Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“He definitely was. Still is. He’s actually a cop now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, some asshole beat cop.” I remember back to my mother’s birthday and how happy she was when I gave her the swan. She never even saw the crack. Or at least she pretended not to.
“Then what happened?”
“By the next year, she was dead,” I whisper. “She committed suicide with a gun she must have bought on the streets.”
“I’m so sorry,” she says, placing her hand over mine.
“She obviously didn’t love me enough to stay,” I say out of nowhere, not meaning for those words I’ve never spoken to hit her ears.
“I’m sure she loved you, Devereaux.”
I give her a half-grin. “Thanks.”
“And your father?”
I shrug. “I haven’t spoken to him in years.”
* * *
Chapter 30?
* * *
Chloe
* * *
Work sucks. Serving drinks all night to horny men and women… sucks big time.
Adele approaches just after my last table has left. “You’re doing a great job.”
“Thank you,” I say as I wipe the table down with a damp cloth.
“How about you moving up to Greedy Girl status?” Adele’s red hair shimmers under the soft lighting of the club.
My hand halts its movement. “Yes. Please.”
About time.
Even though I feel confident I’m moving in on the killer, and will have this case wrapped up soon, I’m still happy I’m being promoted. Finally.
“I just need to get the ok from the boss.”
I nod, but who knows if Devereaux will give his approval. “Right, of course.”
Adele walks away, and as I watch her leave, Raven comes into view. I wonder if she’s spoken with Sugar yet about bringing me on as a girl for their business.
Raven beckons me, and I amble over to her, trying my best not to appear too eager.
“I’m meeting up with Sugar soon. Want to come?”
“Sure. Where?” I pull out my phone to shoot Devereaux a quick text, so he won’t worry where I’ve disappeared to, but Raven stops me.
“We’ll be back before the club closes tonight.”
“Oh, ok.”
Over the past week I’ve been out early a few times and waited for Devereaux to get off work. He always stays until closing time. Since it’s still pretty early, I decide I can sneak off with Raven for a bit before the club closes.
For the first time in a while, I feel like I’m actually doing some actual detective work.
“Where are we going?” I ask Raven.
“A fight at Throwdown.”
I glimpse up at Devereaux’s closed office door, wondering if he’s there. At work we try not to let on we’re… whatever we are. I don’t even know what it is at this point, and I hate that. All I do know is after this case is closed I’ll go back to my regular life, and he’ll go back to his.
Raven opts to drive, and I slide into the front seat of her red Jetta. She doesn’t chat much as we drive across town to Throwdown.
When we arrive, the place is packed. People are everywhere, trying their best to get a view of the two men attacking each other in a large ring on a makeshift stage.
“I’ve never been here before,” I tell Raven. I glance around, observing everything I can.
The two men in the ring look like they might kill each other. Blood drips from both men’s faces, and I almost want to call the cops. But ha, I am one.
The crowd cheers as one man punches the other and he falls flat on his back.
“Looks like the fight is over,” I say, leaning close to Raven so she can hear me over the crowd.
“There’ll be another one.”
How can men sign up to kick the ever-loving shit out of one another? Is that really fun?
“Oh, shit. Look who’s here.” Raven motions with her head toward the other end of the club.
And there he is, looking like the most gorgeous creature to walk the planet Earth.
Devereaux.
The twins stand to his right, and the Chekov brothers to his left.
He spots me, and I honestly wish I could hide right now.
I give him a small wave, and Raven laughs. “What are you doing?”
“Giving the boss a hello.”
Raven pulls me toward the bar. “Devereaux never really interacts with his staff. I’ve seen him out a few times, and I’m lucky to get a nod from him.”
We order a couple of vodka and sodas, and while we wait, Raven relaxes against the bar. Her jet-black hair shines under the lights, and I see the tattoos along her arm, peeking out past the sleeve of her maroon peasant-top.
“So, tell me how everything works,” I say once we’ve received our drinks. I chew on the thin black straw as I wait for Raven to answer.
“It’s simple. Sugar will call you with a time and where to meet your next client.”
“What if I don’t want to sleep with a certain client?”
Raven looks annoyed. “That doesn’t really happen. You just do it, ya know? If you’re having second thoughts…” She doesn’t need to finish her sentence for me to know I better be agreeable with everything or I get booted out.