It scares me to think of Bambi and Piper in the same context.
Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe a customer or the mail carrier had an arrangement with Piper that was so commonplace, Piper didn’t see any reason to tell me about it.
Maybe there’s a lot I don’t know about her.
I stare at my reflection. The orange dye is almost completely washed out, leaving streaks of white and pale orange. I just dyed it too, but I’ve been taking too many showers as a way to calm my nerves. I always get my color ideas from Piper. Blue. Green. Orange. She was the one who encouraged me to embrace that alternative side of myself, and she said she liked to experiment through me.
Maybe we were too different though. Maybe she did leave me behind.
Nope.That’s a lie I refuse to believe. We both came from families that rejected us, and we promised each other thatwewould be our chosen family. We even promised we’d walk each other down the aisle when we get married, since our own fathers didn’t deserve the privilege.
After all we’ve done for you—after everything we’ve sacrificed—you failed to get into Juilliard. And now you want to use your talents to be a whore?my father had said.You’re dead to us!
I swallow the lump growing in my throat. Those memories of my parents hurt, and yet, my anxiety over Piper’s disappearance is worse. It’s possible that Piper left Vegas on a whim. Why would she leave without saying goodbye though? If anything, she’dat leasttell me the details.
I filed a missing person’s report; it didn’t get far. When I explained the situation to the police, they laughed at me.
A stripper in Cancun? No wonder she hasn’t texted you back,they said.
Irritated to the brim, I burst through the door to the main floor, determined to get my mind off the people who won’t help me.
My skin instantly heats with awareness that someone is watching me.
Dice’s black eyes land on me. As soon as we make full eye contact, he looks away, pretending he’s truly interested in the velvet curtains hanging behind the bottle service booths.
Mr. Harry isstilltalking to those suited men behind Dice. There has to be something going on with them, and though I don’t personally know any of the businessmen talking to Mr. Harry, I know Dice.
Well…kind of. Dice and I have never had a conversation outside of my attempts to get him to speak to me. Still, I’ve got this feeling that Dice will help me.
Hell, after getting laughed at by Mr. Harry and the police, Ishouldask Dice. What do I have to lose?
I squeeze my purse close to my chest. There’s a hundred-dollar bill in there from Dice. At the very least, he likes me. Sort of.
The mysterious aura around him captivates me. Draws me closer. Makes me want to knowwhyhe never tips anyone else. Why he only tips me. Why he refuses to look me in the eyesunlessI’m on stage.
It’s been a long time since I asked Dice if he wanted a lap dance.
Right now, it’s not about work though. It’s about Piper.
And I need Dice’s help.
CHAPTER3
DICE
“Now, Tomo-san,”Mr. Harry says, slapping my oyabun’s back. “Tell me. Why are you really here? Are you stalking me these days?”
The wrinkles around the oyabun’s eyes sharpen as he forces a grin. “About that. Now that we’ve enjoyed ourselves, perhaps we can discuss the contract, no?”
My back is to the group, but I catch every word. It helps the Endo-kai to always have a pair of listening ears. Whisky pours into their glasses as Tomo serves another round.
“I know. I’ve been pushing you around. It’s rude of me, isn’t it?” Mr. Harry says. The two men clink their glasses, and even though I don’t see the group, I know Niko is probably sneering at the two older men. “You see, another organization approached us, and the owner of GHF has been toying with the idea of marrying their youngest daughter…”
For a brief second, I glimpse over my shoulder. Ronin, my brother, puffs on his cigarette, his severed pinky flinching in restrained anger. Youngest daughter? Could Mr. Harry be referring to the youngest daughter of the Ito-gumi, our enemy yakuza? The same group Ronin used to be a part of?
“What can you offer GHF that’s better?” Mr. Harry asks. His eyes trace my sister Cherry. She flings her brown hair over her shoulder in disgust. “I’m sure we can make arrangements if the right opportunities are presented to us.”
I face the rest of the club again. Mr. Harry is suggesting an exchange—Cherry for the gun contract. Tomo will never go for that. Cherry is his personal bodyguard and only daughter.
