“Are you sure you don’t want to go with? We could blow off some steam at Viper’s.” I carry the feet while Nikolai carries the shoulders.
Between us hangs a very dead, small-time dealer who thought he could get away with cutting Mikhail’s drugs and passing them off as his own.
It wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t been talking so much shit and trying to turn some of our own guys to work for him.
“I can’t, man. I’m sorry. My babysitter said she had to bail early.” Nikolai wipes his sweaty face against his own shoulder before hoisting the stiff higher into his grasp.
This isn’t the first time we’ve had to do this. Since Nikolai and I started working closely together two years ago, we’ve gotten into a rhythm.
He slams the trunk shut over our deceased cargo. “I’m looking for a new one. This girl thinks she wants to start singing at that new jazz club that opened up. I’ve heard her sing to Lily–the girl would sound better with a cock in her throat.” A touch of his Russian accent comes out as he gets agitated.
“What, like yours?” I’ve seen her. It’d take a lot of vodka.
“Funny. Not even close. There are lines you don’t cross.” Nikolai pauses as he shifts the car into drive to look at me over his sunglasses. “Well. You cross lines. I do not.” The corner of his mouth turns up in a sarcastic smile before he slams on the accelerator, pushing us both back into our seats.
He’s never going to let me live down messing around with my brother’s wife.
Half-brother.
Brody sounds like he’s kind of an ass, anyway, from what Sofia told me.
Fuck, she had the most amazing—
“Idi na khuy!” Nikolai yells in Russian at the windshield as he slams on the brakes.
A stumbling group of college age guys bump into the front of his Hellcat. Their half-full plastic glasses of alcohol scrape against the gray hood before they navigate to the sidewalk.
“If you want to tell them to go fuck themselves, English gets through their drunk noggins a lot faster.” I slump down against the window and turn the air conditioner vent to blow on my forehead.
It’s still over a hundred degrees. The heat won’t be doing any favors to the body in the trunk.
“I get tired of how simple they are. Don’t they know that my father’s men are coming?” Nikolai’s large fist bunches over the steering wheel.
“Are you sure they are? I mean, things have been pretty quiet lately. Except for the occasional little fish.” I jerk my thumb towards the back.
“It’s always this way with him. Silence before all hell breaks loose.” His teeth grit and his hand twists on the leather.
With a sigh, he slumps back.
The buildings thin and disappear as we drive further into the desert. Reds and golds are bursting across the dusky sky when he turns us onto the secluded dirt road.
Raking my tongue bar across my teeth helps to vent out some of the nervous energy bouncing through me.
I just want to get this shit done.
“We need to hurry. We’ll just leave him for the buzzards and coyotes.” Nikolai opens the trunk.
I can smell the guy already.
Vegas has a lot of perks, but keeping a body fresh isn’t one of them.
“Nasty. Did he shit his pants?” I hope this smell doesn’t linger. “Next time, we load them alive, then bring them out here.” My stomach rolls as bile rises in my throat.
Nikolai shakes his head. “They’d just scream the whole way.” The tattoos on his knuckles stand out as he locks his hands around the chest.
We drop the body in a small ditch. Someone would have to walk right up to it to find it.
“Good enough.” He wipes his hands across his thick thighs and climbs back into his vehicle.
My rings catch the glint of the fading light as I open and close my fingers. The last hit left a twinge, but I’ve had worse.
It’s dark by the time we get back to the lines of casinos.
An ache in my chest tells me tonight is long from over. It’s hard to want to just go back to my suite and deal with the silence.
“Are you sure about Viper’s?” I duck my head as I lean against his window. “Just a couple of drinks?”
“Next time. See you tomorrow. Don’t forget, we got a date with the boss in the morning.” Nikolai takes off, leaving me in front of the Luxor pyramid.
Walking distance to Viper’s Pit. They have the best bands and the hottest waitresses I’ve found.
I need both today.
The bass from the speakers vibrates through me as I step through the heavy doors before the wall of sound tries to push me out.
Fuck yeah, SACRED is playing tonight. I can tear some shit up in the pit.
“Hello, handsome. The usual?” A short, bouncy blonde saddles up to me with an empty tray propped under her arm.
“Hey, Rhonnie. Yeah, make it a double.” I just want to lose myself in the music for a while so I can pass the hell out tonight.
“Sure thing. Hey, you sticking around for a while?” She chews on her bottom lip and twirls the end of her hair around her finger.
“Yeah, but going home alone. I got shit to do in the morning.” Mikhail would kill me if I showed up late. He doesn’t have a lot of rules, but he demands respect.
She pouts, then shakes her head. “No. I was just hoping us girls could hang tight tonight. There’s a rowdy bunch in.” Her chin juts toward a group of tables near the back.
Four big guys sit in a shadowed booth, loudly calling out to her.
I can hear them yelling over the screaming of the lead singer.
“I’ll watch your back. Just keep the drinks flowing.” Working my way through the thick push of people, I find a spot near the wall where I can see the band and watch the guys at the same time.
Rhonnie shows up with a red-headed waitress in tow. Both of their trays are loaded with beers and shots.
“Here, hon. Thanks for keeping tabs.” She leans over far enough for me to see her nipples poking out over her low cut shirt. Her mouth twists into a seductive smile and she gives me a slow wink.
“Not tonight.” I have no interest in her level of drama.
“Well, I am still glad you’re here.” Her shoulders draw back, and she takes her partner with her into the den of thugs in the back of the room.
Whistles and catcalls break up the lyrics, but I do my best to ignore them.
It’s only when one of the girls cries out that I rip my eyes off the stage.
One of the bald gorillas against the wall has the redhead pinned across his lap and she’s struggling to get up.
“Hey, fucknut! Leave her alone. She doesn’t want your ugly ass.” I throw one of my empty bottles in his general direction. The shattering glass makes him lift his head and meet my stare.
He stands, letting the waitress slide off of his thighs and land on the hard floor.
“What the hell did you say to me?” His long beard ripples with every word.
I knock my chair back as I jump to my feet.
I’m always ready for a fight.
“Do I need to sound it out for you? Or leave a row of bumps across your forehead so you can read it in braille?” One last swallow of my drink gives me another possible missile to launch at his sweating dome.
The large man takes a deep breath and his fists rise in front of his chest.
“Wait, wait. I got this.” A smaller guy with curly dark hair jumps between us, holding his palms up to the pissed off brute.
When the shorter one turns to me, he flashes a big smile. “Jax Carter. Never thought I’d see you here.” His light footsteps carry him closer.
Is that who I think it is?
No way.
“Brody?”
What is my half-brother doing in Vegas? I haven’t talked to him since his wedding.
That whole thing could have gone better.
Is he going to hate me for fucking his wife?
Well, I assume ex-wife by now.
I still wonder where she is and if she found someone new.
Sofia.
I should have left my number. Or got hers.
It’s one of my biggest regrets, but my head was so fucked up at the time, I didn’t know what I had until she was gone.
Losing her is always a double whammy when the anniversary of Kai’s death rolls around.
If I hadn’t been an idiot and let her go, she might have been the one to help fill this hole in my heart.
“Look, no hard feelings about the wedding, okay? I get it that you didn’t want to show.” He holds his hand out for me to shake it.
The big bearded, bald man grunts as the waitress scurries past us.
Does he know why I didn’t make it?
“Yeah, sorry, I got sidetracked. How is she?” I still wonder if she stayed away and took my advice to start a new life.
After a long drink, he smiles. “She bailed. She was a good piece of ass, too. But I found a better one. This one is a keeper; she knows better than to run out on me.”
I bet that means he’s beat her harder.
His eyes tighten and he tilts his head, the smile still dancing over his lips. “I’m having a bachelor party next week. Maybe you can be the perfect test for her. I mean, we do kinda look alike. If she still chooses me over you, I know she’s loyal.”
The empty bottle makes a thump on the table as he sets it down.
“You want me there as some sort of test?” My opinion of him sinks another couple of notches.
He laughs and slaps my arm. “Worst that could happen, we can spit roast her cheating ass together.”
“Sounds like love,” I say sarcastically.
He shrugs. “I’d like to get to know my big brother. It’s at The Sinners, next Friday at seven. I’ll make sure you get the VIP treatment.”
Brody turns away and talks low to the big bald guy.
As a group, the men stand and start working their way out of the club.
“It was lucky to see you again, bro. We always seem to be meeting over a girl.” Brody laughs and throws his arm up in a wave before disappearing into the Vegas night.
