“I’ll have a gin and tonic, sweetheart.” One of the men nodded at me dismissively before starting a conversation with Gray. I laughed under my breath, spinning around to face Kade.
“Gin and tonic sounds good.” I trailed my fingers down Kade’s arm, making him scowl, before I headed back toward the couches. “I’ll take one too.”
The men stopped talking as I sat back down, staring at them intently. The guy who had mistaken me for a waitress was glaring at me with his mouth hanging open. He was a large man who was in great shape, and was wearing jeans with a crisp buttoned black shirt. The sleeves were rolled just below his elbows, and tattoos covered his exposed mahogany skin. His black hair was styled just as perfectly as his short beard.
I knew exactly who he was. I’d researched every person in the Riot Crew that was worth knowing about. This man was Victor Stiles. Most call him Vic. He wasn’t married, and he was in his early forties. He lived for the Riot Crew, and there was a reason they were as large as they were. Because the bosses didn’t take any bullshit.
The man who walked in with him was Juan Lopez. He was shorter than Vic. Maybe a couple of inches taller than my five-foot-six frame. His black hair was bone straight and came down past his ears when it wasn’t slicked back. He kept his face clean shaven, showing off his sharp jawline.
He was just as ruthless as Vic. The two of them ruled the Riot Crew together. Their origin story made waves in the criminal world. Having two bosses on top was almost unheard of. From what I was able to learn, Juan was from Mexico, and years ago, he ran a gang down there. The two of them had always been friends and decided to merge their criminal enterprises. Juan lived here in California but still did lots of business south of the border.
From everything I could uncover, the two of them had never had a falling out or betrayed each other. They weren’t blood, but they were as close as brothers. I was sure there was more to their story, but even with my extensive research, I knew I didn’t get all the facts.
“Who are you?” Juan asked, his eyes narrowing on me.
“She claims she’s Sapphire,” Kade spat out.
“She knew the codeword for the meeting,” Gray spoke up as his eyes trailed down my body. “And she has a tattoo.”
Vic glanced at Juan before he crossed the room until he was standing in front of me. I rose from the couch, an electric current of adrenaline buzzing under my skin. This was the riskiest move I’d made in a long time. I could handle myself in almost any situation, but four against one wasn’t good odds, especially when I didn’t have a weapon.
“I don’t see a tattoo,” he said, his gaze trailing my body.
“We did,” Kade replied. “It’s a sapphire surrounded by blue flames.”
“Hmm,” Vic hummed out before moving away from me and walking to the bar.
“You wouldn’t have the symbol for Sapphire inked on your skin unless you have a death wish,” Juan said, pulling the toothpick from his mouth.
“Unless I am Sapphire,” I snapped, losing my calm. I didn’t come here to be questioned about my identity. “If you aren’t serious about doing business, I’ll go to the next person on my list.”
“How old are you?” Juan asked as Vic handed him a glass of whiskey.
“How is that any of your business?”
My question had both of them frowning at me. Being rude to the bosses of Riot wasn’t something anyone did unless they wanted to die. But they hadn’t earned my respect, and I wasn’t one to give it away freely.
“She’s twenty-eight,” Gray answered, shooting me a smug grin.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I stayed quiet. Telling Charles my age before I killed him two years ago was a mistake. However, I never expected to see Kade or Gray again, so I hadn’t cared if that detail about me had slipped out. I was regretting that now.
“She’s the one who took the Rolls-Royce,” Kade admitted grudgingly, glaring daggers at me.
Vic and Juan looked surprised at that. They inspected me again, but this time in a new light. I doubted anyone got the drop on their guys often, so what I’d done to Kade and Gray must have been a big deal.
“Excuse us a minute.” Vic nodded at me before the four of them went to the back of the room near the bar. They spoke quietly enough that I couldn’t pick up any part of their conversation. I kept my eyes on them, not hiding the fact that I was watching. If they wanted privacy, they could have left the room. For the first time since I entered the club, I was able to really look at Kade and Gray. I had researched everything I could about them too when I decided to make this deal.
Kade Jacobs and Grayson Scott had been friends for as long as they’d been alive. They grew up here in Ridgewood and had been associated with the Riot Crew since they were fourteen. They were also in line to take over the crew when Vic and Juan stepped down. I guessed they wanted to keep the tradition of two bosses alive. I still didn’t understand it. There wasn’t room on top for two. That’s why I worked alone.
Kade glanced at me, looking more than a little heated, before turning back to Vic and arguing about something. Even when he was angry, he was still hypnotizing to look at. His hair was a dark brown, almost black, and he kept it cut shorter on the side with the top a bit longer. Both his arms were covered in tattoos, and I could bet he had just as many under his shirt. His light brown skin was flawless, and though he wasn’t stocky, his ripped muscles were impossible to miss.
I was almost positive he was related to Juan. The two didn’t share the same features, but Kade did more business on the south side of the border with Juan and was immersed in Juan’s family. Kade had been raised by his single mother, and no matter how much I dug, it was impossible to find anything out about Kade’s father. It made sense. Even though they wanted two bosses at the top when Juan and Vic retired, they wouldn’t trust just anyone. With an empire as large as this, they’d want at least one family member leading it.
My gaze drifted to Gray. He was as breathtakingly hot as Kade, but in his own way. His dirty blond hair was almost as long as mine, resting just past his shoulders. He usually had it pulled back like it was now. His green eyes were usually light with amusement unless he was angry. Then they were a few shades darker, and when he met my eyes, I could tell he was more than a little agitated about me being here. I shot him a little grin before he turned his attention back to Vic and Juan.
If he didn’t have his lip ring or tattoos, he’d be the perfect picture of a surfer. But from what I’d learned about him, he had no interest in sports or the ocean. Like Kade, cars and the crew were his life. He almost always wore a black leather jacket that he seemed unhealthily attached to. It was a mystery to me on how he’d gotten so deep with the gang. His parents, by all accounts, were the picture-perfect family. His father had a respectable job, and his mother stayed at home to raise him and his younger sister. I guessed he got involved because of his friendship with Kade.
Vic cleared his throat, ending their conversation as they all made their way back to where I was on the couch. I met Juan’s stare, keeping my face emotionless. I understood their shock. In all the years of the rumors and stories of Sapphire, I doubted anyone ever suspected a woman could fill the shoes of the infamous name.
“You contacted us to work together on a job,” Vic stated, his voice full of authority. “Why did you choose us?”
“Because you have bad blood with the Panthers. Which means we have a common enemy.” Standing up, I took my time smoothing out my skirt before continuing. “This is a three-person job. Your boys here can help get what I need. And, of course, we’ll split the profits.”
“Stealing from the Panthers is a good way to get killed if you get caught,” Kade said, distrust lacing his voice.
“We won’t get caught. We have six months to plan to make sure everything goes perfectly.” I didn’t add that the Panthers had stolen from me first. All they needed to know about were the cars we were going to steal. “Between the three of us, we’ll be in and out before they even realize what’s happening.”
Juan flipped the toothpick with his tongue. “My boys don’t trust you. And for good reason. They could have ended up dead or in prison with how you left them two years ago.”
“If that were the case, then they wouldn’t be worth my time. They got out of that predicament with ease, proving they’re worthy to work by my side.”
Gray grumbled under his breath, glaring at me as I spoke. Kade crossed his arms, suspicion scrawled across his face. I rolled my eyes, preparing to make my exit.
“It’s clear they don’t want to work with me. This was a waste of time.” I moved toward the door until Vic stepped in front of me. My muscles tensed, and I prepared to fight my way out if I had to. He must have noticed my change because he raised his hands and stepped back a couple of feet.
“We would love a chance to work with the notorious Sapphire,” he said, trying his hardest to keep his voice light. “If you want to work with Kade and Gray, we will make that happen.”
Raising an eyebrow, I glanced over my shoulder, expecting the two of them to argue. But they stayed silent, their eyes focused on Vic.
“But we can all agree that there needs to be trust to work a job together. Especially a job as large as the one you’re suggesting.” I turned my attention back to Vic as he spoke. “We’d like you to work with them on smaller jobs while we plan. That way, you three can get comfortable working with each other.”
I hesitated, considering his idea. That wasn’t what I wanted. I planned to only be in Ridgewood when we met to plan, and that was it. I worked alone and had no desire to change that. However, out of everyone on my list, I wanted to work with Kade and Gray the most. They were nearly as good as I was, and with them, this heist had the best chance at succeeding.
“All right,” I agreed slowly. “I’ll stay here so we can work while we plan. But I do not follow anyone’s rules. Including your gang’s. I’ll respect your city while here, but do not expect me to do fall in line like your soldiers.”
Juan tensed, not liking my words. But they needed to know I wouldn’t do jobs for their crew while I was here. Car jobs were fine, but anything else wasn’t my problem. Vic nodded, accepting my deal.
“What’s your name?” Gray asked stiffly.
I smiled. “For now, you can call me Sapphire. No offense, but I don’t think we’ve built up enough trust to spill my personal life to you.”
“Why do I have a feeling you know everything about us? Kade muttered under his breath, not looking happy about the arrangement at all.”
I ignored him, facing Vic and Juan again. “As you already know, I like to stay under the radar. No one outside this room is to know who I am. If I find out you’re telling people who I am, I’ll be gone without so much as a goodbye. I’ll call to set up our next meeting.”
“You don’t have our numbers,” Gray interjected.
I had reached out to them via email to set this meeting up, but they had no idea that I had both Kade’s and Gray’s personal numbers. It would come in handy in the future.
“We have many properties in the city you can stay at—”
I cut Juan off. “Thank you, but I can find my own place.”
They all frowned at me, not liking that I wasn’t giving them an inch about anything. With a nod of my head, I strode to the door and let myself out. Bounding down the stairs, I moved faster than usual, not wanting Kade or Gray to catch up to me while I was still weaponless. Vic and Juan obviously wanted to work with me, but I had a feeling Kade and Gray were still very skeptical.
A few curious stares met me as I stepped back into the club. No one bothered me as I jogged to the exit, the silence of the outside street hitting me once the door closed behind me. Their club was on the north side of Ridgewood and wasn’t usually a place a woman wanted to be walking around alone. Especially at night. The north side was the poorest area of this massive city. And was also where most of the Riot Crew lived and had their businesses. Cars lined the narrow street, and even though it was nearly eleven at night, many people were still milling around on the sidewalks.
I passed a small garage, which I knew was also an illegal chop shop. I had researched everything about this city before I came here, focusing mostly on where the crew was. This street was filled with locally owned businesses. I got swallowed by shadows as I turned the corner. Apparently, working streetlights weren’t a priority here.
My ears pricked up, hearing someone behind me. I continued to walk, listening as the person’s footsteps got closer. Once I guessed they were within hitting distance, I whirled around, my arms already raised. I slammed my forearm into the man’s neck, shoving him into a parked car on the street. To my surprise, it wasn’t Kade or Gray.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” the man said, staying still as I pressed my arm into his throat. Unease flowed through me, noticing that my sudden attack didn’t seem like a surprise to him.
“Who are you?” I asked coldly.
He flashed me a sheepish grin, keeping his hands at his sides. He was wearing an expensive suit and looked very out of place on this side of town. He looked to be my age or maybe a little older, and although he wasn’t my usual type, I couldn’t help but admire him. It took a lot to scare me, and this man was nowhere near the type of predator I was used to playing with.
“I was in the club when I saw Jacobs and Scott going after you,” he explained, and I swore I heard amusement in his voice. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
The moonlight was my only light as I inspected him. His smile was easygoing and friendly—which made my guard rise. His hair was either dark brown or black and was styled perfectly. Between the suit and his hair, I guessed he was a businessman. The question was whether he was legit or on the dark side of the law. For some reason, I had a feeling he didn’t belong in my world.
“As you can see, I’m fine.” I reluctantly removed my arm from his neck and stepped away from him. “And for future reference, following a woman at night looks bad, even if you had good intentions.”
I was still watching him closely, not sure if he was really just a concerned citizen. He chuckled, adjusting his suit jacket as he kept his eyes on mine.
“You know Kade and Gray?” I asked, referencing how he used their last names.
“Almost everyone in this city knows who they are,” he answered, looking at me curiously. “That crew makes this city chaos.”
The bitterness in his voice wasn’t lost on me. “I thought the crew did good for this town. They give to the people who need it. Money, food, jobs.”
“Yes, by their illegal doings,” he said with a frown. “They aren’t the type you want to get mixed up with.”
I laughed. “I can take care of myself. And if you don’t like them, why were you in their club?”
“What’s the saying? Keep your friends close and enemies closer.”
I stiffened a little at that, wondering who this guy was. After a moment, I gave him one of my best smiles, offering him my hand. “I’m Mili. It’s nice to meet a man who is concerned about a woman’s well-being. Especially when I’m new to town and don’t know anyone.”
“Nice to meet you, Mili.” He shook my hand firmly. “I’m Rylan. And you seemed well acquainted with Grayson. Although he didn’t seem happy with you.”
I bit my tongue, not happy that he didn’t tell me his last name. I wanted to see what I could find out about him. If he was an enemy of the crew, then I wanted to know everything about him. I giggled, waving my hand dismissively.
“He was someone I was dancing with. He got angry when I didn’t want to take it farther. I had no idea who he was until they shut down the entire club. We worked it out though.”
“Just be careful around them,” Rylan said, and it was driving me crazy that I couldn’t tell if his concern was real or not. “Those two are some of the most bloodthirsty and dangerous people in this city.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I said lightly, beginning to walk away from him. “Have a good night, Rylan.”
“Do you need me to walk you home?”
“No offense, but you could be dangerous too,” I said, only half teasing. “I don’t make it a habit to walk with strange men.”
“Smart girl,” he muttered, sliding his hands in his pockets. “You need smarts like that to survive in this city.”
I didn’t answer him as I strode away, making sure he wasn’t following me. I wasn’t sure what to make of him. I doubted he was as innocent as he portrayed himself to be. At the same time, he didn’t emit danger like Gray and Kade did. Hopefully, I’d be able to find out more about him once I got to my laptop.
The salty air was a reminder of how close I was to the ocean. It was a far cry from New York City, which was where I’d spent the majority of the last five years unless I was working jobs. The air was warm but not oversaturated with humidity, and I decided I could get used to this. I wouldn’t miss the cold winters of the East Coast while I was here.
Not that I would have much time to enjoy California now that I had agreed to work jobs with the Riot Crew. It would be worth it to pull off the Panthers’ job. But I needed to watch my back. Even with Vic and Juan wanting to work with me, I saw revenge in Gray’s eyes. They weren’t over what I’d done to them, and I wouldn’t put it past them to try and get even.
It would be fun to see them try.
