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He released her head but not his grip on her hip. Travis glanced from her tense face past the crowd on the floor and swept for a moment to the bar area. Sure enough, a guy fitting Bryce’s earlier description lounged against the bar with a drink in his hand.
“Thanks, Bryce. I got it from here. You can take off.”
Bryce seemed torn, and Travis could see the inner turmoil as the kid entertained the thought of confronting the guy. Common sense prevailed, and he slunk from the floor, heading toward the exit.
Travis hazarded another glance at the bar. Still there. It would be best to speak to the guy when the possibility for escape was more limited than the crowded bar. He
’d just have to bide his time. For now.
They continued to dance, however, they were only going through the motions now. Whatever brief and charged moment that had passed between them ended the moment Bryce reappeared.
He continued to keep an eye on Matt as well as the dude up at the loft, which paid off a couple of minutes later when he saw the two men briefly make eye contact before the suit returned to his seat at the back booth. Less than a minute later, Matt downed his drink and meandered through the crowd as he made his way up to join the little party.
Travis managed to edge them into a better position where he could watch the interaction. Matt didn’t look like he was particularly welcome and stood, sullenly, while the older man spoke to him. Not looking any happier, Matt finally walked away and sulked back down the stairs to the dance floor and headed into the restrooms, just to the left.
That was his cue. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll meet you back at the table in a few minutes.”
Meredith nodded and continued to dance, which on a dance floor filled more than two-thirds with women, didn’t look anything out of the ordinary.
That had been easier than he’d thought. Before he could consider her reaction further, he pushed open the men’s restroom.
Unlike the crush he’d noted entering and leaving the women’s room, the men’s room was near empty. In the usual fashion, there was a man at each end of the line of urinals. Matt had taken the one in the center. With his choices limited, Travis was free to accept the open station next to Matt’s without recrimination, and he did so.
“That chick you’re with, she’s wicked hot,” Matt announced.
Travis didn’t hazard a look, just nodded. He waited until the other two men finished and left them alone before he strode to the door and kicked the rubber stopper underneath, wedging it tightly. He returned to Matt, who was busy zipping up and hadn’t yet noticed he was trapped.
Before the element of surprise was lost, Travis walked over and grabbed the kid’s throat, shoving him against the wall. His eyes bulged as he tried pulling Travis’s hand from his neck.
“It’s Matt, right? Well, Matt, this can be quick and easy and you can be on your way, or…painful. All I need is a few answers from you. You see, I’m looking for a young girl, barely eighteen. Her name’s Darcy, and I have it on good authority that she was last seen with you Wednesday night leaving a party out on Fifth West.”
He loosened his grip, and the guy gasped for air, his breath reeking of tobacco and alcohol. His eyes darted to the door. “Sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t know a Darcy.”
Travis had given him his chance. Time to cut to the chase. He grabbed the kid’s wrist and twisted it. He heard the snap before the sharp cry of pain.
He tried again. “I need some information from you, Matt, and I want to make sure I have your full attention. Are you listening?”
The kid’s eyes were wide with shock and pain, but he managed to nod. Travis released the kid’s now limp wrist and slipped his hand in his front pocket to pull out a photo. “Good. You see, there’s a young girl who I’ve been paid to track down. She may look familiar? Yes? I need you to tell me where she is.”
Matt tried to speak, but the grip on his throat seemed to make speech difficult.
Travis released his hold. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”
“Go to hell.”
Travis stepped back just enough to get the leverage needed to kick him in the knee. A satisfying crack sounded. “Now, I only have to do that one more time before the kneecap shatters. That’ll put you out of commission for a while. Make this easy on yourself and tell me where she is.”
The kid whimpered. That was better.
…
Meredith had watched Travis cross the room, tamping down her irrational jealousy when every girl he passed tactlessly rubbed against him, until he’d finally disappeared into the restroom. But she had continued to dance as if she hadn’t a care in the world, careful to keep her attention from the loft, where Matt had been just before he ducked into the restroom.
The next song started before she permitted herself a quick glance up toward the loft, hoping to see the guy Matt had been speaking with. She was certain he was the person Travis had been preoccupied with since they first arrived.
She didn’t have to look very long. He was the staring straight at her, not trying to be subtle. She sucked in her breath.
He was actually pretty hot in a scary run-and-hide sort of way, and she could see why the women around him were vying for his attention. He was clearly in charge and enjoyed that power.
