Page 61 of A Breath of Life (Shadowy Solutions #4)

Under the glow of the streetlights, his skin shone sickly green, and I suspected it wasn’t a trick of the light but a true indication of his state of being. He’d said more than once that we were going to get ourselves killed.

If he didn’t shed his funk, we probably would because the guilt written all over his face was a dead giveaway.

It was my job to help Joshua get into character.

Maybe Memphis’s jeweler friend wasn’t an actor, but he’d picked up enough guys at the clubs that pretending I was just another fling should have been second nature.

As Costa pulled away from the curb, I took Joshua’s face between my hands and forced him to look at me. “Breathe, Luigi. All you have to do is get us inside. The rest is up to Mario. Are you ready to infiltrate the castle?”

“No. I’m not ready, and stop acting like this is some kind of joke.”

“I’m trying to cut the tension.”

“It’s not working.”

Joshua’s skin felt cold and clammy under my touch. His eyes held a haunted expression. We wouldn’t get past security at this rate. I had to calm him down. Reassure him.

“So, what’s your deal with Memphis? He told me you’ve hooked up a few times.” I wiggled my brows. “Is it serious?” I knew it wasn’t, but I didn’t have a lot of conversation options in my arsenal.

Joshua wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Not anymore. The asshole sold me out.”

“He made a mistake. He didn’t know what he was sharing when he shared it.”

Joshua shrugged. “I’m just a good time to him. Nothing more.”

“No. He likes you. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have done a repeat. ”

“It’s a five-peat so far.”

“Seriously? See?” I chuckled. “That’s huge for Memphis. You have graduated to one of his top-tier fucks. Very few people pass that number.”

Joshua rolled his eyes, but I saw the lessening of his stress as we talked. “I’m not delusional. Even if I wanted more, he wouldn’t be interested. He told me on day one that he doesn’t get serious.”

That much I knew, but I had also noticed a change in my best friend lately. His lifestyle wasn’t as satisfying as it had once been, and since I’d started dating Diem, I got the sense he felt like he was missing out and was lonely. I didn’t have as much time to dedicate to our friendship.

“I’ll be honest. I’m not sure how strictly those rules are enforced. The right person might sway him to change his mind. Don’t give up. He needs someone who is willing to have fun but who also has both feet planted on the ground.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

I couldn’t explain myself. There wasn’t enough time. “We should go. Are you ready?”

Joshua’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. He glanced down the street beyond the massive church to the building beyond. “Not really.”

“It’s time.” I didn’t know if I should hold his hand, hook our arms together, or lean drunkenly against his side. We had to get chummy, or our story wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny.

Joshua made the decision for me, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Is this okay?”

“Absolutely.” I copied by draping mine around his neck and letting him lean his head against me. We staggered down the road like two men who’d had too much to drink.

I cleared my throat and performed. “Remember, I’m an old college friend. We met several years ago. My family is from Australia. ”

“Your accent is dreadful, Liam .”

“My accent is perfect, Joshy Woshy .” And if it wasn’t, I doubted anyone would notice.

Joshua exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh and mumbled a pep talk to himself under his breath. “We should be cheerier. Heavily flirtatious, or they won’t buy it, and we’ll get dead.”

“I can sell it. Can you? You’re still too stiff.”

“Stiff would be acceptable.”

I laughed. “See? Now you’re getting there.”

“You act like I’m an amateur. I’ve been selling my ass to these people for years, hoping for my own membership. Ace’s guys won’t be a problem. They like it when I bring other men. They especially like it when there’s a lot of sexual chemistry between me and the other guy.”

“So more?”

“Ideally.”

What I didn’t mention to my less-than-confident companion was that my boyfriend tended to have a ragingly jealous streak and heavy flirtations and showing sexual chemistry could trigger his homicidal urges, so if this worked and Diem caught wind of how we got into the club, Ace’s men would be the least of Joshua’s worries.

We approached the building, and since the outdoor cameras would be operational until we gave Costa the sign to disable them, we played our part.

Was it awkward shmoozing a guy I barely knew?

Definitely. What had once been a normal part of my life didn’t feel remotely the same now that I was in a committed relationship.

Having someone else’s hands on me—lips and tongue on my neck and ear—felt wrong, and it turned out to be me who struggled for authenticity after bragging about my superior acting skills to my cousin .

Joshua planted a row of featherlight kisses up my neck to my ear as we approached the door. He flicked his tongue against my earlobe, and I instinctively flinched away before remembering myself.

“Stop it,” he hissed. “The camera’s on us.”

While one hand roved my ass, he used the other to pluck his father’s card from his pocket and press it to the reader. A moment later, a series of clicks sounded as an automated system recognized the card and unlocked the door.

Inside, a man dressed in black from head to toe greeted us in a highly secured, boxed-in lobby area of sorts.

The door thudded behind us, and a reverse series of clicks indicated we were sealed in, unable to move forward or retreat and fully at the mercy of the man in black, who was armed with not only a gun but an intricate computer setup that would decide our fate.

“Mr. Stroud,” the man said as Joshua dislodged from my side with a flirty grin.

“Il Capo. How are you on this fine evening?” Joshua cooed as he handed over the card for il Capo to scan again. “I’ve brought a friend. Liam Hollowell.” To me, he said, “He needs your ID, sweetheart,” as though informing me of something I didn’t know.

My confusion and surprise were authentic and worked in my favor. Il Capo scanned me with a quirk in his lips as I frantically dug my wallet from a pocket and produced Kitty’s grandson-in-law’s driver’s license.

Moment of truth.

The man took it, no doubt noticing the steady vibration running under my skin. Hopefully, he chalked it up to nervous tension about our adventurous night ahead. This was the point at which everything could go wrong. If he didn’t believe I was who I claimed, the gig was up .

Joshua’s timing was perfect. He waited for the man to glance at my ID before saying, “Is Ace around this evening? He made a special request last time I was in, and I think I’ve found him the perfect toy.” He cozied up to me, grinning salaciously as he gnawed his lower lip.

The man, il Capo, barely registered the ID, too caught up in our interaction. I pulled on the sultry mask of mischief Diem loved so much, hoping it would adequately convey my willingness to play the part of Ace’s toy.

“Unfortunately, he’s not in this evening, but…” The quirk at the corner of his mouth returned. “Jackal’s here, and I get a break in an hour.”

Joshua fucking giggled as he turned ravenous eyes on the guard. “Even better. Don’t tell Ace his third in command stole his fun.”

“Never.” The man eyed me again, a burning hunger scorching my skin as he raked his gaze up and down my body. “Tight little package, aren’t you?”

I winked and seductively licked my upper lip.

The guard hummed with pleasure and returned my ID and Joshua’s card. Using a handheld scanner, he checked us for weapons. We cleared the inspection, and he waved us through a second set of doors that he unlocked manually with a code.

“Enjoy your evening.”

“See you in a bit.” Joshua took my hand.

Beyond the entryway was another world. The dark and smoky atmosphere was both vast and intimate, alluring in a way I couldn’t describe.

It stretched in all directions, seemingly infinite in size, only because I couldn’t make out the four walls containing us.

Dozens of men occupied various gaming tables spread throughout, all dressed similarly to Joshua and me in early twentieth-century garb. It was like we’d fallen back in time .

Vintage light fixtures hung low over the tables, emitting only enough illumination to make it possible to engage in betting. Curls of smoke danced in their midst, obscuring faces and clouding details.

Scratchy jazz played from a speaker system, loud enough to blanket conversations but not so oppressive you couldn’t engage in quiet talk.

An island bar, built from rich and darkly stained wood, was the room’s main focus.

In its center, an Art Deco-inspired pillar, at least ten feet in diameter, constructed of oddly shaped pieces of glass, reflected the colorful array of liquor bottles displayed on the shelves surrounding it.

The pillar seemed to be lit from within, or it could have been a trick of the eye. I couldn’t tell.

The cigars enjoyed by many patrons wafted a sweetish smell into the air.

Candles flickered on private tables situated around the circumference of the room, and scantily clad women entertained men in darker alcoves.

Most couples were still clothed. A few teasing hands traveled into pants or up skirts.

Displays of nipples and broad chests seemed common.

Most pairings were men and women, but I caught sight of a guy in leather boy shorts, straddling a suited fellow’s lap and grinding seductively.

I must have been staring with a stunned expression because Joshua leaned in and whispered, “The women and leather-clad boy toys are high-end prostitutes. They’re included in your membership fee.”

“Really? I feel like Costco is ripping us off. They should do better. All I get there is a free meatball and a tiny square of cheese if I’m lucky.”