air. “You left me and gave me to her.”
Oscar’s hand smacked down on the flesh of my ass as he gripped and pulled me against his hips. “If only you were this aggressive last night, then maybe you wouldn’t have been such a dull fuck.”
“Fuck you!” I thrashed and the chains clanked overhead.
Oscar laughed. “Though, I must admit, the way you mewed each time I pushed my fingers inside of you is something that will stay with me forever.”
I tightened my thighs, cringing at the images Oscar was painting. My head scrambled to remember the truth of last night. It was just as absent from my mind as it was earlier, and I refused to believe the district attorney would have the gall to do what he said he did. This was just mind games. Stories to get me to fold. It couldn’t be true.
“Get me out of here,
” I demanded.
“Not my decision.” His hand cupped my breast.
“Then whose is it?”
Oscar leaned close to my face and took my earlobe between his teeth. “The way I understand it, the choice is yours.”
“I want to leave,” I cried.
He chuckled and brushed my lips with the pad of his thumb.
I wanted to look him in his eyes, see the monster that he was proving to be. Show him that no matter what he did, I refused to be scared. But he kept my eyes covered, knowing I could use this against him in a court of law. I could never say that I saw him. Only that I heard him. And that created enough doubt to acquit.
Oscar pinched the fabric of my black dress between his fingers. “Madam has a sick humor, doesn’t she?” He laughed. “Then again, maybe she is planning to kill you.”
Gritting my teeth, I said, “The next funeral I attend won’t be my own. I can assure you of that.”
He cupped my face in the palm of his hand. “Maybe. Maybe not.” Oscar released my dress. “Either way, Kelly is the target I’m after. And when I’m through with him, I’ll make certain that you two never see each other again.” He pinched my cheeks, getting my lips to involuntarily pucker. Then he kissed me. “It was good seeing you, Kendra. I do hope that we will be seeing each other again soon.”
I heard him toss the mouth restraint to the floor as he exited the room. The door latched and the lock clicked over. Knowing I was alone once again, my muscles gave way. I winced when the restraints tightened under the sudden weight of my falling body.
Oscar’s scent was reminder enough for the feelings of revenge boiling my insides. Whether he did what he said or not, if he ever touched me again I would kill him myself.
Soon, exhaustion took over. My mind zoned out. Falling into a rhythmic cycle of breathing, the time passed over what seemed like hours before I heard the door click open again.
This time, I knew exactly who was there to visit and I couldn’t wait to have my turn.