The Stokes was a much nicer place than I imagined it being. It was dimly lit and smelled like cigar smoke twenty-four seven, but that was to be expected from a cigar lounge.

The space had an edgy feel that drew in a younger clientele. The walls were a deep shade of red that was accented nicely with black crown molding and baseboards. Gothic wall sconces boasted modern lamps that washed the space in a warm orange glow. Booths with black leather seats lined the outer walls, and plush leather chairs were scattered around mismatching tables on the floor. Each table played host to a single candle and an ashtray as well as a drink specials and appetizer menu.

The kitchen was not outfitted for a full-service restaurant, but the two line cooks and the chef kept up with the orders of wings, crab and artichoke baked dip, mini sirloin sliders, garden salads with goat cheese, and pulled pork flatbreads. It was only my third day on the job, and I’d hit it off with all the kitchen staff, my manager Bruce, and the other servers I worked with.

Tonight was my first night shift, and Wednesdays were apparently busy due to their highball specials. I was a little nervous as I crammed my purse into my storage locker in the back room.

Bruce was sitting at his computer desk working on the upcoming schedules. He was a friendly young guy with a receding hairline and warm smile. He leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. “You look a little worried, Evelyn. Don’t stress. Your last two shifts have gone so smoothly, I can guarantee tonight will be a breeze for you. You’ve taken to this gig better than anyone ever has.”

I smiled under his flattery. “Thanks, Bruce. I’m just worried about messing up people’s orders.”

“With a pretty face like that, they won’t mind.” He winked at me. From someone else, it might have been creepy. But it wasn’t. Bruce was a brotherly sort of presence for all the female staff. He made sure everyone was feeling good through their shifts and ran frequent check-ins. On my first day, he’d told me I didn’t need to wear heels. He also made me stop for water and food breaks frequently. It was not uncommon to have a table in the back room filled with some of our appetizers specifically for the servers on staff to grab bites between tables.

It was a good place to work. And the tips, so far, had been excellent.

I glanced at the clock on the wall above the storage lockers and tucked my hair behind my ears. It was showtime. As I left the back room, Bruce called after me, “Knock ‘em dead, killer.”

The place filled up fast. I went from waiting on only two tables for the first half hour to trying to manage eight of them. Every customer was a man, which didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would, and they were all friendly. The Stokes had a reputation for being an upscale place with professional service. It also had a reputation for expecting the same consideration from its patrons.

Like I said. It was a good place to work.

One of the girls’ shift ended, and she walked over to me as I waited at the bar for the bartender, Justin, to mix my cocktails for my newest table. She rested a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, Evelyn. I’m off for the night, but I still have a table left. They just sat down. Do you mind taking over for me? You can keep all the tips.”

I nodded. “Sure thing, Britt.”

Brittany beamed at me. “You’re the best. I’m glad Bruce hired you. The girl he fired was a really poor sport. She never wanted to help anyone out. I think you’re a great fit for the team. They ordered two whiskeys, by the way, and they’re at table seventeen.”

I smiled and waved as she hurried off to the back room. I’d heard her talking earlier in the night about meeting up with her boyfriend for a midnight showing of some new movie that was out. She seemed really excited, and I wasn’t going to make her miss her date night all for one lousy table.

Justin handed me the two highballs I’d ordered for one of my tables, and I asked him for the whiskeys. I delivered the highballs to a table of two gentlemen dressed in business suits, and they slid me a twenty as a tip. The customers in this place had money, and they were lining my pockets well.

I went back to the bar and put the whiskeys on my tray. Justin flashed me a bright white smile as I bustled off to table seventeen.

I didn’t realize who the two men were until it was too late, and I was standing at their table lowering one glass of whiskey down, followed by another.

They had both been at Kadia that night. The boy who offered me and Penny Zandra … and the big bald man who had held me at knifepoint. Neither of them glanced up at me as I put the drinks down, and when I straightened, I hurried to untuck my hair from behind my ears. I let it fall down around my shoulders and over my face. I hoped it worked well enough to disguise my identity from them both.

The bigger man was dressed plainly in a white button-up and navy pants. The first few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a powerful chest and a gold chain that hung off his neck. One leg was crossed over the other as he leaned back in the chair, a thick cigar pursed between his lips. He glanced up at me and a smile curled his wide mouth. “Why hello there, pretty young thing.”

“H-hello,” I said. Then, I reprimanded myself for sounding so damn week. I lifted my chin and willed him not to recognize me. “Can I get either of you anything else?”

He chuckled. The sound brought me back to that night. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, I could smell his breath, feel the press of his hard body all over me. “No thanks, sugar. We’re fine for now. Isn’t that right, Jason?”

Both the bald man and I looked over at the young man sitting across from him. Jason, the one who had tried to offer Penny and me Zandra, was picking at a loose thread in the knee of his jeans. He looked up at me and shook his head curtly.

The bald man growled. “Use your words, Jason. Be polite. The girl asked you a question.”

Jason stopped picking at his jeans and met my eyes. “No, thank you.”

I forced myself to smile at them. “All right. Well, you just let me know if you change your mind. I’ll be around.” I turned to leave.

Then thick fingers wrapped around my wrist. I froze and swallowed hard. I looked down at the big bald man who was holding onto me. He was smiling that same wicked smile he always wore, and I felt like I was looking right into the depths of his dark, mangled soul. “When does your shift end, baby?” he asked.

It took everything I had not to shiver with repulsion. I kept my smile plastered on my face and shrugged one shoulder. “Whenever this place dies down.”

“Well, I don’t have anywhere to be. I’ll stay here ‘til the end. Then maybe the two of us could, I don’t know, take that dress off you.”

“I have a boyfriend.” I don’t know what compelled me to say this. I also don’t know why I thought it would make a sliver of a difference to a man like him,

He laughed and put a hand on his chest. He still had his other hand on my wrist. “Well, I don’t see him. Is he here, sugar?”

I shook my head.

“Then, I don’t see what the problem is. I could show you what it feels like to be with a real man. I’d rock your world, kitten.”

I looked at Jason like he might help me. He looked down at his feet as soon as our gazes locked.

The big man tugged on my wrist. “Don’t tell me the scrawny ones are more your type?”

“No,” I said hurriedly. The big ones with beards and warm eyes were my type, apparently. “I’m sorry. But this is my workplace, and I just started here. I don’t want my boss getting the wrong idea about me. I really need this job.”

He let me go. I was shocked.

Jason got to his feet. The bald man watched him turn and leave without saying a word. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he shook his head. “Some boys just don’t understand the consequences of doing business. Go get me another drink, sugar. I’ll be here awhile.”

“Okay,” I said. I sounded as meek and terrified as I felt. All my insides had curled up into tiny balls of terror, and they only started unfurling as I rushed to the back room. I passed Justin, who arched an eyebrow at me. I didn’t say anything. I just kept going.

Bruce was still at his computer. He looked up when I flew past him and went to my locker. “Everything all right, Evelyn? Is it busy out there?”

“Yes, everything is fine. Sorry, I just need to make a quick call. It’s important.”

“Don’t worry about it. Take your time,” he said, turning back to his computer.

As Bruce clicked away on his keyboard, I rifled through my purse for the card I knew I’d dropped in it the night Derek drove me and Penny home from Kadia. When I couldn’t find it, I dumped everything out on the table. Bruce minded his own business.

I snatched up the card and called the number written neatly on the back. It rang and rang and rang. No answer.

“Damn it,” I breathed.

“You sure you’re all right?” Bruce asked, spinning around in his chair.

“Yes. Fine.” I dialed the number again. This time it only rang twice.

A deep voice answered and eased the fear that was steadily growing inside me. “Hello? This is Derek.”

“Derek. Hi. It’s Evelyn.”

“Evelyn? Are you okay? Where are you?”

My hands had started shaking. I swallowed and closed my eyes. I had to keep my cool just a little while longer. “I’m at work. At The Stokes, the cigar lounge. He’s here, Derek. The guy from the alley. He was with the younger one you were asking about, but he took off.”

“Where are you right now?” His voice was thick with menace.

“The break room.”

“Good. Don’t go out on the floor again. Is your boss there?”

“Yes.” I nodded even though he couldn’t see me and looked over at Bruce, who was watching me with a worried expression. He mouthed the words, “What’s going on?”

“Tell him you can’t go back out on the floor. Stay in the back. I’m only a ten-minute drive away. Think you can keep it together until then?”

I nodded again more to myself than to him. “I think so.”

“Evelyn, you have to. I’m sorry. You can do this.”

“Okay,” I breathed. “Just get here. Please.”

He hung up the phone.

Bruce stood up. “What the hell was that all about? Are you in some kind of trouble I should know about, Evelyn?”

I bit my bottom lip. “I’m sorry, Bruce. I couldn’t explain before. I had to make that call. There’s a man out there who is really dangerous, and I can’t let him recognize me.”

Bruce blinked. “Who is he?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m not telling you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll go out there and try to get him to leave. I know I’ve only known you for a few days but I know you. The best thing we can do is wait until my friend gets here. He can handle this. If we let on that we know who he is, your entire staff could be in danger.”

Bruce’s eyes flicked back and forth between mine. He was unsure if he should trust me or not. He was a good manager, and I knew his first concern was going to be his people. But if he tried to go out there and get The Hand to leave, things would go from bad to worse faster than Bruce could ever imagine.

And I couldn’t let that happen.