Fatal Attraction (Love Kills Duet #2)

21. Twenty One

Twenty One

Unknown

I sat down on my couch with a beer in my hand, finally getting to relax after yet another brutal day at the office. My workload had doubled after Blaire’s funeral, rendering me incapable of peeking in at Charlotte, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I knew what I was getting myself into when I killed Blaire, so I couldn’t get cocky and gamble getting caught. I had to lie low. But now, since I was officially off work and had a little time to kill, I decided now would be a fine time to pull up Charlotte’s security feed and see what my little minx had been up today.

Blaire deserved it, after all.

She was nothing more than a cheating whore.

I did her husband a favor.

Pulling out my phone, I accessed the security app, smirking when it opened up and showed Charlotte’s living room empty, same with the kitchen. Before I could rewind and filter through the footage recorded within the last few hours, my phone began ringing.

It was my cousin, Peter.

“Hey, man,” he said when I answered, my scowl fixed in place. “What are you up to tonight? You want to get together and have a few beers?”

“Not tonight,” I said, faking an exhausted yawn. “I just got home and I’m not long from going to bed.”

“Oh.” He sounded so disappointed.

“We’ll get together soon,” I promised. “As soon as I have a day off, I’ll call you. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” I could see him nodding in my head. “That’s fine.”

I hung up and then got back to business, rewinding the footage until I saw Charlotte walking down the stairs, her hair curled, makeup done, and dressed like a goddamn prostitute.

My fist clamped tighter around my beer, denting it and spilling most of it out the mouth.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I roared, enraged as I shot to my feet and chucked the beer can across the room, my chest heaving.

Knowing exactly where she’d run off to, I stalked down the hall and inside my bedroom to change clothes, then carefully opened up the case on my dresser which harbored all of my grandmothers’ old masquerade masks I’d inherited in her will, grabbing the one encrusted with golden flecks and matching deer antlers branching out from the sides.

I sprang for the door and was in my car within barely a minute, my face scrunched in unprecedented rage as I slammed the door and fired up the engine, my chest tight.

What the fuck was she thinking?

After everything that happened, every-fucking-thing I did for her, she still chose to go back to that disgusting fucking club?

I had enough of this shit.

If she wanted to fight fire with fire, then so fucking be it.

One way or another, I was putting an end to this shit.

Tonight .

It was eleven on the dot when I easily hit the brakes and turned inside the sanctum’s lot, stunned to find not a single parking spot in sight. I drove past the sanctum every night coming home from work, and I hadn’t seen it this packed since my festive encounter with Amber and Daniel Strickland .

I tenderly put on my mask and got out, slamming the door shut. Peering at the entrance, I angrily bared my teeth behind my lips at the guard posted outside the door. Felix must have grown a few intelligent brain cells and hired extra security. Since there was a guard at the front, I had to assume there would be another shielding the back door. Just in case I was right, sneaking in through the back was too risky. It would also be smart to assume that Felix had replaced those broken cameras by now too. He’d be a fucking idiot if he hadn’t.

Fucking damnit.

It looked like I had no choice but to go in through the front.

Saying fuck it , I slowly ambled toward the small group huddled outside the entrance. As I came closer, obtaining a better visual of the guard’s face, I froze, my fists clamped stiffly at my sides.

That was Carter… Blaire’s husband.

Now my rage began to flare.

Those mother fuckers!

This was a trap.

It had to be.

I hadn’t formally met Carter, and I sure as fuck wasn’t stupid enough to approach him at the funeral, so I’d chosen to leave after the service ended to prevent drawing unwanted attention. It was still a risk but with my mask on, covering the upper half of my face, it was unlikely he’d recognize me. Hopefully, my membership would be enough to get me inside the building unscathed.

When the line cleared and it was my turn, I schooled my features and leveled my breathing as I reached inside my wallet and flashed my membership card.

“Sorry, but I need to see your ID too,” he said gently.

Shit.

“It’s just a precaution,” he explained. “There’s been some underage kids trying to sneak their way in recently. ”

Carter handed back my membership card and then took my ID, studying my birthday.

Thankfully, I was able to steady my breathing and get my anger fully under control by the time he handed my shit back and said, “You’re clear. And by the way, man, I’m really digging your mask. Forgive me for asking, but is that real gold?”

“If it was, I wouldn’t be wearing it here.”

Carter laughed at that, his head tipping to the side in a nod. “Fair enough. Enjoy your evening.”

I offered Carter the fakest smile I could muster, thanking him as he opened the door for me. The idiot seriously had no fucking clue who he just let slip past his fingertips.

“Excuse me,” Felix McMann called out just as my right hand wrapped around the handle to enter the lounge. I turned my head, and he stepped through the door behind the front desk, blinking wide-eyed at me. “Holy shit… Percious, is that you?”

I sighed, forcing another smile on my face. “Hey, Felix. It’s been a while.”

He advanced around the desk and threw his arms around me, holding on tight. “How’s Peter doing?”

“He’s good,” I said when we parted. “Busy as always, but he’s doing good.”

“I’m glad to hear it. So, what brings you here tonight? I didn’t think you were coming back since you started seeing… Shit, what was her name again?”

I threw my hand up, avoiding the question entirely. “That’s over and done with. She was too clingy and unbearably controlling. All that matters is that I’m single again and ready to mingle, so here I am.” I leaned in closer and nudged my head toward the front door, at Carter. “What’s with the security? Did something happen?”

Felix sighed. “Shit has been a fucking nightmare here lately. An underage girl snuck in and was horribly attacked in the bathroom. Then it was maybe a week after that, some guy spiked another woman and her old man’s drink and then assaulted her in their home.”

A faux gasp escaped my lips. Placing a hand to my chest, I said, “You’re shitting me.”

“I wish I wasn’t,” he replied with a frown. “The police have been in and out of here for days now trying to find the guy.”

“Do they have any leads?” I asked curiously.

“I wish, but no. But the good news is that there’s a small group of Undercovers here tonight scoping out the place. If the bastard decides to strike again, we’ll find him.”

My blood boiled at the news.

So, I was right. This was, indeed, a trap.

“This is the busiest it’s been in weeks,” he carried on. “And oh, if you’re planning on going inside the Red Room, you’ll have to purchase a ticket.”

“A ticket?” I questioned, my brows furrowing through my mask. “Why?”

“It’s been reserved for the evening. But as a favor for me and to help boost sales, the hosts have agreed to let other members watch if they purchase a ticket. We’ve already sold the required amount for the evening but if you’re interested, it’ll cost you ten dollars. They should be starting soon if they haven’t already.”

It was extremely difficult not to grind my teeth because I knew exactly who the hosts were.

Fuck it.

I grabbed my wallet and pulled out two five-dollar bills. Felix beamed at me as he took the currency from my hands and then rounded the desk, ripping off a red ticket.

“Next time you talk to Peter, tell him to call me. The three of us should get together sometime. My treat.”

“That sounds great. I miss hanging out with you. ”

He smiled bigger. “I do too. Anyway, I’ve got to get back to work. You know where to find me if you need me.” He leaned over the desk to hug me again. “It’s really good to see you, Percious. And hey, if you notice anything suspicious or see someone acting funny, would you mind letting me know?”

“Of course,” I promised, knowing good and damn well it was a lie. “I’ll help in whatever way I can.”

Felix wasn’t bluffing about the Undercovers. From the time I entered the lounge, I’d spotted three of them within less than five minutes—one at the bar, and another two sitting at a high-top table, nursing watered down drinks as they eyed around the compacted club, whispering to one another through the noticeable wireless earpieces lodged in their ears. If UC’s were here, then I imagine they weren’t alone, which meant Chief and Captain Burgess had to be around here somewhere. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if Harley was here too, hiding amongst the crowd in one of those bullshit animal masks from Felix’s shop.

The only question now was…

Where could they be?

I couldn’t make a big fuss over it. Shady behavior was the precise thing they were looking for, and ogling around in a desperate attempt to find them would lead them straight to me. So, after ordering a drink and sitting down long enough to slurp it down, I ordered a second drink and then casually made way for the Red Room, showing my ticket to a blonde female wearing a skin-tight black dress and a ridiculous looking Zebra mask.

I didn’t bother expressing any gratitude when she told me to enjoy the show.