You haven’t actually asked, have you?
Now isn’t the time.Soon.
Low voices filter to us when we enter the main part of the club.A seating area that was previously situated around a spanking bench has been altered, the bench replaced with a mahogany card table.
Seated around it, drinking what looks like scotch and smoking cigars, are three of the sketchiest men in the Belle Argo area besides possibly myself.
Brennan Doyle is to my left, Daniel Corvus to the right.Straight across is a man I only know by reputation.Nathaniel Cavallari.The latter has popped up in case files, but I’ve never met him in person.Dealing cards is a mousy young thing with her tits spilling over her bustier, a baby face, and hard eyes.She’s as likely to offer me a drink as throw a chair at me, I’m betting.
Cavallari looks up at me, his gold-flecked eyes assessing.“Mr.Masters, how are you?”
“How the hell do you know who I am?”
Brennan flicks a couple of cards over to the scantily clad young dealer.“Nathaniel here oversees the unincorporated area between Beacon Hill and Belle Argo,” he says.
“Your house is practically on my territory,” Cavallari says with a smile.“I know who all of my subjects are.”
“I’m not one of your subjects, pal, and if you insist on thinking otherwise, we’re going to have a problem.”
Any reply the creepy-ass motherfucker might have made is drowned out by Ravi shouting, “Mr.Cat!”He’s across the room in a heartbeat, making grabby hands in front of the guy who was following him around before the auction.
“I missed you so much,” he says, baby-talking to the little black fuzzball.“Did Channing take the best care of you?I bet he did.Did you miss me too…?”
He’s cuddling the cat to his chest as he follows Channing out of the room.
“Kid.Where the hell are you going?”
“Don’t worry,” the object of my psychosis calls over his shoulder.“I just need to get the rest of his stuff.You can have a nice chat with the guys.I’ll be right back.”
Jesus.I scan the three men at the table.Daniel Corvus, who has no history and a club filled with a number of employees who look like ex-cons.Brennan Doyle, who does have a history and a rap sheet longer than a CVS receipt.Nathaniel Cavallari, who tends to keep to himself, or so I thought, but who owns a suspicious amount of the land between this club and my house.
Channing’s absence aside, there are three obvious sentries posted at each exit point in the room.Then there’s the dealer, who appears to have a knife sheathed in the top of her thigh-high boot.
Nice chat, my ass.
“Rav seems like he’s in a good mood.It’s nice to see.”Brennan fucking Doyle had better wipe that knowing look off his face before I remove it for him.
“His mood is none of your damn business.”I’m fucking seething right now.
“Beg to differ,” he mumbles with half his attention on his cards.“Whatever you think of me, Ravi’s family, and I protect what’s mine.”
“He’s not yours to protect.He’s mine.”Goddammit, I know I’m letting him goad me like a wet-behind-the-ears recruit.My fuse is too short for this shit.
Doyle’s eyebrows hit his hairline.The other two are studying me over their cards.Cavallari looks like he’s holding in a laugh.Fuck.I need to staple my own mouth shut.
My conscience prods at me for essentially calling dibs on the kid while he’s out of the room.And Ravi’s had one foot out the door this entire time.I’m not sure if I’m too late to call him back.I’m not sure if I should.
Still.Ravi is too good to belong to filth like Brennan Doyle.He’s too good for filth like me.
Doyle lays his cards on the table, face down.Turning his attention back to me, he says, “I owe you one, by the way.For what you did for Jacob.”
Are my eyes still in my head?Is my jaw still connected to my face?Am I hallucinating?Because Brennan Doyle just told me he owed me.I draw in a deep breath and let it out, letting my clenched fists relax a little.Only a little.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Brennan clicks his tongue and returns to his cards.“Don’t try to tell me you weren’t ready to turn that kid into pulp when he scared your precious little twink.Jacob’s a good egg, though.Stuck in a shitty situation and he’s made some not-so-wise decisions, is all.Had him staying with one of my guys for a while, but his stepfather gave him no choice but to return home.I get the feeling you know about being stuck in shitty situations, Masters.I know I do.”
This day has been full of surprises.Finding out the lump of coal in Brennan Doyle’s chest might beat after all?Frankly, I wish there was another chair nearby for me to sit down in.