Page 124 of Stepbrothers' Darling


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Just then my phone vibrates, so I pull it free and check my messages. I sit bolt upright. “What is it, baby girl?” Cyrus demands.

“One of my friends,” I mumble as I read the text. “He knows of a chop shop on the south side of the city where they sell old and used cars to criminals. Not stolen, no plates, so hard to trace and track. He said he spoke to them, and someone who could have been him came in last month to buy a car,” I tell them and look up. “It’s him. It has to be.”

“We need to go.” Asher stands, but then he winces and drops back into his seat. “Erm, maybe later.” They share a look, and I hop to my feet, propping my hands on my hips.

“No, go now!” I snap and lower my voice. “This is our chance.”

“We can’t leave you, baby girl,” Cyrus starts.

“Don’t give me that shit. Go. You want to stop him? To keep me safe? We need this lead,” I argue.

“But we can’t leave you alone,” Bray counters sadly, watching me with big eyes.

I sigh and calm down, but I’m too wound up not to argue with them. They need to go, not sit here and babysit me. Why can’t they see this? I won’t try to go myself, they wouldn’t let me, and I can appreciate why, but that means they need to then.

“Seriously, go. Security is here, and you already said Prez has some guys here. I’ll wait to leave until you come back, and I won’t do anything stupid. If you think you have a lead, then you have to go.”

“Baby girl,” Cyrus growls.

“This could be how we get him, how we end this. I need this to be over,” I implore.

Bray leans in. “Stay here. If there’s any trouble, you call us. There are four bikers in the crowd, so be good, please.” It seems Bray has made the decision for them. Cyrus stands, annoyed but understanding, and kisses me hard.

“Go,” I whisper against his lips. “Kill the bastard.”

Asher hugs me and I watch them leave with my heart in my throat. It could really be over tonight.

It puts a skip in my step as I head back to the dressing room to change for my next performance. I’m nervous for them. I’ll be a worried mess until they get back, but we’re close. I can feel it. It’s almost over. It makes me straighten my shoulders, and I throw myself into the next dance, pouring everything into it.

I dance and dance until my legs ache and feet hurt, and when we finally have a break, I hurry to the bar and grab a fresh lemonade. Thanking the bartender, I turn to survey the club, trying to spot the bikers, but everyone looks the same in the dark unless you get close. It’s the appeal of it, the darkness and the deep, sexy lighting.

Sipping the drink, I watch the crowd before handing my glass back and winding through the tables as some of the girls perform on stage. Every eye is on them, so thankfully I go unnoticed. I’m almost at the doors to the dressing room and in view of security when it happens.

I’m just passing a table near the back corner, in almost complete darkness, when a hand strokes across my arm. The touch chills me to my core and makes me freeze. All the hair on my body stands on end, and my heart starts to race as my fight-or-flight response kicks in.

It’s him, I know it. I would recognise that touch anywhere and the slightly rough, scarred palm of his hand from cutting himself on a glass at school.

I turn my head slowly, as if I’m expecting him to leap out of the dark and carry me away, even though I’m surrounded by people. But they all fade. All the music, laughter, and patrons disappear except for the dark figure in the shadows. I swallow hard, nearly hyperventilating from being so close to him.

And I know it’s him even before his smooth, deep voice drifts out of the shadows.

“Hello, Blair.”

An untouched glass of whisky sits before him, and he begins to lean forward, but before he can do anything, I grab the glass, smash it over his head, and run, knowing it’s my best course of action. I need to get out of here. He can grab me or make a scene here, but it doesn’t mean I’m safe, and I know he’s willing to do anything, even kill these people, so even though I hate it, I’m doing it to save them.

If it had just been me, I would have got this over with, but what would go down would result in others being injured or maybe even dying, and I can’t have that on my conscience, not anymore.

So I run like a fucking pussy, right past security and into the empty dressing room. I tell them to call the cops, even though I know by the time they get here, he’ll be gone. I dial Crew as well. Asher picks up as I stare at the closed door like I expect him to burst through at any moment.

“He’s here,” I wheeze. “He’s here!”

“Fuck, we’re on our way! Hide, love. Our men went to help Prez at the diner, Faye got into trouble.” I hear him yelling at the others and the sound of the engine roaring. The seconds tick by, my heart slamming as I wait for him to come in here.

Then I hear it.

A loud bang.

It makes me jerk.

It comes again, and this time, there’s screaming.

A gun.

Lexi!

Allegra!

They were due on stage! I drop my phone without thinking, and I sprint through the door and into the chaos beyond, hearing Asher screaming after me.

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