The next few days went by in a blur. I barely saw Beau and Danny and as I glanced over at the latter’s closed office door, an itch surfaced. The itch to find out what Danny was hiding, why he was so angered by my questions.
My fingers tapped on the bar, scanning the bouncers lining the wall near the entrance. It was still early, but the Pit was crowded.
The night before, I’d thought up a plan as I laid on the rotten floorboards of my apartment, my father’s sweater wrapped tight around my shoulders. I’d find a way to get into Danny’s office while he wasn’t around and find whatever information I thought would help in finding Dolores.
I knew one of the bouncers had a skeleton key that opened every room at the Pit. I scanned the room, finding him easily, eyes bleary and tight.
He had been smoking pure belladonna all night and chugging down his liquor.
I’d been observing the bouncers for a few nights now, trying to see what the best course of action would be to get the key I needed. By doing so, I’d also noticed how they used their authority to fuck any of the girls they wanted.
And tonight, that would be my job.
I’d pretend I was going to be one of those girls, lure one of them in, the one with the key I needed. Then, I’d find a way to convince him to use it and let us into Danny’s office.
I fixed my tight t-shirt and stood up. My hips swayed back and forth, and I smiled softly at the bouncers.
Aaron, the bouncer who I knew had the skeleton key, eyed me up and down, his tongue coming out to quickly wet his bottom lip. He reached up, his hand gliding across his bald head, which I’d observed was a nervous tick of his. I affected him.
Good, I thought.
“Little souleater… I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said, and I tried not to cringe.
I stepped closer, pressing my finger to my lip and biting the tip. “Oh, did you now. Rumors, rumors. Care to find out if any of them are true?”
His reddened eyes widened for a moment, only to trace down the length of my body and back up to my face.
I touched his chest, leaning in close. “Don’t you wanna let me taste you? See how it feels?”
He visibly gulped, and his hands moved to my hips. “Fuck yeah.”
I gripped the collar of his t-shirt and pulled him against me and we moved into the crowd of couples grinding on each other. His hands slid over each curve until he reached my ass and pressed his pelvis to mine. A disgusted shiver ran through me, but I suppressed it.
Just endure his touch long enough to get him to open Danny’s office, I told myself.
Then it’ll be over.
I tilted my head and his greedy mouth took the opportunity to kiss my exposed neck. As my eyes fluttered open, they caught sight of Beau from across the crowd, seated at the bar, a glass in his hand and a cigarette in the other.
Fuck, what was he doing here? I hadn’t seen him all night and now he had to show up, looking straight at me, with eyes that could burn me from the inside out?
I swallowed tightly when a shiver danced across my spine.
The shadows battled across his steel features and I saw him in quick bursts. His fingers rolling his drag, so thick and long and darkly inked with words that haunted me.
Hell.
Bent.
The letters inked into each of his busted knuckles.
I wanted to taste each one slowly.
He blew out a long puff of smoke, his eyes never leaving mine. I could taste his anger even from this distance, so potent and strong, the swirl of emotions wrapping itself around my neck like an iron fist.
It felt like a brand on my skin and I moaned, the sound too low to be heard over the Pit’s chaos.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I couldn’t think about Beau right now, I had no doubt his possessive fury was all about the position Aaron and I were in. He had no idea why I was doing it, and if he did, I doubted he’d approve any more. But none of that mattered.
I needed answers. I needed to know what Danny was hiding.
I’d deal with Beau later.
“Let’s go somewhere private,” I whispered into Aaron’s ear and I felt him grin against my throat. He gripped my hand and we moved through the crowd toward the dark hallway. I tugged at his hand and he turned to look back at me. “What about Danny’s office? He’s not here tonight, is he?” I arched a brow, smiling at him as seductively as I could for someone I wasn’t attracted to in the least bit.
He paused, glancing over his shoulder at the crowd.
“On his desk…he’ll never know,” I said, and his eyes shot back to me as I licked my lips. “Plus, fucking on your boss’s desk…that must be a nice power trip.”
“Fuck it,” he hissed and grabbed my hand again, changing directions to head towards Danny’s office.
Thank God.
Now I only needed to get the both of us inside the office. Close the door. And I wouldn’t have to keep feeling his slimy hands rubbing all over my skin.
Beau’s eyes were still firmly placed on me, burning even hotter on my skin as Aaron and I stopped in front of Danny’s office door. Aaron fumbled with the skeleton key, and I restrained from looking over my shoulder at Beau. In a sick way, I wanted him to see us. I wanted him to watch and feel his insides twist.
I wanted him to want me. To come here and get me himself. To take me. To use me.
Aaron pushed open the door and I followed in after. Danny’s office was decorated in sleek blacks and with a large wooden desk. Papers were scattered across it and half an empty coffee mug sat on top of them.
I gripped the door handle, closing it. The lock sounded like my saving grace as I watched Aaron shrug out of his jacket.
He barely had a chance to smile my way before I grabbed a heavy metal stapler from nearby and hit him at the base of his skull with all of my strength.
He went down fast and hard.
“Sorry,” I mumbled and dragged him onto one of Danny’s leather couches, unbuttoning his shirt and pants.
When I was satisfied that he looked like someone who’d gotten it on then passed out, I straightened and moved over to the mess of papers scattered on the desk.
Financial statements, work contracts, stupid, pointless letters that had nothing of importance to me.
I opened his drawers, searching through scrunched up papers and bills.
Everything I touched I neatly replaced in the exact same spot.
“Fuck,” I whispered after searching through every spot in the office for a while.
There was nothing but useless junk in here.
No, no, no, no!
Aaron moaned, and I reined in my desperation and annoyance, walking over to him. I touched his shoulder gently as he slowly came out of his imposed slumber.
“What happened?” he muttered once he’d managed to open his eyes. He sat up, looking disoriented as he scratched the back of his head.
“Are you feeling any better? One second, we were kissing and I was pushing you toward the desk. Then the next second, you lost your balance, hit the back of your head against it and fell,” I told him and patted his shoulder, a reassuring smile on my lips. “I guess maybe you had a bit more to drink then you thought. You weren’t all that steady on your feet to begin with.”
“Fucking hell,” he whispered.
This had been such a waste of time. Danny had nothing in this office, but that didn’t mean he didn’t hide his little secrets elsewhere. I still didn’t trust him. I still didn’t believe him innocent in all this.
I knew there was more to it, there had to be. I knew it as much as I knew this place was crawling with sinners.
Aaron stood, unbalanced and I reached for the door, unlocking it.
“Give me a minute, my head feels a bit fuzzy, then we can fuck,” he added, leaning against the wall.
I didn’t wait and opened the door, stumbling out into the humid room.
Aaron followed after, but he halted at the sight of Beau standing next to the door.