Chapter 9

LUC

***

Two weeks later, I was still dealing with the same problem, and somehow things had gotten worse. At the same time Sinclaire came out of his coma, we got word on Montgomery, and that set Amelia off into some femme fatale mode.

Out for blood wasn’t a sufficient description for her mood and her actions. She was so focused on getting this guy and the damn gang that it became an obsession. It pissed me off in the worst way possible, because the plan was taking longer than I wanted.

Two weeks of this shit, and now I stood outside The Eagle Eye night club with Jefferson and Holloway, part two of team Amelia.

While the two of them could be considered tough looking, they reminded me of the kind of actors you’d find in a classic film like Casablanca or the Maltese Falcon. Films I grew up watching because my father loved them. Jefferson was tall, bald, and stocky with muscle, and a face like a bull dog. Holloway, was more athletic looking, like a marathon runner and kept his hair military short. It was the way he trimmed his beard though that held the classic movie look.

I got along with them well, which was a bonus for me, but the whole time I was feeling like I was trapped in someone else’s body. As advised, I’d tamped myself down in an attempt to try not to be myself.

Try not to be yourself.

That’s what Raphael told me.

So, that left the question of what I should be. A cop? Not a mobster? A guy who was acting like a cop and trying not to allow his mobster ways of thinking to shine through?

It hadn’t worked so far. I was here for one thing only, and so far, I’d been dragged into an investigation that had nothing to do with me or my goals.

The intended object of my affection was currently on the roof of the club waiting for a clear path to get into the room on the top floor where the big boys met. We’d gotten word that Montgomery had been sighted there. It was one of his places, and tonight he was supposed to be coming by for a meeting.

Amelia thought the guy he was meeting was this Demarco person, the drug lord they’d been after, but Maurice had gotten intel that placed Demarco in Brazil. The guy was wherever he was, living life while I was playing cop.

Shit. Fucking shit.

I looked up on the roof to where Amelia was stationed, feeling her eyes on me. She was too high up for us to actually be looking at each other, but I could feel her eyes on me. It was the same feeling I got when I was in her presence and she looked at me like she was trying to figure me out.

She was dressed in full black and had her hair up in the usual ponytail. That seemed to be her trademark style, although I supposed a couple weeks really wasn’t long enough for me to establish that.

It was the same as trying to figure everything else out—not enough time had passed.

“How are things going with her?” Jefferson asked, glancing up at the roof as well.

We stood by our car dressed like we were going inside the club. Holloway was inside the car, watching what was going on in the club from a screen that was hooked up to the CCTV.

“Good.” I nodded.

Jefferson chuckled. “Really?” Humor was evident in his voice. “You’re getting along with her? With her being pissed that Max is in Florida and Sinclaire in the hospital, you’re a better man than me if that’s true.”

“I’m new, just trying to fit in.”

“Don’t let her bust your balls, man. The woman might have a face like an angel, but she’ll cut you down if you cross her path the wrong way.”

“Noted,” I chuckled.

Jefferson’s phone rang and he answered it, walking away to talk in private. Looked like woman trouble from the hushed way he spoke.

I resumed my focus on the roof. Amelia had moved and was now close to the window she was waiting to enter through.

This was dangerous. That roof looked dangerous, like she could easily slip.

I watched her turn into the shimmer of moonlight. It caught her face, allowing me to see her expression as our eyes locked. I would have continued to stare if something else didn’t catch my eye. Near the fire escape, I saw the dark outline of a man going up the side ladder, heading to the roof.

I didn’t know if she could fully see me, but I signaled to her by pointing to where I saw the guy. He was on the roof now, and she must have either heard or seen him because she slipped through the window.

I whirled around and opened the car door, startling Holloway.

“There was a guy on the roof. I’m going in. You guys get backup.”

I rushed off before he could answer and didn’t bother to register that I’d just told him what to do.

Inside the club was louder than loud. The music pumped and the vibrations bounced off my body, making it feel like it was an actual life force as I made my way through bodies crashed together in clusters of movement. A beautiful blonde tried to dance with me, but I ignored her.

There was a hallway and the edge of a staircase to my left, so I proceeded along until I got there. Tension filled me as I went up the stairs and found the place empty. It was almost as if people knew not to go up there. I felt for my gun in my back pocket, getting ready to use it if I needed to.

Another hallway connected with that one, and at the end was a faint light. Footsteps sounded in the same direction. As silently as I could, I made my way across.

It was Amelia. She was trying to open one of the doors.

“It’s locked for a reason,” said a voice from behind her. I hid in the crease between the wall and the door frame. From here, I could see inside the room.

A large man stepped into the dim lights and smiled at Amelia. He had an inky black tattoo of a panther on his face. It was a nice addition to the scars he sported on his muscular shoulders and arms. There was no way on earth, no matter how tough she was, that she’d be able to handle herself against that guy.

“I was lost, looking for the bathroom,” she answered, attempting to sound casual.

“From the roof, Detective Taylor?”

So, this was definitely roof guy, and he knew who she was.

“How about you come with me?” he added.

When he raised his gun and four guys entered the hallway from behind the door Amelia had been trying to open, I knew it was time to do things my way.

***

In my world, we didn’t stand around like schmucks waiting for backup.

In my world, we didn’t allow our enemies to get away so they could regroup and bombard us like they just had.

This was a fucking ambush, and I would be damned if I was going to allow them to take Amelia.

Sorry, Raphael, you may be in charge, but I am boss.

Before the guys could take their next breath, I fired several shots. The four guys went down, and tattoo guy got hit in the neck.

Unfortunately, more goons took their places, and suddenly all hell broke loose. My focus was on Amelia, who held her own with her kicks and punches, but then two guys rushed me.

I shot at them. One got hit, but the other, a big heavyweight wrestling type monster, managed to knock the gun out of my hand and shove me to the ground.

“Amelia, get out!” I cried, trying to free myself.

“Get your hands off me!” Amelia wailed when one of the guys grabbed her, and all I was aware of was the sound of fighting and cussing. I couldn’t let them take her, or take her down. What the fuck would I do then?

A head butt to the monster’s bald head sent him stumbling backward, giving me the chance to jump up. He came at me again, growling like a feral beast, but that was all I would allow. The first time he’d gotten me had just been luck.

This guy was big in muscle and size, but I had muscle and speed, the result of doing actual training for situations like this and not just bulking up to look tough. Looking tough is fuck all if you can’t do squat when push comes to shove.

With the quickness of lightning, I sent a kick straight up to his neck, snapping it backward from the combo of his speed and mine. He dropped down before me, shock registering on his stupid face just before his eyes rolled back in his head.

Amelia screamed out in pain, grabbing my immediate attention, and I whipped around to see one of the goons holding a mean-looking metal bar over her head. He’d hit her with it, sending her to the ground. He grabbed at her chest as she doubled over, about to hit her again.