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“Nothing,” I muttered loud enough to be heard over the music. “I have to go.”
I pried his fingers off my arm, running off before he could grab me again and pulling the hair tie out so he didn’t get a peek at my neck. I was halfway to the VIP area as I dug out the three bobby pins. My heart was racing and my palms were sweaty as I peered around the club.
“Looking for me?”
I froze, a lump growing in my throat. I didn’t even need to turn around to know that he’d seen it. I could hear it in his voice. And I wasn’t sure what he’d do with this information. But right now was not the time to be alone with him.
“Black light tattoo,” Jace murmured, his voice not giving anything away. “Smart. I never would have looked for that.”
“Don’t do anything stupid,” I warned him as I slowly turned to face him.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” he hissed, taking me by surprise when he lunged forward, grabbing my upper arms. “I tell Chris, and it’s fucking war. He’d want you. I don’t tell him, and he finds out I knew, then I’m fucked.”
“Jace—”
“The Underground?” he cut me off in disbelief. “One of the most silent criminal organizations? Shit. I knew it was something, but not this.”
He backed me into the wall, and I looked over his shoulder, scanning the club for Gage. All I had on me was a knife, and even though I didn’t think Jace would hurt me, I couldn’t let my guard down.
“Tattoos are reserved only for those of higher ranks,” he stated, as if I didn’t know my own organization’s rules. “How high up are you, Rynn?”
“High enough that there will be men with guns on Chris’s doorstep in less than an hour if you try to take me back to Pacific Point.”
He muttered a curse, letting me go to scrub a hand down his face. His eyes were wild with emotions I couldn’t decipher, and I licked my lips, unsure of what I was going to do. If Ellie found out that Jace knew, it was going to be a big fucking problem.
“We need to talk about this,” he said gruffly. “Meet me outside near the parking lot. I have to get rid of Pratt.”
I frowned, wondering if I could trust him. What if he went and called Chris? He lifted his head, taking in my expression and leaning closer.
“I’ve done everything to keep you out of Pacific Point,” he whispered roughly in my ear. “I’m not going to blurt out your secret right now. Give me five minutes.”
He stormed off, and his words repeated in my mind as I stared after him.Right now.What did that mean? That he was just waiting for a better time to tell my secret?
“Why’d you run off?”
My heart jumped when Kian stepped in front of me. “The drinks got to me. I need to use the bathroom.”
I didn’t wait to see if he believed my weak excuse before I stumbled through the VIP area, pushing open the employee only door. A couple of workers glanced at me as I strode through the kitchen and slipped through the back door. I sucked in deep breaths of the cool air as I moved toward the parking lot. There were a few people milling around, smoking and hanging out, but none of them paid any attention to me as I passed.
I found a spot near the first row in the parking lot where Jace couldn’t miss me and leaned against the light pole as I waited. Then I waited some more. After ten minutes, anxiety was eating me up. Gage started blowing up my phone, and I shot him a quick text that I’d be back soon.
I waited another twenty minutes.
Jace never showed up.
24
Rynn pacedthe living room again, like she had been the last hour. Lounging on the couch, I tracked her moves, wondering how long it would take her to tell me what was bothering her. I checked my watch and sucked in a long breath. It was going to be a long fucking night.
I stood up, catching her wrist when she walked past me. “Tell me, Rynn.”
“Tell you what?”
“You’re wearing a hole in your rug. You’ve been on edge ever since we got back from the party.”
“I had too much to drink.”
“For someone who gets pissed when you think I’m lying, you’re sure good at doing the same.”
