This could work.
I had sneakers, if I could get out of the limo, I could run the two blocks to The Club. I only needed to get there, and Steve would call Ibby. I’d be safe.
Now!
“Pull over and let me out,” I said as firmly as my shaking voice allowed. The damn gun was caught in the piping of the cushion. “Now.”
“Why would I do something crazy when we’re about to have so much fun?”
“Because.” One last tug and it came free. Almost by will, in one motion the gun went from being trapped within the cushions to held at Garrison’s face. “I don’t know if this is loaded. I don’t even know how to use it, but I’m guessing at this distance it won’t matter.”
The traffic lights wouldn’t stay red forever. I needed to press home my advantage while I still had at least the element of surprise. “I could just pull the trigger now and all my nightmares would be over. Or you can let me out and forget I exist.”
Garrison held my stare, probably trying to figure out if I was serious. As the limo edged forward, I knew time was running out.
Would I pull the trigger?
Could I kill a man in cold blood, to save my life?
Was my life in danger?
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Garrison hadn’t gotten this powerful or stayed alive this long without being able to read people. Whatever he saw in my eyes forced his hand.
“The deer has become a glorious lioness,” he mused before pressing the intercom button. His driver had been oblivious. “Pull over and unlock the doors. Our guest would like to depart.”
His chivalry no longer scared me as much as it once did. Beyond the arrogance and evil, I saw a flash of regret. Perhaps he did have feelings? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered other than the limo forcing traffic around us to come to a stop. Car horns blared, signaling frustration and drawing unwanted attention. The soft click of unlocking doors and I barely remembered to grab my bag before throwing open the door.
I wanted to walk away, confident and triumphant. But the moment I felt the night air against my skin and my feet touched the ground, I ran. Dodging cars and ignoring beeping horns. Two blocks. I needed to make it two blocks and I’d be safe.
Even above the city noise, I still heard Garrison call out, “You have a wonderful evening Miss Elias.”
Bastard, but I couldn’t stop to cry. Fitter than I’d ever been from hours in Ibby’s gym and on the treadmill, I didn’t slow down and hardly drew breath sprinting the two blocks, pushed past the line of waiting patrons, ignoring Janet’s greeting at reception. I didn’t stop until my favorite security guard called out my name.
Wrapping my arms around Steve’s neck, I’d even forgotten about the gun until I saw it over his shoulder.
“Steve! Steve! I’m so glad to see you!”
“Katie, what the hell?” Steve grabbed the gun on instinct, checked it and put it in his jacket. “What the?”
Safe in The Club.
Safe in Steve’s burly arms.
I had time for one lonely tear to fall before I needed to pull myself together and stop Ibby.
Ibby
“Looks like your lady-friend has another friend to keep her safe.” Luther chuckled as we watched Katie attach herself to Steve. Wearing my fucking clothes and wrapped around another man while Luther teased, “Can’t say I blame her, any woman would choose those muscles over your scrawny ass.”
“Fuck off,” I growled. Desperate to run downstairs to see for myself she was alright, I stopped. Katie had made her feelings, or lack of feelings, clear. She’d run away from our home. She’d somehow escaped from Garrison and come here. To her friends.
I’d be the last person she’d want to see.
Rational thinking didn’t stop me from hating the way Steve’s arms naturally linked around her. His hand rubbing her back as her face hid into his chest.
Despite Luther’s taunts, I had no right to be jealous. Steve hadn’t made a move on any of the girls in all the years he’d been The Club security.
Steve could have all the girls, as long as all the girls didn’t include Katie. Fuck. I needed to end the shitstorm of my life so I could focus on winning her back.
What was the price of forgiveness?
Whatever it was, I’d pay double.
“Let’s go,” I said, knowing Luther and Darius were waiting for me to do or say something. My party, my shitstorm, my dime.
“Mate, she came here.” Darius tried to stand between me and the window, blocking my view. “Luther comes here and tells you she’s been snatched again but somehow, she got away and came here. Don’t you want to know?”
I couldn’t watch Katie without having an emotional reaction. I couldn’t think straight when it came to her.
“What I want is to get rid of Garrison once and for all.” I steeled my expression before turning away. Time to stop being a pussy and become the arrogant, cocky bastard who built a fucking empire.
There’d be time to sort out my personal life after I’d dealt with Garrison. Hell, I’d walked the gauntlet of women trying to hit on me from the moment I arrived tonight. I could still walk into a room and command any woman. Only I didn’t want any woman.
One was more than enough, as long as she was Katie.
Who, based on her silence, was determined not to forgive me.
But she’d never met the irresistible Ibrahim Mercia. As soon as I got The Venue sorted and Garrison out of our lives, she’d become my project. Winning and wooing Katie Elias until she had no choice but to remember one thing.
Actually, two things.
Underneath the hurt and anger, she still loves me.
And I love the hell out of her.
“Will you buy out my share in The Club?”
Darius didn’t blink before responding, “No, but I’ll lend you the money, two percent on top of what the Reserve Bank cash rate is. I’m not doing you any favors, but this way we stay in business together.”
“Thanks, but—”
“Take the deal. I’ll even throw in a bonus. Scott Alexander is the Softli CFO.”
“I know Scott.”
“What? How?” Darius seemed genuinely surprised to my momentary delight. It didn’t hurt to catch Darius off guard every now and then. “Well, if you know Scott, you know what he brings to the table. Bring him in as a financial consultant. He’ll give your business credibility in the marketplace and should make any nervous nellies more comfortable with credit and stuff.”
“I don’t need more credit.”
“You will once The Venue is a success. The quicker you replicate across other cities, the more money you’ll make.”
“Me, or us?”
“How about we fix this mess up first. Seriously, no strings attached. I’ll set up the transfer, you just fill in how much you need.”
“You have that much cash on tap?” I knew Darius was rich, but to have enough cash flow to throw out an open invitation? With the possibility of rapid expansion? I should have sucked up my pride and reached out to friends first.
“Don’t you worry about how I’m gonna come up with it. Do we have a deal, and should I set up a meeting with Scott?”
“Pleasure doing business with you.” Before Darius and I had shaken hands, Luther had poured three shots.
“Now, are you gonna go down and see your woman?”
“I keep telling you, she’s not my woman.”
And she wouldn’t be until I got my other shit sorted.
Katie
I didn’t have time to deal with Steve’s paranoia about the gun.
My priority—his priority—we all needed to focus on finding Ibby and tell him what I knew.
I knew about the deal he was trying to make through Lachlan.
I also knew how to neutralize Garrison.
A risk, but one worth taking.
All I needed to do was convince Steve to forget I ran into The Club carrying a gun.
Simple, right?
Wrong.
Silly, silly girl.
“Not here.” Less than half a second after Steve caught sight of the small handgun, he grabbed it, did that thing to check bullets or some shit, put it under his shirt while dragging me off the floor.
“Katie, you’ll be the death of me, come on and tell me what the hell you got into.” He was dragging me towards Ibby’s office, but with no light coming from under the door, I knew Ibby wasn’t there.
“But—”
I’d never been the fainting violet type of girl.
Never.
I could pick up a severed finger from the floor, find a glass of ice, wrap the hand tightly and flirt with the owner until an ambulance arrived.
Cool under pressure, that was me.
Until tonight.
Only having to make twenty or so metres to the office, suddenly the staff and crowd were too much.
The heat: I couldn’t breathe.
The pounding music that normally kept my energy high; pounded in my head until I couldn’t think.
Falling to the ground in slow motion, it seemed an eternity before Steve scooped me into his arms before my ass hit the floor.
“No, I need to—” A small voice that couldn’t be mine, tried to protest.
“No arguments, kiddo. Come on.” Steve pushed people aside until he had me in the office, door closed. After pushing aside papers and folders, he sat me on the table, silencing me with two fingers until he found bottled water in the small bar fridge.
“Take your time,” Steve held me until I didn’t threaten to topple over, “You okay, kiddo? I can have an ambulance waiting for you out the back in ten?”
“I’m fine.” Or at least I would be when the world stopped spinning. When was the last time I ate? Then again, I hadn’t felt like eating since I’d read those text messages. “Probably low blood sugar, or stress.”
“Your color’s back but take it easy. I thought you were supposed to be hiding at the boss’ place. How the hell did you end up here with a gun?”
I closed my eyes, willing myself to pull it together. Steve had to believe me and get me to Ibby without asking dozens of unnecessary questions. Like about the gun.”
“I called a cab and I think Garrison or one of his crew hacked into all the car booking services. As soon as they got my call, he was waiting.”
“I thought the boss wanted you to stay put.”
“I know, I had to talk to him.”
“Honey, he’s done some dumb shit. I’ve only heard bits and pieces, but he’s not ready for you to give him what for. Get through the next week and then go away and listen to the man.”
“I don’t need to listen. I spoke to some guy, Lachlan, who told me everything. I need to talk to Ibby, tell him that he doesn’t have to.”
“Doesn’t have to what? Because I can tell you right now, if its gonna put you or Chelle in danger, Ibby will give up his right arm for you.”
“He doesn’t have to. I can handle Garrison. Even if Ibby can’t come up with the cash.”
“What cash? Ibby’s loaded.”
“No, he isn’t. I don’t have time to explain.”
The pounding started again, and I gripped the side of the table. The last thing I needed was for Steve to call that bloody ambulance. Sleep would be nice, but it could wait.
“Katie? More water?”
“No, just give me a sec and I’ll be fine.”
Three deep breaths and then I nodded.
“Okay, how about you tell me about the gun, so I know how to get rid of it. Who did you get it off? Luther or his guys?”
“No, I found it in Garrison’s limo. I don’t even know how to use it, but all Garrison needed to know was that I was willing to figure it out.”
“You pointed it at him?” Steve whistled. “Girl, you have guts. I can’t believe he let you out alive.”
“Neither can I, but can’t you see? He won’t take it out on me—he’ll take it out on Chelle, or Darius, or Ibby! I’m the one who put everyone in danger.”
“Yes, how can I help you Mr. Patera?” Janet’s voice came through the speaker phone.
“It’s Steve. I have Katie here with me. Can you send someone in with a jug of lemonade and the first thing coming out of the kitchen?”
“The kitchen?”
“Sliders, tapas, whatever. The next serving of food that’s ready, tell chef to make up another one for the customer and get the plate sent in here.”
“Steve, I don’t have time—” I tried, but the pounding had made me dizzy. Food would be glorious.
“Sure thing but don’t you think—” Janet interrupted
“Janet, for once can you just—”
Steve only left me after I’d downed a glass of lemonade, threw him a smile and Candice delivered a plate of sliders. “Janet would like a word,” she told Steve.
I’d demolished two of the sliders before Steve returned.
“Do you want the good or bad news?” Steve sighed with the worries of the world.
“I think I’ve had enough bad news for one night,” I tried to laugh. Steve would call Ibby or I’d get a lift to whichever nightclub he was checking in on tonight. Food and lemonade had worked magic and I was ready to find Ibby’s arms.
“Darius loaned him the money, so Garrison’s debt is gonna be paid in full.”
“Great, so do I want to know the bad news?” I couldn’t read Steve’s face. “Come on, you can’t leave me hanging.”
“Ibby was here but then Luther called him away. Apparently, he went off his tree about you being taken again.”
“Ibby’s here?” I tried to jump down from the table before Steve held me steady, again.
“No, I don’t know the timing, but he heard you were taken, saw you arrive and hit the roof.”
“He didn’t come to see me?”
“Sweetheart, he was too angry about you being taken. No one could calm him down and before Darius or Luther could stop him, he demanded a meeting.”
“With Garrison? No, he can’t.”
“He won’t be alone. He demanded Luther’s crew, the Redbacks and Garrison.”
“No!”
“Look, Janet thinks she saw Luther hand over a piece of metal.”
“Luther gave Ibby a gun?” As fast as Steve gave over information, I couldn’t stop from repeating it. Slowing down time or trying to get a grip on reality? Did it matter?
“She wasn’t sure, but let’s assume it was. I’m not sure Ibby’s in a sane enough mind not to use it.”
“Why would Luther do something like that? I thought he was a friend?”
“Don’t forget, the Kingsmen are in the middle of a power play. If Luther can use Ibby to take out Karnal or Garrison, Luther will step in and not lose any sleep.”
This time I couldn’t let Steve stop me, in one movement jumping down, found my bag and was half-way to the door. “I need to go.”
“Sweetheart, wait.”
“No!” I pleaded, needing Steve to tell me where to go. “I can’t let him go off.”
“You don’t even know where he’s gone to.”
“Then call him. Tell him I need to see him. I lost my phone, probably in Garrison’s car.”
“Katie, if I put you in the middle of this, Ibby’s gonna—”
“Don’t you see, I’m already in the middle of it. Think about it, I could be the only one to get us all out of it?”
Steve wanted to convince me to stay but wasn’t going to let me head off alone.
“Fine. Reception is shit in here at the moment, come on. I’ve got my car around the back. We can ring him from the road. From what Janet said, he can’t be more than fifteen minutes ahead of us.”
“Let’s go.” Now it was my turn to drag him out the door. “I can’t let him throw everything away because of me.”
The dizziness returned as soon as the heat from all the bodies and lighting hit me. Steve carried my jacket and half supported me through the crowd. From the air conditioning of the office, t
o the heat from the main area, to the rush of cool night air when we made it to the footpath.
“Thanks.” I took my jacket and struggled to find the opening.
“Come on, let me do that.” Steve gave me the fatherly smile that had all us girls more than a little in love with him while helping my shaking hands through the armholes. “Breathe, sweetheart. We’ll get you to your man and the two of you can figure things out.”
“Oh, now isn’t that just the sweetest thing.”
No! Again?
I didn’t have time to scream before Steve came between the gun and my face. After being protected by The Kingsmen these last weeks, I had a natural suspicion for their Redbacks rivals. Now, seeing the black and red spider waving Steve away with gun, even my worst fears were being realized.
Garrison. Redbacks. Did Ibby and I have any friends left?
“Katie, sweet Katie. How lovely to meet you.” Muscle for muscle matching Steve, the Redback had two advantages. The gun, and not caring about who he hurt to get to me. I saw Steve take a look at the line of patrons waiting to get in. A slight nod and I knew, we had to play along and find our time.
“I haven’t had the pleasure.” Keeping me behind him, Steve offered out his right hand. Unsurprisingly, the Redback didn’t drop the gun or swap hands.
“No, mate, we haven’t. How about we break up this little lovers’ party. You be a good boy and go back inside while I take your sweetheart on a little ride with me.”
“I’m not leaving her.”
I muffled a scream as Steve took half a pace towards the Redback who only laughed and stepped to the side. Backing me towards a light pole.
“There’s no room on my bike for three. Well there is, but the other two need to look like Katie here.”
“Who are you?” I’d met a couple of Redbacks in Meringa, but not this guy. “The Club doesn’t have any beef with you.”
“Oh, but Mr. Garrison has promised anyone who hands you over, a lovely reward. And considering my employment with the Redbacks seems to be at an impasse, I think I’m gonna take Mr. Garrison up on his offer.”
“How much has he offered, I’m sure I can get you double.”
I offered without thinking. Ibby would pay, and even if he didn’t, Darius would. He always said he had more money than he could spend in one lifetime.
Hard Bargain: a Billionaire Suspense Romance (City Sinners Book 3) Page 23