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Chapter 6
Adelina did not want to be at work. And why was it that wearing heels made her back feel worse with every step she took? She had to wear a very tight dress that reached her upper back, but was strapless because she couldn’t wear a bra. The material stretching across her back caused pain.
She leaned against the bar, knowing that she needed to begin her job of sabotaging the club. And no matter how she tried to sugar coat it, that was what she was doing. She was sabotaging The Phantom.
She popped the two painkillers into her mouth and then took a sip from the bottle of water. Murph scrunched his eyebrows at her, and he knew she was in pain. He had asked her what was up three times since she got there, and she lied to him.
She heard the voice in her earpiece and nearly jumped out of her skin. Flynn’s voice commanded her to come upstairs to the office. He said he had something to speak to her about.
She swallowed hard and then turned off the device. She knew that she had been careful to not look suspicious, but the guilt she felt could choke a cow.
She told Murph where she was headed, and he gave her a look. It was an expression of both concern and anger. Could he suspect that Raymond had hurt her? She shook the possibility from her mind and headed toward the elevator.
* * * *
Flynn was pacing the office, and Jett was leaning against the doorframe waiting for Adelina’s arrival.
“Stop pacing. We’ll get to the bottom of this. We have to make sure she realizes that we’re the good guys.”
Flynn stopped and stared at Jett. “We have to find out if she’s working against us to set us up? I’m seeing fucking red. The info from Al is pretty concrete. She went there to see Sergio. Sergio works for Margliado, the man trying to sabotage Uncle Vick and us. I’d say that our instincts had been right in not pursuing Adelina earlier. If we had slept with her, brought her into our hearts, then where would we be right now?”
Jett felt so sick just thinking that Adelina could do this to them. For crying out loud, I care so much for her. It hurts so deeply to think that she betrayed me. Why did I fall for her? Why did I let myself hope that she was the one for us? Why?
They heard the knock on the door and Jett walked over to open it.
He stared at her and then motioned for her to enter. Flynn thought she looked stunning, as usual. But she was walking funny. Murph called up and notified them.
“Adelina, please come in and sit down,” Jett stated as Flynn sat his thigh and ass halfway on the edge of the desk. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at her.
“I’ll stand. What’s going on? It’s busy downstairs,” Adelina stated abruptly. She seemed nervous, and anxious to leave. Jett didn’t like the feeling he had.
“They can handle it. We have a full staff down there tonight. And a team of undercover security no one but he and Flynn knew about.
Jett knew how he wanted to play this little interrogation. They had to be smart, and not make complete accusations.
“There’s been a bit of a situation with our uncle’s place. It seems that the board of health clamped down on them hard. They closed him down.”
“I heard about that. The health department is quite strict.”
“They sure are. Are we covered here? You’re in charge of that,” Flynn stated with a tone that surely said he didn’t trust her. She went to speak and then nodded her head.
“I’ll do my best to make sure. Things happen though. The kitchen staff needs to do their part.”
“There’s more to our uncle’s place being targeted,” Jett interrupted.
“Targeted?” She looked at Jett. He stared down at her. Even in heels, she was petite in comparison to them.
“Yes, there are men who want to take over the businesses in that area, and take over The Phantom. We’re next on the list.”
“How so? Who are these men?” She swallowed hard.
“We don’t know. We have Cash and Zane working on finding out. They’ve gotten some leads.” Jett said as he stepped closer to her.
“Yeah, they found some spots where they like to hang out,” Flynn added.
Adelina immediately looked nervous. Her eyes widened. “Really? So that’s good. Then maybe they can help to stop them before they act.”
Jett looked at Flynn, but Flynn’s gaze was so intense on Adelina that she looked down.
“They did track down one main guy. He does some business out of an Irish bar in Queens. What was the name, Jett?” Flynn asked.
Adelina shot her head up, and then quickly looked at Jett.
“O’Connor’s. Ever hear of it, Adelina?” Jett asked.
“No. I don’t know it. So what did you need me for? Just to ensure that I make certain if the health department shows up, that the place is clean of any violations?” She turned as if preparing to leave.
Jett touched her hand to stop her. He wrapped his hand around her wrist and she stared up into his eyes.
“Is there something that you’d like to tell us, Adelina?” Jett asked.
“No. No, why?”
Flynn moved in behind her. She gasped as he grabbed her hips and whispered next to her ear.
“Why were you there last night? Who were you meeting?”
Jett held her gaze. He saw the instant fear in her eyes, and then them well up with tears. He couldn’t control the disappointment and anger he had.
“Why would you help them? Why wouldn’t you come to us? If they threatened you?”
She shook her head side to side. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Flynn pulled her back against his chest and she cried out in pain. He immediately released her. She stepped away from them. “Please. Oh, God, please.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“You’re hurt. Murph said that you took painkillers. What the fuck is going on? Please, Adelina, if you’re in some kind of trouble, baby, we can help you.”
“They’ll kill Bryer and Kaitlin. I don’t care about what happens to me, but I have to take care of Bryer and Kaitlin.”
Adelina ran for the door, but as she went to open it, Jett called out her name. The tone of his voice seemed to stop her. He approached slowly, until he was right behind her.
She leaned her forehead against it as he caressed her hair.
“Talk to us. Tell us who threatened you. Come clean and we’ll help you.”
She cried. “They’ll kill them. Now that you know, I’m as good as dead.”
Jett ran his free hand gently up her arm, to her bare shoulder. He released the hand she held the door with and turned her around so he could look down into her eyes. The tears streamed down her cheeks, her mascara was running. “You’re breaking my heart, baby.”
He cupped her face between his hands.
“You know who wants this place. You know who wants to hurt Flynn and me, and our families, don’t you?”
She nodded her head, and then choked out a cry. “I can’t tell you.”
“You will tell us,” Flynn said as he joined the conversation. “You’ve known us for two years. You know what we used to do. Don’t you think we have ways of getting you to talk? You don’t think we’d do it.”
“Flynn.” Jett raised his voice and Adelina went to move, but Flynn grabbed her hand. He pulled her from Jett and against his chest. She gasped, her chin wedged up against his chest.
He stared down into her eyes.
“We trusted you. I care about you.”
“I’m just the club manager.”
Jett gently pressed up against her back. He moved the hair from her shoulder and massaged her tight shoulder muscles.
“You’re more than that.”
“How did they get to you? When did they first make contact?” Flynn asked.
“Please.”
Flynn gently placed his hands on her waist. “You’re going to explain everything. We’re going to come up with a plan, and you’re going to bring them to us.”
She shook her head.
“He’ll kill me.”
“No, he’ll want you to do his dirty work. You were going to do it anyway,” Flynn said, filled with anger.
“He’ll hurt me again. I won’t do it. I’m scared of him. I won’t do it. You can’t make me.” She carried on and then tried to pull away from them.
As Adelina slumped over in what appeared as emotional exhaustion, Jett saw the discoloration on her upper back.
“What is this?” he asked.
She turned up to look at him. “Jett, don’t.”
“What?” Flynn asked.
“Adelina?”
“No, Jett. Please just drop it. Please.” She pulled from them. Jett looked at Flynn.
“We care about you.”
