Jake glanced down at his phone as he took the steps into the club two at a time. Seeing Brady’s cryptic message “:hurry”, he searched the semi dark crowded room for his men. Spotting Brady lounging against the bar and Clint moving towards him, Jake’s gut clenched. He didn’t need the prickling nerve endings crawling up the back of his neck to know that something was wrong, very wrong.
Signaling the bartender for a beer, he grabbed the stool next to Brady and made a production of freeing up a space for Clint. The three of them made small talk as though meeting for the first time.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been watching that fucking doorway to their dressing room for five minutes now and she’s still not back.”
The lack of a smart comment from Brady was more frightening than his words. Jake turned to Clint with a hard glare and a questioning jerk of his head.
Clint hunched over leaning his forearms against the bar’s slick surface.
“There was a strange guy, Jake. Couldn’t place him. He obviously upset her. She tried to hide it. The fact she couldn’t, scared the shit out of me. You know how smooth she is. He got to her. Somehow. Some way.”
Brady concurred. “Clint’s dead right. She looked like she saw a ghost.” He tipped his bottle up and took a lazy sip of his beer. “And, big guy, don’t wanna freak you out anymore, but she’s not answering her phone and I’ve sent her six texts. No response.”
Jake fought back the dread clamping a tight fist around his chest. Motioning to the doorway with his bottle, he asked in a loud voice, “Hey, that where the head is?”
Clint turned back to the bar and mumbled, “Yeah, buddy, I think there’s one down that hallway.”
Brady drained his bottle and clapped a hand on Jake’s shoulder in a show of semi-drunk camaraderie. “That’s a hell of a good idea, man. Gotta make room for the brew.”
Jake headed toward the exit, forcing himself to move casually, nodding politely to Brady to go ahead of him. When they entered the back hall, Jake grabbed Brady’s arm.
“Where’s the dressing room?”
Brady pointed to the left. “That hallway leads out to the alley. Dressing room is second door on the right.”
A shrill voice rang out.
“What the hell are you two doing back here? Can’t you read the sign? This area’s private, off limits.”
Jake turned to see Bella hustling down the hallway. Annoyance radiated off her small frame. She looked like a mother hen out to shoo away a flock of errant roosters.
“Absolutely no men are allowed back here.” She marched toward them, then stopped, surprise replacing her annoyance. Recognition flashed in her eyes.
Planting her fists on her curvy hips, she glared at Jake.
“That’s especially true for you.”
Jake moved imperceptibly toward her.
“Where is she?”
Bella jerked up her chin then stepped back. Her voice was less confident that it had been seconds before.
“She...she doesn’t want to see you. She gave strict orders. You need to leave now or I will have you thrown out.”
Jake pinned her with a hard glare. His voice was soft.
“You could try.”
Taking a half step toward her, forcing her back against the wall, he didn’t hide the threat in his voice.
“Where is she, Bella?”
Bella started, seemingly surprised that he knew her name. She visibly swallowed and pressed herself against the wall. His looming presence melted her resistance.
“I… I’m not sure.” She nodded at one of the rooms down the hallway. “I saw her go into the dressing room a while ago.”
Jake turned and moved quickly toward the room with Brady hard on his heels. The sound of heavy footsteps behind them signaled Clint’s arrival.
“Wait!” Bella’s voice was sharp. “You can’t go in there. That’s private. Absolutely no men are allowed in the dressing room…”
Jake kicked open the door and called out. “Coming in.” His deep voice was calm, laced with steel.
Jake glanced around the empty room as Brady pushed by him striding toward the bathroom.
Jake motioned to Clint to come in. He heard Brady’s warning shout and stall doors slamming from the adjoining room. Seconds later, Brady, met his gaze.
“No one’s there. Empty.”
Jake whirled around to face Bella. His voice was soft, threatening.
“You have one minute to tell me exactly when you saw her last and who was with her. NOW!”
Bella stammered. “I…I don’t know. I told you, I saw her go in here about ten minutes ago. I assumed she had to pee. She never leaves the floor during a shift unless she needs a bathroom break.”
Bella paled, her face contorted with fear. “Why? Is something wrong?”
Jake nodded at the row of lockers on the wall.
“Which is hers?”
Bella pointed to the one three down from the end. Brady was there in seconds. He yanked at the handle then drove his fist into the flimsy metal, breaking the lock.
In two long strides Jake was at his side. He pulled out the skanky costume and started to toss it aside when what looked like a photo fluttered to the floor. Brady beat him to it, snatching it off the floor.
Brady’s face blanched. He looked up at Jake, his eyes wide with horror.
“Holy fucking Christ!”
His hands shaking, he shoved the photo at Jake.
Jake’s breath stuck in his throat, mingling with a torrent of gorge at the hideous sight. Imagining the pain Lexie felt seeing the picture, fury swamped him. Shoving Bella aside, he tossed the photo to Clint, who gagged at the sight, staggering back against the row of lockers.
Brady’s voice was thick with a mix of pain and revulsion. Pointing to the satin corset, he said,” Unfortunately, the tracer we have on her is buried in that. We have no way of following her unless she made it out to her Camaro.”
Jake’s years of commanding men in dangerous untenable situations kicked in. They had one task: to find Lexie and find her now. It turned out strategy was unnecessary. Before he could issue an order, he heard a distant scream. Followed by his men, he tore down the hallway begging a God he rarely called on that the piercing scream came from Lexie. And that it meant that she was alive.
~~~
Lexie struggled to break free from the man’s fierce hold, but only managed to tighten his cruel grip on her hair. Shards of pain shot through her neck and head. She leaned back against a massive body, trying to ease the pressure of the gun barrel against her skull. But it was no use. Twisting her long hair in his fist, he dragged her toward the door, the sharp metal digging in her scalp.
“Make a sound and I will kill you.”
There was no mistaking his harsh whisper as an empty threat. Evil emanated from him.
The door to the alley was open. He shoved her out in front of him, kicking the door closed behind him. To her horror, she saw the young blond man who had begged her to meet him. Only now his face was contorted with cold rage, not desperation. His mouth twisted in a hideous grin.
He stepped forward and spit on the ground at her feet. “You…you pitiful, naive woman.” He shook his head, disgust contorting his face. “Too easy. Too believing. I thought you were smart. Cunning like your brother. A worthy adversary. But you are nothing but a shameless, Godless whore.” This time he spit in her face.
Nodding to the man who held her in his grip, he barked, “Vadim, get her in the van. Tie her to the railing and gag her.”
Flicking his hands over her breasts, he sneered. “Don’t mark her. We will have much time to do that when
