Page 44 of Deadly Alliance

Roz got up and moved to a large table which was laid out with throwing stars hidden in face compacts, stiletto heels with a hidden blade, a lipstick with a flick knife, a bracelet that had a retractable leather whip inside it, a dress ring that was a knuckle duster and last but not least, two tiny compact weapons that at first glance looked so small they looked like keyrings. Due to that the fact that they were pink and made from high-grade plastic, rather than metal, they quickly got through the metal detectors and security.

“What about security?” Dee asked.

“Security will be some of ours,” Roz said.

The girls poured over the toys and selected dresses based on their weapons of choice. Emme was looking through it all when Lucy moved in beside her.

“This would be a good option for you—you have a good aim and excellent accuracy.” Luce handed her the compact throwing star.

Emme took it and turned it over, weighing it in her hand. “Yeah, it feels good too.”

“Take these as well. I have three pairs at home,” Lucy said with a smirk as she shoved the stiletto heels with the hidden blade heels at her. She turned them over and what do you know they were her size.

“Cool, now I just need a dress,” Emme said with a grin.

By the time they had all picked outfits, done their hair and applied make-up and their ‘special’ jewellery they looked like a group of women on a night out. Emme looked down at herself having picked out the black halter-neck dress from earlier. She slipped the sexy red stilettos on and tucked the deadly compact in her purse. Surveying herself in the mirror, she saw Bea come up beside her, sliding a blade out of sight.

“You look stunning. Poor Shane is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you.”

Emme looked at Beatrice and smiled. “Thank you. You look gorgeous too.”

And she did. The older woman was wearing white wide leg trousers, black stiletto sandals and a black jersey Bardot neck top that clung to her girlish figure. Her short hair was curled into waves and tucked behind one ear, giving her a relaxed but stylish look.

“Still life in the old dog,” she laughed, but Emme detected a hint of flippancy in the woman.

“More than that. You look stunning,” Emme smiled kindly.

“He loves you, you know.”

Emme was momentarily stunned by the words and it took a moment to find her reply. “We barely know each other.”

“Maybe, but the heart wants what it wants and if you think about it and are honest, then you know your heart knows he’s the one for you.”

“Maybe,” Emme said as she pursed her lips in thought.

Beatrice took her arm in a firm grip and turned her to face her. “Listen to an old woman, Emme. Don’t waste time second-guessing and trying to find reasons why it won’t work. Accept what you have and hang on to it. It only comes once and most never find it.” There was a wild desperation about Beatrice that Emme could not figure out and she wondered if she was nervous about being in the open again.

“I won’t waste it, Bea,” Emme promised with a smile of her own to try and reassure the woman.

Beatrice let go abruptly with a satisfied smile. “Good, now let’s go catch this bastard.”

* * *

Emme didn’t clockany of the men as she walked into the club. Shane had thought it best if they stayed out of sight and she agreed. They were dealing with a completely unknown entity and she wanted them off guard.

Following Lucy and Bebe to the bar, she felt Roz, Dee, and Pax at her and Bea’s backs jostling like any other gaggle of excited women to get a drink, or so it appeared to anyone watching. The close formation was to stop anyone getting close to either of the women.

“What would you like to drink?” Lucy asked as she waved at the bartender with her money in her hand. They didn’t know the staff behind the bar but had all been cross-checked by Dogberry, aka Dee, and were clean, or at least mostly clean.

A twenty-something barman moved in close and leaned over the bar. His long blonde hair was tied in a man bun, a hipster beard covered his jaw and pale grey eyes gave him a feminine vibe.

He smiled widely at them all. “Ladies, what can I get you?”

“Unicorn gin and tonic for me,” Emme smiled.

“Make mine a Scotch and soda,” Beatrice replied. The other girls rattled off their drinks as Roz and Bebe looked around. It was apparent to her they were checking for threats, but to anyone else, it seemed like they were looking for a table or scoping out the talent.

Taking their drinks, they chatted amiably as they moved to the VIP section that was roped off. The place was busy for a weeknight, Thursday nights seemed very popular. The dance floor was filling up and even as she sat down she realised the bar was now two people deep.