Page 57

Opening my eyes shows the rabbit still nibbling on what I’m certain is a torn piece of flesh, given the thickness, color, and irregular shape of it. I flick off the headlights to shut out the scene, and when I flick them back on, the rabbit isn’t there.

To be sure, I turn them off and on a second time, and the rabbit doesn’t return. Exhaling a breath, I close my eyes and rest my forehead against the steering wheel. Jesus.

Seconds pass while I give my eyes a moment to relax and adjust. The hard knock at the window beside me startles my muscles.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I lift my head to find a dark-haired woman staring in on me. I let out a scream, and scramble away.

“You okay, hun?” At her question, I take in the heavy makeup on her face, the sequined top, and elaborate pile of curls atop her head.

Scanning over the surroundings shows the strip club, a packed parking lot, and a line of people waiting at the front entrance.

What the ever-loving hell?

“Saw ya passed out and thought I’d check to make sure you’re still breathin’ in there.”

“Yeah. I’m, uh … I’m fine. Have I …. Have I been here long?”

“Not sure.” A cigarette dangles between her fingers, which she holds up for a second before shoving between her lips. “I just came out for a smoke and seen ya from across the lot. Gotta get back inside, though. Almost my set.”

“What time is it?”

“Twenty after eight.”

Twenty after eight? That makes no sense. It was just after eight when Brie left the house. And then that … whatever that was with the rabbit. No way I could’ve made it to this side of town in such a short time. Point A definitely did not connect to Point B.

I dig for my lip gloss in the bag on the floor beside me and do a quick primp in the mirror, before exiting the vehicle. With Bergeron nowhere in sight, I have a feeling I’m going to have to sweet talk him into handing over my knife. The only shitty thing about that is, I’m not all that sweet.

Troll is standing outside the door when I stroll up, and the way he crosses his arms, staring down his nose at me, says the guy is going to be the bane of my life for the next couple of minutes.

“I have a meeting with Mr. Bergeron.”

“Had,” he corrects. “He waited a good fifteen minutes, an’ you never showed.”

“I got tied up.”

“Well, while you were untying yourself, he decided to cancel the meeting. Sorry.”

“Dude, I’ve had a really weird night. I’m just trying to get my knife back so I can go on with my life.”

“I can’t help you.”

“Just let me in to see him, and I’m sure everything will be settled.”

“Can’t do that, either. No ID, no entry.”

Keeping my murderous stare on the bouncer, I step aside for a figure walking toward me, trying to exit.

“Carly?” At the sound of my fake name, I turn to see Luc standing just outside the door, shoving a cigarette behind his ear. “You dance here?”

“No. I’m just trying to get inside for a meeting I had with Mr. Bergeron.” I narrow my eyes back on the Troll. “But he won’t let me in.”

“Ah, c’mon, Levi. I know dis one. I’ll take her to Thierry.”

Thierry. I wonder if that’s his first name, and if we’re talking about the same guy. Thierry just seems so normal for a man like him. Something more diabolical, like Lucifer, would be far more fitting.

“He gets pissed? It’s on you. Not me.” Troll Boy points a finger at Luc, and even if they’re both roughly the same size, Luc is definitely the more intimidating one of the two. Could be the muscle shirt he’s wearing that actually shows off his guns.