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“Let me know if you need anything else,” the bartender said. “Anything at all.”
“Thank you.” As he walked away, tending to the crowded bar, I slipped my finger back and forth across the napkin. After taking a few sips, I swirled in my seat, shifting my gaze from one table to the next. It appeared a show was about ready to start on the stage centered in the middle of the room.
There were at least eighty men in this portion of the club, many dressed to the nines. What surprised me was how many women were here as well, couples seated in front of the stage. There were candles on the tables, the marked-off area creating an intimate atmosphere. I realized after people watching for a few minutes that I was completely relaxed, which I hadn’t expected.
I took a few more sips of my drink, every so often glancing toward where Gregory had taken the boys. Then I thought about the interview from earlier. Grabbing my purse, I tugged my phone into my hand. Thankfully, my father hadn’t called to hassle me, but I also hadn’t heard from Candice Porter either. Well, the idea was a crazy one at best and I knew Lachlan would tan my hide if I considered taking a date, no matter the reasons.
Maybe it was time to enjoy the rest of the week with the sexy dom and nothing else.
The lights began to dim, making it difficult to see anyone clearly, but I could sense several pairs of eyes remained pinned on me. The feeling was intense enough the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
After taking another sip, something caught my eyes. Davidson? Was he here with another woman? Maybe the man was a member of both clubs. Why? Maybe this time he was the guest. Whatever the case, the girl on his arm looked very young. As they moved toward what had to be the private rooms of the club, I slid off the barstool, curious if I could confirm it was him just in case something happened.
Whoever it was had a card to get in through the secure door. I scampered across the floor, barely avoiding falling on my butt. Before I’d reached the halfway point, the man stopped and turned enough he could look me in the eyes. For a few seconds, I was stunned, unable to move. Then the mystery man smiled. Jesus. He’d seen me. By the time I’d collected myself, they’d disappeared, the door slowly closing behind them.
I raced forward, trying to shut down the rush of fear, managing to grab the handle a split second before it closed and locked. The hallway was dim, more so than at Carnal Sins, taking a few seconds for my eyes to adjust. Damn it. The couple had either entered a room or had gone down another hallway.
Every handle I touched was locked, entrance requiring a keycard. I tried a few others finding the same thing. As I moved down another hallway, I groaned. The couple had disappeared, but I refused to give up, trying one door after another. When I noticed one was cracked, I moved toward it slowly, listening for any sounds. There was a single light on, the warm glow slipping through the crack still eerie.
Using a single finger, I pushed the door, ready to peer inside.
Then a massive hand grabbed me around the throat, shoving me inside the room and closing the door.
CHAPTER20
Lachlan
As soon as I had Lark inside the house, I yanked off my jacket, tossing it across the back of the couch. I was furious with her, more so than I should have been, but if I hadn’t caught sight of her long hair as she’d scrambled toward the door to the private rooms, I’d never figured out where she’d gone.
After unbuttoning and rolling up my sleeves, I planted my hands on my hips, pacing the floor. “What part didn’t you understand about staying right where you were?”
When she didn’t answer right away, I threw her a glance, shaking my head.
“I was trying to help.” She didn’t dare look in my eyes.
I’d been unable to say anything to her on the ride home, not only furious but trying to calm the fear of God she’d placed into me. “Talk. Tell me exactly why.”
She jumped visibly, wrinkling her nose. A part of me wanted to wrap my arms around her, the other dragging her over my knee. At this point, I figured I’d end up doing both. She deserved punishment for ignoring my single request.
“I thought I saw Ernest with a young woman.”
I stopped moving, narrowing my eyes. “So you took it upon yourself to investigate like I told you explicitly not to?”
“I was just going to see if I could get a visual of the girl in case. Nothing more,” Lark said insistently.
I crossed the floor in two strides, cupping her jaw, my hold firm. When I lifted her head, about a dozen things came into my mind to say, but none of them seemed adequate. “You worried me. You fucking terrified me. The thought of anything happening to you just about killed me.”
“You care about me.”
Shit. She wasn’t taking this seriously.
“I do. Jesus, woman. Don’t you understand what’s going on?”
“No, but you certainly seem to. Tell me.” Her eyes reflected even more of a heightened level of defiance. She was never going to let this go.
“There’s an underground network of powerful individuals who think they control not only this city, but I suspect far beyond. They’re everywhere, at least from what I’ve heard. And they’re dangerous.”
Her eyes opened wide. “The same men as inside the two clubs?”
